THE CONNECTICUT EXPERIENCE (1781)
7.2 The March of Rochambeau's Infantry through Connecticut
7.3 The March of Lauzun's Legion from Lebanon to Ridgefield
Preparations for the march had been going on for months before the French forces broke camp. In April, Quartermaster-General Pierre François de Beville had used a visit to Washington's headquarters in New Windsor to inspect the roads from Newport to New York. Upon his return his assistants began drawing maps and picking campsites. French purchasing agent Jeremiah Wadsworth began collecting the vast amounts of supplies needed to feed thousands of men, up to 1,500 horses for the officers, 4-500 horses for the artillery and almost 900 horses for the wagon train! By mid-May he had also hired "a number of Laborers employed in building Ovens and making the necessary preparations for the accommodation of said Army on their march." [1] Rochambeau's force was quite small by European standards: barely 4,800 officers and men on March 1, 1781. [2]
| REGIMENT | PRESENT OFFICERS AND MEN OF ALL ARMS | DETACHED | HOSPITALS | TOTAL |
Renegades |
|
| Newport | Providence | |||||
| Bourbonnais | 852 | 30 | 32 | - | 914 | - |
| Soissonnais | 971 | 8 | 16 | - | 995 | 2 |
| Saintonge | 882 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 911 | 1 |
| Royal Deux-Ponts | 912 | - | 21 | - | 933 | - |
| Artillerie | 404 | - | 9 | - | 413 | - |
| Mineurs | 21 | - | 2 | - | 23 | - |
| Lauzan Infantry in New Port | 330 | 12 | 13 | - | 355 | - |
| Lauzan Hussars in Lebanon | 212 | 15 | 6 | - | 233 | - |
| _________ | ________ | _________ | ________ | _____ | ________ | |
| 4.584 | 67 | 125 | 1 | 4.777 | 3 | |
On June 11, 1781, just as he was about to leave for New York, a convoy carrying 592 infantry replacements and two companies, 68 men, of artillery, arrived in Boston, but only about 400 were healthy enough to join their units. These replacements had been drawn from the regiments of Auvergne and Neustrie for the Bourbonnais, Languedoc for Bourbonnais, Soissonnais, and Saintonge, Boulonnais for Saintonge, Anhalt and La Marck for the Royal Deux-Ponts, and Barrois for Lauzun's Legion. Of these 660 men, some 260 men afflicted with scurvy and 200 healthy arrivals remained with Choisy as a garrison in Newport. So did the siege artillery with some 30 officers and men, the sick, and a small detachment, about 90 men under Major de Prez of the Royal Deux-Ponts, which guarded the stores in Providence. Rochambeau added 200 men from his regiments to the garrison and was forced, much against his wishes, to detach 700 men to replenish the thinned ranks of the navy. Since Lauzun's Legion, almost 600 men, followed a separate route to the south of the main army, the French forces marching to New York through Connecticut numbered around 450 officers and 2,900 to 3,000 enlisted men.
