XX. 1781. Obstinate tween the English the Dogger In the course of the summer an engagement took BOOK place off the Dogger Bank, between an English squadron commanded by admiral Hyde Parker, and á Dutch squadron of equal force under admiral engageZoutman, who had under convoy the Baltic tradement bebound to the Texel. On perceiving the English Dutch fleet bearing down, the Dutch admiral, who was to fleets, off leeward, lay-to, and the English were suffered to Bank. approach within half musquet shot without firing a gun, when a dreadful cannonade commenced, which was kept up without interruption for three hours and forty minutes; and the action then ceased only because the ships on both sides, from the damages they had respectively sustained, were no longer found manageable. The Dutch, after some time, bore away with their convoy for the Texel, which they reached with great difficulty, one of their largest ships sinking before they could make the harbour. Admiral Parker, who had unavailingly applied to the admiralty for a reinforcement, returned in great discontent and in a shattered condition to the Nore, where he received the signal honor of a visit from his majesty on board his own ship, and was offered knighthood as the reward of his valor. But his haughty refusal showed how little he was flattered by these petty and puerile distinctions; and no acts of royal condescension could alter his reso lution of resigning his command. BOOK 1782. Various expeditions were undertaken to different parts of the province, with uniform success; and lord Cornwallis, by a well-concerted manœuvre, having taken a position between the American army and its grand dépôt of stores at Albemarle Courthouse, could not avoid exulting in his superiority. Knowing that the marquis de la Fayette was on his march to prevent that important capture, and believing that he could not make his approach but with great disadvantage and hazard, he in an unguarded moment exclaimed, "The boy cannot escape me!" But the marquis had the address to extricate himself from this difficulty, by opening in the night a nearer and long-disused road to the Court-house; and the next day, to the surprise of lord Cornwallis, he had taken a position which effectually covered it from attack. Lord Cornwallis, finding his plan frustrated, proceeded to Williamsburg, the capital of the province, which he took possession of, June 26th, without opposition. Here he received advices from sir Henry Clinton, which informed him, that the commanderin-chief, conceiving New York to be in danger from the united forces of the French and Americans, desired the troops under general Arnold, which he Reverse of had detached to Virginia, to be returned. This was the beginning of disasters. With this requisition lord Cornwallis was compelled, however reluctant, ly, to comply. Knowing that his adversary had fortune. XX. 1782. been lately reinforced by a strong body of troops BOOK under general Wayne, he did not think his present force adequate to maintain his station at Williamsburg; he therefore determined to cross James River to Portsmouth. From false intelligence general Wayne arrived with the van of the American army on the banks of the river, in expectation of attacking the rear of the British, unfortunately before any part of the army had passed. Perceiving his mistake, he deemed it the best policy to charge boldly, though his corps did not amount to more than eight hundred men. After sustaining a very unequal conflict for some time with great resolution, Wayne ordered a rapid retreat; and lord Cornwallis, amazed at the circumstances of this attack, and suspecting that it must be meant to draw him into an ambuscade, forbade all pursuit; and thus the courage of Wayne, as it often happens, availed more to his safety than if he had acted with the most timid and scrupulous caution. In the night lord Cornwallis passed over to Portsmouth, where he purposed to establish his head-quarters; but, on further deliberation, removed Retreat to to York Town, as the more eligible situation. Hitherto the plan of the campaign on the part of general Washington had wavered in uncertainty. He had long and seriously meditated an attack upon New York, and general Clinton had good reason to YorkTown XX. 1782. upon New York, that he for a long time conceived BOOK the southern march of the American army to be only a feint. But at length, finding that the van of the American army had actually passed the Delawar, and receiving authentic intelligence that the fleet of count de Grasse was destined to the Chesapeak, he communicated, as he tells us, his SUSPICIONS to lord Cornwallis; at the same time assuring his lordship, "that he would either reinforce him by every possible means in his power, or make the best diversion he could in his favor." Doubtless in this critical situation the most unlimited discretion ought to have been vested in lord Cornwallis, considering the extreme uncertainty of affording him timely and effectual succour, either to have retreated to Carolina, or to have attacked the enemy previous to the arrival of the combined army. "But being assured," to use the words of lord Cornwallis, "that every possible means would be tried by the navy and army for his relief, he did not think himself at liberty to attempt either, though he had so unfavorable an opinion of the post he occupied, that nothing but these assurances would have induced him to attempt its defence." It is evident that the leading ideas of the two British generals did not coincide; and it may be remarked, that from the moment lord Cornwallis began to act in subordination to orders sent him from New York he ceased to be successful-So essential |