[The Life of George Washington, Vol. 3 (of 5) by John Marshall]@TWC D-Link bookThe Life of George Washington, Vol. 3 (of 5) CHAPTER IV 23/25
That of the British was stated to be rather less. Three days after this action, the posts at Stono and St.John's were evacuated.
The heat now became too excessive for active service; and the British army, after establishing a post on the island contiguous to Port Royal and St.Helena, retired into Georgia and St.Augustine. The American militia dispersed, leaving General Lincoln at the head of about eight hundred men; with whom he retired to Sheldon, where his primary object was to prepare for the next campaign, which it was supposed would open in October. The invasion of the southern states wore so serious an aspect, that Bland's regiment of cavalry, and the remnant of that lately Baylor's, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Washington, with the new levies of Virginia, were ordered to repair to Charleston, and to place themselves under the command of General Lincoln.
The execution of these orders was for a time suspended by the invasion of Virginia. [Sidenote: Invasion of Virginia by General Matthews.] An expedition against that state had been concerted in the spring between Sir Henry Clinton and Sir George Collier, the Commander-in-chief of the British naval force on the American station. The land troops assigned to this service were commanded by General Matthews.
The transports, on board of which they embarked, were convoyed by the Admiral in person.
On the 9th of May the fleet entered the Chesapeake, and the next day anchored in Hampton Roads. Virginia had raised a regiment of artillery for the performance of garrison duty in the state, which had been distributed along the eastern frontier; and slight fortifications had been constructed in the most important situations, which were defensible on the side of the water, but were not tenable against a military force strong enough to act on land.
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