But the actual convoy was much larger: Rochambeau again hired American wagoners "for two dollars per day," so Lauberdière, and 15 mostly female cooks for the 210 wagons of four horses each in the 15 brigades of his train. [3] As officers completed their equipment, they hired servants and purchased horses: even a poor sous-lieutenant such as Schwerin kept two servants for the campaign. Baron Closen acquired one of the most important status symbols of the eighteenth century, a Black servant, when he hired Peter, "born of free parents in Connecticut," [4] who accompanied him to Europe in 1783. Rochambeau and his fellow generals had 8, 10, or more servants, some free, some slaves. On June 9, 1781, the French advertised in the Newport Mercury that on Wednesday, June 13, "at 10 o'clock in the morning, at Captain Caleb Gardner's wharf, A number of Negro Men, Women and Boys, lately captured by his Most Christian Majesty's fleet" would be sold to the highest bidder. In what seems to have been a pre-public sale, Rochambeau on June 5, 1781, acquired a black slave captured during Admiral Destoches' expedition to Virginia in February 1781 for 170 piastres. [5] If the ratio of two domestics per officer was observed throughout Rochambeau's little army, the practice would have added as many as 1,000 domestiques, the equivalent of a whole infantry regiment, to the march! [6]
As the
troops got ready to break camp, tensions ran high among officers anxious for
glory and honor. No one wanted to share the fate of aide-major-general Du Bouchet, appointed chief of staff in Newport,
who felt slighted though he was the perfect choice for the position. When
Lauberdière offered to buy his horses since he would have no need of them
in Newport, Du Bouchet took that for an insult and challenged Lauberdière
to a duel. Lauberdière was "seriously wounded" in this affair d'honneur," Du Bouchet was
almost killed. Mauduit du Plessis, second to both of them, had to help pull
Lauberdière's sword out of Du Bouchet's shoulder, where it had lodged underneath
the collar bone. "For a few days" Lauberdière's life was in danger,
but since he had defended his honor so valiantly in his first duel, he received
"demonstrations of the most conspicuous concern … from all his comrades
and all the general and superior officers." Once the duelists had recovered,
Choisy invited his officers to dinner where the two antagonists embraced.
Lauberdière left Newport on June 23, Du Bouchet sailed to Virginia with Barras.
[7]
On June 11, 1781, the troops crossed over from Newport to Providence. Blanchard, who traveled with two servants, "set out in the morning (of June 16) for General Washington's camp … stopping at the different places where our troops were to be stationed, in order to examine if anything was needed. The Americans supplied us with nothing; we were obliged to purchase everything and to provide ourselves with the most trifling things. It is said that it is better to make war in an enemy's country than among one's friends." [8] That same day the replacements joined the their units and on Monday, June 18, the First Division set out for Waterman's Tavern in Rhode Island, their first stop. [9] Rochambeau, who marched with the First Division, had established this order:
1) The regiment Bourbonnais under the comte de Rochambeau, to leave on June 18
2) The regiment Royal Deux-Ponts under baron de Vioménil, to leave on June 19
3) The regiment Soissonnais under comte de Vioménil, to leave on June 20
4) The regiment Saintonge under comte de Custine, to leave on June 21
The eight twelve-pounders and six mortars of the field artillery were divided into four detachments with one detachment attached to each of the divisions. Lauzun's Legion left Lebanon on the 20th, the day the First Division reached Windham, pursuing a route about 10-15 miles to the south of the main army, protecting its flank (see below)
Each division was led by an Assistant Quarter Master General and preceded by workmen commanded by an engineer who filled potholes and removed obstacles. [10] Then came the division proper. In the case of the First Division, this meant that the vicomte de Rochambeau led the column. [11] Then came the officers and men of the Bourbonnais and the guns of the field artillery drawn by horses. The seven wagons of Rochambeau's baggage headed the baggage train, followed by the ten regimental wagons (one per company) with the tents of the soldiers and the luggage of the officers. Each captain had been allowed 300 pounds, each lieutenant 150 pounds of baggage for a total of 1,500 pounds per regiment distributed on wagons drawn by 4 horses each. Staff was allowed a separate wagon; a wagon for stragglers completed the regimental assignment of twelve wagons. [12] Besides their muskets, the soldiers, dressed in gaiters, wigs, and tight-fitting woolen underwear, carried equipment weighing almost 60 pounds. Behind the regimental train followed the three wagons assigned to Blanchard, and the division's hospital wagons. Eight wagons carried the military chest under the supervision of chief treasurer Monsieur de Baulay. [13] Wagons for the butchers, loaded with bread, with fodder, the "King's stock," and the brigade of wheelwrights and shoeing smiths brought up the rear. Even the Provost had his own wagon for the instruments of his trade. The make-up of the 2nd through 4th divisions followed the same pattern. Behind their QMG guide came the individual regiments, followed by a quarter of the field artillery, part of the baggage train of the headquarters staff led by the baggage of the general in charge of the division and the field hospital down to wheelwrights and shoeing smiths.
