Washington – Rochambeau Revolutionary Route The Washington – Rochambeau Revolutionary Route ( W3R ) is a 680 - mile ( 1 , 094 km ) - long series of encampments and road used by U . S . Continental Army troops under George Washington and French troops under Jean - Baptiste de Rochambeau during their march from Newport , Rhode Island to Yorktown , Virginia in 1781 . The route was designated a National Historic Trail in 2009 . Interpretive literature , signs , and exhibits will describe the key role of French diplomatic , military , and economic aid to the United States during the Revolutionary War . Background . On July 10 , 1780 , French troops sent by King Louis XVI commanded by Rochambeau arrived with an army of 450 officers and 5 , 300 men in Narragansett Bay off Newport , Rhode Island . In June 1781 , Rochambeau ' s force left Rhode Island to join the Continental Army near White Plains , New York . Judging from the maps in the Rochambeau Collection and the early maps of Providence , the French army , on leaving the camp ground between Broad and Plane Streets , passed through the present Stewart Street to High Street , and west along this to the junction ( Hoyle Tavern ) , where , leaving on their right the road to Hartford , they took the road to the left , then called the Monkey Town road , now Cranston Street , and followed this to Monkeytown , now Knightsville . The army here turned to the right following the old Scituate road over Dugaway hill by the late Pippin Orchard School house , over Apple House hill and Bald hill , crossing the Pawtuxet at the village of Kent and on to Waterman ' s Tavern , fifteen miles , the end of the first day ' s march and the first camp . " Waterman ' s Tavern is still standing in good condition near Potterville on the old Scituate road a mile or so north of the new state highway , " noted one account in 1924 : " It is now the home of Mr . Elmer A . Havens , who shows two wells of small diameter neatly stoned , that are said to have been dug by the French troops that camped here , both on the march to Yorktown and on the return march . The instructions for the march say : ' The camp is in quite a good position although in the midst of woods , having a brook in front , and behind , the tavern and the main road from Providence to Watermans much better than that by Angells tavern . The accommodations for divisional headquarters are not aboundant but more than at Angell ' s tavern or Whipple house . ' " On June 19 , the regiment of Royal DeuxPonts under the Baron de Viomenil , set out for the camp at Waterman ' s , followed on the 20th by the regiment of Soissonnais under the Count de Viomenil ( brother of the Baron ) , and on the 21st by Saintonge , under the Marquis de Custine . With the departure of this last regiment , there were left in Providence a guard for the baggage and munitions stored in the Old Market House , and the surgeons and attendants at the hospital in University Hall . The American and French troops took a combination of strategic roads and waterways from Philipsburg through New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Delaware , Maryland , the future District of Columbia , and Virginia , reaching Williamsburg in late September 1781 . With a French royal fleet blocking the Chesapeake , barring British reinforcements from New York or a sea escape for Cornwallis ' army , Washington and Rochambeau ' s three - week siege of Yorktown ended in Cornwallis ' surrender to Washington on October 19 , 1781 . After their victory , Washington and the Continentals returned to defend northern posts while Rochambeau and his troops wintered in Williamsburg prior to marching north the following summer . Both armies were warmly celebrated by the towns and cities along their return routes . Rochambeau and the French Troops in Providence in 1780 - 81 - 82 Howard W . Preston . ( Read before the Rhode Island Historical Society , March 12 , 1922 . ) They marched across Connecticut to join George Washington on the Hudson River at Dobbs Ferry , New York . The advance party was led by Armand Louis de Gontaut or Duc de Lauzun . Lauzun ' s Legion marched ahead of the main army and stayed ten to fifteen miles ( 24 km ) to the south protecting the exposed flank from the British . The combined armies then marched through New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Delaware , and Maryland to Yorktown , Virginia . On September 22 , they combined with the Marquis de Lafayette ' s troops and forced General Cornwallis to surrender on October 19 after the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of the Chesapeake . After Yorktown , the French troops marched north again eventually ending in Boston , Massachusetts . On Monday , March 30 , 2009 , U . S . President Barack Obama signed into law the Omnibus Public Land Management Act , one of whose provisions was to designate the Washington – Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a National Historic Trail . March route of Rochambeau ' s army . Rhode Island to