The British Army, now under Lord Cornwallis, resumed campaigning in Virginia the latter part of May, 1781, and began maneuvers which were intended to outwit the Americans under Lafayette. Troops to the number of 7,724 effectives had been sent by Clinton into the Chesapeake, beginning with Leslie's detachment in October, 1780; and at the time Cornwallis reached Petersburg there was a corps of 5,305 men under Phillips's orders, according to the returns made to Clinton's headquarters. The return of troops who marched with Cornwallis in North Carolina on May 1 showed a total of 1,435 rank and file, present and fit for duty. The next return made by Cornwallis, for June 1, included the army brought from North Carolina, the army in Virginia, and several organizations that arrived from New York during the latter part of May. The total was 5,312 rank and file, present and fit for duty. Lafayette at this time had an army of about 3,250 men, composed of 1,200 Continentals, 2,000 militia, and 50 dragoons.

The information contained in Clinton's letter of May 11 to Phillips, relative to the probable movements of the French land and sea forces, restrained Cornwallis from engaging in any material offensive operations until he received more satisfactory accounts of the two fleets. Assurances were given to the commanding officer at Portsmouth that care would be taken to reenforce him in case the French Fleet should appear in the bay, and the army was placed in readiness to move against Lafayette.

On the 24th of May Cornwallis reached a place on the James River opposite Westover and the army started crossing. The ferry

channel at this point exceeded 2 miles in length, but with the assistance of a detachment of sailors the entire army and all its impedimenta made the crossing in less than three days. While the passage of the river was being made General Leslie arrived with the reenforcements from New York. The Forty-third Regiment was directed to remain with the army, and Leslie was ordered to proceed with the Seventeenth Regiment and two battalions of Anspach to Portsmouth and take command.

General Arnold left the army at this time to return to New York.

With the arrival of these reenforcements Cornwallis felt assured of the safety of Portsmouth and put the army in march toward Richmond. It was the purpose of the British commander to dislodge Lafayette from Richmond and then employ his light troops in the destruction of magazines and stores which had been collected for use of the American armies in the South. The first camp was made at Turkey Island, and the next, on the 27th of May, at White Oak Swamp.

Information having been obtained at this time that Lafayette had abandoned Richmond and crossed the Chickahominy, the Royal Army pointed its course toward Bottoms Bridge, crossed the Chickahominy on the 28th, and reached New Castle on the Pamunkey the following day. Thence the line of march turned sharply toward the route of the Americans, and on the 30th Cornwallis arrived at Hanover Court House. The main body of the British Army halted between the North Anna and the South Anna on June 1, while reconnaissance parties were sent northward to patrol for intelligence regarding the location of Lafayette's corps.

The rôle which circumstances now compelled Lafayette to play was that of a terrier baiting a bull, and the adventurous young soldier got many thrills from the game. His responsibility was heavy, for Greene had directed him to take command of the troops in Virginia; and it was no easy matter to cope successfully with a tried campaigner like Cornwallis, at the head of an army almost twice the strength of his own. His lucky star still protected him,

however, and the joy of command was tempered by the mature judgment of four years' knowledge of American troops and of the needs of the country. He confessed to his wife near the end of the campaign that—

The country around Richmond became as familiar to him as "Tappan and Bergen." His Continentals were—

The excellent health of Lafayette's command was largely attributable to the personal attention which he gave to the men. In a letter to Washington he said:

The plan of campaign adopted by the marquis was to harass, threaten, strike, and retire. Richmond was no longer a magazine of supplies; the government of the State had removed to Charlottesville; and the few houses left standing in Richmond did not warrant exposing his army for the sake of their defense. He wrote to Washington on the 24th of May:

The Americans carefully observed the progress of the march of the British Army northward to the Pamunkey, and Lafayette fell back with marches of equal length, always maintaining a position higher up the rivers and nearer to the Potomac, so that by no mischance could Cornwallis get between him and Philadelphia. From Richmond he moved to the forks of the Chickahominy, and when Cornwallis crossed the Chickahominy at Bottoms Bridge and

moved to Cook's ford on the North Anna, Lafayette fell back beyond the North Anna in the direction of Fredericksburg.

While the main body of the Royal Army lay encamped in Hanover County, Cornwallis learned that General Wayne, commanding a detachment of the Pennsylvania line intended for Lafayette's corps, was only a few days' march away. The British commander, being afraid to advance farther from his base at Portsmouth in the direction of the American Army, decided to make a quick dash to the westward, attack the militia protecting the temporary seat of the government at Charlottesville, destroy the stores at Point of Fork, and then fall back to Richmond. Tarleton was dispatched with 180 dragoons, supported by 70 mounted infantry, to break up the legislature. At the same time the Queen's Rangers, augmented by the Seventy-first Regiment, were sent under Simcoe to harass Von Steuben. The main army was to follow as rapidly as possible, and rendezvous points were designated on which the light troops could fall back if hard pressed.