In order to avoid having to march in the heat of the day, the regiments got up early: reveille was around 2:00 a.m., by 4:00 a.m. the regiments were on their way. The next campsite, usually 12 to 15 miles away, was reached between 8:00 a.m. and noon, and the soldiers set up their tents. [14] Afterwards they received meat, bread, and supplies "in front of the camp." [15] Until Newtown was reached "we were much too far from the enemy to take any other precautions than those, which our own discipline required," [16] and the convoy proceeded "hardly militarily." The general officers lodged in a near-by tavern, the company-grade officers slept, two to a tent, with their men. The early arrival provided an opportunity to meet the locals who came from afar to see the French, and for dancing with the "beautiful maidens" of Connecticut; music courtesy of the regimental bands.
7.2 The March of Rochambeau's Infantry through Connecticut, June 18-July 2, 1781
The description of Connecticut from the Americanische Reissbeschreibung of Georg Daniel Flohr is typical for that found in other journals. It contains, in a nutshell, all of the major events along the route. His regiment, the Royal Deux-Ponts, which formed the second division, left Newport on June 10, 1781, for Providence. Then,
"On June 19 we broke camp and marched 15 miles to Waterman's House, a pretty
Gentleman's manor and set up camp there.
On the 20th we broke camp there again and marched 15 miles to Plainfield, again a
beautiful Gentleman's manor in a beautiful area.
On the 21st again 15 miles to Windham, a little town,
On the 22nd 16 miles to Bolton, also a little town in the mountains.
On the 23rd 11 miles until Hartford, a rather large town on a much-navigated river, which
therefore has a lot of trade. There we had rest days until the 27th. [17]
On the 27th we broke camp from there again and marched 12 miles to Farmington, a little
town. As soon as we had set up our camp there and the Turkish Music could be heard
playing prettily, such a large number of inhabitants assembled there that one was
surprised and had to wonder where all these people were coming from since we had
encountered very few houses along our way during the daytime. This coming together
of inhabitants continued to happen every day. As soon as we reached another camp we
were immediately surrounded by Americans. Among them one saw very few male
persons however but only women folk: if one saw a man among them it was
unfailingly an old man or a cripple because all men folk from their 14th until their 60th
year had to join the colors. Because of this there was a great dearth of men there.
Almost everyone there nearly perished since the English treated them very badly at the
time. But there was no lack of women folk, which is why they oftentimes came into
our camp to buy out soldiers from among us which was denied them however very
curtly so that they had to go home again with empty hands.
On the 28th we departed again from there and marched 13 miles to Barne's Tavern, an inn
along the road. We set up our camp very close to it. We again had very numerous
visits from the American maidens who circled the camp on horseback and who
appeared just like English horsemen. This afternoon our MM generals gave a ball on
the open field in front of our camp and invited the American maidens to it. This lasted
into the dark night. All joy could be seen there what with dancing and singing as well
with the soldiers as with the officers who had fun with the English girls.
After that we went to sleep in our tents, but the girls went home all sad.
On the 29th we broke camp again and marched 13 miles to Break Neck, a little town in
the mountains in a most beautiful area where the entertainments were even greater
what with dancing and frolicking with the lovely beautiful American girls who lived
there. All these entertainments took place in the open air.
On the 30th we broke camp again and marched 13 miles until Newtown, a little town;
along the way we encountered a nice hamlet called Gutbahr, [18] about 2 English miles
long. We set up our camp quite close to Newtown and had rest days there, which
caused us especially great joy to have time to have fun with the beautiful girls.
On July 3 we broke camp again and marched 16 miles to Ridgebury; along the way we
passed through a hamlet called Danbury. We set our camp up near Ridgebury, a
beautiful Gentleman's manor; there we had numerous visits again.
On the 4th again 10 miles to Bedford, quite close to the North River and New York.
On the 5th we made 7 miles to North Castle."
