THE VICTORIOUS ARMIES RETURN

 

 

11.1 The Return March to Crompond, September 13 - 24, 1782
11.2 The Camp at Crompond/Yorktown, September 24 - October 22, 1782
11.3 The March from Crompond to Boston, October 22 - December 25, 1782

11.1 The Return March to Crompond, September 13 - 24, 1782                                    

 

     The Continental Army left Virginia for New York almost as soon as the siege of Yorktown was over. By 20 November, the troops were already at Head of Elk, from where they marched through Philadelphia, Trenton, Princeton, and Morristown to Suffern and on 7 December crossed the Hudson at King's Ferry. Next, so Dr. Thatcher, the troops moved into huts "erected the last winter by some of the Massachusetts troops, a short distance from the banks of the Hudson, and called New Boston; they afford us a very convenient and comfortable accommodation." [1] On 1 April 1782, Washington moved into headquarters in the Jonathan Hasbrouck House in Newburgh to await the outcome of peace negotiations in Paris. (Site 39) The Continental Army too remained stationary in its quarters until August 31, when it marched to a new encampment with "its right resting on Fort Verplank's Point or Fort Lafayette" [2] to wait for the French troops marching north from Virginia. (Sites 23 and 28)

 

     The French forces had spent the winter of 1781/82 in and around Williamsburg. Ten months after their arrival, on July 1, 1782, Rochambeau's forces broke camp and began their march back to New England. Organization and schedule of the march was almost identical to that of the previous year. Until Fredericksburg was reached, the infantry marched again in four divisions a day apart; thereafter they marched in brigades:

1) The Bourbonnais under the command of the marquis de Chastellux

2) The Royal Deux-Ponts under comte Christian de Deux-Ponts

3) The Soissonnais under the vicomte de Vioménil

4) The Saintonge under the comte de Custine.

 

     This time, the siege artillery and 150 men of the Auxonne artillery remained at West Point, Virginia, as did 400 men, 100 each from each regiment as a garrison at Yorktown and of course the sick. Because of the excessive July heat, the troops began their march at 1:00 a.m., marching through the night. Baltimore was reached on July 24, a week later the first units reached Philadelphia. On September 13, the French First Brigade crossed into New York and encamped in Suffern (camp 35 of return march; Sites 36 and 37) on the east side of Washington Avenue. Flohr thought that the locals "who sat on horses just like English cavalry and who were all females expected us with great desire. They came in order to buy out (the contracts of) soldiers because the men were very rare (i.e. few in number) there at the time because everyone old and young had to join the colors the fathers as well as the sons and in truth very many had perished and most women had already lost their husbands. But in our army this was denied them without much ado and the beautiful girls had to go home again all sad and did not take any men with them." [3]

 

     Following the route (in reverse) it had taken the previous year, it marched the next day through Kakiat to Haverstraw, its 36^th camp, where it rested for the next three days from September 14 to 16, at the same spot it had camped in August 1781. Rochambeau established his headquarters in the Smith House. [4] (Sites 31 and 32). The Second Brigade camped for two days, September 15 and 16, a bit further south along Railroad Avenue in West Haverstraw. On the 16^th, Rochambeau crossed the river to inspect the camp laid out to the left of the Americans with the Saintonge forming the far left of the allied camp, along the road to Crompond/Yorktown Heights. [5] As Rochambeau's forces crossed the Hudson on September 17, an army review showed this strength: [6]

REGIMENT	PRESENT OFFICERS	ABSENTEES    AND MEN	TOTAL
Bourbonnais	758	214	972
Soissonnais	768	228	996
Saintonge	799	195	994
Royal Deux-Ponts	798	172	970
Auxonne Artillery	312	190	502
Mineurs	0	22	22
Ouvriers	476	80	556
	________	_________	_______
	3,911	1,101	5,012

     As it had the previous year, Lauzun's Legion was covering the flank of the French army. Encamped near Paramus on September 13, it rested on the 14^th before it took up a post near Kakiat on September 15, now as the rear-guard of the army. Here it remained on the 18^th when it rode to Stony Point and crossed the river that day as well. [7]

 

     Once across, the troops marched past the Continental Army encamped close to the ferry landing via King's Ferry Road and the Albany Post Road to camp 37 of the return march. Camp 37 was established on the same spot where the Continental Army had encamped in July 1781 on its way to the Philipsburg encampment. [8] (Sites 5 and 40) From September 17 to 23, 1782, the French forces, with Lauzun's Legion nearest the Hudson, occupied the hills along the north side of Crompond Road between Washington Street and Lafayette Avenue. They were from west/Peekskill Bay to the East: Drum Hill overlooking South Street, part of the old Post Road in 1781, Oak Hill, a one-time Continental Army camp and site of the hanging of convicted spy Daniel Strang in 1777, and the Villa Loretto Hills. [9]

 

