Yorktown centennial handbook Author:John Austin Stevens Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, was born at Vendom-% in the year 1725, entered the French military service in 1742,... more » and was distinguished for bravery ROCHAMBEAU and conduct in the wars of the continent. When the government of Louis XVI. determined to send a contingent force to the aid of the Americans, Rochambeau was selected to command the expedition. His services have not had their duehonor in the annals of the revolution. He alone could have brought the allied op rations to a successful termination and kept an unbroken harmony between the troops and population of races whose history was one long career of antagonism. Left for nearly a year without assistance or counsel from the French ministry, which was passing through vital changes; subjected in a foreign land to reproaches and importunities to which he would not or could not reply; distrusted even by his own officers, with whom his credit was impaired by the negligence of his government, his serenity was unbroken, and he maintained h;s authority without stooping to an explanation even to the highest of his general officers Of a concentrated and reserved nature, he kept his own counsel even from his own military family, and left nothing to chance or indiscretion. In his character there was a self-control, the unerring accompaniment of greatness. He had every quality of a commander, prudence in counsel, activity in preparation, precision and certainty in execution. He was moderate and courteous as he was wise, and in his perfect deference to Washington, the commander-in-chief, he set an example to his officers and troops which, perhaps more than any other cause, conduced to the good feeling which at the time alone rendered victory possible, and the fruits of which are the ami...« less