Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-07-09
BY Caroline Tcknor of the Vigilantes.
What is our debt to France?

- WI WV
Let US glance back to those dark
days Of 1776, that tried mems souls.
Some think the Declaration Of INDIE
pendence established our i%ndepend-
ence. forgetting the years which fol-
lowed, when our tottering cause made
even Washington despair.
Prior to the declaration, France had
sent over a million dollars to aid us,
and in October, 1873, our three COM
m~issioners were sent to France to
plead for us. Benjamin Franklin's
negotiations oon brought forth fruit,
and it was agreed that France should
furnish us two million livres a year;
and three ships laden with military
stores were dispatched to assist us.
Then. though the government Of
France was not prepared to sem US
troops, volunteers were not wanting,
who cast their lot in with h cause
of liberty. Lafayette, though but
10 years Of age, bought and fitted out
a vessel, sailing in April, 1777. From
this time on. numerous individuals in
France contributed large sums Of
money, among them the beautiful
Duchess Of Orleans, who gave to John
Paul Jones at one time $4,000 to fit
out the Bon Homme Richard"
donating it, she said, Ito the great
bravest champion of the sea-"
The arrival of Lafayette, at a mo-
ment of grave perplexity for Wash
ington, brought cheer and inspiration.
Washington welcomed almost as a
son the modest Frenchman, who said,
II am here to learn and not to teach"
and who during the next two years
rendered such brilliant military serv-
ice, returning to France in 1879 to
secure for us the help he saw that
we must have. He urged the i'm
mediate sending Of $4,000 troops. and
Of the necessary fleet, and in April,
1880, he returned to America, an
nouncing the success Of his mission.
This good news came in times Of
deepest gloom when sven the valiant
spirit of Washington was almost val
qutshed. The army was freezing,
starving, and without o or
clothes. The soldiers, without shoes,
left bloody footprints behind them as
they marched. The finances were in
a most deplorable condition and paper
currency was truly not worth a
continental" Indian corn sold in Bos-
ton for $3.50 a bushel; butter for $12
a pound; a barrel Of flour cost $1,575,
and Samuel Adams paid $4,000 for q
suit Of clothes; it took ten paper
dollars to make a cent And Wash
ington declared "a wagon load of
money was needed to buy a wagon
load of food" 1t was then that the
glorious tidings came, France would
send men and ships and gold. There
was indeed rejoicing when in July,
seven ships-of-the-line and three fri
gates, arrived at Newport bringing
5000 men under Count Rochambeau
with news of reinforcements to come
And sc the yea Of 1880, which had
witnessed the humiliation Of two ar
mics, the bankruptcy Of congress, the
spread Of treason and mutiny
brought a great hope from France
And the announcement of the French
Alliance placed us before all Europe
as an acknowledged independent ma.
ton.
Daily the debt to France increased
as the end Of the conflict approach.
ed. At Yorktown, Lafayette, witt
only 5000 troops skilfully maneuv.
walls, who had come out to 'crusf
the boy" thought it wise to retrea'
to his base Of operations by the sea
where presently "the boy held hin
at bay. Meanwhile. with keen ex
pectancy Washington waited 70,
news of the arrival Of the French
fleet commanded by de Grasse-2I
ships-of-the-line, 8 fngates carrying
100 guns, and 10000 men. ANT
when the glorious news that they hat
come gladdened the heart Of Wash
ington, he, with 1900 Continentals
accompanied by Rochambeau witt
1000 Frenchmen, began a march, tn,
destination, of which was known I,
only these two commanders. o,
August 81, the great French squad
ron was on the scene,. having game,
decisive victory over Admira
Graves, and taken full possession 0
the Virginia waters, with 700 me,
killed or wounded in the engage
ment.
And now, while the French he'll,
the sea, 5000 OF their troops wer
sent ashore under the Marquis Sain
Simon, which by reinforcing Lafay
cite, enabled him to take his stan,
across the peninsula at WILLIAMSBURG
thus cutting off CORVALLIS from pos
sible retreat. So for six days tn
Frenchmen held CORVALLIS until tn
arrival Of Washington and Rocham
beau with the additional 1000 French
men. 1t was a victory for France q
well as for America, when on Octob
er 18th, the enemy surrendered.
It was a day OF happy omen, no
- 49, 49, - - -