     On the other side of the river, so Clermont-Crèvecœur, "we found 8,000 of the American army. Now they were all uniformed and well groomed. We were struck with the transformation of this army into one that was in no way inferior to ours in appearance. Their officers too were well turned out." [10] Verger described the American camp thus: "The whole color-line of the American camp was bordered by a very beautiful arbor, decorated with various designs and coats of arms (which were very well executed) representing the different regiments. The American soldiers do not stack their arms in piles like ours but simply lean them against three posts set up in the form of a scaffold before their tents, which they erect on one line. From there we marched 4 miles to our camp at Peekskill. This was on top of an arid mountain surrounded by wilderness." [11]

 

     On the 20^th the French army passed in review before General Washington, and then, on the 22^nd, Clermont-Crèvecœur and his fellow officers "went to watch the maneuvers of the American army and were truly impressed. This proves what money and good officers can do to make good soldiers." [12] Dr. Thatcher described the scene thus: "The whole army was paraded under arms this morning in order to honor his Excellency Count Rochambeau on his arrival from the southward. The troops were all formed in two lines, extending from the ferry, where the count crossed, to head-quarters. A troop of horse met and received him at King's ferry, and conducted him through the line to General Washington's quarters, where, sitting on his horse by the side of his excellency, the whole army marched before him, and paid the usual salute and honors. Our troops were now in complete uniform, and exhibited every mark of soldierly discipline. Count Rochambeau was most highly gratified to perceive the very great improvement, which our army had made in appearance since he last reviewed them, and expressed his astonishment at their rapid progress in military skill and discipline. He said to General Washington, "You have formed an alliance with the King of Prussia. These troops are Prussians." Several of the principal officers of the French army, who have seen troops of different European nations, have bestowed the highest encomiums and applause on our army, and declared that they had seen none superior to the Americans." [13]

 

     On September 22, the day of the review, the duc de Lauzun, the comte de Ségur, son of the war minister, together with a large group of French officers returned from France with orders from court. [14] Before the two armies parted, Washington had the opportunity to decorate a number of French officers. Ségur had brought a number of crosses of the Order of St. Louis. Rochambeau asked Washington to do the honors and the American gladly attached the insignia of the military order to chests of the French officers. [15]

 

  11.2  The Camp at Crompond/Yorktown, September 24 – October 22, 1782

 

     Once the two allies had completed their fare-wells, [16] the French troops departed on the 24^th of September “in a single column” for an eight-mile march to Crompond/ Yorktown where they entered their 38^th camp of the march from Virginia around Hunt’s Tavern, where they would remain until October 22 (SITE 27). Rochambeau set up his headquarters with Captain Samuel Delevan (Site 41) on Hallock's Mill Road between Route 202 and Saw Mill River Road) at the center of the French infantry camp. [17] Only Lauzun's Legion encamped on a hill about 2 to 3 miles to the south near Hanover Farms from where it could patrol the Croton and the crossing at Pines Bridge. [18]

 

     To keep the army occupied and to improve the water supply for his men, Rochambeau had them alter the course of south branch of Hallock's Mill Brook running north and crossing under Route 202/Crompond Road just south of the police station. [19] (Site 42) The project benefited both the French troops as well as Mr. Hallock, the owner of the mill fed by the stream, which was located at the present site of Hallocks Mill Pond. [20] Late in the evening before their departure from Crompond, so Lauberdière in his journal, Rochambeau's staff, including he himself, was rudely awakened by his host Delevan, who was also the local sheriff, and who wanted to serve Rochambeau with an arrest warrant taken out by Hallock, owner of the mill-race which had been so greatly improved by the free labor of the men of the Soissonnais who had camped on his land, since the damages done by the troops had not yet been paid. Rather than get angry, Rochambeau ordered that damages be paid the man based on an impartial estimate. The respect for individual and property rights displayed by Rochambeau in this widely publicized affair reportedly helped save his life at least once during the French Revolution. [21]

 

     Following this one-month rest at Crompond, Rochambeau regrouped his troops into brigades and ordered them to get ready to march. His instructions from Versailles indicated that in case the British were to evacuate either Charleston or New York, he was to take the army to Santo Domingo to await further orders. While a British evacuation of New York seemed remote, the evacuation of Charleston seemed imminent and eventually took place in December.

 

    

11.3     The March from Crompond to Boston, October 22 - December 25, 1782

    

     On October 22, the First Brigade, consisting of the Bourbonnais and Royal Deux-Ponts, broke camp and began the march to Connecticut. Crossing the Croton and marching past Hait's (or Haight's) Tavern in Somers and the home of Joseph Purdy (Site 43), the First Brigade set up its 39^th camp of the return march that night near the home of loyalist General De Lancey in North Salem. [22] (Site 44) Or, in modern terms, it followed Route 202 toward Somers, turned onto Route 116 toward Salem Center and followed that route until it reached its camp after a 13-mile march.

