his
relief. Colonel Butler, the American commander in this affair, was the
same who afterwards fell at St. Clair's defeat.

Late in June, Cornwallis, with an escort of cavalry under Simcoe,
visited Yorktown for the purpose of examining the capabilities of that
post; and his lordship formed an unfavorable opinion of it. The party
was ineffectually fired at from Gloucester Point, and returned on the
same day to Williamsburg. After halting here nine days,
Cornwallis[736:B] marched, and encamped near Jamestown Island, for the
purpose of crossing the James and proceeding to Portsmouth. The Queen's
Rangers passed over the river in the evening of the same day to cover
the baggage which was now transported. La Fayette, as Cornwallis had
predicted, now advanced with the hope of striking at the rear-guard
only, of the enemy, supposing, upon imperfect intelligence, that the
main body had already crossed. Accordingly, about sunset[736:C] La
Fayette attacked Cornwallis near Greenspring, and after a warm conflict
was compelled to retreat, having discovered that he was engaged by the
main body of the British. Of the continentals one hundred and eighteen
were killed, wounded, or taken. Some cannon also fell into the hands of
the enemy. The British state their loss at five officers and seventy
privates killed and wounded. Cornwallis now crossed the James unmolested
and marched[737:A] for Portsmouth.

La Fayette, re-enforced by some dragoons from Baltimore, retired to a
strong position near the head of York River. The militia had already
been discharged.

FOOTNOTES:

[726:A] April twenty-fifth.

[728:A] Landlord of the Ordinary in New Kent.

[728:B] At Hanover Court-house.

[729:A] Simcoe's Journal, 226.

[731:A] Belvoir, about seven miles from Charlottesville, and the
residence of the late Judge Hugh Nelson. The house has been burnt down.

[732:A] It is said that as one of the gentlemen, who was rather
_embonpoint_, and who in this emergency had found time to put on nothing
but his breeches, ran across the yard in full view of the British
dragoons, they burst into a fit of laughter at so extraordinary a
phenomenon.

[732:B] Francis Kinloch, of Kensington, South Carolina, meeting, in
passing, with Eliza, only daughter of Mr. John Walker, who was also at
Philadelphia attending congress, is said to have fallen in love with her
at first sight, she having at the moment just come from her
hair-dresser, and he afterwards marri