Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
Encyclopedia
The Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) is a 680-mile (1,094 km)-long series of encampments
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...

 and roads used by U.S. Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

 troops under George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 and French troops
Expédition Particulière
Expédition Particulière was the code name given by the French government for the plan to sail French land forces to North America to support the American rebel forces against Britain in the American Revolutionary War. In English they were known as the Special Expedition.The expedition of 5,000...

 under Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau during their march from Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

 to Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....

 in 1781. The route was designated a National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail is a designation for a protected area in the United States containing historic trails and surrounding areas. They are part of the National Trails System....

 in 2009. Interpretive literature, signs, and exhibits will describe the key role of French diplomatic, military, and economic aid to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

.

Background

On July 10, 1780, French troops sent by King Louis XVI commanded by Rochambeau arrived with an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men in Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...

 off Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

. In June 1781, Rochambeau's force left Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

 to join the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...

 near White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...

.

Judging from the maps in the Rochambeau Collection and the early maps of Providence, the French army, on leaving the camp ground between Broad and Plane Streets, passed through the present Stewart Street to High Street, and west along this to the junction (Hoyle Tavern), where, leaving on their right the road to Hartford, they took the road to the left, then called the Monkey Town road, now Cranston Street, and followed this to Monkeytown, now Knightsville. The army here turned to the right following the old Scituate road over Dugaway hill by the late Pippin Orchard School house, over Apple House hill and Bald hill, crossing the Pawtuxet at the village of Kent and on to Waterman's Tavern, fifteen miles, the end of the first day's march and the first camp. "Waterman's Tavern is still standing in good condition near Potterville on the old Scituate road a mile or so north of the new state highway," noted one account in 1924: "It is now the home of Mr. Elmer A. Havens, who shows two wells of small diameter neatly stoned, that are said to have been dug by the French troops that camped here, both on the march to Yorktown and on the return march. The instructions for the march say : 'The camp is in quite a good position although in the midst of woods, having a brook in front, and behind, the tavern and the main road from Providence to Watermans much better than that by Angells tavern. The accommodations for divisional headquarters are not aboundant but more than at Angell's tavern or Whipple house.'"

On June 19, the regiment of Royal DeuxPonts under the Baron de Viomenil, set out for the camp at Waterman's, followed on the 20th by the regiment of Soissonnais under the Count de Viomenil (brother of the Baron), and on the 21st by Saintonge, under the Marquis de Custine. With the departure of this last regiment, there were left in Providence a guard for the baggage and munitions stored in the Old Market House
Market House (Providence, Rhode Island)
Market House is an historic market house in Market Square in Providence, Rhode Island.The house was built in 1775. Originally, the bottom level of the structure was used as a market and the upper level was used for holding meetings in the tradition of English public market buildings...

, and the surgeons and attendants at the hospital in University Hall
University Hall (Brown University)
The University Hall at Brown University is the first and oldest building on campus.-History:Built in 1770, it was originally known as the College Edifice...

.
The American and French troops took a combination of strategic roads and waterways from Philipsburg through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the future District of Columbia, and Virginia, reaching Williamsburg in late September 1781.

With a French royal fleet blocking the Chesapeake, barring British reinforcements from New York or a sea escape for Cornwallis' army, Washington and Rochambeau's three-week siege of Yorktown ended in Cornwallis' surrender to Washington on October 19, 1781. After their victory, Washington and the Continentals returned to defend northern posts while Rochambeau and his troops wintered in Williamsburg prior to marching north the following summer. Both armies were warmly celebrated by the towns and cities along their return routes.

Rochambeau and the French Troops in Providence in 1780-81-82 Howard W. Preston. (Read before the Rhode Island Historical Society,March 12, 1922.)

They marched across Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

 to join George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...

 at Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...