Flohr's account of the march through Connecticut is singular in that it was written by an enlisted man, but it needs to be compared with, and supplemented by, the accounts of officers. The most useful are those of Baron Closen and Cromot du Bourg, both aides-de-camp to Rochambeau, of Lieutenant Clermont-Crèvecœur, who marched with the artillery in the first division, Captain Berthier, the Assistant Quarter-Master General guide of the 4th division, and of comte de Lauberdière. [19]
In the early morning of June 19, the first division crossed into Connecticut "one of the most productive in cattle, wheat, and every kind of commodity," so Clermont-Crèvecœur. "It is unquestionably the most fertile province in America, for its soil yields everything necessary to life. The pasture is so good here that the cattle are of truly excellent quality. The beef is exceptionally good. The poultry and game are exquisite. (It is) one of America's best provinces. … This country has a very healthy and salubrious climate. We have seen old people here of both sexes who enjoy perfect health at a very advanced age. Their old age is gay and amiable, and not at all burdened with the infirmities that are our lot in our declining years. The people of this province are very hard-working, but they do not labor to excess, as our peasants do. They cultivate only for their physical needs. The sweat of their brow is not expended on satisfying the extravagant desires of the rich and luxury loving; they limit themselves to enjoying what is truly necessary. Foreigners are cordially welcomed by these good people. You find a whole family bustling about to make you happy. Such are the general characteristics of the people of Connecticut."(3)
Plainfield, their first stop, was but "a collection of about thirty houses around its meeting-house" (1). The campsite was located beyond Plainfield; "on the right bordered by a forest and on the left by the road to Cantorbery (sic)."(5) Rochambeau and some of his officers stayed with Captain Eleazar Cady; others were put up in the Eaton Tavern. [20] Their next camp was at Windham, "a charming market town, where, incidentally, there were many pretty women at whose homes we passed the afternoon very agreeably. … As we are still far from the enemy we occupy camps only for convenience, and the distribution of forage, bread, meat, and wood ordinarily is made in front of the camp." (1) Others too found the situation of the little town" of 100 to 150 homes "most agreeable. A mile away is a beautiful river (the Shetucket) with a fine wooden bridge. We camped on its banks very comfortably, though hardly militarily." (3)
On their way to Bolton the following day, the army marched through Columbia, part of Lebanon until 1804, and called Lebanon Crank in the eighteenth century. From there to Bolton, "a very small town," of maybe ten or twelve houses and a church, "the roads were frightful, with mountains and very steep grades." Officers above company grade stayed either at Oliver "White's Tavern" across from the campsite or at Daniel "White's Tavern at the sign of the Black Horse" on Hutchinson Road. Rochambeau spent the night in the home of the Rev. George Colton, on whose land the troops camped.
On June 22, the Second Division arrived in Bolton. In the afternoon Colonel Christian de Deux-Ponts ordered the band of his regiment to play without asking the commanding officer of the division, the baron de Vioménil for permission. According to Gabriel-Gaspard baron de Gallatin, a sous-lieutenant in the Royal Deux-Ponts, a row ensued and Christian ordered the band to cease playing. But as the daily concert had apparently become a source of revenue for the musicians of the band, Vioménil, who dared not order the band to strike up again, gave them "a louis" (24 livres) to make up for the lost income. [21] That left each musician with 1 livre 12 sous, almost a week's wages. [22]
In the meantime the Reverend Colton, the "Presbyterian minister, in this town, a large, fleshy man, very prosperous, married, but childless, suggested to the wife of the grenadier, (Adam) Gabel (sic), of the Royal Deux-Ponts, that she leave him one of her daughters. He would adopt the four-year-old as his own child, in return for some 30 louis to ease the campaign for her. The grenadier and his wife, who were very much attached to this child of four, steadily refused M. Coleban's (sic) offer, and thus proved their fine character and disinterest. This proposed sale was published in all the gazettes, even in France." (1) Cromot du Bourg remembered the incident as well: "We came to Bolton with the greatest difficulty imaginable, so frightful were the roads. The host of M. de Rochambeau was a minister at least six feet three inches in height. [23] … This man, whose name was Cotton (sic), offered the wife of a grenadier to adopt her child, to secure his fortune and to give her for herself thirty Louis in money. She repeatedly refused." [24]
The next stop was in East Hartford for a few days of rest. The Bourbonnais occupied the campsite near the Connecticut River from June 22 through June 24; the Saintonge used the site from June 25 through the 27th. The Royal Deux-Ponts camped beside them from June 23 through June 25, while the Soissonnais camped along the road from Bolton from June 24 to June 26 on today's Silver Lane. After being stored in the house of James S. Forbes on Forbes Street, kegs of silver were opened at the French encampment to pay soldiers and officers, presumably giving the name of "'Silver Lane' to that locality." [25]
On June 25 the first division crossed the ferry into Hartford and marched on to Farmington via West Hartford, where a field hospital had been established by Blanchard. near the Second Meeting House. [26] The road to Farmington and the seventh camp was fine enough, and "the village, tucked into the bottom of a pleasant valley, very pretty."(3) Rochambeau and some of his officers boarded at Phinehas Lewis' Elm Tree Inn, others stayed at Peter Curtis' Tavern, while the troops camped on the plains south of Farmington along the road to Asa Barnes' Tavern, their next destination.
