a knowledge of the military art under Frederick the Great.
Steuben's force consisted of between five and six hundred new levies,
(originally intended for the Southern army,) and a few militia under
General Lawson. Cornwallis informed Simcoe that the baron's force was
only three or four hundred; but Simcoe held the earl's military
intelligence in slight respect. Thus he says:[729:A] "He had received no
advices from Lord Cornwallis, whose general intelligence he knew to be
very bad." "The slightest reliance was not to be placed on any patroles
from his lordship's army."

Lieutenant Spencer, with twenty hussars, formed Simcoe's advanced guard
of chosen men mounted on fleet horses. Simcoe crossing the South Anna,
pushed on with his usual rapidity by Bird's Ordinary toward Napier's
Ford on the Rivanna. Cornwallis, with the main body, followed in
Simcoe's route. No inhabitant of the country coming within view escaped
capture. From some of the prisoners intelligence was obtained that
Steuben was at the Point of Fork and in the act of crossing to the south
side of the James. The baron adopted this measure in consequence of
intelligence of Tarleton's incursion. Within two miles of Steuben's camp
a patrol of dragoons appeared, was chased and taken; it consisted of a
French officer and four of Armand's corps. The advanced men of Spencer's
guard changed clothes with the prisoners for the purpose of attempting
to surprise the baron at the only house at the Point of Fork. Just as
Simcoe was about to give the order to his men to lay down their
knapsacks in preparation for an engagement, the advanced guard brought
in a prisoner, Mr. Farley, Steuben's aid, who had mistaken them for the
patrol which had just been captured. He assured Simcoe that he had seen
every man over the James before he left the Point of Fork, and this was
confirmed by some captured wagoners. Simcoe's cavalry advancing, plainly
saw the baron's force on the opposite side. About thirty of Steuben's
people, collected on the bank where the embarcation had taken place,
were captured. Simcoe, thus disappointed, employed stratagem to persuade
the baron that the party was Earl Cornwallis' whole army, so as to cause
the arms and stores that covered the opposite banks to be abandoned.
Captain Hutchinson, with the 71st Regiment clothed in red, was directed
to approach the banks of the James, while the baggage and women halted
in the woods on the summit of a hill, where they mad