The times., 1901-03-10
THE STATUE OF COMTE DE ROCHAMBEAU

! profession. entering the French army in
( 1It2. After thirty-eight years of varied
and arGuous service, in March, 17SJ, he
I reached the grade Of lieutenant general
and. in the same year, was assigned to
command the expedition in aid Of the
colonies. With 6,0GJ troops which were
followed by re-enforcemenJs ne sailed
from BreSt in May, ISU, landing at New
port. =. h., in July.
with great skill and address Comte de
Rochambeau tnwarted contemplated at
tack upon Newport by the LTJlSh com
mauG.rs Clinton and ArbIthDot. In Sep
tember, llSg, he held conference with
General "A aShInEtou, and proposed to the
latter q plan or campaign Tor the ensuing
summer circumstances lutcTbcStd 10
change the character and objective Of
their Joint operations. but under "a wise
dispeusaJi0u 81 Providence they were able
10 cooperate in l4Nl and in that year to
conduct TO a successful issue the deci-
slVe campaign lu the war.
The operations of the British in the
Caroiiues md Virginia had been proceed
I. ing with varying fortune under Lord
CCTuWaiiz when his superior General
Clinton, fearing an attack upon New
York 10y the allied forces ordered him to
deJaCE 800" men to that place, and to
seek ard fortify a defeusibIe position and
hold it with the I.gJI left him CORVALLIS
thereupon established himself at York
town.
Washington was at Dobbs Ferry plan
ming Ca uDaiGl against Clinton at New
York whom the happy news reached him
thaL CuULe de Grasse. in command of the
French West Indian heet, who had been
urged TO hasten 10 our aid by Comte de
Rochambeau, was prepared to coop
crate
The objective Of our operations was i'm
nfediateiy changed. R0chambeau hurried
to Join Washington al DOuBs Ferry.
where he arrived July 6, l1Sl, and then
the Two great cUmraGes-In-arms began
I that series of StrdtegicaI and tactical
movements which has filed students Of
military science with admiration ever
since. BY number Of feiuts, cleFerly
planned and executed, Clinton was made
certain that he was to be attacked, and
. assembled all his forces and resources
for the contest " hile he was held per
fcctIy ia play the allies passed from the
west bank Of the Hudson into New Jer-
scy and began their historic march to
Virginia.
When the allied armies had reached
Chester. Pa. on September -. Washing
ton learned that De Grasse, with his ships
and troops had entered the Chesapeake.
Three days later Washington, kOcham-
beau, and the Marquis de thaStelliX
started from Baltimore for two days
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 W Williamsburg,
twelve miles distant from Yorktown, and
advanced in force upon Lord CORVALLIS
on the Z.th, under Washington and RO-
. Chambeau, the French fleet meantime Gov
( ering the British position from York Riv-
er. BY the 5Oth the Investment was com
Dlete From all sides the siege was pressed
with yigor and friendly emulation by the
allies Help failing him, the desperate et-
forts at sOrtle proving disastrous, ana an
& epidemic breaking out in his camp pros
trating . OJO Of his troops, the British gen
eraI was in despair. After q terrible can
nonade from the American and French
J lines on the afternoon and night OF OctO-
. Der 9 and the morning Of October Iy hls
position became no longer tenabie.
. X a-fHta a moi hH
any other re-cuf0rcemeuts were coming
+ 10 his rescue, Lord CORVALLIS caPitulated
/ on October is. The surrender included
! 1000 British regulars. 29p sailors and
Z marines, l.JJ0 Tories, and a large number
I Of negroes. The French contingent par
I ticipaUug in the victory consisted OF IoD
troops under Comte dc Rochambeau and
thirty-seyen ships under Comte de Grassc.
Z The American force win Washington aS-
gregate0 J,UU3 men. OF WHIch JoNJ We're
regulars. After the triumph Of the allied
arms .I Yorktown. tBmty dc kDCEamDeaI
went 10 the South TO assist General
Greene in the CarO.iuas Ills service end
I'd in America, he sailed for France in
January llS5. the year of the peace. He
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 Comtc de
RschaUlBaau commanded the Army OF
the North for some time, bat being sus-
disprov,d the charges against MIN before
tho legislative Assembly, but dld not
reieiu tn, army. Tie was arrested during
the reign pl terror and but for the timely
death of RUhssDirTTe would have been
executed as au arisiocIat lie was re-
leased and spent the evening OF his life
lu peace. Iu 1905. Napoleon ! conferred
upoa him the grand cross OF the Legion
He died at Thore. in France, Ia 1871.
fun Of wears and honor