ed, he received fresh orders from
Clinton to retain them, as he had no longer any fear of Washington and
Rochambeau. Under these circumstances, as Portsmouth was not proper for
the reception and defence of ships of the line, and as it was not such a
post as was desired by Sir Henry Clinton, he resolved to proceed to, and
to fortify York Town, on York River. Part of his army was therefore sent
up the Chesapeak to take possession of this town, and by the 22nd of
August his whole force was concentrated there and at Gloucester Point.

{GEORGE III. 1781-1782}

SIEGE OF LORD CORNWALLIS IN YORK-TOWN.

By intercepted letters, written by Washington to congress, Sir Henry
Clinton discovered that an attack on New York was intended as soon as
Count de Grasse, the French admiral, should arrive with a new fleet.
Discovering this, great preparations were made to sustain a siege, and
it was when they were completed that Sir Henry Clinton countermanded the
troops which he had ordered Cornwallis to send him. Cornwallis was in
greater need of them than Sir Henry himself; for, although New York was
still threatened, it was against him that Washington now resolved to
direct his operations. Count de Grasse had avoided Admiral Rodney in his
passage, and he arrived in the Chesapeak on the 30th of August, with a
French fleet, consisting of twenty-eight sail of the line, and several
frigates, and having on board with him 3200 land troops. De Grasse
was here, also, joined by Count de Barras, with a French squadron,
consisting of eight ships of the line, which had been stationed at Rhode
Island. Having failed to intercept or to meet de Grasse in his passage
to America, Admiral Rodney despatched Sir Samuel Hood to New York, with
fourteen ships of the line, which, with the fleet at New York, it
was conceived would be a match for the French fleet. Admiral Graves
commanded the fleet at New York, but when Hood arrived he had only
seven ships of the line, and five of these only were ready for sea.
Nevertheless, as it was ascertained that de Grasse was either in
the Chesapeak or making for it, Graves, taking the command as senior
officer, on Hood's arrival set sail in hopes of first cutting off the
French Rhode Island squadron, and then beating the larger fleet. Graves
found de Grasse, who had landed his troops to join Lafayette, just
within the Capes. The French admiral had not been yet joined by de
Barras, and, as soon as he found that the ship