Washington's Engineer by Norman Desmarais (speed reading book TXT) 📕

His faithful services, unremitting zeal and exertions for the public, exhibited on all occasions, constrane me to represent them useful. He wished to go South. The Northern frontier being then threatened by the Enemy, he was sent back. He went with the greatest expedition. . . . On every occasion he discovered abilities, warm attachment to the cause, and ardent desires to promote the public service.40

General McDougall wrote even more warmly on February 24,

intelligent, excellent, careful officer, especially of the public stores. . . . His manners are well adapted to our kind of government and besides, his general exterior corresponds to it. He possesses great calmness of temper. He however feels himself chagrined when his countrymen in the same line with him were promoted, from an apprehension of its lessening his character in the eyes of his Master and his national countrymen. I wish that so deserving an officer may be given a grade which his long services and singular qualifications merit.41

Washington avoided promotion issues as much as possible because rank in the army was fraught with so many complexities that gave rise to jealousy and bickering. He had great respect for Major Villefranche, who was later promoted due to the untiring exertions of the commandant of engineers, who busied himself with matters of promotions in his corps as soon as he had returned to America at the end of 1782. In the meantime, Washington wrote a soothing letter to Villefranche on March 4, 1782, that said,

I beg you to accept my thanks for your services in constructing the several works on the Mohawk River. . . . I am very sensible of the zeal, professional knowledge, and activity you have shown during your services in this country, and should be happy in contributing to your advancement.

. . . That you had not the good fortune to share in that success [Yorktown] was not your fault. . . . Your character in the army will always command such testimonies . . . as will give that just value to your services which they merit.42

Washington learned of the birth of the dauphin in France in April 1782 and directed Major Villefranche to plan the celebration at West Point. The celebration took place on May 31 and was such a success that Washington wrote to congratulate him on June 4:

Sir,

I take the early opportunity of expressing to you the high satisfaction I felt at the taste and elegance displayed in the preparations you made for the celebration of the birth of the Dauphin—the very great part you had in contributing to the pleasures of that day deserves my warmest acknowledgements and I beg you to receive this testimony of my thanks for your exertions on that occasion.43

It seemed that Villefranche would have the opportunity of active service once during the summer. He wrote to ask permission to march with the army but was again disappointed. Washington sent the major a note through one of his aides, which read in part,

Newburg August 28, 1782

Sir,

. . . His Excellency was pleased to inform me . . . that he would have you at present continue to superintend . . . the work now carrying on at West Point, but in case we should come to serious operations in the field, he will not be unmindful, in making his arrangements, of employing your Talents in such a manner as will be useful to the public and reputable to yourself. In the mean time, the General proposes that all the Engineers (except Col. Lomoy & one other who will be named by him), be employed under your orders in carrying the works now in hand into execution.44

Structuring the Corps of Engineers

Colonel Gouvion sent General Washington his “Opinion on Post-War Army” on April 16, 1783. His memorial is very interesting because he specifies a single organization and a course of instruction based on his experience in France. He considers the scientific and technical subjects but does not specify all those taught at Mézières. Duportail might also have been consulted on the program of study. The following is Gouvion’s memorial:

How large must be the continental army to be kept after this war is not an easy matter to determine in the present moment, it depends from two different and distinct objects which comprehend a very extensive plan, the first is the number of forts absolutely wanting garrison for the protection of the frontiers, and opposing the Indians in case they would keep up their hostile invasions or renew it at any time. The second is the garrison of the harbours for the continental navy, which being destined to contain stores of great value and importance are not to lay open to an invasion in case the united states should happen to be at war with any power. I shall not enter into any discussion about these two great objects, but lay here only a few remarks concerning alterations which I think are necessary in the continental army for its future establishment.

Each regiment to be kept or to be raised ought not to belong to any particular state, but to the continent at large, the officers and men to be taken indifferently from any part, it is to be feared that if the contrary did exist the officers would alwais use all their influence to be alwais stationed in the state they should belong to, and in a short time be like inhabitants to the great detriment of discipline and military spirit.

a regiment or part of it ought never to keep garrison more than eighteen months in the same place, in a longer length of time they get too many acquaintances injurious to the service, and being in a manner settled neglect their duty to employ themselves about their own conveniences

promotion by seniority is the destruction of emulation, because every officer is sure to be promoted according to his rank, also many worthy officers