When he heard that Cornwallis was moving north and that Phillips was on the march Lafayette guessed that they intended to join forces, and hurried toward Petersburg to prevent it. Phillips, however, was nearer to that town and reached it before Lafayette, who was obliged to fall back on Richmond, but who sent out Colonel Gimat, with artillery, to keep the enemy busy.
On May thirteenth General Phillips died at Petersburg. It was before this general’s guns that Lafayette’s father had fallen at the battle of Hastenbeck. Benedict Arnold was second in command, and on taking Phillips’ place he sent a letter to Lafayette under a flag of truce. When the latter learned the name of the writer he at once informed the men who brought Arnold’s communication that while he would be glad to treat with any other English officer he could not read a message from this one. This placed General Arnold in a difficult position and was resented by a threat to send all American prisoners to the West Indies. But when the people heard of it they were delighted, and Washington wrote to the Marquis, “Your conduct upon every occasion meets my approbation, but in none more than in your refusing to hold a correspondence with Arnold.”
On May 24, 1781, Cornwallis, having joined his army to that of Arnold at Petersburg and having rested his men, marched out with his whole force to attack Lafayette at Richmond. At Byrd’s Plantation, where the British commander had his quarters, he wrote of his opponent, “The boy cannot escape me.”
Lafayette, on his part, knew that his enemy had a fine fighting force, and that he must be wary to avoid him. The Marquis said, “Lord Cornwallis marches with amazing celerity. But I have done everything I could, without arms or men, at least to impede him by local embarrassments.”
And he did embarrass the Earl. He led him a dance through the country about Richmond, he retreated across the Chickahominy River to Fredericksburg, time and again he just escaped the swiftly pursuing British. He knew he could not venture on fighting without the aid of more troops, and he kept up his retreat until he was joined by General Wayne with Pennsylvania soldiers on June tenth. Then he planned to take the offensive, and rapidly crossed the Rapidan River in the direction of Cornwallis.
Cornwallis would have liked a direct battle with the Americans, but again Lafayette proved wary. While the British army blocked the road to Albemarle, Lafayette discovered an old unused road and under cover of night marched his men along it and took up a strong position before the town. There militia joined him from the neighboring mountains, and he was able to show so strong a front that the British commander did not dare to attack him. In his turn Cornwallis retreated, first to Richmond and then to Williamsburg, near the coast, and left the greater part of Virginia in the control of the Americans.
Lafayette now became the pursuer instead of the pursued, and harried Cornwallis on the rear and flanks. The famous cavalry officer, Colonel Tarleton, serving under Cornwallis, described the pursuit: “The Marquis de Lafayette, who had previously practised defensive manœuvres with skill and security, being now reinforced by General Wayne and about eight hundred Continentals and some detachments of militia, followed the British as they proceeded down the James River. This design, being judiciously arranged and executed with extreme caution, allowed opportunity for the junction of Baron Steuben, confined the small detachments of the King’s troops, and both saved the property and animated the drooping spirits of the Virginians.”
Lafayette was proving that Washington’s confidence in him was well placed and showing himself an extraordinarily able commander in the field.
At Williamsburg Cornwallis received word from General Clinton in New York that a part of the British troops in Virginia were to be sent north. In order to embark these troops he set out for Portsmouth on July fourth. Knowing that the enemy would be obliged to cross the James River at James Island, Lafayette decided to attack their rear as soon as a considerable number should have passed the ford. Cornwallis foresaw this, and sending his baggage-wagons across arranged his men to surprise the Americans.
Toward sunset on July sixth Lafayette crossed the causeways that led to the British position and opened an attack. General Wayne, whose popular nickname was “Mad Anthony,” led the advance with a thousand riflemen, dragoons, and two pieces of artillery. Lafayette, with twelve hundred infantry, was ready to support him. But at Wayne’s first advance he found that the whole British army was before him; he attacked with the greatest vigor; Lafayette, however, realizing that Cornwallis had prepared a surprise, ordered a retreat to General Muhlenberg’s station a half mile in the rear. Had Cornwallis pursued he must have defeated the American forces, which had to cross long log bridges over marshy land, but in his turn he feared an ambush, and was content to bring his men safely across the James and proceed to Portsmouth.