Franco-American countryside in the in August United States - September 1781

Franco-American Countryside in the United States (August-September 1781)

Arrival of the Fatty one in bay of Chesapeak

The August 14th, Mr. of Rochambeau accepted Newport a letter by which one announced to him that the Concorde was of return since the 5 of its voyage near the Admiral de Grasse. It had joined it with Saint-Domingue after the Prise of Tabago, had communicated to him the instructions of Mr. de Rochambeau and had set out again the July 26th. Mr. de Grasse informed Mr. de Rochambeau that it would leave the August 3rd with all its fleet, strong of twenty-six vessels, to go in the Baie of Chesapeak.

One also learned that the English troops which had entered a few front days New York were not those of Cornwallis, as Mr. from Fayette had written it itself, but the garrison of Pensacola in Florida that the Spanish general, Don Galvez, had let leave without conditions after the catch this city. The general Clinton had also received England a convoy carrying three thousand recruits, which went up in all its forces to twelve thousand men. The allies could oppose only nine thousand of them to him.

From Williamsbourg, Lord Cornwallis withdrew himself on Portsmouth, close to the mouth of the James River and consequently Baie Chesapeak. The sea was free for him and this continuation of retrograde movements seemed to indicate the project to evacuate Virginia. Fayette had shown the greatest skill in this countryside, where, with fifteen hundred militiamans only, it could force to beat a retreat the Cornwallis general who was with the head of more than four thousand men.

The English embarked in Portsmouth and Fayette believed one moment that they gave up the Virginia completely to go to reinforce the garrison with New York. He wrote it even with Washington. But he learned soon that their only goal was to take a strong position with York and Gloucester to await reinforcements which were to arrive to them. It is there that Fayette wanted to bring them.

At once that Mr. de Rochambeau had accepted the dispatches brought by the Concorde , he acted in concert with the Washington general, who renonça definitively with the project that it had always formed to make a general attack against New York. The allied generals were of agreement which they were to direct their forces on Virginia, and it any more but did not remain to organize the means of execution of the new plan of countryside. While Mr. de Rochambeau sent, the August 15th, Fersen near the Count de Barras to give him advice of dispatch projected, Washington wrote with Fayette to keep its positions in front of York and to await the arrival of the fleet of Mr. de Grasse, of the troops which it would bring to the orders of Mr. Of Saint-Simon and of the united armies.

The purpose of all the efforts of Fayette were then to prevent that Cornwallis did not gain the Caroline and thus did not ruin the countryside of the allies.

As soon as the project of the countryside stopped, the allied generals reflect it with execution. Celerity of their walk mainly depended the success, which was certain if they could join Fayette before the departure of Mr. de Grasse. On his side, the Washington general determined 2.000 men of the States of North to follow it in Virginia to join Fayette. Finally 100.000 ecus which remained in the case of the French body were shared between the two armies.

The allies pass Hudson

The troops are reflected moving the August 19th to go to pass the Hudson to Kingsferry. The Americans followed the road along the river, while the French retrogressed on their preceding steps.

The first day, of Philipsburg to Northcastle (18 miles), was very-painful.

Under these conditions, which would have been disastrous for the army if the garrison of New York had made an exit, the rear-guard could not nor was not to advance much.

The large one of the army had left Northcastle the 21, of great morning. To two miles from there it passed the small river which bears this name; then, two miles further, the Croton-to rivet with Pensbridge, where there was a wood bridge.

August 22nd, the army left Hun' S Tavern and passed, after a walk of nine miles, to Peekskill, village which counted hardly a score of houses and which is located on the river of North. Finally it arrived, four miles further, with King' S Ferry, and discussed the curtain which dominates the river of North.

During this same day the crews and the legion of Lauzun crossed Hudson and were established with Haverstraw, close to the house of Smith, in which Arnold had had its last conference with the major André. On another side, Guillaule de Deux-Ponts protected the loading with the Brigade from Bourbonnais which it had advanced until Verplank' S-Point. This brigade passed in its turn the 24, and the remainder of the army the 25.