New York . Rochambeau and his staff left the port of Newport , Rhode Island on June 10 , 1781 , arriving at Providence the following day . Over the next few days , the rest of the Rochambeau ' s army was transferred by boat to the first camp site in Providence . A grand review of the French Army took place at the Providence camp on June 16 , 1781 . The French Army began its march on June 18 , proceeding in four divisions , with each division leaving one day apart . Each division had roughly the same amount of artillery and supplies , and each also had its own field hospital . Rochambeau himself left with the first division ( the Bourbonnais Regiment ) and arrived at the second camp site in Coventry in the evening of June 18 at a place known as Waterman ' s Tavern . The route between Providence and Coventry generally followed the alignment of Broadway in Providence to Olneyville , then Route 14 to the eastern side of the Scituate Reservoir . The original road is submerged in the reservoir but picks up again as Old Plainfield Pike in Scituate . West of Route 102 in Foster , the march route resumes following Route 14 into Coventry to the second camp . From Coventry in Rhode Island , Rochambeau ' s army marched through Sterling , Connecticut via Route 14A ( Plainfield Pike ) to the third camp in Plainfield opposite Plainfield Cemetery , arriving on June 19 . A 3 . 6 - mile portion of the march route between the 2nd and 3rd camps has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places because " the road retains its narrow , hilly , winding character , and for most of its length , the characteristic borders of stone walls remain in place . " The French found this particular segment to be difficult for marching , resulting in the late arrival of some artillery and supply wagons at the Plainfield camp . On June 20 , Rochambeau ' s army continued their march along Route 14A to the town of Canterbury , then along Route 14 , through Canterbury and Scotland into the town of Windham . While most of Route 14A and Route 14 have lost their 18th - century visual character , several short road segments remain preserved . Some of these road segments have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places . On such segment is in western Plainfield , Old Canterbury Road , which was bypassed by state highway construction in the 1930s , preserves some of the features of the original roadway , including the low stone walls lining the road . The designated portion of the route also includes a 1200 - foot section of modern Route 14A east of the eastern end of Old Canterbury Road that maintains visual continuity of Old Canterbury Road . Another segment that was preserved as a result of being bypassed by the state highway is Manship Road and a portion of Barstow Road ( between Manship Road and Route 14 ) in Canterbury , located midway between Canterbury Center and the village of Westminster . A segment of Route 14 east of Scotland Center has also been recognized as a preserved section of the march route . The designated segment runs from Miller Road to the top of a hill , about 800 feet east of Route 97 . Known locally as Palmer Road , the low stone walls remain in place on both sides of this road segment and was described by the French as " a narrow , steep , and stony road " . Yet another road segment between the 3rd and 4th camps is listed on the National Register , Scotland Road in Windham from Back Road to a point about 300 feet east of Ballahamack Road . This portion was one of the less difficult according to the French . While this road segment is mostly modern in appearance , the expansive views of the surrounding landscape , in addition to the preserved stone walls , contributes to the visual historical significance of the site . Rochambeau ' s army arrived in the evening of June 20 at the fourth camp in Windham by the Shetucket River , just west of Windham Center . The French army continued its march through Connecticut , leaving the Windham camp on June 21 . The army went past the village of Willimantic , roughly following modern Route 14 and Route 66 . The French proceeded through Columbia and Andover towards the fifth camp site in Bolton . The march route proceeded along Route 66 then Route 6 until roughly the northwest corner of Andover . From there , the original road to Bolton Center , where the fifth camp of the French army was located , has been unused since the late 19th century and has been overgrown by forest . The following morning , on June 22 , the French army continued its march from Bolton along Bolton Center Road ( partly Route 85 ) , continuing along Middle Turnpike East in Manchester until Route 6 . From there the French followed Route 6 through Manchester Center to Silver Lane in East Hartford , where the sixth camp was located . The four divisions , which had been traveling a day apart , rested for three nights in East Hartford , necessitating additional camp sites in the same vicinity . Being a state highway trunkline route , the area surrounding