To commemorate the 225th Anniversary of Rochambeau’s
march, the National Park Service has designated
his path as the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary
Route (W3R). In turn, Connecticut’s Commission
on Culture and Tourism has placed these permanent markers
(see Ridgefield's shown below) at all eleven French campsites in our state.
This "statewide"marker exhibit by the Ridgefield
Historical Society -- our very first -- tells
the story of the comte de Rochambeau’s march across Connecticut
by presenting reproductions of all eleven NPS
historic markers, the last of which in Connecticut now stands
in Ridgebury, at Rochambeau Encampment #11.
Together, these markers recount a fascinating
chapter of our national, state and local history that
we invite you all to share at our historic c.1714 David Scott House.
....The French Army in Connecticut - NPS Markers
1. |
Hartford: The First Meeting. |
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2. |
Wethersfield: Conference of War |
3. |
Lebanon: The Cavalry comes to Connecticut |
4. |
Scotland: Summer Spectacle |
5&6. |
Bolton/Andover: Welcoming our Allies |
7. |
East Hartford: Reinforcements on the Move |
8. |
Middlebury: A Hard Road |
9. |
Newtown: Housatonic River Crossing |
10. |
Danbury: The Provision State. |
11. |
Ridgebury: Linking with the Continental
Army |
Journal Entries & Commentary
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Rochambeau in Ridgebury
“The Second Brigade left Newtown and
marched 15 miles to Ridgebury, where it arrived
at eleven o’clock. It was pre-ceded
on its march to the camp by an advance detachment
of grenadiers and chasseurs. I was ordered
to lead them and to choose a good position
for them a mile ahead of the brigade on the
road to New York., where they camped after
stationing sentries at all points leading
in from enemy territory. Here we received
a change of itinerary. The First Brigade which
was to have marched to Salem, had marched to
Bedford instead, and we had received the same
order, when sud-denly at midnight there arrived
from the General another order to proceed by
a forced march to North Castle [Mount Kisco]
where the whole army would be assembled. The
Second Brigade left Ridgebury at three in the
morning......."
-- the journal of Louis-Alexandre
Berthier, Captain and assistant quartermaster-general.
“At the homestead of John Norris, just
within the Ridgefield Boundary, the officers with
Rochambeau stopped for a brief rest and water.
That morning, according to a local story, a child
had been born in the household. Rochambeau requested
the parents to name the child De Lauzun after
his cavalry officer....it is a matter of record
that succeeding generations of the Norris family
utilized the Lauzun name, and it was also used
in collateral branches of the family." --"Ridgefield
in Re-view" by Silvio Bedini, 1956.
“In Ridgebury there were two encampments.
The main body of troops camped upon the ridge
east of the Congregational Church....the other
division [Berthier] made its camp on the
hill opposite the schoolhouse about a mile south
of the church. The pay carts heavily loaded with
specie were stationed under a heavy guard in front
of the residence of Daniel Coley, one of the leading
citizens of Ridgefield in his time, a strong and
active patriot, and a soldier in the Revolution.
The gold and silver money was packed in little
kegs. The springs [behind Capt. Henry Whitney’s
tannery] were dipped out and the soldiers procured
a very large quantity of frogs and were thus able
to gratify their natural taste for this delicacy.-
“History of Ridgefield, Connecticut"
by George L. Rockwell, 1927
Ensign Samuel Keeler conducted the tavern
in Ridgebury street which stood near the church.
The French officers were quartered here.... it
was a coincidence that the date of the arrival
of the French troops in Ridgebury was on Count
de Ro-chambeau’s fifty-sixth birthday.
One can imagine that a glorious birthday party
was held that night at the old tavern. History
gives us the names of the French chaplains who
were with de Rochambeau. They were as follows:
Reverend Fa-thers Robin, Gluson, Lacy, and St.
Pierre. Undoubtedly the first Mass celebrated
in Ridgefield was on July 2, 1781. – "History of Ridgefield, Connecticut"
by George L. Rockwell, 1927.
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