General George Washington’s Unpublished First Announcement That He Will Go To Rhode Island to Meet with Rochambeau and Survey the French Troops, Kicking Off the Events That Would Lead to Yorktown

An ALS of Washington connecting him to the strategy of the combined forces of France and America

In May 4, 1778, the alliance between France and the new United States of America became effective. The Americans had high hopes for this venture, but those hopes were initially dashed. The French sent a fleet under Admiral d’Estaing in the summer of 1778; but after failing to encounter the British in the Chesapeake Bay and making unsuccessful moves at New York and Newport, it abandoned the offensive. However, the French were determined to play a role in the outcome of the American War, and planned to send a significant number of troops and ships for a future campaign. An experienced General, the Count de Rochambeau, was appointed to command the army that was destined to support the Americans, and on May 2, 1780, he sailed for the US. But Washington, who had been disappointed by the French before, was left to anxiously anticipate their actual arrival. He hoped for a late-summer or fall 1780 campaign; his plan: a joint Franco-American assault against British-held New York.

On July 11, 1780, the French army of 5,300 men and 450 officers with Rochambeau in command landed in Newport, Rhode Island. Washington was overjoyed by their arrival. He would serve as the commander of the allied armies, of course, but he knew that Rochambeau had the military expertise to play a vital role in strategic planning.

After the French had settled in, Washington arranged to meet personally with Rochambeau on the 20th of September in Hartford, Connecticut, to discuss plans of attack and lobby for prompt action.

When Rochambeau met with Washington, the latter again stated his desire to attack New York City. But Rochambeau demurred, insisting on waiting for the French Navy to arrive for a Spring 1781 campaign. Washington had to accept Rochambdau’s opinion that French forces had arrived too late in the campaign season, and with too many sick, to embark on any military action in the immediate future. Neither was the Continental Army ready for large-scale military action.

In January 1781, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey lines mutinied, and some French officers were convinced that the Americans had reached the end of the line. It was partly in order to reassure his allies of the reliability of his forces that Washington decided in February 1781 on a journey to Rochambeau in Newport. Moreover, and more importantly, he was anxious to discuss the coming Spring campaign involving the French and American troops against the British.
On January 26, Rochambeau wrote Washington, “I wait with much impatience to Learn that the motion of the Pennsylvania Line is entirely quieted, and I wish Sincerely that Your Excellency may have a moment of tranquility that may allow you to come to visit this part of your Excellency’s army.”  On January 30, Washington wrote to bolster the existing lines of communication between Rhode Island and points farther South. But he was on the cusp of deciding the time was now to make his trip to see Rochambeau and commence the Spring plotting.

Son Washington wrote to make arrangements for the trip. This letter was unknown to the Washington Papers, and its contents are published here for the first time ever.

Autograph letter signed, to Timothy Pickering in charge of stores in Philadelphia, February 1, 1781.  “Dear Sir, I have in contemplation a journey to Rhode Island but previous to it, stand in need of a few articles from Philadelphia, which, if obtained at all, must come soon. Is it in your power therefore by the morning to provide me an express on whose fidelity and dispatch I can absolutely depend? And can he for the purpose of dispatch get fresh horses on the communication?” He adds a PS: “Have you any portmanteaus [large trunks] in your stores – the person (if one goes) must be provided with one and a mail pillion [cushion].”

Newport, RI, where Rochambeau was readying himself, wanted to honor the commander-in-chief. As early as February 6, the Town Council Minutes record that since Washington “will soon Honor this Town with his Presence it is voted that the Town be illuminated from 7 o’clock untill Nine.” The fateful trip was delayed a couple weeks and took place in early March.

Washington himself set out from New Windsor with Major General Robert Howe, who played a role in putting down the mutinies that concerned Rochambeau, and his aides Tench Tilghman and David Humphries. He stayed for a week and watched the departure on March 8 of the French fleet, under Charles René Dominique Gochet chevalier Destouches, with 1,500 French troops on board under the baron de Vioméni,l for the Chesapeake.  Vioménil was to join forces with Lafayette in an attempt to capture the traitor Benedict Arnold.

Following consultations with Rochambeau over plans for the 1781 campaign, Washington and Rochambeau, who wanted to include the fleet of Admiral deGrasse, then readying to depart Brest for the Caribbean, took stock of their forces.

In May 1781 some additional French troops arrived, and with them came the news that Admiral de Grasse was headed for the West Indies and had instructions to cooperate with the allied commanders in the U.S. So the allied commanders decided to march the French troops to New York to join the Americans and prepare for an attack there, supported by the French fleet under de Grasse. Rochambeau’s men arrived in July, but Washington’s expectations for an attempt on New York were soon to be disappointed. In mid-August he received a letter from Admiral de Grasse indicating that the French fleet would be available for service in Chesapeake Bay by the end of the month and would remain there until October 15. It would not challenge the Royal Navy in New York waters. Abandoning the idea of attacking New York City, Washington and Rochambeau embraced the southern campaign strategy – to rendezvous with the French fleet and attack the British under Lord Cornwallis in Virginia. On August 18, American and French forces began moving south.

In September 1781, the combined armies with the French fleet – some 16,000 troops – arrived in Virginia and set up camp outside the British defenses at Yorktown. Just three weeks later, the siege of Yorktown ended with the complete surrender of the British. As a result of this catastrophe to their arms, Britain sued for peace; the war was over. So Washington’s dream that the arrival of the French would make the difference and secure American independence, promoted in this letter, became a reality.

Provenance:  This letter belonged to American historian and editor Worthington C. Ford, including “The writings of George Washington (14 Volumes)”.  He gave it to Manton Marble, New York journalist. He was the proprietor and editor of the New York World. The letter comes with a letter from Ford to Marble gifting it. A back stamp indicates that prior to its de-accession, it was for a time in the Institute of Historical Research.