[1197] There is an interesting letter from Christian Febiger to T. Bland, dated July 3, 1781, in Bland Papers, p. 71. See also Ibid., p. 68.
[1198] Cf. also Denny's journal in Penna. Hist. Soc. Mem., vii.; Judge Brooks's account in Va. Hist. Reg., vi. 197; Mag. Amer. Hist., ii. 572. Lafayette always thought that he forced Cornwallis back to take post at Yorktown; but it was really Clinton's message that he could not reinforce Cornwallis that led the latter to fortify himself, according to E. E. Hale (Franklin in France, 463).—Ed.
[1199] The Tenth Report of the Royal Commission on Hist. MSS. (App. i. p. 29) contains two letters still further lessening the responsibility of Clinton for the disaster. In the first, from Lord George Germain to Clinton, the latter is given "positive orders to push the war in the South." The projected withdrawal of Arnold and Phillips is not approved. This is dated May 2, 1781. In the second letter, also from Germain, Clinton is advised that the French fleet will sail to America, and that Rodney will follow it. This letter is dated July 7, 1781. It is not stated whether Clinton ever received these notes. If he did receive them, he certainly must have felt obliged to continue the war in the South.
In the Fifth Report of the Commission on Hist. MSS. (p. 235) there are three letters written by "Sir H. Crosby" and "Sir H. C.", which the editor takes to stand for Sir H. Crosby. At least one was written by Clinton, and the probability is that all were written by him. The first (N. Y., July 18, 1781) relates to the proceedings of Cornwallis, and gives a statement of the troops under some of the British generals in America, and an estimate of the number of French troops which Washington has within call. The third (to G. G., dated Dec., 1781) is plainly the work of Clinton, as the author says that, from the tone of Cornwallis's letter of Oct. 20 (his official report), it might be supposed that the author was to blame for the selection of the post at Yorktown. In the last, also written in December, 1781, the writer attributes the disaster to the want of promised naval supremacy under Sir G. Rodney. He also gives Cornwallis's explanation of the passages complained of in his report. Cf. also Jones's New York during the Rev. War, ii., notes to pp. 464-470, where the editor gives extracts from Clinton's annotations of a copy of Stedman's American War. S. H. Gay (N. Am. Rev., Oct., 1881) follows Cornwallis's movements previous to his fortifying at Yorktown.
[1200] On this subject see also Clinton's Observations on Stedman, p. 16.
[1201] London Gazette, Dec. 15. Among the more accessible books containing it are Remembrancer, xiii. 37; Johnston's Yorktown, 181; Tarleton, p. 427; Lee, Memoirs (2d ed.), App. p. 457; R. E. Lee's ed., 610, etc.
[1202] Clinton to Cornwallis, Sept. 6, 1781, in Parl. Reg., xxv. 189. Clinton also described his endeavors in a letter to Germain in Remembrancer, xiii. 57.
[1203] Cf. Two Letters respecting the conduct of Rear Admiral Graves on the coast of the United States, July-November, 1781, by William Graves, Esq. Edited by H. B. Dawson, 1865. The original was privately printed. Dawson says "the present edition is as perfect a fac-simile of the original as can now be made."
[1204] Remembrancer, xiii. 515, while a letter from Cornwallis to Washington respecting the form of parole is in Cornwallis Correspondence, i. 126.
[1205] Fifth Report of Royal Commission on Hist. MSS., p. 235 (Lansdown MSS.).