When Count de Rochambeau had announced to Gen. Washington the dispatches he had received from France, the general with his suit, Gens. Knox and Du Portail, repaired immediately to Wethersfield, in Connecticut, where they were met by the French officers, the Count de Rochambeau, and the Chevalier Chastellux on the 21st, the ostensible object of this meeting also was to concert measures for the reduction of New-York.

This conference continued about one week, with the greatest harmony, and cordiality, when the illustrious characters returned to their posts.

Gen. Washington next communicated by letter, the following regulations, to the governors of the several north

ern states.

"On the calculations I have been able to form, in coneert with some of the most experienced French and American officers, the operations in view will require, in addition to the French army, all the continental battalions, from New-Hampshire to New-Jersey, to be completed." He afterwards added-" As we cannot count upon their being full, and as a body of militia will moreover be necessary, I have called upon the several states to hold certain numbers in readiness, to move within a week of the time I require them."

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The dispatches of Gen. Washington were repeatedly intercepted by one James Moody, who was employed by the British adjutant-general, and conveyed to New-York. These gave the alarm to Sir Henry Clinton, and he began to exert himself to strengthen his works to resist the expected attack.

Gen. Rochambeau, immediately upon his return, marched the whole French force from Newport, by the way of Hartford, to join Gen. Washington, comprising a rein、

forcement of 1500 men, which had arrived at Boston from France about the 8th of June, and joined him on the 14th.

Pending the march of these troops, Gen. Washington put his army in motion towards New-York, without any other baggage than a blanket and a clean shirt, and on the 3d of July, Gen. Lincoln at the head of the advance guard, approached so near to Fort Independence that he was sharply attacked by about 1500 royal troops. Gen. Lincoln made a regular retrograde movement, in order to give opportunity to the Duke De Lawzern, with the French legion, and Col. Sheldon, with his American dragoons, to turn their flanks and cut off their retreat, whilst he, supported by the other detachments, should charge them in front, and thus destroy the party, or open a general action, should they be supported. The party retired, and the stratagem failed.

On the 4th, Gen. Washington moved his army towards White Plains, and on the 6th, he was joined by Count Rochambeau and the van of the French army, and on the 8th, the whole French force encamped in a line with the American army.

To embarrass the operations of the allied armies, Sir Henry Clinton detached a strong party to destroy the American stores at Tarrytown, which was defeated by the exertions of Maj. Gen. Howe, and occasioned the following general orders-

"The commander in chief is exceedingly pleased with Maj. Gen. Howe, for marching with so much alacrity and rapidity to the defence of the stores at Tarrytown, and repulsing the enemy's shipping from thence; the gallant behaviour, and spirited exertions of Col. Sheldon, and Capt. Hurlbut, of the 2d regiment of dragoons. Capt. Lt. Miles of the artillery, and Lt. Shaylor of the 4th Connecticut regiment, previous to the arrival of the troops, in extin

guishing the flames of the vessels which had been set on fire by the enemy, and rescuing the whole of the ordnance and stores from destruction, has the applause of the general."

On the 21st Gen. Washington wrote to the French Admiral as follows-"I hope there will be no occasion for a movement to the southward, for the want of force to act against New-York, as I flattered myself that the glory of destroying the British squadron at New-York, is reserved for the king's fleet under your command, and that of the land forces at the same place, for the allied arms.”

On the evening of the 18th, precisely at 8 o'clock, the allied armies commenced a grand movement, and marched from their encampments down to New-York, and at 4 the next morning they were drawn up in order of battle, whilst Gen. Washington, Count Rochambeau, with all the general officers, and engineers, reconnoitered the enemy's works, throughout their whole line; the next day they renewed their reconnoitering, and in the afternoon drew off their troops, and returned to their encampments, where they arrived at half past twelve at night.

These movements confirmed Sir Henry Clinton in the belief of the intercepted letters, that New-York was the grand object of destination, and led him to withdraw a very considerable part of the force under the command of Lord Cornwallis, then in garrison. This movement was occasioned by the removal of the heavy artillery; mor tars, &c. left at Boston in 1776, across the country to North-River, and down to the army before New-York.

Gen. Washington at this time pressed the several states to forward their quotas of men; but to his great mortification they came forward very slowly, which led him thus to complain on the 2d of August

"Not a single man has joined me since I moved from winter quarters, excepting 176 militia from Connecticut, who arrived at West-Point yesterday, and 80 of the York levies, with 200 state troops of Connecticut, both of which corps were upon the lines previous to my leaving winter quarters.'

At this eventful moment a letter from the Count De Grasse, announced his arrival at the mouth of the Chesa apeak. The allied commanders, dispatched assurances to the French Admiral, that they would put their troops in motion to co-operate with him.

Gen. Washington caused a detachment to forward the preparations for the intended attack upon New-York, by constructing ovens opposite to Staten-Island, for the accommodation of the French army; at the same time the allied army crossed North River and moved by rapid

arches to Philadelphia, and from thence to the head of Elk. Rivington published in his New-York Gazette at the same time, that young Laurens, just returned from Paris, had announced in New-Jersey, that "the Emperor of Germany had declared himself the ally of Great-Britain, (all in large capitals) which had thrown the court of Versailles into such confusion, that the French nation must withdraw their support from their new allies, the rebels of this continent; and we are informed, it has with another concurring circumstance, occasioned Mr. Washington and Count Rochambeau to quit their menacing position at White Plains. We are also told that the French Admiral is embarking all the sick on board his fleet, from which it is suggested, that their fleet and army are to be withdrawn from Rhode Island, to strengthen themselves in the WestIndies. It is said the French and rebels left their ground the day after Mr. Washington received the mortifying ac

count of the Emperor's alliance with his old friend, the Court of Great-Britain.

Pending these movements, Sir Henry Clinton discovered the exposed situation of the French fleet and stores at Newport, and attempted to recal Admiral Graves from his cruise before Boston, and proposed that he should commence an attack upon the French fleet at Newport, but the disabled state of several of his ships called him back to New-York to,refit, and at this moment Monsieur De Barras, with the military train and stores, set sail for the Chesapeak. On the same day Sir Samuel Hood, (who had been dispatched from England under the command of Sir George Rodney, and by him detached to this service,) arrived off the Chesapeak, in expectation of there joining Admiral Graves, with his squadron from New-York; but not finding him there, he dispatched a frigate to New-York to announce his arrival, and proceeded on to the Hook, where he was joined by Admiral Graves, with five ships ofthe line, and a fifty gun ship; and the whole fleet sailed for the Chesapeak. Five days after Sir Samuel Hood left the capes of the Chesapeak, Count De Grasse entered the bay, and came to an anchor.

Count De Grasse, on his passage, fell in with and captured a packet bound to England, with Lord Rawdon on board.

Count De Grasse convoyed the transports 18 leagues up James' River, and landed 3300 troops under the command of the Marquis de St. Simon, to reinforce the Marquis La Fayette.

Admiral Graves had received no tidings of Count De Grasse until he arrived off the Chesapeak, and discovered his fleet, consisting of 24 ships of the line, lying at anchor within the capes.

The detachment, consisting of 1800 seamen, and 90 officers, destined to assist the landing of the troops under