A special word of thanks goes to four friends without whose assistance this work would have taken even longer: Pauline Dunbar, Robert Matteson, Daniel O’Leary, and Virginia Pearson.
I benefited immensely from the staff at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History—first, when that remarkable collection of documents was housed at the Morgan Library, where Leslie Fields gave me invaluable assistance; and second, when the collection was moved to the New-York Historical Society, and I was so ably aided by Sandy Trenholm and Lauren Eisenberg. At the institute, Lesley Herrmann was a staunch supporter.
Much assistance was forthcoming from the Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Virginia, chiefly from Karen Rehm, Diane Depew, and Chris Bryce. Thanks to my old friend Margot Waite, I got in touch with a number of very helpful people in Providence, Rhode Island, notably Karen Eberhart and Robin Flynn at the Rhode Island Historical Society. In Newport I was assisted as well by Bert Lippincott at the Newport Historical Society; and by Sally Small, Daphne Dirlam, and Carol Cummins. And Connell Gallagher, at the University of Vermont, Special Collections, did a great favor.
Quite unexpectedly, I heard from Allen Breed, who is with the Associated Press in North Carolina. He is a descendant of the family that owned Breed’s Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, where the battle of June 17, 1775, was fought, and has a lively interest in history. Through him, I obtained a number of useful papers dealing with the Yorktown campaign.
Michael Blow, a friend and former colleague, whose family once owned a substantial property in Yorktown, generously loaned me several hard-to-find books dealing with the town and the campaign.
Once again, Peter Drummey, the librarian at the Massachusetts Historical Society, was exceedingly helpful in guiding me to sources of information. I am also indebted to Margaret Heilbrun, formerly of the New-York Historical Society, for assistance at that splendid institution.
As usual, my agent, Carl Brandt, was a source of support and cheerful encouragement. My editor, John Macrae, who always astonishes me with his acute knowledge of American history, has my gratitude for his incisive comments and suggestions.
As ever, members of the staff at the excellent Northshire Book Store in Manchester Center, Vermont—especially Barbara Morrow and Bill Lewis—were very supportive.
Alison Macalady was extremely helpful in the preparation of a dramatis personae.
It goes without saying that responsibility for any flaws or errors in the book rests entirely with me, not with these unfailingly generous people.
INDEX
The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
Abercrombie, Robert
abatis
Adams, Abigail
Adams, John
Affleck, Edmund
Agénois regiment
Albany, New York
Allen, Ethan
allied armies
American wing
and British surrender at Yorktown
French wing
journey to Yorktown
moving south
siege of Yorktown
see also American army; French army
Ambler, Betsy
America
division in
French exploring
American/Continental army
back pay for deserters (proposed)
and British surrender at Yorktown
condition of
desertions
disbanded
discontent
few willing to join
food for
and French alliance
and French navy
French officers on
heading south
lack of necessities
leaving Yorktown
losses at Yorktown
malcontents of
meeting of officers of
men dismissed
morale
moving south
mutiny
only entity with leaders
pay owed to
and planned attack on New York
reclaiming Manhattan
reduced to remnants
in review
siege of Yorktown
size of
in South
troop levies
Washington comander in chief of
in Yorktown
American legion
American officers
deterioration of
morale
motivation
American Peace Commission
American Revolution
Americans’ attitudes toward
end of
French alliance effect on
lack of support for
largest single loss in
naval action determining outcome of
significance of
Washington and
Americans
atitude toward military
attitudes toward the war
characteristics of
Anderson, Alexander
André, John
death of
death sentence
trial
Annapolis
Anspach regiments
Antilles current
Apthorpe, Captain
Arbuthnot, Marriot
and Clinton
succeeded by Graves
Armstrong, John
Arnold, Benedict
in attack on Quebec
command sent to Portsmouth
in conquest of Virginia
criticizing Clinton
destruction of Richmond
ordered to fortify Portsmouth
plan to kidnap
plan to seize West Point
secret service to British
service with British
treason
and/at West Point
wounded at Saratoga
Arnold, Hannah
Arnold, Margaret “Peggy” Shippen
banished from Pennsylvania
articles of capitulation
Articles of Confederation
Ashley River
Atlantic Ocean
transporting army needs across
Atlantic trade
atrocities by British
Austin, Jonathan Loring
Baldwin, Benjamin
Baldwin, Mr.