. The advance party was led by Armand Louis de Gontaut
Armand Louis de Gontaut
Armand Louis de Gontaut, Duc de Lauzun, later duc de Biron, and usually referred to by historians of the French Revolution simply as Biron was a French soldier and politician, known for the part he played in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early titles:Born in...

 or Duc de Lauzun. Lauzun's Legion who marched ahead of the main army and stayed ten to fifteen miles (24 km) to the south protecting the exposed flank from the British .

The combined armies then marched through New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...

, and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

 to Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....

. On September 22, they combined with the Marquis de Lafayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...

's troops and forced General Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...

 to surrender on October 19 after the Siege of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...

 and the Battle of the Chesapeake
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...

. After Yorktown, the French troops marched north again eventually ending in Boston, Massachusetts.

On Monday, March 30, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law
the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, one of whose provisions was to designate
the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route as a National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail is a designation for a protected area in the United States containing historic trails and surrounding areas. They are part of the National Trails System....

.

Rhode Island to New York

Rochambeau and his staff left the port of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

 on June 10, 1781, arriving at Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

 the following day. Over the next few days, the rest of the Rochambeau's army was transferred by boat to the first camp site in Providence. A grand review of the French Army took place at the Providence camp on June 16, 1781. The French Army began its march on June 18, proceeding in four divisions, with each division leaving one day apart. Each division had roughly the same amount of artillery and supplies, and each also had its own field hospital. Rochambeau himself left with the first division (the Bourbonnais Regiment) and arrived at the second camp site in Coventry
Coventry, Rhode Island
Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 35,014 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water...

 in the evening of June 18 at a place known as Waterman's Tavern. The route between Providence and Coventry generally followed the alignment of Broadway in Providence to Olneyville, then Route 14
Route 14 (Rhode Island)
Route 14 is a numbered State Highway running in the U.S. State of Rhode Island.-Route:Route 14 takes the following route through the State:*Coventry: ; Connecticut State line at CT 14/CT 14A to Foster town line**Plainfield Pike...

 to the eastern side of the Scituate Reservoir
Scituate Reservoir
The Scituate Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state of Rhode Island. It has an aggregate capacity of and a surface area of 5.3 square miles...

. The original road is submerged in the reservoir but picks up again as Old Plainfield Pike in Scituate
Scituate, Rhode Island
Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...

. West of Route 102
Route 102 (Rhode Island)
Route 102 is a numbered State Highway running 44.5 miles in Rhode Island. Route 102 serves as a non-freeway beltway around the Providence metro area. It begins in the village of Wickford and travels through less developed areas of western Rhode Island...

 in Foster
Foster, Rhode Island
Foster is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 4,606 at the 2010 census.- History :Foster was originally settled in the 17th century by British colonists as a farming community...

, the march route resumes following Route 14 into Coventry to the second camp.

From Coventry in Rhode Island, Rochambeau's army marched through Sterling, Connecticut
Sterling, Connecticut
Sterling is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,099 at the 2000 census.-Local History:The town was incorporated in 1794 following approval of the CT Assembly, and was carved from northern part of the Town of Voluntown...

 via Route 14A (Plainfield Pike) to the third camp in Plainfield
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...

 opposite Plainfield Cemetery, arriving on June 19. A 3.6-mile portion of the march route between the 2nd and 3rd camps has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places because "the road retains its narrow, hilly, winding character, and for most of its length, the characteristic borders of stone walls remain in place." The French found this particular segment to be difficult for marching, resulting in the late arrival of some artillery and supply wagons at the Plainfield camp. On June 20, Rochambeau's army continued their march along Route 14A to the town of Canterbury
Canterbury, Connecticut
Canterbury is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census.-History:The area was first settled in the 1680s as Peagscomsuck, consisting mainly of land north of Norwich, south of New Roxbury, Massachusetts and west of the Quinebaug River and the...

