18. Washington’s desire for a strike on New York relied on the French Navy
George Washington was not trained in military strategy; he was a surveyor by training and a farmer by inclination. But he realized early in his command of the Continental Army that naval activity was critical to the success of the Revolution. It was Washington who importuned congress to create a Navy, and it was he who predicted its best use, that of harassing the long supply lines of the British Armies in North America. He had tried, against his better judgment, to defend New York against a combined military-naval operation and failed. By 1779 his fondest hopes were of a joint French-American attack against New York, supported by the French fleet.
A failed operation by the French and Americans to retake Savannah used up the campaign season for the French fleet that year. The following year the British sent Benedict Arnold to Virginia to raid along the coast and up the James River. Lafayette was dispatched to engage Arnold and a French fleet with additional troops was sent to support him. The fleet arrived and engaged a British fleet at the Battle of Cape Henry. Although the British were forced to withdraw following the naval engagement, it did so up the Chesapeake Bay, a position from which it was still able to support Arnold. The French fleet returned to Newport, and its command was assumed by the Comte de Barras in May 1781.