Tarleton marched with the dash that characterized all his movements and in 24 hours covered 70 miles. Upon arriving at Charlottesville on the 4th of June a rush attack was made upon the seat of government and seven members of the assembly were captured. Tarleton left Charlottesville that afternoon with his prisoners and marched down the Rivanna.

Baron von Steuben, who commanded at Point of Fork and had under him a force composed of the new levies and some militia totaling about 500 men, retired with great precipitation upon the appearance of Simcoe's party on the 3d of June. The British were left unmolested in their destruction of a quantity of arms, powder, and supplies stored there. Von Steuben was bitterly assailed by state officials because of his failure to offer some resistance before abandoning his position.

Meanwhile Cornwallis was marching toward the Point of Fork and on the 7th encamped at the mouth of Byrd Creek, where he made a junction with Tarleton's and Simcoe's detachments. The army remained here until the 13th of June, sending frequent

reconnoitering parties to near-by points. When information was received that Lafayette had advanced to a position about midway between the British camp and Charlottesville, Cornwallis decided that it was time to return to his base on the Elizabeth River.

On the 4th of June Lafayette left his camp at Mattapony Church to march in a northerly direction to Ely's ford on the Rapidan, where he arrived the same day. This move was made in order to facilitate a union with the Pennsylvania troops who were approaching. On the 9th Wayne's detachment of 600 men reached Raccoon ford, to which place Lafayette had previously marched, and on the following day the two corps united at a point some distance south of the ford. As these reenforcements, made Lafayette's corps strong enough to engage in more aggressive action, he put his troops in motion, hastened in the direction of the British Army, and reached Boswell's tavern on the 12th. Cornwallis at this time was lying on the north bank of the James, opposite Elk Island. During the night of the 12th of June the Americans marched by an obscure road to a position on Mechunck Creek where they were joined by a party of 600 mountain men under Col. William Campbell, of Kings Mountain fame.

The British Army, marching by way of the plantation road on the left bank of the James River, passed through Goochland Court House and arrived at Richmond about the 18th of June. A halt of several days was made at Richmond, Tarleton's legion being posted in the vicinity of Meadow Bridge and Simcoe's rangers at Westham to observe the movements of the American Army. Lafayette, on the 18th, was encamped about 20 miles northwest of Richmond, having marched from Mechunck Creek by way of the ridge road that lies between the South Anna and the James. The reconnaissance on which the legion was engaged resulted in a movement by Tarleton on the 18th against a corps commanded by General Muhlenberg, but Lafayette sent reenforcements to the threatened position and the British withdrew.

The following day Von Steuben arrived at Lafayette's camp with his detachment. When the baron abandoned his post at Point of Fork he fled to Prince Edward Court House before halting. Orders from Lafayette to join the army reached him at that place. With the accession of the recruits brought by the baron, the American Army now comprised 2,000 regulars and 3,200 militia.

Lord Cornwallis abandoned Richmond on the 20th of June and directed his course by way of Bottoms Bridge, in the direction of Williamsburg. After crossing Bottoms Bridge Simcoe covered the flank of the army toward the Chickahominy, and Tarleton performed the same service in the direction of the Pamunkey. On the 24th the British were at Bird's ordinary, and Lafayette had reached a position on the Mattapony River. The next day the British Army took possession of Williamsburg, with the intention of holding it until dispatches should be received from Clinton.

On the 26th of June Lafayette was at Rawson's ordinary. At this time Simcoe's corps, which had been engaged in destroying a number of boats and some stores on their route down the Chickahominy, reached Spencer's ordinary where the road forked, one branch leading to Williamsburg and the other to Jamestown. Lafayette now saw an opportunity to punish this corps, and hastened forward a detachment under Colonel Butler of the Pennsylvania line to engage the Queen's Rangers.

Simcoe was moving so rapidly that in order to make contact Major McPherson, who commanded 50 dragoons, mounted an equal number of the light infantry behind them and galloped in pursuit. A smart action now ensued in the vicinity of Spencer's ordinary; and Wayne, who was marching to the support of Butler, sent some light troops to relieve the situation. The fight continued until reenforcements for Simcoe from the main army arrived on the scene, when the Americans retired to Tyree's plantation. The casualties on each side amounted to about 30 killed and wounded.

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