George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10

‘ [509] gives us some acres of an unhealthy swamp, and is

Chap. XXV.} 1781. July.

for ever liable to become a prey to a foreign enemy with a temporary superiority at sea.’ Thoroughly disgusted with the aspect of affairs in Virginia, he asked leave to transfer the command to General-Leslie, and for himself to go back to Charleston. Meantime transport ships arrived in the Chesapeake: and, in a letter which he received on the twelfth, he was desired by his chief so to hasten the embarkation of three thousand men that they might sail for New York within forty-eight hours; for, deceived by letters which were written to be intercepted, he believed that the enemy would certainly attack that post.

But the judgment of Clinton was further confused by still another cause. The expectation of a brilliant campaign in Virginia had captivated the minds of Lord George Germain and the king; and now that Cornwallis was thoroughly cured of his own presumptuous delusions, they came back to Clinton in the shape of orders from the American secretary, who dwelt on the vast importance of the occupation of Virginia, and on the wisdom of the present plan of pushing the war in that quarter. It was a great mortification to him that Clinton should think of leaving only a sufficient force to serve for garrisons in the posts that might be established there, and he continued: ‘Your ideas of the importance of recovering that province appearing to be so different from mine, I thought it proper to ask the advice of his Majesty's other servants upon the subject, and, their opinion concurring entirely with mine, it has been submitted to the king; and I am commanded ’