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Luzerne (search for this): chapter 26
e knowledge and concurrence of the ministers of the king of France, and ultimately to govern themselves by their advice and opinion. That New Hampshire abandoned the claim to the fisheries was due to Sullivan, who at the time was a pensioner of Luzerne. Madison still persevered in the effort to obtain power for congress to collect a revenue, and that body named a committee to examine into the changes which needed to be made in the articles of confederation. The difficulty of continuing the war under them, so Aug. 27. wrote Luzerne on the twenty-seventh of August, proves equally the necessity of reforming them, produced, as they were, at an epoch, when the mere name of authority inspired terror, and by men who thought to make themselves agreeable to the people. I can scarcely persuade myself that they will come to an agreement on this matter. Some persons even believe that the actual constitution, all vicious as it is, can be changed only by some violent revolution. The Fre
Robert Morris (search for this): chapter 26
methods of administration. It was proposed to substitute for executive committees a single head of each of the most important departments; and, against the opinion of Samuel Adams and without aid from Massachusetts, the system was adopted. Robert Morris was placed in charge of the finances of the confederation; the conduct of foreign affairs was intrusted to Robert Livingston of New York. Outside of congress, Hamilton persevered in recommending an efficient government. His views were so identical with those of Robert Morris, that it is sometimes hard to say in whose mind they first sprung up. Many who agreed with them in wishing a stronger union might think they laid too much stress on the institution of a national bank; and their opinion that a national debt, if not excessive, would be a national blessing, a powerful cement to union, and a spur to industry, did not rise out of the best traditions of the country, and was carried, at least by the elder of the two, to a most per
Wayne (search for this): chapter 26
oined by Steuben with militia, Lafayette was enabled to hold in check the larger British force. Wayne should have accompanied Lafayette with the Pennsylvania line, but they were detained week after gh the wilderness across the Rapidan, and on the seventh of June made a junc- June 7. tion with Wayne not far from Raccoon ford. Small as was his force, he compared the British in Virginia to the F that the 6. great body of the British army was still on the north side of the James river; but Wayne, without his knowledge, detached a party under Colonel Galvan to carry off a field-piece of the lves suddenly in front of the advancing British line; and they retreated in column till they met Wayne with the Pennsylvania brigade. It suited the character of that officer to hazard an encounter. The British moved on with loud shouts and incessant fire. Wayne, discovering that he had been tempted to engage a greatly superior force, saw his only safety in redoubling his courage; and he kept
Duke Lauzun (search for this): chapter 26
nors to Washington, to Rochambeau, and to de Grasse, with special thanks to the officers and troops. A marble column was to be erected at Yorktown, with emblems of the alliance between the United States and his most Christian Majesty. The Duke de Lauzun, chosen to take the news across the Atlantic, arrived in twenty-two days at Best, and reached Versailles on the nineteenth of Brest, and reached Versailles on the nineteenth of Nov. 19. November. The king, who had just been made Chap. XXV.} 1781. Nov. 19. happy by the birth of a dauphin, received the glad news in the queen's apartment. The very last sands of the life of the Count de Maurepas were running out; but he could still recognise de Lauzun, and the tidings threw a halo round his death-bed. The joy at court penetrated the whole people, and the name of Lafayette was pronounced with veneration. History, said Vergennes, offers few examples of a success so complete. All the wild agree, wrote Franklin to Washington, that
Galvan (search for this): chapter 26
n in danger he was now called upon to give proof. On the sixth, Lafayette judged correctly that the 6. great body of the British army was still on the north side of the James river; but Wayne, without his knowledge, detached a party under Colonel Galvan to carry off a field-piece of the enemy which was said to lie exposed. The information proved false. Chap. XXV.} 1781. July 6. The party with Galvan found themselves suddenly in front of the advancing British line; and they retreated in coGalvan found themselves suddenly in front of the advancing British line; and they retreated in column till they met Wayne with the Pennsylvania brigade. It suited the character of that officer to hazard an encounter. The British moved on with loud shouts and incessant fire. Wayne, discovering that he had been tempted to engage a greatly superior force, saw his only safety in redoubling his courage; and he kept up the fight till Lafayette, braving the hottest fire, in which his horse was killed under him, brought up the light infantry, and rescued the Pennsylvanians from their danger. Tw
