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

& Georgetown—From Georgetown you will go by the best waggon road to Fredericksburg by Falmouth avoiding the Ferries of Occoghat and Rappahannock Rivers—and from thence you will take the road which leads most directly to the above camp.—From Baltimore—Georgetown—Fredericksburg and the Virginia camp you will report the state and condition of the interstate roads—and the measures proper to repair them—and if you could incite the inhabitants as you passed along to set about this necessary business it would facilitate the movement of our waggons etc. which must go by land greatly—I am persuaded, that it is unnecessary to add any thing, by way of prompting you to the preparation of fascines and other matters which can accelerate our operations & prevent the waste of a single moment.37

Meanwhile, General Duportail, after a long and difficult journey on horseback, found Admiral Grasse anchored off Cape Henry at the mouth of the Chesapeake and boarded the commander’s flagship, the Ville de Paris. The Comte was surprised to receive an emissary from the commanders of the allied land forces and to learn that they were hastening on their way to join him before Yorktown. Grasse brought more than three thousand land troops from the West Indies under the command of the Marquis de Saint-Simon. Learning that General Cornwallis was fortifying himself on the York Peninsula, it seemed wise to attack immediately while the enemy was unprepared. He thought he could successfully accomplish that operation after the junction of Saint Simon’s troops with those of Lafayette. Duportail’s arrival changed his plans. He replied to General Washington’s letter on September 2 in part,

I received at the moment when I least expected it the letter which Your Excellency has had the kindness to transmit to me through M. duPortail, whose reputation has been known to me for many years. Therefore I have not hesitated to open my heart to him and acquaint him with all my resources and my orders. . . . I fear that the time at my disposal will not permit me to give all the aid to the united forces which I should wish to procure them. I had resolved to attack York with the Marquis de la Fayette’s troops and those which I brought in my ships. But because of the letter which I received from Your Excellency, and on the advice of M. du Portail, I have suspended my plans until the arrival of the Generals, whose experience in the profession of arms, knowledge of the country and insight will greatly augment our resources.38

During their first conference, General Duportail and Admiral Grasse understood their respective situations. Grasse and Duportail both wrote to General Washington at the same time later the same day, September 2. Duportail wrote,

Dear general: i arrived here this morning at five o’clock after a long and tedious journey on many accounts. but the pleasure I have to see at last a french fleet of 27 sail of line in your country makes me forget all the hardships i experienced. . . . count de grasse being obliged to it appears to be always determined to leave us in the time announced so we have only six weeks to operate. . . .

i intend to join too morrow the marquis. the admiral has sent him already the troops he had on board which amount to more than 3000 men. now the situation of the marquis appear to me very nice, because on one side he must not according my opinion run any great risque till you arrive. that should be entirely improper unless the enemy gives a fine opportunity of an attacking against him which never must be lost. [Duportail evidently alludes here to the attack as first proposed by Grasse.] but in another respect it should be very advantageous to confine the ennemy as much as possible that he could not obtain provisions because by what i heard of the advantages of his position at york, 6000 men well fortified shall be forced with difficulty. so if we could join famine to other means, we should have better chance of succeeding. but to determine to what degree it is convenient to aim at each of these different objects requires a very great judgment, fortunately the intelligence and good sense of the marquis must give us great confidence. i will put myself under his orders and second his views as much as i shall be able . . . but dear general come with the greatest expedition. let us make us[e] of the short stay of the count de grasse here. we have no choice left I thinck, when 27 of line are in Chesapeake, when great americain and french forces are joined we must take cornwallis or be all dishonored.39

DUPORTAIL JOINS THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE

Duportail joined the Marquis de Lafayette the following day. Lafayette was aiding Saint-Simon to debark his men as quickly as possible. While the troops were disembarking, the Comte de Grasse sighted the British fleets under Graves and Hood and attacked them. The Battle of the Chesapeake has been characterized as the British navy’s Waterloo and had much greater significance than Waterloo. It gave the allies mastery of the seas for a time, turning the tide of events completely in their favor. The ships were so disabled that the British were forced to abandon their project of relieving Cornwallis. They sailed back to Sandy Hook for repairs.40

In the meantime, Washington had received Grasse’s and Duportail’s letters. He wrote to Duportail on September 7,

I am made happy by the receipt of your letter of the 2nd inst. and the other Dispatches announcing the arrival of the Count de Grasse. Nothing now gives me uneasiness but the two things you mention, not hearing from the Count de Barras who sailed the 24th of Augst. and the resolution for the departure of the fleet at a certain time.—Our measures must be forced, and every intermediate moment employed to the greatest advantage.

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