A complete history of the Marquis de Lafayette, major-general in the American army in the war of the revolution. Embracing an account of his tour through the United States, to the time of his departure, September, 1825. By an officer in the late army.

122 THE HISTORY OF TEIE
beau and the chevalier de Chastelleux, reached Williamsburg, the head-quarters. of Lafayette, on the fourteenth of
September, and proceeding immediately to Hampton, went
on board the Ville de Paris, where the plan of the siege was
concerted with count de Grasse.-The gallant Lafayette
now had a fresh opportunity of exerting his personal influence in favour of the land in defence of whose liberties he
had shed his blood. De Grasse, having received informnation that six ships of the line, under the command of admiral
Digby, had reached New York, considered it certain that
the British fleet would be induced, by this addition to its
strength, to attempt every thing for the relief of lord Cornwallis. Thinking his present situation unfavourable for a
naval combat, he designed to change it; and communicated
to general Washington his intention to leave a few frigates,
to block up the mouths of James and York rivers, and to put
to sea with his fleet in quest of the enemy. If they should
not have left the harbour of New York, he proposed to
block them up in that place. The commander-in-chief was
exceedingly alarmed at this communication. Such a measure would have exposed to the caprice of fortune, an event
of infinite importance, which was now reduced to almost certain calculation. The marquis de Lafayette was accordingly despatched on board the Ville de Paris, with a letter dissuading count de Grasse from so dangerous a measure: but
it is believed that, without the interference and personal application of the marquis, the French admiral would have persevered in carrying into execution a design, which might
have given to the enemy, during his absence, a temporary
naval superiority in those waters, and the army of Cornwallis
might then, with the loss of his artillery, and a few men, have
been placed in perfect security. When we consider that the
capture of Cornwallis sealed the destinies of the union,that his escape would have protracted the war, and entirely
changed the prosperous aspect of public affairs-and that a
long series of bloodshed and desolation would have been