In this action, the Americans lost one hundred and eighteen men, among whom were ten officers; and two pieces of artillery were left on the field, the horses attached to them being killed.  The British loss was less considerable.

All active operations were now suspended; and the harassed army of Lafayette was allowed some repose.

Although no brilliant service was performed by that young nobleman, the campaign in Virginia enhanced his military reputation, and raised him in the general esteem.  That with so decided an inferiority of effective force, and especially of cavalry, he had been able to keep the field in an open country, and to preserve a considerable proportion of his military stores, as well as his army, was believed to furnish unequivocal evidence of the prudence and vigour of his conduct.

CHAPTER XI.

Farther state of affairs in the beginning of the year 1781....  Measures of Mr. Morris, the superintendent of finances....  Designs of General Washington against New York....  Count Rochambeau marches to the North River....  Intelligence from the Count de Grasse....  Plan of operations against Lord Cornwallis....  Naval engagement....  The combined armies march for the Chesapeake....  Yorktown invested....  Surrender of Lord Cornwallis.

[Sidenote:  1781]

[Sidenote:  State of affairs at the beginning of the year 1781.]

The deep gloom which had enveloped the prospects of America in the commencement of the year, which darkened for a time in the south, had also spread itself over the north.  The total incompetency of the political system adopted by the United States to their own preservation, became every day more apparent.  Each state seemed fearful of doing too much, and of taking upon itself a larger portion of the common burden than was borne by its neighbour.

The resolutions of congress had called for an army of thirty-seven thousand men, to be in camp by the first of January.  Had this requisition been made in time, it is not probable that so large a force could have been brought into the field; but it was made late, and then the difficulties and delays on the part of the several states, exceeded every reasonable calculation.  The regular force drawn from Pennsylvania to Georgia inclusive, at no time, during this active and interesting campaign, amounted to three thousand effective men; and the states from New Hampshire to New Jersey inclusive, so late as the month of April, had furnished only five thousand infantry.  Of these, the returns for that month exhibit, in the northern department, less than three thousand effectives.  The cavalry and artillery, at no time, amounted to one thousand men.  This small army was gradually and slowly augmented so as, in the month of May, to exhibit a total of near seven thousand men, of whom rather more than four thousand might have been relied on for action.