Lafayette Reminisces About the Brave French Regiment That, Along With Him, Was Instrumental in Winning the Battle of Yorktown

The Regiment Gatinois (later to become the Royal Auvergne) was formed in 1608 and had a long history. In 1779, it was placed on board vessels of the fleet of Count d'Estaing, which was sailing to assist the American cause pursuant to the 1778 alliance between France and the United States. It was at the siege of Savannah, and on October 9 made a noted attack on the British retrenchments. The Gatinois companies, without support, lost half of their number. 

In 1781, the Gatinois was made a part of the corps which the Marquis de Saint Simon led to the United States to reinforce the Count de Rochambeau and his forces already in the U.S. Rochambeau had himself previously led the regiment. It then played a conspicuous part in the siege of Yorktown and the capitulation of General Lord Cornwallis. On October, 14, 1781, in the main attack on the two principle British redoubts (fortifications) at Yorktown, it assaulted and carried Redoubt 9 on the left of the British defensive works. An American column under the command of the Marquis de Lafayette carried the other, Redoubt 10. The British situation immediately became untenable, and Cornwallis asked for capitulation terms just three days later, on the 17th. Thus did the French, in the person of Lafayette who carried one redoubt and the Gatinois who carried the other, prove instrumental in the American victory at Yorktown.

General Washington expressed his admiration of and gratitude to the French unit by presenting it with the cannon it had captured from the redoubt. For its services the the American war of Independence, the regiment received by royal order a new name: the Royal-Auvergne.

Letter signed, Paris, March 10, 1829, a M. Ladouceur, who was clearly a member of the Royal-Auvergne, expressing his warm feelings about the regiment. “It is always with pleasure my dear Ladouceur that I think back on the brave men of the regiment of the Royal Auvergne.  I feel impelled to send you a little token by renewing my sincere best wishes."