All the senior officers of the army agree to say than the English general showed during all these movements a singular awkwardness, and they cannot be explained his inaction.

Hudson being crossed, Washington organizes the walk of its troops

When all the army had crossed Hudson, the Washington general organized as it follows the walk of his troops. He was held a day ahead away, with the head of three thousand men; the legion of Lauzun and the brigade of Bourbonnais followed the following day; finally, the third day, the brigade of Soissonnais came to occupy the campings given up by the preceding one. Before leaving, the Washington general left with the camp Verplanck' S-Point a body of three thousand militiamans, under the command of the general Heath, to defend the State of New York and the course of the river of North.

Account of the movements from August 25th to September 3rd

The 25, the first brigade (Double-decker and Bourbonnais) went to Suffren' S while passing by Hackensack, in the middle of a splendid valley. The road was of fifteen miles.

The 26 one went from Suffren' S to Pompton.

To Pompton, the body of the Washington general moved towards Staten Island. At the same time Mr. de Rochambeau sent in front of Chatham the police chief of the wars, of Villemanzy, to establish furnaces and to make demonstrations of provisioning which was to maintain the enemies in the idea that one was going to make an attack on this side. M of Villemanzy discharged fortunately this commission.

The 27, after sixteen miles of walk, the army came to camp with Hanover or Vibani, between Wipanny and Morristown. The first division remained with this camp the 28, while the second joined it.

It is at this time that the allied generals ceased very pretended with respect to their general officer and aide-de-camps their.

The 29, the first brigade, to the orders of the Baron de Vioménil, went, after sixteen miles of walk, to Bullion' S Tavern.

The 30, one was with Sommerset Short-House, after twelve miles of walk; 31, with Princeton (ten miles), on September 1st with Trenton on the Delaware (twelve miles).

The legion of Lauzun always took care with an untiring zeal of the hello of the army, either to light the road, or to protect the sides, or with the rear-guard.

The army went, on September 3rd, of Red-Lion' S Tavern to Philadelphia, where the first division penetrated in great behavior at eleven o'clock in the morning.

The army ravels on September 4th in Philadelphia, in front of the Congress

The 4, the second brigade arrived about per same hour as the first the day before, and it did not produce less effect. Mr. de Rochambeau went ahead with his staff; and this brigade ravelled in front of the Congress with the acclamations of the population, which was charmed of its beautiful behavior.

The moment when the troops ravelled in front of the Congress, having at their head their respective general officers, the president asked Mr. de Rochambeau if it were to greet or not; the general answered him that when the troops ravelled in front of the King, Its Majesty condescended to greet them with kindness.

The allied generals learn that the English admirals Hood and Graves made their junction

It was in Philadelphia which the allied generals learned that the English admiral Hood had arrived in front of New York, where it had met in the admiral Graves, and which their combined fleets made force of veils towards the Baie of Chesapeak. This news worried them during two days, because they had not still learned anything from the movements the count de Grasse.

Nevertheless the allies continue their walk

The troops did not continue of it less their walk. Camp, on the edges of the Schuylkill, to one thousand of Philadelphia, which they had occupied the 3 and the 4, they went the 5 on Chester, with sixteen miles from there. The second division however left Philadelphia only the 6.

While arriving at Chester, Rochambeau learns from Washington that of Fatty arrived in bay of Chesapeak with 28 vessels and 3.000 men

While arriving at, Mr. de Rochambeau saw on the shore the Washington general who agitated his hat with demonstrations of the sharpest joy. He says that he had just learned from Baltimore that Mr. de Grasse had arrived at bay of Chesapeak with twenty-eight ship of the lines and three thousand men whom he had already put at ground and who had gone to join Mr. of Fayette.

