and he was now to carry desolation to the doors of his family and connexions. His army landed in two divisions, on each side of the harbour of New London, on the morning of the 6th of September; that on the right, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Eyre, and that on the left, under Arnold himself. Groten side, or that upon which Eyre landed, was defended by Fort Griswold, with a garrison of 160 men under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ledyard. Eyre at the head of three regiments summoned it to surrender, but the summons being refused, he advanced for the purpose of carrying the fort by a coup de main. His advances were met by Lieutenant Colonel Ledyard, with the most determined gallantry, and a contest ensued at the points of the bayonet and spear, which displayed the desperate resolution of both parties, to die or conquer. The British at length succeeded in making a lodgment. Colonel Eyre, and his second, Major, Montgomery, were both killed, as they were forcing their way through the embrasures, and the command of the army devolved on Major Bromfield. Ledyard bravely contended, until nearly the whole of his garrison were killed or wounded, when finding longer resistance unavailing, he delivered his sword to the British commander, and in return, received the sword of this savage through his heart. The bloody example of Bromfield was followed by his men, and scarcely a man of the garrison was left unhurt. The enemy lost in this deadly conflict, 54 killed, and 143 wounded, several of whom afterwards died of their wounds.

Arnold on the other side met with no resistance, and having gained possession of the town, he industriously set to work to destroy it and every thing of

value it contained. Sixteen ships, however, escaped the general conflagration by moving up the river; and what is somewhat remarkable, neither the barracks nor the magazine of gunpowder at Fort Griswold were touched. Having completed his object, and fully satiated his unnatural thirst of vengeance, Arnold, in a few days returned to New-York, bearing with him the curses of every individual, upon himself, and the cause which he had now embraced.

CHAPTER XIX.

Events of 1781 continued.-Siege of York, and surrender of

Lord Cornwallis.—Universal joy which that event occasioned. -Sir Henry Clinton appears off the Capes of Virginia with the British fleet, and an army of 7000 men.-Hears of the fall of Cornwallis, and returns to New-York.-Inexplicable conduct of that commander.—The Marquis de St. Cimon reembarks, and the Count de Grasse returns to the West Indies.— The Count Rochambeau cantons his army in Virginia-Major General St. Clair sent to the assistance of Greene.-Washington retires to Philadelphia.—The Marquis de la Fayette obtains permission to return to France. Robert Morris is appointed Minister of finance.-General Lincoln is made Secretary of War.-Mr. Laurens is released from the tower.--Prospect of the country at the close of the year.

We have seen that Washington permitted the army to repose but a few days, after they reached Williamsburg, before he again put them in motion, and that he sat down in front of his enemy, in the last days of September. The Count de Grasse, having with some difficulty suffered himself to be prevailed upon to give up the idea of seeking the British fleet at sea, or of attempting to block them up in the harbour of New-York, now gave his undivided attention to the wishes of the American commander, and moved up to the mouth of York River for the purpose of cooperating in the siege. The orders which Washington issued to his troops on the march from Williamsburg, sufficiently show his anxiety to infuse into his soldiers that sort of spirit which should prepare them for the important blow he was about to strike. "If the enemy should be tempted to meet the army

on its march, the General particularly enjoins the troops to place their principal reliance on the bayonet, that they may prove the vanity of the boast which the British make, of their peculiar prowess in deciding battles with that weapon."

The works which Lord Cornwallis had been enabled to erect, for the defence of York, and the opposite point of Gloucester, in the short space of time which he had occupied them, did great credit to his military genius, but they were by no means adequate to protect him against the force of his present assailants; and he would unhesitatingly have abandoned them, and attempted to effect his retreat to Charleston, but for the solemn assurances of support from Sir Henry Clinton. But the great errour of Cornwallis was, not that he attempted to maintain his posts after the arrival of Washington, but that he did not give battle to the Marquis de la Fayette, before or even after the junction of the Marquis de St. Cimon. His army was fully equal to both these united, and various opportunities offered of separately falling upon both. It would have been too late perhaps after Washington had reached Virginia, for him to have effected a retreat, more particularly, as the water communication with Portsmouth was entirely cut off. He was perfectly aware of the incompetence of his means of defence, but resting on the assurance of his commander in chief, he felt himself bound to maintain his position and wait the issue.

The works erected for the protection of York, were redoubts and batteries stretched along a line of circumvallation, which extended from a small inlet, on the upper side of the town, to a deep ravine on the lower. These redoubts and batteries were connect

ed by fosses and abbatis, and a strong battery was placed on the heights of the inlet. The morass or marsh extended a considerable distance along the centre, and was defended by a stockade. In front of these works, was a second line of redoubts and batteries, or outworks, between which and the town, Cornwallis was posted with his army, when the Americans advanced. The opposite point, or Gloucester, was well fortified by finished works, and held by Lieutenant Colonel Dundas, with the cavalry, and a few infantry, for the convenience of foraging for the whole army.

Lord Cornwallis held possession of the outer works, in hopes Washington might be induced to attempt to dislodge him by storm, from which he trusted to the strength of his works to defend him; but Clinton's letter which was received on the evening of the very day that the allied armies reached their point of destination, determined him to retire to his position within the town, rather than weaken his force by attempting to stop the advance of his assailants. This movement was made in the night; and with a view of ascertaining its purpose, Lieutenant Colonel Scammel, the officer of the day, moved with a small reconnoitering party as soon as it was light, towards the enemy's position, and being charged by a detachment of dragoons, was mortally wounded and taken prisoner. The allied armies took possession of the abandoned ground on the following day.

A part of the forces under General de Choise had in the mean time been detached across the river for the purpose of investing Gloucester Point. His detachment consisted of the legion of infantry and cavalry of the Duke de Lauzun, General Weedon's bri