Washington's Engineer by Norman Desmarais (speed reading book TXT) 📕

will have a much greater number of boats to transport our men; we can choose the place of debarcation upon a very much wider extent of ground; we will have fewer troops to oppose us because the enemy will not be able to spare those on Long Island or even at New York. Success therefore seems to me very probable—it is much less so assuredly in the second case—that of not having a french fleet in the sound but it does not seem to me impossible even then, if we have many troops and much time.28

Duportail then discusses at length the possibilities in case of an attack without the support of the French fleet. He arrives at his conclusion: If a large number of boats can be brought secretly over land for the transportation of the troops over the Harlem River, and if they can command a force at least double that of the enemy, the taking of the island might be successfully attempted.

Duportail finished laying out the final plan for taking New York on July 27. He relied on support from the French fleet, but he deemed it possible to succeed without the fleet “if we have many troops and much time.”29 He thought that 20,000 men would suffice. This document is in the Washington Papers in French and does not appear to have been translated. Apparently, it was sent to Washington on the fifteenth with the following note:

Dear general

i send to your Excellency according to your orders the few general observations i have done after our reconnoiter of the island of New York, although the news we had yesterday made me afraid that they are now inutile. your other plans must probably be done but is it not advantageous to pursue the preparations for the attack of New yourk, to deceive our army et so the enemy—i am much afraid that we shall do nothing at all this campagne for want of secrecy—if the enemy perceive that we give up the idea of attacking New york they will reinforce portmouth Virginia, may be before we can get there.30

THE ARMY MOVES SOUTH

Before going south, Washington left Major General William Heath in the New York area to feign further siege preparations and to protect West Point. He then had his men march through New Jersey as if heading for Long Island. The sappers and miners stopped in Philadelphia for several days, “proving and packing off shells, shot, and other military stores.”31 They received shirts, overalls, and stockings, and each got a month’s pay in specie. Sergeant Joseph Plumb Martin recalled the men’s amazement: “This was the first that could be called money, which we had received as wages since the year ’76, or that we ever did receive till the close of the war, or indeed, ever after, as wages.”32

Washington wrote to Lafayette on August 14 with the news that had reached headquarters:

The Concorde frigate has arrived at Newport from Count de Grasse. He was to leave St. Domingo the 3d. of this month, with a fleet of between twenty five and twenty-nine sail of the line, and a considerable body of land forces. His destination is immediately the Chesapeake; so he will either be there by the time this reaches you, or you may look for him every moment.33

He wrote in his diary the same day,

Matters having now come to a crisis and a decisive plan to be determined on—I was obliged, from the Shortness of Count de Grasses promised stay on this Coast—the apparent disclination in their Naval Officers to force the harbour of New York . . . to give up all idea of attacking New York; & instead thereof to remove the French Troops & a detachment from the American Army to the Head of Elk to be transported to Virginia for the purpose of cooperating with the force from the West Indies against the Troops in that State.34

General Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau signed a letter to Grasse on the seventeenth and confided it to the care of General Duportail, who hastened south in hope of finding the French commander. He also brought dispatches to the Marquis de Lafayette. The letter to Grasse contains the following lines: “[W]e have determined to remove the whole of the French army, and as large a detachment of the American as can be spared, to the Chesapeake, to meet your Excellency there.”35

ARRIVAL IN PHILADELPHIA

Washington and Rochambeau left a detachment behind to keep up the feint of the expected attack on New York and marched their respective armies up the river to King’s Ferry. It took five days for them to cross with all their baggage and stores. The two commanders and their armies arrived in Philadelphia on Thursday, August 30, 1781. Robert Morris, superintendent of finance, being informed beforehand, had collected 30,000 “hard dollars” to be given as a surprise to the soldiers. Twenty thousand of these dollars had been borrowed from the Comte de Rochambeau. Morris promised to repay him by October 1. Colonel Laurens arrived at Boston from his mission to France on August 25 with 2.5 million livres, part of the donation of 6 million, enabling the superintendent of finance to fulfill his obligation.36

Before entering the city, the French troops were allowed time to dress in parade uniform. As they marched through the streets, Congress and the people were very joyful. The French minister, General Washington, and the Comte de Rochambeau then held conferences to plan the campaign. The troops who could not be transported to Yorktown by water would have to go on foot, so Lieutenant Colonel Gouvion was sent on September 2 to reconnoiter the roads they would have to travel. His orders:

You will proceed with all convenient dispatch to the camp of the Marqs. de la Fayette in Virginia and receive further orders from Genl. Duportail or the Marquis. You will let your rout be by Christiana bridge—the head of Elk—the lower ferry on Susquehanna-Baltimore-Elkridge landing—Bladensburg