Joy which this news spreads everywhere

The joy was not less in Philadelphia when this news was learned. Mr. of Damas, which had remained there after the departure of the troops, told on his return that it was difficult to imagine the effect that it had produced there. Enthusiasm was such as the population had gone to the hotel of the minister of France and that Mr. Of the Alfalfa had been obliged to show itself with his balcony with the acclamations of crowd.

Fayette goes on Williamsburg, where it is made join by Saint-Simon

At the time when the Grasse count arrived in bay of Chesapeak Fayette went quickly on Williamsburg, was made join by the body of the Marquis of Saint-Simon, extremely of three thousand two hundred men and a body of hussards of approximately three hundred men. As soon as it was unloaded with Jamestown, it made pass by again the river with the body of the general Wayne and joins together it with his; then it placed a body of militia on other side York-To rivet, opposite Glocester.

Cornwallis is tight of all shares

The English army was thus tight at the same time all sides, and Lord Cornwallis had more possible safety only in one very-hazardous company. He however recognized the position of Williamsburg with intention attacking it; but this position was firmly established. Lord Cornwallis did not believe to have to risk the attack. He could have passed to Gloucester or have gone up York-To rivet, the Grasse count having neglected to send vessels above; but it had been necessary to give up artillery, stores and patients.

Measurements which Fayette takes to cut to him the retirement

Fayette had remainder taken of measurements to cut the retirement moving some to him. It thus decided to await the attack. It could have still found a chance of hello in a precipitated attack, if Fayette had yielded to a request well trying.

In spite of pressing requests Fayette prefers to wait

The Grasse count was in a hurry to be turned over some; the idea to await the generals and the troops of North opposed it much. It pressed Fayette highly to attack the English army with the American and French troops with its orders, offering to him for this knack non-seulement the detachments which formed the garrison of the vessels, but as many sailors as it would ask some.

Movements from September 6th to 13rd

On their side, the Washington generals and Rochambeau hastened the walk of their troops.

The 6 they started from Chester for Wilmington (11 miles), where they arrived after having left on their line the field of Bataille of Brandywine. The 7 at the evening they were with Elk-Town, where an officer carrying the dispatches of Mr. de Grasse awaited them. The 8 one dealt with finding buildings of transport to embark some as much as possible.

However, the shortest least tiring way at the same time as for the troops was the sea. But the English in their various incursions had so much destroyed all the American boats which it was impossible to gather some enough to embark more than two thousand men. It was hardly sufficient to convoy the two avant-gardes of the two armies. One made them go up on all kinds of boats. Mr. of Custine had the command of the French avant-garde, which was composed of pomegranates, the hunters and the infantry of Lauzun, in all twelve hundred men. The Lincoln general followed to small distance with the eight hundred men of his avant-garde. The Duc of Lauzun, which was impatient to arrive of the first on the battle field, required to leave with its infantry, and it let its cavalry follow the overland route with artillery and the large one of the army to the orders of both Vioménil. The same day the generals Washington and Rochambeau took the initiative to join Fayette by ground. They did not take along each one that two aide-de-camps Those of the French general were Misters de Damas and Fersen. Mr. de Rochambeau allowed remainder the others to take the way which they would like. Misters de Vauban and Lauberdières embarked with Mr. de Custine, while Closen and Of the Borough took short cuts with the cavalry of Lauzun and that Dumas continued the functions of assistant medical officer near the army.

The 9, while the embarked avant-gardes left by sea Head-of-Elk, the remained troops with ground restarted. The column of the crews had to be separate among that of the troops, because of the difficulty of the passage of the Ferry of the Susquhanna.

The September 10th one camped with Burch Hartford or Burch-Tavern and the 11 with Whitemarsh, where the carriages and the tents joined the army. The 12 one was with Baltimore.

The baron de Vioménil charged at once the colonel with Deux-Ponts and the Count de Laval to check and make the exact estimate of the men that each boat placed at its disposal could contain. The baron de Vioménil was thus determined to take again his walk by ground.

