agements, referred to, he
urged the States to strengthen the bonds of the confederacy and to renew
their efforts for the great final struggle with their haughty and
determined enemy.

The enemy, still anxiously seeking to establish his power in the
Southern States, had sent General Arnold to Virginia, with a strong
detachment of troops, to cooperate with Lord Cornwallis, who was busily
engaged, in a series of movements, in measuring his strength and his
skill with General Greene; and, soon afterward, a second detachment,
under General Phillips, was sent to the same State.

Early in May the Count de Barras arrived from Europe with the welcome
intelligence of the approach of reenforcements from France; and that a
strong fleet from the West Indies, under Count de Grasse, might be
expected in the American waters within a few weeks. In view of these
facts a conference between General Washington and the Count de
Rochambeau was held at Weathersfield soon afterward, and the plans of
the campaign were discussed and determined on.

Among the principal operations proposed was an attack on the city of New
York; and in accordance with these plans the allied forces of America
and France moved against that city. Every necessary preparation had been
made for the commencement of active operations, when, on August 14th, a
letter reached General Washington in which the Count de Grasse informed
him that the entire French West Indian fleet, with more than three
thousand land forces, would shortly sail from Santo Domingo for the
Chesapeake, intimating, however, that he could not remain longer than
the middle of October, at which time it would be necessary for him to be
on his station again. As the limited period which the Count could spend
in the service of the allies was not sufficient to warrant the
supposition that he could be useful before New York, the entire plan of
the campaign was changed; and it was resolved to proceed to Virginia,
with the whole of the French troops and as many of the Americans as
could be spared from the defence of the posts on the Hudson; and instead
of besieging Sir Henry Clinton, in his head-quarters in New York, a
movement against Lord Cornwallis and the powerful detachment under his
command was resolved on.

At the period in question Lord Cornwallis had moved out of the
Carolinas, formed a junction with the force under General Phillips, and
had overrun the lower counties of Virginia, until General Lafayet