The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

474 THE FREEMAN Au.gustrouted his army at Camden inAugust; Gates fled the scene ofbattle on the fastest horse hecould command, and was sixtymiles away before he consideredit safe to stop. His army was scattered,and his reputation wasruined.Nathanael Greene assumedcommand of the Patriot forces inthe Carolinas late in the year,and· he proved worthy of the calling.He was as successful at maneuveringas his mentor, GeorgeWashington, but Cornwallis didnot tarry overlong to test his talents.Instead, Cornwallis movednorthward into Virginia in 1781,while Greene drove southward intoSouth Carolina. In the courseof the year he was so successfulagainst British posts that theyheld only Charleston by the end ofthe year. Indeed, a pattern emergedin the South similar to the oneelsewhere on the continent. TheBritish frequently won the pitchedbattles, but once the main armymoved on, the post left behindsoon fell to Patriot forces.During the late spring and intothe summer of 1781 Cornwallisrampaged across Virginia with amuch larger army than the Americanscould muster in that state.When the American forces wereincreased, Cornwallis decided toestablish a base accessible to thesea. He decided upon Yorktownwhich is located on the peninsulabetween the York and Jamesrivers. He set up camp there inearly August.Showdown at YorktownVirginians had for some timebeen pleading with Washington tocome with his army to save hishome state. However, Washingtonwas confronting the largestBritish army in America in NewYork; victory over it would mostlikely be decisive; he wanted onlythe help of the French fleet toundertake it, and the French fleetwas rarely available to him. However,he determined upon concentratinghis effort against Cornwallisat Yorktown when theFrench agreed to aid him. Washington'sContinentals were now reinforcedby a major French armyunder the command of the Comtede Rochambeau. Washington tookpains to tie Clinton's army downin New York both by leaving asizable detachment behind and bygetting misleading information tohim.The attacking army usually hasa plan which, if it' works, shouldbring victory, much as each playby the offense in football is conceivedto make a, touchdown - ifit works. In battle, the aim is tobring such force to bear at selectedpoints that it may be expectedto break up the opposing army.