Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
The Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route is a 680-mile (1,090 km) series of roads used in 1781 by the
French forces left Rhode Island in June 1781 and joined Washington's force on the Hudson River the following month. The combined American and French armies headed south in August, marching through
The route is a designated
Background
In 1780, French
In June 1781, Rochambeau prepared to march from
Rhode Island to New York
Rochambeau and his general staff left Newport, Rhode Island on June 10, 1781, arriving at
The army started leaving the camp ground between Broad and Plain Streets on June 19. They passed through Stewart Street to High Street, and west along this to the "junction" (Hoyle Tavern), where they took Cranston Street (then called the Monkey Town road) that went to Knightsville (then Monkeytown). They continued right, following the old Scituate road over Dugaway Hill past the Pippin Orchard School house, over Apple House Hill and Bald Hill, crossing the Pawtuxet River at the village of Kent, and on to
Waterman's Tavern
Each division had roughly the same amount of artillery and supplies, as well as a field hospital. Rochambeau himself left with the first division (the Bourbonnais Regiment) and arrived at the second camp site in Coventry in the evening of June 18 at a place known as
Rochambeau's army marched from Coventry through
Windham
On June 20, Rochambeau's army continued their march along Route 14A to the town of
Most of Routes 14A and 14 have lost their 18th-century visual character, but several short road segments remain preserved. Some of these road segments have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One such segment is Old Canterbury Road in western Plainfield which was bypassed by state highway construction in the 1930s; it preserves some of the features of the original roadway, including the low stone walls lining the road. The designated portion of the route also includes a 1,200-foot section of modern Route 14A east of the eastern end of Old Canterbury Road that maintains visual continuity of Old Canterbury Road.
Manship Road and a portion of Barstow Road (between Manship Road and Route 14) in Canterbury were also bypassed during highway construction, located midway between Canterbury Center and the village of Westminster. A segment of Route 14 east of Scotland Center has also been recognized as a preserved section of the march route. The designated segment runs from Miller Road to the top of a hill, about 800 feet east of
Scotland Road in Windham also remains between the third and fourth encampments, from Back Road to a point about 300 feet east of Ballahamack Road. This portion is also listed on the National Register, and it was one of the less difficult roads, according to the French. The road is now mostly modern in appearance, but the expansive views of the surrounding landscape contribute to the visual historical significance of the site, in addition to the preserved stone walls.
Bolton
The French army continued its march through Connecticut on June 21. They went from the camp at Windham past the village of
The French army continued its march on June 22 from Bolton along Bolton Center Road (partly
East Hartford
The four French divisions had been traveling a day apart. They rested for three nights in East Hartford, necessitating additional camp sites in the same vicinity. Route 6 is a state highway trunk line route, and the surrounding area is heavily urbanized and has lost most of its historic character. However, two sections of the road have been bypassed in Andover and Bolton and remain relatively preserved in their 18th-century appearance.
In Andover, the original march route used what is now Hutchinson Road and Bailey Road. A segment of Hutchinson Road between Route 6 and Henderson Road retains the stone walls and mature trees along the side of the road, as well as the expansive views of open fields towards the
Bailey Road originally connected Route 6 with Brandy Street in Bolton, but the portion west of the Andover-Bolton town line has since been overgrown and is no longer passable by motor vehicles. A remnant of Bailey Road in Bolton still exists as an unpaved footpath and still retains the characteristic stone walls, as well as two original stone culverts. It, too, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Farmington
The first division of Rochambeau's army crossed the Connecticut River by ferry on June 25 into Hartford, with the other divisions following in one-day intervals as before. From there, they traveled along Farmington Avenue through West Hartford until Farmington, the site of the seventh camp. The camp site was located toward the south end of the town center village. Rochambeau and his officers are said to have stayed at the Elm Tree Inn.
The army followed
The following day, they continued westward along Route 322, then Meriden Road into Waterbury. In Waterbury, the route followed East Main Street and West Main Street, crossing the Naugatuck River along the way. The road west of Waterbury was difficult and characterized by the French as being "détestables" for being very stony and mountainous. The route continued into Middlebury, specifically the area around Breakneck Hill. The march route followed Park Road to Watertown Road, then turned south on Watertown Road until Breakneck Hill Road. The ninth camp was located at the foot of Breakneck Hill, where the first division stayed the night of June 27. Rochambeau and his officers were entertained at the Israel Bronson Tavern.
