Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-21

countryS conditlou was desperate III
Then. went forth. the hop1espup, am
bAssador Of the bankrupt nation, plain
~ clad, grim, determined. How was
her to- be assured that be And his plea
would not meet, not alone fiat refusal
but absolute ridfcu1e, it, not rebuff, at
the powerful and 7gsftterfng French
court? NO hero facing the enemy dur
ing a forlorn hope was ever Drawer
Journey: and history has never paid
him adequate tribute for his courage
and diplomacy in such distastefui
France was at that time at the
height Of wealth and power, amuse-
nent-1oving, considered by the sobor
world a bit frivolous. perhaps. How
did she receive our Ambassador, who
went in the role of humble beggar2 (
Her King at once became interested
in his cause; with the most wonderful
and generous unanimity the :, French
statesmen set about providing weak
ened America with troops. and ships;
a princely loan was voted, at a merely
nominal interest, which Afterwards
was Cancelled.
All France bseane alert for the
American cause Granted, there was
satisfaction in aiding an opponent of
her OWN old enemy. Britain; still.
there was a motive. far above. mere
spleen zor the desire OF, revenge, In the
splendid manner in which the pick of
her great navy, the flower of her brave
troops, were hastily placed at the dis
Losal of General Washington and the
young Republic. -
The discouraged Americans, took
heart. when tidfngs came at last that
the powerful nation oversee had de
,eided to join forces with the patriots
in their struggle for liberty.
Then, all in good time, the French
fleet, commanded by the gallant AID
miral DeGrasse, arrived at Newport.
There was joy when the brilliant
forces of Count de -Roctambeau dis
embarked: The hope of struggling
America revived; the wearied patriots
gathered fresh inspiration to Valor.
Who could doubt, with such reinforce
mentsl such aid, the wealth. of all gem
Erous France at Washington's COM
mand?
IT was in 1880 that the allies reached
eralz weeks of preparation there, it was
decided to ~send a detachment of the
army into Connecticut, where forage
was. more abundant. Consequently.
about 500 mounted Hussars, command
ed by the brilliant Due de Lauzun.
trooped from Newport into this state
and as the town of Lebanon was then
tte home of Governor Jonathan Trum
Dull, friend of Washington and not
eniy Comma nder- in Chief Of the Col
ony land forces, but by special act of
the naval force also, it was natural
mat the marching detachment should
receive orders to proceed to Lebanon.
=. Here they were CHARTERED on the
Green, from Dec 1st 1880 to June 23rd
81, a period of seven months. The
French officers had headquarters in
what is now. knownt as Redwood" the
fine old mansion owned then by one of
the Trumbull sons
:. The toMnspeople showed the visitors
the most generous hospitality during
The winter and until June, when Count
r ochambeau, with his five sparkling
regiments of Bourbonnois, tarried at
Lebanon for three weeks. on their
march from. Newport TO join Wash
ington's army on. the Hudson "A gay
June it was for the old town. when the
SIX brilliant French regiments, with
t'1eir martial bands and rich banners;
n1anoeuvored daily on the village
On the 9Th of March, 1881, General
Washington was in Lebanon and re-
viewed the gallant legion of Due de
days at the home of Governor Trum-
bull, and then was perfected the mil
itary plan which related to the south
ern campaign, the ultimate surrender
of Cornwallis and his. army at York
town, and the final termination of the
war, which fixed forever American
liberty. -
The barracks of the French Hussars
We're situated on the slope of the hill
west of the Trumbun house and near
the rivNlet above the. pond. Within a
few years bricks from the French
ovens were found in Lebanon. There
is much in the history of the wonder
full old town which has to do with
this famed visit of the French allies,
back in 17SO-S1.
A tragic incident concerns the sum-
mary discipline of an unsoIdierIy Hus-
sar, who, with few companions had
repaid the great hospitality of the,
townspeOple by meanly- stealing poul-'
try, pigs and sheep. When the, news
of this ingratitude reached the ears of
the gallant De Lauzun, he was deeply
mortified, and his promise of penaliz-
ing the guilty men reaching their ears
they deserted and fed into the country.
One of the worst offenders was recap
tured however, and was brought into
camp about nightfalt
: A court martial was Immediately
ordered the man was tried, convicted
of desertion, and at sunrise next
morning he was shot, the whole corps
being ordered out to learn from his ex-
ample how De LauZun dealt with in
CRATES ana deSerterS. .r-
Lebanon was a lonely town, when, in
Junei after the army chaplain, Able
Robin, had celebrated X mass in the
military camp, the six regiments
marched down the post road in the
beautiful summer morning, bound for
General Washingtonis camp on the
Hudson; their reinforcement destined
to play such an important part In the
winning of American independence.
: Over the quaint fireplace in the old
Lebanon war Office of Governor Trum-
bull, a tablet erected by the Connec-
ticut- Sons of the American Revolution
this visit of the splen-
did French troops and perpetuates the
sentiment of gratitude which America
must ever cherish for France. as the
virtual saviour of the Young Republic.
s--- THE DICTAGRAPH.
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