, then along Route 14
Route 14 (Connecticut)
Route 14A is an alternate route of Route 14 in the Plainfield and Sterling areas. Prior to 1963, Route 14A was the original road used by Route 14 between Canterbury and Plainfield. In Sterling, modern Route 14A was known as Route 211 between 1932 and 1950. From 1950 to...

, through Canterbury and Scotland
Scotland, Connecticut
Scotland is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,556. Scotland is a predominantly rural town, with agriculture as the principal industry.-Geography:...

 into the town of Windham
Windham, Connecticut
Windham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983...

. While most of Route 14A and Route 14 have lost their 18th-century visual character, several short road segments remain preserved. Some of these road segments have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. On such segment is in western Plainfield, Old Canterbury Road, which was bypassed by state highway construction in the 1930s, 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 1200-foot section of modern Route 14A east of the eastern end of Old Canterbury Road that maintains visual continuity of Old Canterbury Road. Another segment that was preserved as a result of being bypassed by the state highway is Manship Road and a portion of Barstow Road (between Manship Road and Route 14) in Canterbury, 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 Route 97. Known locally as Palmer Road, the low stone walls remain in place on both sides of this road segment and was described by the French as "a narrow, steep, and stony road". Yet another road segment between the 3rd and 4th camps is listed on the National Register, Scotland Road in Windham from Back Road to a point about 300 feet east of Ballahamack Road. This portion was one of the less difficult according to the French. While this road segment is mostly modern in appearance, the expansive views of the surrounding landscape, in addition to the preserved stone walls, contributes to the visual historical significance of the site. Rochambeau's army arrived in the evening of June 20 at the fourth camp in Windham by the Shetucket River
Shetucket River
The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, long, in eastern Connecticut in the United States.It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south...

, just west of Windham Center.

The French army continued its march through Connecticut, leaving the Windham camp on June 21. The army went past the village of Willimantic, roughly following modern Route 14 and Route 66
Route 66 (Connecticut)
Route 66 is a Connecticut state highway running from Meriden to Windham, serving as an alternate east–west route to US 6 through east-central Connecticut.- Route description:...

. The French proceeded through Columbia
Columbia, Connecticut
Columbia is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,971 at the 2000 census. Columbia was incorporated in May, 1804, from Lebanon. Columbia offers prekindergarten through 8th grade education in town at Horace W. Porter School, while high school students have a...

 and Andover
Andover, Connecticut
Andover is a rural town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,303 at the 2010 census.Andover was incorporated on May 18, 1848, from Hebron and Coventry.-Geography:...

 towards the fifth camp site in Bolton
Bolton, Connecticut
Bolton is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,017 at the 2000 census. Bolton was incorporated in October 1720 and is governed by town meeting.-History:...

. The march route proceeded along Route 66 then Route 6 until roughly the northwest corner of Andover. From there, the original road to Bolton Center, where the fifth camp of the French army was located, has been unused since the late 19th century and has been overgrown by forest. The following morning, on June 22, the French army continued its march from Bolton along Bolton Center Road (partly Route 85
Route 85 (Connecticut)
Route 85 a north–south state highway in the east-central portion of the U.S. state of Connecticut linking the city of New London to the town of Bolton.-Route description:...

), continuing along Middle Turnpike East in Manchester
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...

 until Route 6. From there the French followed Route 6 through Manchester Center to Silver Lane in East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...

, where the sixth camp was located. The four divisions, which had been traveling a day apart, rested for three nights in East Hartford, necessitating additional camp sites in the same vicinity. Being a state highway trunkline route, the area surrounding Route 6 is heavily urbanized and has lost most of its historic character. However, in Andover and Bolton, two sections of the road that have been bypassed remain relatively preserved in their 18th century appearance. In Andover, the original march route (as well as the original Route 6) utilized 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 Hop River
Hop River
The Hop Rivers marshy source is just southeast of Bolton Notch, Connecticut. It flows for about to its confluence with the Willimantic River. There is a popular paddling route beginning where the Skungamaug River enters the Hop River just north of the Hendee Road bridge and ending at the...