Newtown
On June 28, the first division resumed its march heading south on Artillery Road and Middlebury Road (
Rochambeau reorganized his troops into two brigades in Newtown. The first division resumed its march on June 30, heading west on West Street and Castle Hill Road, then turning north along Reservoir Road and west again on
Mount Kisco, NY
The French army resumed its march on the morning of July 2 through the town of Ridgefield, heading south on Ridgebury Road, then turning west on Mopus Bridge Road. After crossing the New York state line, they continued southwest and south following
The French stayed in Mount Kisco until the morning of July 6. They marched west and south for 16 miles along
New York to Pennsylvania
The 5,000-strong force left Philipsburg Camp in Hartsdale in late August crossing the Hudson River at King's Ferry and headed south into New Jersey following several paths southward. Washington's route starts at the New York border in Mahwah and winds through Bergen, Passiac Essex, Union, Middlesex and Mercer counties. Rochambeau's route is similar, but goes further west, passing through Morris and Somerset counties before ending up, like Washington's, in Trenton for the crossing the of Delaware River into Pennsylvania.[6]
Union County
In Union County the trail along which the American troops marched runs along numerous county roads, including: Raritan Road (CR509) and Lamberts Mill Road (CR606) in Scotch Plains, West Broad Street in Westfield (CR509), Mountain Avenue in Westfield, Mountainside and Springfield (CR613), Morris Avenue in Springfield(SR 82), Morris Turnpike in Summit (SR 24).[7][6]
Princeton
The forces camped at Morven August 29-31. A monument at Trinity Church, Princeton commemorates the occasion.[8] The troops crossed the Millstone River twice, once at Griggstown Causeway and once at Route 518 near Rocky Hill. They left Princeton on August 31 and headed south on the King's Highway towards Trenton.[9]
Trenton
The troops camped at the William Trent House in Trenton on September 2, also known as Bloomsbury and owned by an assistant quartermaster general of the Continental Army. The force then crossed over the Delaware River into Pennsylvania.[10]
Philadelphia
The troops roughly followed
Pennsylvania to Virginia
Philadelphia to Head of Elk and Baltimore
Washington and Rochambeau left Philadelphia by September 5. Washington traveled overland, roughly continuing on modern U.S. Route 13,
Williamsburg and Alexandria
Washington and a small group of aides rode ahead and reached his estate at Mount Vernon on September 9, after a six-year absence; Rochambeau and his staff arrived the following day.[13] On September 12, the two commanders continued their journey and arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia, on September 14, gathering the troops and supplies to begin the siege at Yorktown.[19] The allied supply wagon train arrived in Alexandria, Virginia, after a two-day march from Georgetown in late September, including crossing the Potomac River. It occupied a length of about half a mile, north of Oronoco Street and bisected by Washington Street (subsequently the Robert E. Lee Boyhood Home). The wagon train left Alexandria on September 26, heading west, then south.[20]
Washington ordered construction of a wagon road to Wolf Run Shoals on the Occoquan River near Woodbridge, Virginia. The combined American-French force followed this road and crossed the Occoquan to the south on September 27.[21][22] The wagon train followed modern Virginia State Route 234 to Dumfries,[23] then followed the King's Highway south near Triangle.[24][25] By the end of September, the wagon train was at Trebell's Landing on the James River, and was then conveyed overland about six miles (now Virginia State Route 238) to the siege lines at Yorktown. The accompanying troops disembarked at landings near Williamsburg.[26]
Further reading
- Hall, Charles S. (1905). Life and Letters of Samuel Holden Parsons. Binghamton, NY: Ostenigo Publishing Co. ISBN 978-1407746340.
See also
- List of George Washington articles
- List of historic sites preserved along Rochambeau's route
- British colonization of the Americas
- Colonial America
- Colonial American military history
- Colonial history of the United States
- James Manning
- James Mitchell Varnum
- Joseph Webb House
- King's Highway (Charleston to Boston)
- Jean Baptiste, marquis de Traversay
- Louis Marc Antoine de Noailles
- Charles Armand Tuffin
- François-Joseph Paul
References
- ^ "Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)". National Park Service. 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
- ^ Charles S. Hall (1905). Life and Letters of Samuel Holden Parsons, Major General in the Continental Army and Chief Judge of the Northwestern Territory 1737 — 1789. Otseningo Pub. Co. p. 364.
lauzun revolution north stratford ct.
- ^ Rhode Island Historical Society Collections. Vol. XVII. January 1924.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help) - ^ Mary Harper and Bruce Clouette (December 2002). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Plainfield Pike" (PDF). National Park Service.
- ^ "Accompanying 14 photos, from 2001" (PDF).
- ^ a b NJ.com, Katie Lannan | NJ Advance Media for (July 20, 2014). "Union County marks Revolutionary War route linking historic sites". nj.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Washington Rochambeau National Historic Trail (New Jersey section)". 24 July 2014.
- ^ "Rochambeau at Morven: A Virtual Evening with Historian Bob Selig". Princeton Magazine. Witherspoon Media Group. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ Gilpin, Donald. "240th Anniversary of Rochambeau-Washington Victory March To Be Celebrated on August 28". Town Topics, Princeton's Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946. Witherspoon Media Group. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ "Pivotal 1781 Revolutionary War march will be commemorated in Trenton". nj.com. Advance Local. 24 August 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ "Pennypack Creek Bridge gets historical recognition at last [video]". WHYY. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ "WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE". Schuykill Banks. Schuylkill River Development Corporation. 17 August 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ a b "Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route". Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. National Park Service. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
- ^ "George Washington Witness Tree of Delaware - History of the Hale-Byrnes House and the George Washington Witness Tree of". www.georgewashingtonwitnesstreeofdelaware.org. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ Prussia, Mailing Address: Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail 1400 North Outer Line Drive King of; Us, PA 19406 Phone: 610-783-1006 Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail Contact. "Delaware - Places To Go - Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Rochambeau Route Narragansett Bay to Yorktown". Retrieved 2019-08-11.
- ^ John D.Grainger (2005). The Battle of Yorktown, 1781: A Reassessment. Boydell Press. pp. 76–9.
- ^ "On to Yorktown". Retrieved 2019-08-18.
- ^ "Washington–Rochambeau Route". Retrieved 2019-08-11.
- ^ "Washington-Rochambeau Route Alexandria Encampment". Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ "Military Operations". Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ "Washington-Rochambeau Wagon Route". Retrieved 2019-07-14.
- ^ "Troop Movements and Camp". Retrieved 2019-08-19.
- ^ "Revolutionary War Campaign of 1781". Retrieved 2019-08-19.
- ^ "The Kings Highway ~ Road to Yorktown". Retrieved 2019-08-19.
- ^ "Trebell's Landing". Retrieved 2019-08-19.
External links
- "Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail". National Park Service.
- "Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Resource Study" (PDF). National Park Service.
- "National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association".
- "State-by-state Google Maps of the Route". National Park Service.
- "The Washington-Rochambeau Route Markers". The Historical Marker Database.
- Donald N. Moran. "The Long March to Yorktown".