But if at Woathersliold Rochambeau conceived the Virginia campaign, it was certainly not a conception based upon the plan of a formidable preliminary New York campaign. Without the preliminary New York campaign, conducted with the utmost sagacity, there would have been no triumphant Virginia campaign. This digression from the straightforward progress of our narrative seems necessary to a proper understanding of the Weathersfield agreement of the 22d of May and its relations to subsequent events. That agreement was decidedly indefinite, except in the one particular that there should be an immediate movement of the combined armies on New

York; with which prime matter settled, Washington consented to leave de Grasse's course with his fleet to his own discretion. It is not conceivable that he, the responsible commander-inchief, would have made such a concession if he had held to the exclusive idea of taking New York. By a dispatch vessel sent from Newport to the West Indies in the latter part of May, de Grasse was accordingly notified of the deci-

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

sions reached at the Weathersfield conference, and it was made optional with him whether to come to New York Harbor or to Chesapeake Bay. As we shall see, Washington remained in absolute uncertainty regarding the French admiral's intended destination until after the latter had sailed from the West Indies. The remainder of May and the first three weeks of June were employed in preparations for the junction of the allied armies and the offensive operations on New York. Rochambeau began his march from Newport on the 10th of June, leaving at that place a sufficient garrison, its harbor being still occupied by French ships of war. Washington assembled his troops from their different encampments on the west side of the Hudson, brought them across King's Ferry, and ou the 2(>th established his headquarters at the Van Cortlandt house north of Peekskill. lie at once proceeded to demonstrate to the British that the joint movement was not a mere feint or a venture whose final object was to be approached gradually, but a swift and deadly undertaking against New York.