Route 6 is heavily urbanized and has lost most of its historic character . However , in Andover and Bolton , two sections of the road that have been bypassed remain relatively preserved in their 18th century appearance . In Andover , the original march route ( as well as the original Route 6 ) utilized what is now Hutchinson Road and Bailey Road . A segment of Hutchinson Road between Route 6 and Henderson Road retains the stone walls and mature trees along the side of the road , as well as the expansive views of open fields towards the Hop River . This road segment is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Daniel White Tavern , built in 1773 and used by French officers , still stands along this road segment . North of Henderson Road , Hutchinson Road has modern development and no longer has the visual continuity of the southern part of the road . Bailey Road originally connected Route 6 with Brandy Street in Bolton but the portion west of the Andover - Bolton town line has since been overgrown and is no longer passable by motor vehicles . A remnant of Bailey Road in Bolton ( also listed on the National Register of Historic Places ) still exists as an unpaved foot path and still retains the characteristic stone walls as well as two original stone culverts . The first division of Rochambeau ' s army crossed the Connecticut River by ferry on June 25 into Hartford , with the other divisions following in one day intervals as before . From there , they traveled along Farmington Avenue through West Hartford until Farmington , the site of the seventh camp . The camp site was located toward the south end of the town center village . Rochambeau and his officers are said to have stayed at the Elm Tree Inn . After staying overnight in Farmington Center , on June 26 , the French army followed Route 10 through the town center of Southington until the Milldale section of town , then headed west along Route 322 until they reached the eighth camp site in the Marion section of Southington . Rochambeau and his officers stayed at the Asa Barnes Tavern . The following day , the French continued westward along Route 322 , then Meriden Road into Waterbury . In Waterbury , the route followed East Main Street and West Main Street , crossing the Naugatuck River along the way . The road west of Waterbury was difficult and characterized by the French as being " détestables " for being very stony and mountainous . The route continued into present - day Middlebury , specifically the area around Breakneck Hill . The march route followed Park Road to Watertown Road , then turned south on Watertown Road until Breakneck Hill Road . The ninth camp was located at the foot of Breakneck Hill , where the first division stayed the night of June 27 . Rochambeau and his officers were entertained at the Israel Bronson Tavern . On June 28 , the first division resumed its march heading south on Artillery Road and Middlebury Road ( Route 64 ) through the town center of Middlebury , then continuing along Route 188 and Waterbury Road into the center of Southbury . The French army continued west along Main Street South and River Road through Southbury , crossing the Housatonic River into the town of Newtown using a bridge built in by the Colonial troops in 1778 at Glen Road . The French army continued along Church Hill Road through the center of Newtown where they set up their tenth camp west of the town center . The officers stayed in Caleb Baldwin ' s Tavern . Rochambeau reorganized his troops into two brigades in Newtown . The first division resumed its march on June 30 heading west on West Street and Castle Hill Road , then turning north along Reservoir Road and west again on Route 6 . The Reservoir Road portion is well preserved and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The French army marched along Route 6 and Newtown Road into Danbury . In Danbury , the French troops utilized West Worcester Street , Park Avenue and Backus Avenue to reach the Ridgebury section of the town of Ridgefield . The eleventh camp was set up on July 1 in Ridgebury near the Congregational Church . The French army resumed its march on the morning of July 2 through the town of Ridgefield , heading south on Ridgebury Road then turning west on Mopus Bridge Road . After crossing the New York state line , the French continued southwest and south following Route 121 past the hamlets of North Salem and Cross River until the hamlet of Bedford Village . The first brigade setup camp in Bedford Village ( 12th camp ) and resumed the following day while the second brigade skipped the Bedford camp . The French continued west along Route 172 to what is now the village of Mount Kisco , about five miles away west of the Bedford camp . The French stayed in Mount Kisco for several days until the morning of July 6 . They marched west and south for 16 miles along Route 133 and Route 100 to the Hartsdale area of the town of Greenburgh . The French camped in several locations in Greenburgh ( 14th camp ) for the next six weeks .