The border vidette., 1931-07-18
FRENCH ARMY ARRIVES AT NEW
PORT, july IL, 1890

The first French army destined
for an extensive land campaign
in America during the Revolu.
lionary War arrived at Newport.
Rhode Island. July IL. 1880. IN.
der command of Count de Ro.
chambeau. These were the
troops who later cooperated with
the Americans at the seige of
Yorktown where Great Britain
lost Lord CORVALLIS. an army
and, as developed later, the war.
10 commemorating the 151st
anniversary of Rochambeau's
arrival the Division of Informa.
tiou and Publication of the
United States George Washing.
ton Bicentennial Commission
notes it as a date of vast i'm.
portance to the United States in
their struggle for Independence.
On that July day In 1880 a
French army arrived to join the
Continentals under Gen. Wash.
ington in the last big push"
There had been French Off.
GERS and troops in America be.
fore the arrival of Rochambeau.
but aside from the few like La.
fayette who were attached to
Washington's army as volun.
teers, these we're men under the
command of D'Estaing at the
unfortunate siege of Savannah.
They took part in no other bat.
tie in America.
The French alliance certainly
was an important factor in the
ultimate success of the Ameri.
cans. Under the leadership of
George Washington, with the
example of his indomitable cour.
age ever before them, the Con-
tinentals and militiamen had
waged a long, wearisome strug-
gle against a great nation. Now
they we're to be aided by g.
powerful ally, strong enough to
bel p write a glorious finis to the
Revolutionary War.
The plight of the Americans
may be seen from the following
excerpt from Rochambeau's me.
moirs. After speaking of the
disaster at Savannah. the Comte
writes:
The unexpected result of this
expedition, projected at New
York. the i'll success of an at
tack against Carolina. and the
depreciation Of paper currency
on the continent, produced a.
most awful crisis in America.
She had contended by herself
against entire forces of England
since the commencement of her
revolution. The more she had
struggled, the less able she was
now to hold out. The Congress.
in this critical situation, resolved
to solicit from her ally the King
of France further assistance, by
a fresh supply of naval and land
forces and money. which the
latter accordingly granted, by
Immediately sending out squad
ron of seven ships to cruise off
the coast, corps of four thou.
sand able troops. and a consid.
cradle supply of specie.
Upon Bochambeau's observa.
ton that four thousand troops
made a very small force to send
so far away, the number was
doubled, as was also the "effec.
tive of artillery" It being i'm
possible to secure enough ships
for this Rochambeau was able to
embark only about 5000 men.
Although Rochambeau arrived
in America in 1880 it was a year
before be was able to take active
part ia campaign. Ia the
spring of 1871 be marched as
far as the Hudson intending to
cooperate with Washington in an
attempt on Nav York. but with.
out a Il ,et it was impossible to
carry out these plans. When
news arrived later that De
Grasse was on his way to the
Chesapeake with a formidable
French f.et, the allies a5 once
changed their objective and pro.
ceeded to Yorktown.