. This road segment is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Daniel White Tavern, built in 1773 and used by French officers, still stands along this road segment. North of Henderson Road, Hutchinson Road has modern development and no longer has the visual continuity of the southern part of the road. 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 (also listed on the National Register of Historic Places) still exists as an unpaved foot path and still retains the characteristic stone walls as well as two original stone culverts.

The first division of Rochambeau's army crossed the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...

 by ferry on June 25 into Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

, with the other divisions following in one day intervals as before. From there, they traveled along Farmington Avenue through West Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....

 until Farmington
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...

, 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. After staying overnight in Farmington Center, on June 26, the French army followed Route 10 through the town center of Southington
Southington, Connecticut
Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence...

 until the Milldale
Milldale, Connecticut
Milldale is a neighborhood in the incorporated town of Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut.-Geography:Milldale is located at geographical coordinates 41° 33′ 57" North, 72° 53′ 30" West .-External links:*...

 section of town, then headed west along Route 322 until they reached the eighth camp site in the Marion
Marion, Connecticut
Marion is a neighborhood in the town of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is generally the area in the vicinity of the intersection of Route 322 and Marion Avenue just north of the Cheshire town line....

 section of Southington. Rochambeau and his officers stayed at the Asa Barnes Tavern. The following day, the French continued westward along Route 322, then Meriden Road into Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...

. In Waterbury, the route followed East Main Street and West Main Street, crossing the Naugatuck River
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck River is a river in the US state of Connecticut. It carves out the Naugatuck River Valley. The river flows from northwest Connecticut southward into the Housatonic River in Derby, Connecticut. One of the river's main uses is hydropower, which is used to power industrial plants...

 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 present-day Middlebury
Middlebury, Connecticut
Middlebury is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,451 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....

, 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.

On June 28, the first division resumed its march heading south on Artillery Road and Middlebury Road (Route 64
Route 64 (Connecticut)
Route 64 is a Connecticut state highway connecting the towns of Woodbury and Waterbury via Middlebury.- Route description:Route 64 begins as Sherman Hill Road at an intersection with US 6 in the Pomeraug section of Woodbury and heads east towards Middlebury. After crossing the town line, the road...

) through the town center of Middlebury, then continuing along Route 188 and Waterbury Road into the center of Southbury
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....

. The French army continued west along Main Street South and River Road through Southbury, crossing the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...

 into the town of Newtown
Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...

 using a bridge built in by the Colonial troops in 1778 at Glen Road. The French army continued along Church Hill Road through the center of Newtown where they setup their tenth camp west of the town center. The officers stayed in Caleb Baldwin's Tavern. 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 Route 6. The Reservoir Road portion is well-preserved and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The French army marched along Route 6 and Newtown Road into Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....

. In Danbury, the French troops utilized West Worcester Street, Park Avenue and Backus Avenue to reach the Ridgebury section of the town of Ridgefield
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...

. The eleventh camp was setup on July 1 in Ridgebury near the Congregational Church.
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, the French continued southwest and south following Route 121 past the hamlets of North Salem
North Salem, New York
North Salem is a town in the northeast part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally...

 and Cross River until the hamlet of Bedford Village. The first brigade setup camp in Bedford Village (12th camp) and resumed the following day while the second brigade skipped the Bedford camp. The French continued west along Route 172 to what is now the village of Mount Kisco
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...

, about five miles away west of the Bedford camp. The French stayed in Mount Kisco for several days until the morning of July 6. They marched west and south for 16 miles along Route 133 and Route 100 to the Hartsdale
Hartsdale, New York
Hartsdale is a hamlet and a census-designated place located in the town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,293 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hartsdale is located at ....

 area of the town of Greenburgh
Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census. Paul J. Feiner has been the Town Supervisor since 1991.-History:...

. The French camped in several locations in Greenburgh (14th camp) for the next six weeks.

