Chesapeake, off Yorktown. Approximately 8:30 AM. Nets are being stretched over the French fleet (to prevent any men thrown overboard and to prevent boarding) and sand is being spread on the decks (to prevent the blood of sailors struck by shrapnel from making it slippery). Battle is imminent. The French have 24 warships, including the 104-gun Ville de Paris, three 80-gun ships, 17 74-gun ships, three 64-gun ships, and the other frigates. The British have 19 ships, including two 98-gun ships, 12 74-gun ships, five 64-gun ships, and the other frigates.