The 13 only, the crews, left with Dumas with the passage the Schuylkill, joined this division. The 15 one learned that the pomegranates and the embarked hunters with Head-of-Elk had been forced by the bad weather to slacken with Annapolis after a voyage three days. Nevertheless all this convoy was going to give to the veil when Mr. de Lauzun accepted a mail of the Washington general who recommended to him to make unload the troops and to set out again only on new orders. It is that the English squadron had appeared in front of bay of Chesapeak the September 8th and that the Grasse count, left to fight it, had not returned yet.

Of Fatty attack and rejects the English squadron

Although the French admiral had detached at this time fifteen hundreds of his sailors for the unloading of the troops of Mr. of Saint-Simon in the James River, he did not hesitate to cut his cables and to advance ahead of of the English fleet with twenty-four vessels. The English admiral rising with the wind, the French avant-garde, ordered by Bougainville, reached the enemy, who was very-badly-treaty. Mr. de Grasse continued it with broad during three days without reaching it and found, while returning in bay, the squadron of Mr. de Barras who, with the favor of this engagement, had gained damping, after having skilfully convoyed the ten buildings which carried artillery of seat. Mr. de Barras even had continued and captured, with the entry of bay, two English frigates, Isis , and the Richmond , and some small buildings which were immediately sent to Annapolis with the transport come from Rhode Island.

Successes of the Fatty one make it possible Lauzun to re-embark its troops

At once after the reception of the news of the success of Mr. de Grasse, Lauzun made go up its troops on their buildings and carried on his road. The winds were unfavorable to him and it was not less than ten days to go to the entry James River.

Movement of the body of Mr. de Vioménil

As for the remained body with ground with the orders of Misters de Vioménil, it set out again of Baltimore on September 16th and went to camp with Spurer' S Tavern. There, Mr. de Vioménil accepted a letter of Mr. of the Villebrune, captain of the Romulus , which announced to him its arrival with Annapolis with the means necessary to the transport of the army. Consequently, the September 17th, one took the road of Annapolis and one camped with Scots Plantation. During the days of the 18, of 19 and the 20, that one passed to Annapolis, one operated the loading of the weaponry and the troops. The small squadron which Mr. of Villebrune directed composed of the vessel the Romulus and the frigates the Gentille , the Diligente , the Brush , the Iris and the Richmond . There was, moreover, nine buildings of transport. On the Diligente , where went up Guillaume de Deux-Ponts, were captive Lord Rawdon, the English colonel Doyle and the lieutenant Clark, these two last with their wives. They had been taken by Mr. de Barras on the frigate the Richmond , and there had not been time to put them at ground before leaving the Cape Charles. This squadron was happier than the convoy of the duke of Lauzun, because it left on September 21st at the evening and entered the James River the 23, at five o'clock in the morning.

Lauzun goes at Washington

The crews which could not be embarked and all that was due to the administration continued to follow the overland route and made a great turning to arrive at Williamsburg.

Navigation in the James River was very painful, and one could go up it only the probe with the hand; still several buildings failed and could they be raised only by the flood.

This army corps unloaded the 24 at the evening with Hog' S-Ferry and went to camp the 26 in Williamsbourg. Washington and Rochambeau, accompanied by Mr. de Chastellux and two aide-de-camps each one, had arrived in this city since the September 14th, after forced marches of sixty miles per day. As for the infantry of Lauzun, it was unloaded since the 23. The cavalry had followed the overland route and was for several days with Williamsbourg.

This one the formless one that Cornwallis sent its cavalry to Gloucester

While arriving, the duke of Lauzun found Mr. of Custine which should have directed this convoy instead of taking the initiative. While it returned account to him what had done without, the generals Washington and Rochambeau, which were with little distance on a corvette, made him say to go on their board. The Washington general says then to the duke that Lord Cornwallis had sent all his cavalry and a body of troops enough, considerable with Glocester.

