The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-10
THE STATUE OF CoMTE DE RoCHAMBEAU.

profession. entering the French army in
| 1142. After thirty-eight years of varied
and arduous service, in March, 1880 he
/ reached the grade of lieutenant general
and, in the same year, was assigned to
| command the expedition in aid Of the
colonies. With 6.OCO troops. which were
| followed by re-enforcements, ne sailed
from Brest in May, l1s0, landing at New
port, \. l., in July.
With great skill and address Comte de
ROchambeau tnwarted contemplated at
! tack upon Newport by the British COM
mand.rs Clinton and Arbuthnot.- In Sep
| tember, 1850, he held 4 conference with
General Washington. and proposed to the
| latter a plan of campaign FOR the ensuing
summer Circumstances luterpCSed ia
: change the character and objective Of
their joint operations, but under a wise
/ dispensation OF FrOvideH' they were able
10 cooperate in lISl al- in that year to
conduct to successful issue the deci-
slve campaign in the war.
The operations of the British in the
CaroIinas and Virginia had been proceed
! ing with varying fortune under Lord
/ CORVALLIS when his superior, General
/ Clinton, fearing an attack upon New
York by the allied forces ordered him to
deJaCh 800 men to that place, and to
seek ard fOrtify a defensible position and
hold il with the 1908 left him. CORVALLIS
thereupon established himself at York
/ town.
1 Washington was at Dobbs Ferry plan
/ ming campaign against Clinton at New
York when the happy news reached him
! that Cumte de Grasse, in command of the
French West Indian fleet, who had been
urged to hasten to our aid by comte de
! Rochambeau, was prepared to coop
I crate.
The objective of our operations was i'm
nediateiy changed. ROchambeau hurried
I to join Washington at DODbs Ferry,
J where he arrived July 8, l1Sl, and then
I the Two great cOmrades-in-arms began
that series Of strategical and tactical
movement. which has filled students Of
! military science with admiration ever
/ since. BY number Of feirts, cleverly
! planned and executed, Clinton was made
certain thlt he was to he attacked, and
! assembled all his forces and resources
/ for the cot test. While he was held per
fectly in play the allies passed from the
/ west bank Of the Hudson into New Jer-
! sey and began their historic march to
/ Virginia.
! Chester, Pa, on September .. Washing
ton learned that De Grassc, with his SHIPS
and troops had entered the Chesapeake.
/ Three DAYS later Washington. ROcham-
! beau and The MARQUIS dc Chastellux
! started from Baltimore for two days
4 visit TO Mount Vernon, which the Father
+ Of his Country had not seen for six years
/ On September . the last division OF the
{ allied forces reached Williamsburg,
i twelve miles distant from Yorktown, and
] advanced in force upon Lord CORVALLIS
on the 18th under Washington and Ro-
{ chambeau, the French feet meantime Gov
I ering the British position from York Riv-
er. BY the 5Oth the investment was COM
plete. From ali sides the siege was pressed
] with yigOr and friendly emulation by the
| allies. Help failing him. the desperate ef-
forts at sortie proving disastrous. and an
4 epidemic breaking out in his camp pros
! trating ?. 0OO of his troops the British gen
: eral was in despair. After terrible cam
l nonade from the American and French
! lines on the afternoon and night OF OctO-
Der . and the morning OF October ~ his
. position became no longer tenablc.
! Satisfied that neither squadrons nor
/ any other re-cnforcements were coming
TO his rescue, Lord CORVALLIS capitulated
/ on October Is The surrender included
! 1000 British regulars, 1000 sailors and
! marines, I,jJO Tories, and large number
; of negroes The French contingent par
| ticipating In the victory consisted of 1909
troops under Comte de Rochambeau and
/ tbirty-scVen ships under Comte de GraSSc.
! The American force with Washington dS-
/ gregated 5000 men, Of which 800 we're
7 regulars After the triumph Of the allied
arms at Yorktown, Comte de Rochambeau
went to the South TO assist General
Greene in the CarOliuas Ills service end
: cd In America, he sailed for France in
! January 1888. the year OF the peace. lie
| received the thanks of Congress and al
| ter his return to his native country was
hOnOred with the baton Of field marshal.
! Under the Revolution Comic de
] Rochaubcau commanded the Army of
/ the North for some time, but. being sus-
pected Of Gisloyalty, was removed He
disprovcd the charges against MN before
| the legislative Assembly, but did not
rrjOin the army. He was arrested during
! the reign Of terror. and but for the timely
| death OF RobesDierre would have been
executed as an aristOcTat lie was re-
! leased and spent the evening of his life
| In peace Ia 1865. Napoleon ] conferred
upon him the grand cross Of tine Legion
I Of Honor.
| fall Of Years and honor