Historic preservation

A series of sites along the route have been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 or otherwise recognized and preserved. Buildings or roadway or other artifacts at these sites have been preserved and still evoke the army's passage in 1781 and/or its return in 1782. A multiple property documentation study completed in 2001 addressed many of the Connecticut sites, and outlined criteria for NRHP-eligibility of others.
Recognized historic sites include:

in Rhode Island

  • University Hall
    University Hall (Brown University)
    The University Hall at Brown University is the first and oldest building on campus.-History:Built in 1770, it was originally known as the College Edifice...

    , Providence, Rhode Island
  • Waterman's Tavern, Coventry, Rhode Island

in Windham County, Connecticut

  • Dorrance Inn
    Dorrance Inn
    Dorrance Inn, also known as Samuel Dorrance House, is a historic inn at 748 Plainfield Pike in Sterling, Connecticut.It is along the march route taken by French commander Rochambeau's troops en route to Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781 and during its return trip in 1782.It was listed on the National...

    , Sterling, Connecticut
  • Fourth Camp of Rochambeau's Army
    Fourth Camp of Rochambeau's Army
    Fourth Camp of Rochambeau's Army is an archeological site and historic camp site in Windham, Connecticut.It is along the march route taken by French commander Rochambeau's troops in 1781.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003....

    , Windham, Connecticut
  • Forty-Seventh Camp of Rochambeau's Army
    Forty-Seventh Camp of Rochambeau's Army
    The Forty-Seventh Camp of Rochambeau's Army is a historic site in Windham, Connecticut.The camp was utilized in 1782 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003....

    , Windham, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Scotland Road, Windham, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Palmer Road, Scotland, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Manship Road-Barstow Road, Canterbury, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Old Canterbury Road, Plainfield, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Plainfield Pike, Plainfield, Connecticut

in New London County, Connecticut

  • John Trumbull Birthplace
    John Trumbull Birthplace
    John Trumbull Birthplace, also known as Governor Jonathan Trumbull House, is a house on Lebanon Green, in Lebanon, Connecticut. The house was constructed by Joseph Trumbull and inherited by his son Jonathan Trumbull, who became governor....

    , Lebanon, Connecticut
  • Governor Jonathan Trumbull's War Office in Lebanon, Connecticut, also known as the Joseph Trumble Office and Store, which was the most important Revolutionary War-associated building in Connecticut
  • William Williams House, in Lebanon, Connecticut, a U.S. National Historic Landmark
    National Historic Landmark
    A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...


in Tolland County, Connecticut

  • Daniel White Tavern, Andover, Connecticut
  • March Route Rochambeau's Army--Hutchinson Road, Andover, Connecticut
  • Fifth Camp of Rochambeau's Infantry
    Fifth Camp of Rochambeau's Infantry
    The Fifth Camp of Rochambeau's Infantry, also known as Site 12-25, is a historic site and an archeological site in Bolton, Connecticut that is related to the 1781 and/or 1782 march routes of Rochambeau's army....

    , Bolton, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Bailey Road
    March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Bailey Road
    The March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Bailey Road is a section of abandoned, old roadway that is a historic site in Bolton, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003....

    , Bolton, Connecticut

in Hartford County, Connecticut

  • Joseph Webb House
    Joseph Webb House
    The Joseph Webb House is a historic Georgian-style house in Wethersfield, Connecticut that was the site of a five day military conference during the American Revolutionary War. General George Washington came to Wethersfield in order to plan with Rochambeau, the French commander. These plans led...

    , Wethersfield, Connecticut
  • Marion Historic District
    Marion Historic District (Cheshire and Southington, Connecticut)
    The Marion Historic District is a historic district in the Marion section of Southington in Hartford County, Connecticut. The district also includes two houses on the Cheshire side of the town line between Southington and the town of Cheshire in New Haven County. The historic district was listed...

