This course was the more necessary as the French siege-artillery was with it.

The troops under Washington and Rochambeau had crossed the Hudson on the 24th of August, moving toward the head of Chesapeake Bay.

Thus the different armed forces, both land and sea, were converging toward their objective, Cornwallis.
The English were unfortunate in all directions.

Rodney, learning of De Grasse's departure, sent fourteen ships-of-the-line under Admiral Hood to North America, and himself sailed for England in August, on account of ill health.

Hood, going by the direct route, reached the Chesapeake three days before De Grasse, looked into the bay, and finding it empty went on to New York.