leton scattered the legislature, and took a few of its
members. Meanwhile Simcoe was sent to take or
destroy some magazines and stores at Point of Fork,
where the Rivanna and Fluvanna rivers unite to form
the James. He found that the stores, which were
under the guard of General Steuben, were on the south
side of the James River. There was no ford, and Simcoe
had but a few small boats. He, therefore, resorted
to a stratagem. By drawing out his four hundred men
in a long line, and half displaying and half concealing
them, he succeeded in making Steuben believe that
his command was the advanced guard of Cornwallis's
main army. Not reflecting that with only a few skiffs
in which to cross the river a whole army was hardly
more formidable than a detachment, Steuben retreated,
leaving a part of the stores behind him. Twenty-four
men were, thereupon, set across the river, and while
half of them kept watch the others destroyed the
stores without being disturbed.[1]
Lafayette retreated as far north as the Rappahannock, where Wayne joined him with reinforcements. The marquis then made a rapid march to the southward and westward and placed himself between the British army and the stores in the western part of the state. He was still too weak, however, to risk a battle. Cornwallis did not advance against him, but on the 15th of June turned towards the seaboard. This gave Lafayette an apparent advantage. He followed
- ↑ Ewald, vol. ii. pp. 194-199; Stedman, vol. ii. pp. 389, 390. Kapp says that the stores destroyed were of small value, and believes that Steuben acted wisely.—Steuben's “Leben,” pp. 429-436. See, also, Lafayette's “Memoires,” vol. i. pp. 97, 150.