For Camp 8 most of the troops put up tents in that part of Southington called Marion at the foot of what is still known as French Hill and where Barnes's Tavern is located. Some of the officers stayed at Barnes', others "at an inn on Queen Street," i.e., Deming's Tavern 6 miles away on the other side of town and at Daniel Allen's Tavern half-way in-beween. The troops arrived at the site early, Berthier' fourth division started setting up camp at 8:00 a.m., and after a good days' rest, they were ready for some fun. Private Flohr, as we have seen, entered into his diary: "On the 28th (i.e., 27th) we marched 13 miles to Barnes' Tavern, an inn along the road. We set up our camp very close to it. We again had very numerous visits from the American maidens who circled the camp on horseback and who appeared just like English horsemen. This afternoon our MM generals gave a ball on the open field in front of our camp and invited the American maidens to it. This lasted into the dark night. All joy could be seen there what with dancing and singing as well with the soldiers as with the officers who had fun with the English girls. After that we went to sleep in our tents, but the girls went home all sad."
From Barnes' Tavern the route went to Waterbury, a "village of 50-some houses" and Breakneck, an assemblage of "two or three houses." The roads were "détestables," and the first division reached Breakneck (in Middlebury) on June 27 only with "the greatest difficulty. … the village is frightful and without resources."(2) Clermont-Crèvecœur's detachment of artillery in the first division did not reach the camp "until after three in the morning" on the 28th, just as the infantry was getting ready for the next day's march! [27]
After a few hours rest, Clermont-Crèvecœur and his artillery marched on to Newtown via Woodbury across the Housatonic River, called the "Stratford" or "Little Stratford" by the French. Upon arrival in Newtown, the staff officers boarded in Caleb Baldwin's Tavern while the tents of the soldiers stretched all the way back to today's Church Hill Road. Newtown was "full of Tories." For the first time the soldiers also "saw much poverty there among the inhabitants as well as ruined fields and houses. This is the capital of the Tory country, and as you may well imagine, we took great precautions to protect ourselves from their acts of cruelty. They usually strike by night, when they go out in bands, attack a post, then retire to the woods where they bury their arms. … These people are very difficult to identify, since an honest man and a scoundrel can look alike." (3) The First Division rested at Newtown from the 28th through the 30th of June; the Second Division arrived on the 29th and rested on the 30th.
7.3 The March of Lauzun's Legion from Lebanon to Ridgefield, June 21-July 2, 1781
Lauzun's Legion derived its name from its commanding officer and colonel Armand Louis de Gontaut-Biron, duc de Lauzun. Born in Paris on 13 April 1747, Lauzun became an ensign in the elite French Guards, commanded by his uncle the duc de Biron, three months before his 14th birthday; six months after he turned 20, he was breveted a colonel in the Guards. Not quite 19 when he married the 14-year-old Duchess Amélie d