    , Southington, Connecticut
  • Levi B. Frost House
    Levi B. Frost House
    The Levi B. Frost House, also known as Asa Barnes Tavern, is an historic house at 1089 Marion Avenue in the Marion section of Southington, Connecticut, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and historic significance.Asa Barnes established a tavern in this...

     also known as Asa Barnes Tavern in the 1780s, in Southington, Connecticut


in Fairfield County, Connecticut

  • Caleb Baldwin Tavern
    Caleb Baldwin Tavern
    The Caleb Baldwin Tavern is part of the Newtown Borough Historic District, located in Newtown, Connecticut, United States. Built c. 1763, the two-and-a-half-story house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 2002...

    , in Newtown, Connecticut
  • Newtown Borough Historic District
    Newtown Borough Historic District
    The Newtown Borough Historic District is a historic district in the borough of Newtown within the town of Newtown in Fairfield County, Connecticut...

    , Newtown, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Reservoir Road
    March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Reservoir Road
    March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Reservoir Road is a historic site in Newtown, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.It is along the march route taken by French commander Rochambeau's troops in 1781....

    , a segment of roadway in Newtown, Connecticut
    Newtown, Connecticut
    Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...

  • Camps Nos. 10 and 41 of Rochambeau's Army
    Camps Nos. 10 and 41 of Rochambeau's Army
    Camps Nos. 10 and 41 of Rochambeau's Army, also known as Site No. 97-87D, is an archeological site that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.It is along the march route taken by French commander Rochambeau's troops in 1781....

    , Newtown, Connecticut
  • March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Ridgebury Road
    March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Ridgebury Road
    March Route of Rochambeau's Army: Ridgebury Road is a historic site in Ridgefield, Connecticut. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.It is along the march route taken by French commander Rochambeau's troops in 1781....

    , Ridgefield, Connecticut
  • Monroe Center Historic District
    Monroe Center Historic District
    The Monroe Center Historic District is a historic district in Monroe, Connecticut with significance dating to 1762. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977....

    , whose Monroe Center Green was site of a dance for 600 of Rochambeau's troops on June 30, 1781
  • Daniel Basset House
    Daniel Basset House
    The Daniel Basset House in Monroe, Connecticut was built in 1775. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.A ball was held for the French officers of Lauzun's mounted section of Rochambeau's army on June 30, 1781, which camped nearby.It is along the march route taken by...

    , in Monroe, Connecticut
    Monroe, Connecticut
    Monroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,479 at the 2010 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek....

    , built in 1775, site of a ball was held for the French officers of Lauzun's mounted section of Rochambeau
    Rochambeau
    Rochambeau may refer to:* French soldiers:** Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau , French nobleman and soldier who participated in the American Revolutionary War...

    's army on June 30, 1781, which camped nearby.

See also

  • British colonization of the Americas
    British colonization of the Americas
    British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...

  • Colonial America
    Colonial America
    The colonial history of the United States covers the history from the start of European settlement and especially the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain until they declared independence in 1776. In the late 16th century, England, France, Spain and the Netherlands launched major...

  • Colonial American military history
    Colonial American military history
    Colonial American military history is the military record of the Thirteen Colonies from their founding to the American Revolution in 1775. - Rangers :...

  • Colonial history of the United States
  • Historic regions of the United States
    Historic regions of the United States
    This is a list of historic regions of the United States.-Colonial era :-The Thirteen Colonies:* Connecticut Colony* Delaware Colony* Province of Georgia* Province of Maryland...

  • Society of the Cincinnati
    Society of the Cincinnati
    The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...

  • Brown University
    Brown University
    Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

  • Providence, Rhode Island
    Providence, Rhode Island
    Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

  • James Manning
  • James Mitchell Varnum
    James Mitchell Varnum
    James Mitchell Varnum was an American legislator, lawyer and a general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:James Mitchell Varnum was born in Dracut, Massachusetts...

