New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-11
ROCHAMBEAU'S LETTERS.
NOW PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TINE BY
NJ DONlOL
EXTRACTS THAT SHOW TIE FRENCH COM
MANDER's ADMIRATION FOR WASHINGTON
COMPLETION OF NJ. DoNIoLS


GREAT WORK.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The monumental historical work OF NJ.
Henri Doniol. member of the Institute and director
OF the National Printing Office. is not unknown
i'm the United States. The fourth and Inst vol
ume OF the Historic dc Ia Participation de la
France q Establishment DIES Etats Unis dame
rique7 will appear next month. Through the KIM
ness of the learned at Thor have been permitted
10 see the proof sheets of the forthcoming DOCK.
The appen g, comforts ,hc correspondence Of
Count de R,ohsmbcau who landed at Newport in
1850 az the cad Of the Kings troops, during the
campign which ended in the capture of Lord
CORVALLIS ~ Yorktown in the autumn OF 1871.
This correspondence fills about 2s5 quarto pages
In the volume Of " Donol. who tells me that
this is the first time that the Letters Of Rocham-
beau. written or received hy him. have been pub
lshedT | an able therefore. To- give your
readers the primeur of this long correspondence
addressed Ia Washington. Count d'Esaing, Laiav-
cite and other leaders in tie Fnnco-Amcrican
alliance Of our Revolution
These letters offer many instances Of the high
opinion which Rochambcau entertained Of Wash
ipgton. one OF the very first letters written by
the French commander on landing. dated NEWPORT,
July II. 1850. is addressed to Washington. and
begins with these words
TIN orders Of the King nv master. place
under the ordcr~ Of Your ENCclency. ! accept this
post with all the submission, all the zeal and all
and for the distinguished talcuts which Won lave
shown In carrying on war which will he forever
even a copy of my Instructions wishing TO
keep no secret, from my general.
\ fortnight later Rochamhcau writes fol-
lows to the Prcsidclt of Congress, Samuel Hunt
ington
As the first French soldier of the army of General
Washington. felt tCund to address myself first 70
him. in rider to pay him my respects and to inform
him of my submission TO his orders.
The following letter, dated August %, at New
port, is addressed 10 Washington:
ought to apprise Your EXcellency that the admiral
lChevaller de TeInay) and intend to fire salute III
Retry. the cain inst, the eve of the fec Of 81
Louis have had General Heath Sa inform the n9fh09 be-
caused. This will be the first shot that the English
will hear US fire no onger see any objection d ,n1n
thus unmasking to them our batteries, since they
show no desire to come and visit them.
But it was not alone the birthday of the French
King that Rochambeau was eager to celebrate
Several months later February %, 1884, he
writes from Newport to Washington
Yesterday WAS the anniversary OF the birth OF Your
Exceency. But on account of It's falling on Snnday;
we adjourned the fctc till TO-DAY We Will ceIebiata
Il with but regret and that Is that Your EXcellehcy
cannot be u witness of the effusion OF orr hearts
On September 20-to 90 back to the year l'so-
Washington and Lafayette went over from bergen
County New-Jcrsey, to Hartford, Conn, to nave
the first meeting with the French officers. count
de Rochambeau and Chevalicr de Ternay fastened
from Newport to the rendezvous. On the 2oth
the former writes to Washington from Newport
await with the greatest impotence new, OF Your
EXce'ncy. trust You nave iclulheu u Nou' '"hN
in good health.
Five days later he writes:
I have lust received Your Exceency's letter Of
the Goth lust ana Am very G esI H no" d. no
know whether ought to commlseIe , NH, you Gr
spiracy OF Arnold. But any way ms Pr91cs Iil l.S
Providence is with us, OF which fact nave h''''
several evidences since this campaign opened
Writing to Lafayette on October 4, concerning
the Hartford interview and the West Point plot,
Rochambeau says:
Providence is with us, my dear Marquis. aud that
very interesting meeting which desired 30 much ana
which has given me 50 much piel.ur !, c,oWhcu n}
n blow direct from Heaven. Chevalier de Ia Luzerne
has not yet arrived But took the Liberty Gi open
all the details Of the horrible conspiracy. 1t has
filled me with pain and pleasure ut It's discovery
RocLambeau approves Washingtons conduct in
the hanging of Andre. On October 10, eleven
DAYS after the execution at Tappan. the former
writes to the latter:
sympatllize very much with Your Excellency. be
cause YOU were forced IN spite Of disposition to
make necessary example in the person OF young
Major Andre.
And again, on October 16:
Andre died honoraby and Arnold will live in IN
fanny The latter's proclamation only aggraVa'es MS
crime.
On January 20, 1881, Washington writes TO
Rochambeau, telling him OF the revolt of the
PENNSYLVANIA troops who refused, however, TO
entertain the advantageous propositions OF the
enemy and turn against the Americans Inc
French general writes in reply:
l cannot too much admire, the one hand, the
wisdom of the course pursued by Your Excelency in
nending over to the consideration of Congress affair
of which the military authorities could not take cog
nizance without having recourse TO narsh iheasues,
nd on he
patriotism, virtue and reasoning on the part OF q
SepreHensibie and dangerous form trust that the
penury and most pressing needs OF the men VII son
find a favorable moment for visiting TINS portion oi
his srmy. which awaits his coming with The gIeatest
impotence. from the commanding general do"h "
the common soldier.
In the autumn Of 1871 the allied armies OF
France and America began TO bcsiege Yorktown
Rochambeau commanding the French land forces.
Count de Grasse the French fleet, and Washington
acting as GenerT,l-in- Chief On October the
French Admiral writes from his flagship to
Rochambeau follows:
You would have had my reply tide earlier il had
had somebody here to read me General Washington's
letter Can't you have his letters translated before
s s%s e at this end OF coursesnd thu is for Your
private earl should not Ike 70 receive from the Gen
for he writes Is we'll as he lights. All! what a man
Two days later DE Grasse recurs again 10 his
linguistic difficulties:
Last night / received your dispatch and that OF
General Washington But the latter being in English
| could not get it exactly translated. and therefore
lose many things which might be interesting Here
after can't you have his letter. translated before they
lesive your hands IL might happ soni day thal tn,
officer have on board who knows English. but knows
IL imperfecty. might be absent ana 50 would be
unable 10 read and answer the General Do be careful
about this. beg Of you
On October : Rochambeau received these lines
from the Count:
l heard las: night and throarhout the evening onto
q noise H. your ncighb0rhood Perhaps YOU have been
measuring arms with Lord CORVALLIS. IL YOU do so
lead him good dance for my sake
A letter written week later contains this
passage:
am delighted, my dear General. 10 that Won
kay nothing more about Your fever This leads me 10
hell We that YOU have chased IL away But YOU mustn't