, had sent off
a reinforcement of two thousand troops for Arnold, under General
Phillips. These arrived in Lynnhaven Bay on March 26th, ten days after
the naval battle, and proceeded at once to Portsmouth, Virginia. It is
unnecessary to speak of the various operations of this land force. On
the 9th of May, in consequence of letters received from Cornwallis,
it moved to Petersburg. There on the 13th Phillips died, the command
reverting momentarily to Arnold. On the 20th Cornwallis joined from
Wilmington, North Carolina,[95] and Arnold soon after returned to New
York.

Cornwallis now had with him about seven thousand troops, including the
garrison at Portsmouth; but a serious difference of opinion existed
between him and Clinton, the Commander-in-Chief. The latter had begun
the conquest of South Carolina, and did not welcome the conclusion of
his lieutenant that the conquest could not be maintained away from the
seaboard, unless Virginia also were subdued; for from there, a rich
and populous region, men and supplies supported the American cause
in the south. Cornwallis had tested the asserted strength of the
Royalists in the Carolinas, and had found it wanting. Offensive
operations in Virginia were what he wished; but Clinton did not
approve this project, nor feel that he could spare troops enough for
the purpose. Between October, 1780, and June, 1781, he said, seven
thousand seven hundred and twenty-four effectives had been sent from
New York to the Chesapeake; and he could not understand the failure
to cut off the greatly inferior force of the enemy in Virginia. This
at least did not indicate probable success for a renewed offensive.
The garrison of New York was now short of eleven thousand and could
not be diminished further, as he was threatened with a siege. In
short, the British situation in America had become essentially
false, by the concurring effect of insufficient force and
ex-centric--double--operations. Sent to conquer, their numbers
now were so divided that they could barely maintain the defensive.
Cornwallis therefore was ordered to occupy a defensive position which
should control an anchorage for ships of the line, and to strengthen
himself in it. After some discussion, which revealed further
disagreement, he placed himself at Yorktown, on the peninsula formed
by the James and York rivers. Portsmouth was evacuated, the garrison
reaching Yorktown on the 22d of August. Cornwallis's force was
then seven tho