  • Nathanael Greene
    Nathanael Greene
    Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...

  • Armand Louis de Gontaut
    Armand Louis de Gontaut
    Armand Louis de Gontaut, Duc de Lauzun, later duc de Biron, and usually referred to by historians of the French Revolution simply as Biron was a French soldier and politician, known for the part he played in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early titles:Born in...

  • King's Highway (Charleston to Boston)
    King's Highway (Charleston to Boston)
    The King's Highway is a route over in length in the eastern United States. It joins Charleston, South Carolina, to Boston, Massachusetts. It was named after Charles II of England, who in 1650 directed his colonial governors to build it. It did not become a continuous wagon road until 1735...

  • Lauzun's Legion
    Lauzun's Legion
    Lauzun's Legion was a French Regiment in the American War for Independence: Lauzun's Legion principal engagements were White Plains 1781, and Yorktown.-Unit History:...

  • Newtown, Connecticut
    Newtown, Connecticut
    Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...

  • Sons of the American Revolution
    Sons of the American Revolution
    The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a Louisville, Kentucky-based fraternal organization in the United States...

  • History of Trumbull, Connecticut
    History of Trumbull, Connecticut
    -Introduction:Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, was settled owned and controlled by the town of Stratford from 1639 until May 1725 when the northwest farmer's of Stratford petitioned the Colony of Connecticut to establish their own...

  • Jean Baptiste, marquis de Traversay
    Jean Baptiste, marquis de Traversay
    Jean Baptiste Prevost de Sansac, marquis de Traversay was a French creole seaman who distinguished himself in the ranks of Royal French Navy during American Revolutionary War. In 1791, fleeing from hostilities of the French Revolution, Traversay joined Imperial Russian Navy, rising to...

  • Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger
    Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger
    Maxime Julien Émeriau de Beauverger was a French Navy officer and admiral.- American War of Independence :...

  • Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville
    Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville
    Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville was a French admiral and a hero of the American Revolutionary War and of the Napoleonic wars.-Early life:...

  • Gilbert du Motier
  • Louis Marc Antoine de Noailles
  • Georges René Le Peley de Pléville
    Georges René Le Peley de Pléville
    Georges-René Le Pelley de Pléville was the governor of the port of Marseilles, a French admiral, minister for the navy and the colonies from 15 July 1797 to 27 April 1798, a senator, a knight of the Order of St Louis and the Order of Cincinnatus, and one of the very first Grand officiers of the...

  • Charles Armand Tuffin
    Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouerie
    Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie , also known in the United States as "Colonel Armand", was a Breton cavalry officer who served under the American flag during the American War of Independence. He was promoted to brigadier general after the Battle of Yorktown...

  • Jean Gaspard Vence
    Jean Gaspard Vence
    Jean Gaspard de Vence was a French privateer, admiral and Maritime Prefect of Toulon.-Biography:In 1762 at age 15 he entered the merchant navy in Bayonne, sailed to Saint-Domingue and several years later became a captain. Transferred to the Royal Navy, served on a 74-gun battleship «Le...

  • Alexandre-Théodore-Victor
    Alexandre-Théodore-Victor, comte de Lameth
    Alexandre-Théodore-Victor, comte de Lameth was a French soldier and politician.He was born in Paris. Having served in the American War of Independence under Rochambeau, he was sent in 1789 as deputy to the States-General by the nobles of the bailliage of Péronne...

  • Pierre Beaumarchais
  • Charles Gravier
    Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes
    Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes was a French statesman and diplomat. He served as Foreign Minister from 1774 during the reign of Louis XVI, notably during the American War of Independence....

  • King Louis XVI of France
  • François-Joseph Paul
    François Joseph Paul de Grasse
    Lieutenant Général des Armées Navales François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse was a French admiral. He is best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake, which led directly to the British surrender at Yorktown...

  • Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux

External Sources

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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