It was decided with all possible dispatch to effect a union of Washington's and Rochambeau's forces and " move down in the vicinity of New York," there to " take advantage of any opportunity which the weakness of the enemy may afford.'' But whither the licet was to conic was not definitely indicated; and manifestly it was intended thai the ultimate campaign of the armies should be determined by the destination of the fleet -- provided, of course, no decisive operations before New York should result previously to the fleet's arrival. Now, there were only two possible destinations for the fleet. One was Chesapeake Bay, where all the enemy's forces in the South were concentrating for the reduction of Virginia; the other was New Y'ork, if 1900

' Tile Xe\ v Yor k State legislature i made a ation of $2,000 for tin . erection of a m onume nt in the Crompond < •hurehrd to the heroes of this affair. A further tount lias 1 n contributed through the efts of the Sens of the Revolution.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

where Sir Henry Clinton's command was located. To which point would de Grasse come? or, rather, to -which point should the two generals advise him to come? -- for there was, of course, time to communicate with him before his departure from the West Indies, and that indeed was indispensable. It will be remembered I hat in 1778, when the first French expedition under d'Estaing reached our shores, it proceeded, at Washington's suggestion, to Sandy Hook, with every purpose of entering New York harbor and joining with the continental army in a siege of New York; but that d'Estaing at the last moment abandoned that plan because of his apprehension that his larger war vessels might get stranded on the bar.