Anna (search for this): chapter 26
in number. He then started in pursuit of Lafayette, who, with about one thousand continental troops, was posted between Wilton and Richmond, waiting for re-enforcements from Pennsylvania. Lafayette, I think, cannot escape him, wrote Clinton to Germain. Clinton to Germain, 9 June, 1781. Out of this has been manufactured the groundless story that Cornwallis himself wrote: The boy cannot escape me. The youthful commander warily kept to the north of his pursuer, and, passing South and North Anna, went through the wilderness across the Rapidan, and on the seventh of June made a junc- June 7. tion with Wayne not far from Raccoon ford. Small as was his force, he compared the British in Virginia to the French occupation of Hanover in the seven years war, and confidently predicted analogous results. Cornwallis advanced as far as Hanover courthouse, then crossed South Anna, and, having failed in his first object, he sent out two detachments,—one of cavalry under Tarleton to break up the
Greene (search for this): chapter 26
urt of St. James and the fortunes of Lord Cornwallis. Thus far we have encountered no disaster. On the same day, his words to Vergennes were: In pursuance of the immense plan of his court, Lord Cornwallis left the two Carolinas exposed, and General Greene has largely profited by it. Lord Cornwallis has left to us Portsmouth, from which place he was in communication with Carolina, and he now is at York, a very advantageous place for one who has the maritime superiority. If by chance that supertween the land and naval forces was at the same time concerted. At this moment Gerry wrote from Massachusetts to Jay: You will soon have the pleasure of hearing of the capture of Lord Cornwallis and his army. Nothing can save Cornwallis, said Greene, but a rapid retreat through North Carolina to Charleston. On the seventeenth, Cornwallis reported to Clinton: This place is in no state of defence. If you cannot relieve me very soon, you must be prepared to hear the worst. On that same day,
Simcoe (search for this): chapter 26
h one hundred and eighty dragoons and forty mounted infantry, Tarleton rode seventy miles in twenty-four hours, destroying public stores on the Chap. XXV.} 1781. June. way; but the assembly, having received warning, had adjourned, and Jefferson had gone to the mountains on horseback. The dragoons overtook seven of the legislature. Otherwise the expedition was fruit less. Steuben had transported his magazine across the Fluvanna, and was safe, the water being too deep to be forded; but Simcoe, who was sent against him, made him believe that the whole British army was in pursuit of him; and he fled, leaving behind him some part of his stores. The two detachments rejoined the camp of Cornwallis, which extended along the James river from the Point of Fork to a little below the mouth of Byrd creek. Tarleton had suffered nothing of Jefferson's at Monticello to be injured. At Elk Hill, under the eye of Cornwallis, all the barns and fences were 25. burned; the growing crops destro
Henry Laurens (search for this): chapter 26
gun,—the right composed of his own battalion, led by Major Fish, and of another commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Gimat; the left, of a detachment under Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens, Chap. XXV.} 1781. Oct. 14. destined to take the enemy of reverse and intercept their retreat. All the movements were executed with exactness, and then over the abatis and palisades, and gained the parapet, receiving two bayonet wounds in the thigh and in the body, but not till he had directed his men to form. Laurens was among the foremost to enter the work, making prisoner of Major Campbell, its commanding officer. Animated by his example, the battalion of Gimat overcame evee seventeenth, Cornwallis, who could neither Chap. XXV.} 1781. Oct. 18. hold his post nor escape into the country, proposed to surrender. On the eighteenth, Colonel Laurens and the Viscount de Noailles as commissioners on the American side met two high officers of the army of Cornwallis to draft the capitulation. The articles we
Hancock (search for this): chapter 26
on might think they laid too much stress on the institution of a national bank; and their opinion that a national debt, if not excessive, would be a national blessing, a powerful cement to union, and a spur to industry, did not rise out of the best traditions of the country, and was carried, at least by the elder of the two, to a most perilous extreme. Meantime the conduct of the war continued to languish for the want of a central government. In the states from which the most was hoped, Hancock of Massachusetts was vain and neglectful of business. The president of Pennsylvania was more ready to recount what the state had done than what it meant to do; so that the army was not wholly free from the danger of being disbanded for want of subsistence. Of the armed vessels of the United States, all but two frigates had been taken or destroyed. Chap. XXV.} 1781. May. Tired of the war and conscious of weakness, congress, yielding to the influence of the French Minister, made for its
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