Baltic Sea
Baltimore
Bancroft, Edward
Banister, Colonel
Barbados
Barbé-Marbois, François
Barber, Francis
Barras, Jacques-Melchoir Saint-Laurent, Comte de
arrival in Virginia
Battle of the Capes
joined de Grasse
sailing south
signed articles of capitulation
Battle of Camden
Battle of Rhode Island
Battle of the Capes
Battle of the Waxhaws
bayonet
Beaumarchais, Pierre-Augustin Caron de
Beckwith, Captain
Beckwith, George
Bécu, Marie Jeanne
Beekman, James
Bennington
Bergen Woods
Berthier, Louis-Alexandre
Birch, Samuel
black battalion
Blaine, Ephraim
Blanchard, Claude
Blarenberghe, Louis-Nicolas van
blockade
Blue Ridge Mountains
Boone, Daniel
Boston
evacuating
siege of
Boudinot, Elias
Bourbonnais regiment
Braddock, Edward
Brandywine
Brest
Britain
armed resistance to
change in dy
namics of warfare and
dispute with colonies
lost war in Amrica
maritime supremacy
British army
in America
in Canada
at Cowpens
defense of Savannah
desertions
evacuated Charleston
evacuating New York
failure to attack French at Newport
four commands
leaving Yorktown
losses
losses at Cowpens
losses at Yorktown
march on Richmond
seized slaves
in siege of Yorktown
in siege of Yorktown: retreat by way of Gloucester
strategy
in surrender at Yorktown
surrenders to rebels
in Virginia
British commissioners
articles of capitulation
British First Grenadiers
British fleet/navy
advantage over French
in Battle of the Capes
broken up
in Chesapeake Bay
in the Chesapeake
failure to attack French
in New York harbor
with recruits
in siege of Yorktown
skirmish with French fleet
threat from
off Virginia
British government
French treaty of amity and commerce conveyed to
informed about colonies
British headquarters, trouble in
British Headquarters papers
British high command
attitude toward rebels
British officers
and French officers
leaving Yorktown
surrender at Yorktown
Broad River
Broglie, Prince de
Brooks, John
Buford, Abraham
bundling
Bunker Hill
Burgoyne, John
defeat at Saratoga
surrender
Burke, Thomas
Burnley, Hardin
Butler, Richard
Camden, South Carolina
Cornwallis’s victory at
loss at
campaign of 1782
Campbell, Archibald
Campbell, John
Campbell, William
Canada
British in
Canary current
Cap François
Cape Fear
Cape Fear River
Cape Henry
Caribbean
Carleton, Sir Guy
Carlisle, Frederick Howard, Lord
Carolinas
Cornwallis’s losses in
danger of losing
fighting in
Tories in
Carrington, Edward
Catawba River
cavalry
English, at Yorktown
French troops
of Lauzun
of Lee
Champe, John
Charles III, king of Spain
Charleston, South Carolina
British command in
British troops evacuated
British troops in
fall of
fortifications destroyed
possible attack on
securing
Charlottesville
Chastellux, Chevalier de
on Americans
on Knox
in meeting with de Grasse
at Mount Vernon
at Yorktown
Chesapeake (the)
British command on
de Grasse fleet in
English fleet occupying
French fleet in
French fleet in control of
French fleet sailing for
Leslie ordered to
naval station at entrance of
possible action in
situation in
Chesapeake Bay
British fleet in
Cornwallis in
de Grasse fleet in
French fleet in
River York joined
Chestertown
Chew, Joseph
Chewton, Lord
Choiseul, Duc Étienne François de
Choisy, Marquis de
Chovet, Abraham
civil authority
civilian rule
civilians
indifference
in reclaiming Manhattan
Clements, William, L.
