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

served in this country a rank inferior to that they had here, accordingly being only a brigadier general they may very well leave me a lt. Colonel as i am now in the french army. i have many other reasons for believing that i shall not acquire any superior grade in france if i arrive there only brigadier general, yet it would be very hard for me to have lost five years, and it is for that reason that i take the liberty to write again to your Excellency about that matter. I beg leave to do as all my Countrymen have done till now, it is to try what i can myself with Congress, and i ask your Excellency to treat me as you did them not to oppose to what Congress should be disposed to do. When i do so, i do not intend to present a formal petition . . . because in case of no success i should be mortified to see their refusal inserted in the acts of Congress; but i may suggest to them what I desire. it is not improbable that the time of my services, the circumstances of my going to france, . . . the [case] of officers they asked officially to the french court . . . may dispose them to grant me and colonel gouvion what we desire. if so, then i shall see the effect of it in the army; if they do not appear dissatisfied then we shall come back; but if they appear dissatisfied we will stay in france. it will be certainly with great concern that i shall leave so an affair to which i am exceedingly attached and which i look upon as near the conclusion. but i could not bear to be disagreeable to the American army. so all what I beg of your Excellency is not to interfere in this affair. . . . if Congress requires your opinion about our demand, may not your Excellency be so good as to say something like this: that this promotion being not in the ordinary course, you have nothing to do with it, but you do not pretend to set any limits to the favours of Congress, and it should be easy for you not to compromise yourself.56

Duportail decided to write the French minister and suggest that he make the suitable intimation to some member of Congress. The letter, in French, was written near the end of October.57 He sent the minister a plan of the attack on Yorktown and explained his intention to have kept the minister frequently informed of the progress of the siege, but the engrossing nature of his work and, later, his illness prevented him from doing so. He then explained to the Chevalier de La Luzerne, much as he had done to Washington, the importance for both himself and Gouvion to have the advanced ranks before returning to France. He stated that he relied upon the minister’s kindness, of which he has had so many proofs, to say the necessary word that could not well come from himself. He planned to leave for Philadelphia in two days but would travel slowly because of his illness, and he hoped that the matter would be well underway or completed before he reached his destination. He planned to remain in Philadelphia for five or six days.

PROMOTIONS

While General Duportail felt hesitant to ask Congress for a raise in rank for himself, he had no qualms making requests for the members of his corps. He was assiduous in seeking to have all the officers of engineers receive full credit for their efforts, whether they took part in the siege of York (Yorktown) or were equally faithful to duty in less conspicuous roles. He sent the following letter to the commander in chief about the same time as he wrote the minister:

After the superb operation we have just terminated, i think it my duty in quality of Commandt. of the corps of the engineers to draw your Excellency’s attention to the officers of the corps who have had the good fortune to be employed in it and who, having served well, appear to me, at least according to the usages established in the European service, to have an indisputable right to the favors of Congress and an immediate advancement.

the first is lieut. colonel Gouvion; i cannot say enough of the bravery activity and intelligence which that officer has exhibited. all the most interesting parts of the seige having fallen to his share. he was superior engineer at the opening of the trenches, at the tracing of the second parallels, at the logement in the two redoubts that were carried etc. I think then that great marks of satisfaction can scarcely be denied this officer in the present circumstances. i regret that too great number of seniors in his line renders it impossible to sollicit for him the grade of brigadier but would it not be practical to give him that of Colonel. i know that the intention of Congress is to appoint no more of this grade. but perhaps they might make an exception in their general rule in favour of M. de Gouvion to whom it would be very important to have this grade for his advancement in france, if this however should be impossible I thinck it is just to indemnify him by the most brilliant certificate.

i ask the grade of major for m. de Rochefontaine, who has served very well during the seige. this officer has in his line a sufficient seniority as captain and besides a circumstance so brilliant and by its nature so advantageous . . . ought to be a compensation in some degree to it.58

Washington forwarded the letter to Congress and wrote to the president at the same time, enclosing the following certificate:

General Duportail, Commandant of the Corps of engineers, having specified his desire of obtaining leave to go to France for the arrangement of