The American general Weedon is posted to supervise it

It feared that it did not make on this side an attempt at escape and, to prevent this retirement which would have made lose the fruit of all the countryside, it had posted there, to observe the English, a body of three thousand militiamans ordered by the sergeant-general Weedon. The Washington general, who could with what leave it under this report/ratio, would have liked that Lauzun, of which it estimated the merit and appreciated courage, took the command of the militia joined together with its legion on this side.

Mr. de Lauzun proposed in Weedon to approach Glocester and going the following day to make a recognition close to the English stations. They left indeed with fifty hussards. Lauzun approached sufficiently to take an idea right of the position of the enemies, but the general Weedon, while following it, did not cease repeating that it would not go any more with him.

Lauzun returned at once account to Mr. de Rochambeau of what he had seen. It stated to him that it was not to count on the American militia and that it was essential to send at least two battalions of French infantry moreover. He asked him moreover artillery, powder and vivres, of which it missed absolutely.

Without delaying more, Mr. de Rochambeau made pass, the 27, on the side of Glocester of artillery and eight hundred men drawn from the garrison of the vessels, under the command of Mr. de Choisy. This one, by its seniority in grade, ordered the general Weedon and Lauzun.

Of Fatty and Barred block bay of Chesapeak

Thus, the 28, while the Grasse admirals and of Barred blocked bay of Chesapeak, Mr. de Choisy took side of Glocester of energetic offensive provisions, and the army combined of Americans and of the French was massed in Williamsbourg.

September 28th the army is put moving to invest Yorktown

The September 28th, all the combined army was put moving early to make the investment of York. It went on only one column up to five miles of Williamsbourg, where a junction of two roads is. The American army took that of right-hand side, while the French Army advanced by the other. This one was made up:

of the volunteers, with the orders of the baron of Saint-Simon, brother of the general;
of pomegranates and hunters of the seven regiments of the army, under the orders of the baron de Vioménil;
of the brigades of Resident of Agen, Soissonnais and Bourbonnais.

Hardly the brigade of Bourbonnais it had arrived at there place which it was to occupy that one delivered opinion of the approach of an enemy body. Mr. the count de Rochambeau sent at once the order to Mr. de Laval to take the stakes of artillery of the brigade to drive out them. Five or six blows of gun were enough to disperse this troop.

Either that Lord Cornwallis did not expect a so prompt movement, or which he had considered to be useless to push of the stations in front of fear which formed its fortified camp, the avant-gardes met only this weak obstacle.

On his side, the Washington general, with the head of the American body, was obliged to stop in front of marshes from which all the bridges were broken. All the day and part of the night was employed to restore them.

The 29, the American troops could advance on the restored bridges. The English who faced them folded up on their side, but not without drawing some blows from gun which killed three soldiers and wounded three others of them. As regards French one made some recognitions which were worried little by the enemies. Only one man was wounded.

In the night of the 29 to the 30, the English, whose advanced stations touched with those of the French, evacuated two fear on their side and one on the side of the Americans, as all the small batteries which they had established for the defense of a split to the right-hand side of these works.

Mr. de Rochambeau sent continuation, the 30 in the morning, his aide-de-camps Charles de Lameth and Dumas, with the head of one hundred pomegranates and hunters of Bourbonnais, to occupy strongest of these fear, named Pigeon-Hill .

Mr. de Rochambeau then made a recognition of the abandoned line. He was accompanied by Guillaume de Deux-Ponts. Fifty hunters of the regiment of Double-decker occupied the second fears, while the Americans were established in the third and strengthened it. They built even a fourth of it to connect the latter to both others. While they carried out this work, the gun of the enemy to them killed four or five men.

In the same morning of the 30, the baron de Vioménil, wanting to recognize the enemy works which were with the left of the French, advanced the volunteers of Saint-Simon.

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