d the whole British force in Virginia at
Yorktown and Gloucester Point by the twenty-second of August. The latter
post was held by the 80th Regiment, the Hessian regiment of the Prince
Hereditaire, and the Queen's Rangers--the whole under command of the
brave and energetic Colonel Dundas, of the artillery. Tarleton, with his
cavalry, afterwards passed over to Gloucester Point. La Fayette, in
consequence of the movements of the enemy, broke up his camp on the
Pamunkey, and drew nearer to Yorktown. Washington, having concerted with
the French commanders a plan of operations, with the combined American
and French forces, marched for Virginia, the army being put in motion on
the nineteenth, and having completed the passage of the Hudson on the
twenty-fifth. Sir Henry Clinton did not suspect that the movement was
for the South until the third of September.

On the thirtieth of August, De Grasse, with twenty-eight ships of the
line and several frigates, arrived from the West Indies, and entered the
Chesapeake. At Cape Henry he found an officer despatched by La Fayette
with intelligence of the situation of the two armies. On the following
day his advanced ships blocked up the mouth of the York. While the
French fleet lay at anchor just within the Chesapeake, a squadron was
descried early in the morning of September the fifth, consisting of
nineteen ships-of-the-line, under Admiral Graves. De Grasse immediately
formed his line and put to sea; and a partial engagement occurred.
Several ships were damaged, but the result was indecisive. For some days
the fleets continued within view of each other, after which De Grasse
returned to his moorings within the capes. Here he found[743:A] De
Barras with a squadron newly arrived from Rhode Island, bringing
artillery and stores proper for carrying on a siege. Graves looking in
at the capes found the French fleet too strong for him, and returned to
New York. La Fayette made his headquarters at Williamsburg, twelve miles
from Yorktown.

On the 8th of September, 1781, the battle of Eutaw Springs, in South
Carolina, took place. The British army, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
Stuart, being encamped at that place, Greene marched at four o'clock in
the morning, to attack the enemy, seven miles distant. Upon approaching
them Greene formed his first line of militia under Marion and Pickens.
The second was composed of continental infantry and the North Carolina
Brigade, commanded by General Sumn