Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-05-31

duplicate of the statue be erected in the
United States. The suggestion was acted
upon. Congress appropriated the neces-
sary funds for a duplication Of the memo
rial and made a further appropriation
of $4,000 for the suitable entertaining
of the representatives of the French gov
eminent and of the invited guests on the
occasion of the unwilling.
The matter created good deal of en-
thusiasm in France and as soon as the
date for the unwilling was determined
on President LOubet appointed a mis-
sion to represent the French people and
designated the Gaulois, one of the most
formidable battleships in the French
navy, to convey the governments repre-
sentatives to this country. These repre-
sentatives numbered eleven, of whom
Gen. Brugere, commander-in-chief of the
French army, and Vice Admiral -Four
nier were the highest in official rank.
Among our invited guests were Count
Sahune de Lafayette, q descendant Of
Gen. Lafayette, the impulsive and iber
ty-lOying Frenchman, who fought Wltt
Washington, and the Count and Countess
de Rochambeau, the former a descendant
Of the hero of Yorktown.
What We Owe to France.
The part which Rochambeau took in
the Revolutionary war was an important
one and it can, perhaps, with justice be
said that were it not for the French aid
which he brought us. the cause of the
colonists would have been lost. Rocham-
beau was the direct representative Of
King Louis XVI. and he came here with
5000 soldiers and a fleet. He was then
4 veteran soldier and one of the great
military captains of his age.
When he landed here the time was one
of great encouragement for Washing
ton and the colonial forces. The army
had been fighting doggedly and with in
different success. 1t had been through
the terrible winter at Valley Forge, the
soldiers were poorly clothed and We're
behind fully nine months in their pay.
Rochambeau landed at Newport July
1217S0, and promptly entrenched his
army. He realized at once the critical
condition of the American struggle and
Immediately dispatched his son, Col. Ro-
chambeau, to France, to urge upon the
King the necessity of money and more
soldiers. Col Rochambeau succeeded IL
breaking the British blockade, which wai
maintained at all the Atlantic c0aSS
ports. and reached France safely. Early
in 1871 he returned, bringing with him
6,O00,000 francs in treasure, sum
equivalent to 81 100000. The need of
funds at this period was acute. The sol
diers were actually on the verge of mu-
tiny, so much so that before young Ro-
chambeau's return Washington had
found it necessary to solicit loan from
Cen Rochambeau
June IS, 1871, the French army march
ed out of Newport in accordance with a
plan of campaign drawn up between
Washington and the French general.
Clinton. who was holding New York and
New Jersey, was outwitted and while he
chung to his position in the east Wash
ington and Rochambeau led their forces
to attack CORVALLIS. At the same time
French fleet under De GraSse entered
Chesapeake Bay, thus cutting off Corn
wallis chance for escape by water. COrn-
wallis was forced to surrender. This
blow destroyed British prestige and pow
er in America and put heart into the
colonists. While the war went on feebly
on the British side some time longer
| Yorktown marked the practical end Of
the struggle and American independence
| followed.
! Rochambeau was honored by Congress
| and on his return to France Louis XVI
| handsomely rewarded him. During the
reign of terror in Paris, in 1893, the griz-
| zled veteran was imprisoned by the
| blood-mad leaders and probably escaped
the guilotine only through the downfall
and death of Robespierre. When Napo-
| leon rose to the head of affairs old SOL
| diers like Rochambeau were safe He
| was made a grand officer of the Legion Of
| Honor by Bonaparte, and granted the
! pension Of former marshal. He wrote
his memoirs and died serenely at his
chateau in 1907, at the age of 81.