 

     Continuing down SR 116 to Wallace Road on October 23, the First Brigade crossed over into Connecticut where it marched north on Ridgebury Road and through Ridgebury to its 40^th camp at Danbury while the Second Brigade broke camp in Crompond and marched to North Salem. Concurrently Lauzun's Legion retraced its steps to Peekskill, crossed the Hudson once again and began its march via Suffern to Wilmington and winter quarters while the Continental Army too entered into what would be its final encampment. Dr. Thatcher recorded that on "At reveille on the 26th instant, the left wing of our army, under the command of General Heath, decamped from Verplank's point and marched to the highlands; took our lodging in the woods, without covering, and were exposed to heavy rain during a night and day. Thence we crossed the Hudson to West Point, and marched over the mountain called Butter hill; passed the night in the open field and the next day reached the ground where we are to erect log huts for our winter-quarters, near New Windsor." [23] (Site 45)

 

     In Danbury the regiments camped near the intersection of Center and South Streets, their 40^th camp on the way back from Yorktown. The following day, the 24^th, they marched on to Newtown, where they occupied the same campsite as the previous year. Those officers who could renewed acquaintances from the previous year: Desandrouins, for example, lodged with a man named John "Trobrige, a very good man but poor." [24] On the 25^th, the Second Brigade joined the first brigade at Newtown, which crossed the Stratford River on "Carleton's Bridge" on the 26^th and marched on through Woodbury. The 42^nd camp at Breakneck was where the army had camped the previous year.

 

     "On the 27^th," so Closen, "we re-crossed the same Stratford River on a wooden bridge, like Carleton's, At Barnes' Tavern (camp 43) the troops occupied the same campsite as the previous year, and, so Flohr, had their first ball in Connecticut. On the 28^th it was on to Farmington (camp 44), where campsite lay more toward the center of the village as compared to the previous year. On 29^th, the First Brigade arrived in East Hartford and was joined by the Second Brigade the next day. Their campsite (camp 45) was that which only the Soissonnais had occupied the previous year.  The troops remained here from October 30 through November 4.

 

     In East Hartford, Rochambeau announced to the troops that they were to march to Boston and embark for the West Indies while he would return to France. To accelerate the march "the artillery obtained permission to march, from now on, one day in advance of the 1^st Brigade, for convenience, and set out early on its way" on October 30. (1) The artillery was halfway through its march when a courier from Admiral de Vaudreuil informed Rochambeau that the ships would not be ready for embarkation by November 15. The artillery returned to East Hartford but after four days left again for Bolton (on November 3, 1782). On November 4, it was followed by the First Brigade. At camp 47 from November 5-7 at Windham the two brigades joined "in frightful weather." In the morning of the 7^th, Rochambeau, anxious to reach Newport, rode ahead. After "breakfast at Canterbury," so Closen, they pushed on through Plainfield "to dine at Voluntown, where we found the artillery already parked. We did not go any further that day. … The state of Rhode Island begins 3 miles from Voluntown."

 

     The First Brigade, now commanded by baron de Vioménil, broke camp in Windham, and marched to its next camp, camp 48, in Canterbury. By now it was early November, and winter was upon New England. Clermont-Crèvecœur could not "express how uncomfortable we were while camping in a country where the cold was already very intense. We were frozen in our tents. And the tents were frozen so stiff that, after the pegs and poles were removed to take them down, they stood alone. So you can judge how cold it was." On November 8/9, 1782, Rochambeau's troops pitched their tents for the last time in Connecticut in the 49^th camp in the fields east of Dorrance Tavern on the north side of the road to Rhode Island. Over the next two days, the infantry brigades followed the artillery into Rhode Island where they reached Providence on November 10 and 11. Closen, who had always spoken highly of Connecticut, summed up his experiences thus: "We have, on the whole, been treated wonderfully well wherever the army has marched."

 

     Three weeks later, on 1 December 1782, Rochambeau said farewell to his troops in Providence. Accompanied by his son and the comtes de Vauban and de Lauberdière, he set out for Newburgh in a heavy snowfall to say his farewell to Washington. Traveling via Angel's Tavern, the group either spent the first night at Dorrance' Tavern just across the border in Connecticut or possibly at the White Horse Tavern in Andover. Canterbury, Windham, Bolton, Harford, Farmington, Litchfield, a community of 70 or 80 homes, were the next stops along the route until Moorhouse Tavern in Dutchess County in New York was reached on December 6. From there it was but a day's journey to Newburgh and Washington' headquarters. Rochambeau was pleased to renew his acquaintance with Mrs. Washington, while some of his officers had the honor to meet her for the first time. [25] After a seven-day stay, Rochambeau pressed on to Philadelphia on the 14^th, where he received the thanks of Congress. On January 14, 1783, the Emeraude, with Rochambeau on board and British frigates in hot pursuit, sailed for France. Three weeks earlier, on Christmas Eve 1782, the bulk of his army had departed from Boston harbor for the Caribbean. Though neither Rochambeau nor his troops knew it, Preliminaries of Peace had been signed in Paris on November 30, 1782, in which "His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States … to be free Sovereign and independent States."