"If the army under Cornwallis is lost, there will be little hope of British dominion in America, except by an exertion, of which I fear England is not capable."
   -- Sir Henry Clinton
     British commander-
    in-chief in New York
    September 23, 1781

On September 23, Clinton learned that the French had 36 ships blockading the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, 10 more than he had been told in earlier intelligence reports.  With the smaller number he had thought it would be possible for a few British ships to run past the French and get into the bay.

He would now have to wait until the British fleet in New York harbour, waiting for supplies from England, could at least match the strength of the French fleet in  Virginia.  That day he wrote down his thoughts on the situation he faced.

Later on September 23, Clinton sent a message to Cornwallis that the British fleet might be able to sail from New York on October 5 to come to his rescue.

While the French fleet continued to control access to the Chesapeake Bay, the American and French armies began closing in on Cornwallis.   Washington reached Williamsburg, Lafayette's headquarters located 16 miles northwest of Yorktown, September 14.  When Rochambeau arrived a few days later, the allies had more than 15,000 troops for the siege.  On September 28, they marched on Yorktown.