Waiting for Wayne`s arrival to challenge Cornwallis - photo 1
Waiting for Wayne`s arrival to challenge Cornwallis - photo 2
Waiting for Wayne`s arrival to challenge Cornwallis - photo 3

Waiting for Wayne`s arrival to challenge Cornwallis

Lot 646
24.01.2025 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1362331
Lot 646 | Waiting for Wayne's arrival to challenge Cornwallis
Estimate value
$ 15 000 – 25 000
Waiting for Wayne's arrival to challenge Cornwallis
Marquis de Lafayette, 29 May 1781
LAFAYETTE, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de (1757-1834). Letter signed ("Lafayette") to General Robert Lawson, Gold Mine Creek, South Anna River, [Virginia,] 29 May 1781.

Two pages, bifolium, 325 x 212mm (light toning throughout, a partial fold separation at center left, some marginal wear). Docketed on verso.

Ten days after Cornwallis' junction with Phillips at Petersburg, Lafayette works to reinforce his outnumbered army while attempting to reinforce Nathanael Greene in the Carolinas in a lengthy letter to General Robert Lawson, in command of the Virginia Militia who was struggling to mobilize troops to respond to the British invasion of the state. Meanwhile, Nathanael Greene had requested a reinforcement of 1500 men be sent to the Carolinas. The Marquis writes Lawson that he appreciates "the Exertions you have made — I wish it was possible to keep the whole of the Militia with this state, but am so far impressed with a desire of assisting Genl Greene's operations, and so sensible of the propriety of obeying superior Orders, that I will not presume to alter his Dispositions." He assumes that Lawson had already been in receipt of separate communications from Greene, "respecting Ld. Cornwallis' movements thro' North Carolina if he has not, it is a sign that He wants you to join him, and of course every direction I have given will be suspended by his Orders, which in that Case you will place to execute as soon as possible." He reports that the Baron von Steuben, who had been guarding munitions at Point of Fork, "is going to the Southward," to reinforce Greene. In the event that Lawson marched southward as well, Lafayette advised that he should "form a junction with the Baron." Confident that this would be the case, the Marquis asks that "the 400 Horse you mention, and any Rifleman who were not to go to Carolina may be sent to us as fast as possible…" He mistakenly assumed that "Lord Cornwallis seems to have given up the expectation of destroying this Army and Stores — He moves towards Fredericksburg and We are going on a parallel line with him keeping the upper part of the Country." Within two days, Cornwallis headed west into the interior of Virginia dispatching Simcoe toward the Forks of the James River, while Tarleton set out to raid Charlottesville, nearly capturing Thomas Jefferson in the process. This turn of events convinced Steuben to reverse his southward march to join Greene and return to Virginia. Lafayette closes hoping "God grant We may soon be joined by General Wayne." Indeed, Wayne crossed into Virginia in early June, and the combined armies robbed Cornwallis of the chance to destroy Lafayette's army while setting the stage for the Siege of Yorktown that autumn.
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