Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-02-07
THE AMERICA auMy .c
I'M French FOUND IT
I'll rs Written In 1888 Are
Now Made Public

Shortly after the surrender of Corn
wallis at Yorktown, toward the close
of the American revolution, the Comte
de Segur and the Prince de Broglie,
two young French noblemen, visited
America. In their letters home they
gave an account of what they saw, re-
lating thus, in an intimate manner,
their adventures in the United States,
their impressions of the country, of
the people, of the army, of its general
in-chief, Washington, and of the So
ciety women whom they met, espe-
cially those of Philadelphia and New
port. These letters, which for a cen
fury and a quarter mellowed in the
family archives, the present Marquis
de Segur loaned to Mrs. John Van
Worst, who has translated and edited
them for the February issue of the
Lippincott's Magazine. Few, if any,
more interesting historical documents
have appeared in print
Concerning the American army and
its chief, the Comte de Segur gives
his impressions:
q had expected he writes, "to find
the soldiers ignorant, badly kept, the
officers lacking in the polish of our
older civilization. I recollected the
early moments of their revolution,
when farm hands and worKmen who
had never handled a gun precipitated
themselves pell-mell, in the name Of
their country, to fight British ranks,
presenting to their astonished gaze
mass of hayseeds who bore no other
insignia nor sign of uniform than a
cap upon which had been written the
word Liberty You can imagine, then,
how surprised / was to find a disci-
/ plined army, with every appearance
of order, knowledge and experience
! The generals, the aides-de-camp, and
the other officers showed in their bear
ing and in their speech, nobility, self
respect, and that natural kindness
which seems to me as much above po-
likeness as a sweet expression is bet
ter than d forced smile OF affected
good humor.
"One of my most ardent desires was
to see the hero OF America, General
Washington. The Comte de Rocham-
beau had the goodness to present me
to him Too often reality falls far be-
low what we have imagined to our
selves, and our admiration diminishes
as we perceive the object which hat
excited it. But the true Genera
Washington was in absolute harmony
with the idea | had formed of him
His appearance revealed him as he
, was; simple, great, dignified calm
good, strong; these traits were writer
in his face and in his bearing as be
ing the qualities of his character. His
figure was noble erect, the expression
of his features, gentle, amiable; his
smile agreeable; his manner simple
without familiarity, He has none D
the pomp Of a general in one Of ovl
monarchies, everything proclaims hin
to be the hero of the republic. He in
spires rather than commends respect
and in the eyes of all who surround
him one can see true affection, abso
lutte confidence in the chief upon whom
J they seemed to place all their reliance
General Washington received me witt
kindness; he spoke to me Of the graf
itude which his country would pre-
serve always toward the king o
France for his generous assistance
He expressed the highest praise fol
General Rochambeau, he commended
the bravery and discipline in our ar
my, and he pronounced a few yer,
dattering words about my father, hi!
long service in the army his numer
GUS wounds, worthy ornaments sale
he, for a minister of war"