Clermont-Crèvecoeur, Comte de
on Americans
on West Point
on Yorktown
Cleveland, Benjamin
Clinton, George
Clinton, James
Clinton, Sir Henry
and André
army
Arnold and
at Charleston
communications from Whitehall to
and Cornwallis rescue mission
Cornwallis’s letters to
and Cornwallis’s predicament
councils of war
danger of attack by
defense of New York
feud with Cornwallis
forces in New York
at odds with Arbuthnot
and O’Hara
plan to capture
plan to seize West Point
reaction to American army mutiny
replaced by Carleton
sending force to South
spies
strategy
and terms in fall of Charleston
threat of attack on
on Washington march south
Closen, Baron Ludwig von
account of French expeditionary force
on Americans
on surrender at Yorktown
on Washington
on Yorktown
Cobb, David
Cochrane, Charles
Coercive Acts
Coldstream Guards
College of William and Mary
Collins, James
colonies
British could recover
government of
rebellion
reconciliation attempt
trade
usefulness to France
Committee of Safety
communication difficulties
Concord
Congress
bankrupt
disbanded army
flag of
and Greene resignation
impotence
inadequacy of
incapable of providing army with necessities
and Lafayette
Laurens presidency
medals voted by
military conspiracy and
mission to France
and pay for troops
power to wage war
Tilghman taking news of Cornwallis’s surrender to
Washington and
and Washington’s resignation
Connecticut
Connecticut regiments
mutiny
constitution
Constitution Island
Continental currency
Conway Cabal
Cornwallis, Charles, Earl
army 128–29
attacking
borrowed money from Rochambeau
capitulation
Clinton message to
entrenched at Yorktown
escape in battle
feud with Clinton
invasion of North Carolina
letter to Clinton regarding capitulation
letters to Washington
lured slaves to service
move to Virginia
in North Carolina
operations against
plan to protect Tories
position at York and Gloucester
and possible attack on Philadelphia
predicamen
t of
preventing from return to North Carolina
pursuit of Morgan
and race for the Dan
reinforcements
reputation
rescue fleet for
retired to York
retreating south
selection and fortification of post
siege of Yorktown
siege of Yorktown: sent flag of truce
surrender
surrender: news of, taken to Congress
surrender: refused to appear for
and Tarleton’s defeat
victories claimed by
victory at Camden
in Virginia
Cortlandt, Philip van
Council of Pennsylvania
Cowpens
Morgan position at
Culloden
Custine, Comte de
Damas, Comte de
Dan River, race for
Davidson, William
Dean, James
Deane, Silas
Dearborn, Henry
Declaration of Independence
DeLancey, Oliver
Delaware Continentals
Delaware River
Denny, Ebenezer
DePeyster, Abraham
deserters
British
Hessians
Deux-Ponts, Guillaume, Comte de
carrying news of Yorktown victory
in siege of Yorktown
Deux-Ponts regiment
Diamond, William
Digby, Robert
Dobbs Ferry
Doehla, Johann Conrad
draft
resistance to
Duane, James
de Barry, Chevalier Jean
du Barry, Comte Guillaume
Duffield, Reverend Mr.
Dumas, Charles
Dumas, Comte Mathieu
Duncan, James
Duncanson, Captain
Dundas, Thomas
Duportail, Louis
du Simitière, Pierre Eugène
Dutch (the)
Eaden, William
East India Company
Eden, William
Elizabeth River
England
news of Yorktown reaching
sea power
see also British army; British fleet/navy
Estaing, Comte d’
Europe
diplomacy
naval power
Eutaw Springs, battle at
Evans, Chaplain
fatigue parties
Ferguson, Adam
Ferguson, Patrick
Fersen, Axel
feu de joie
Fishkill
flags of truce
food
lack of
see also American army, lack of necessities
Forman, David
Fort Arnold
Fort Edward
Fort Frederick
Fort Lee
Fort Orange
Fort Oswego
Fort Putnam
Fort Royal
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Washington
Fox, Charles James
France
Victory at Yorktown Page 36