Washington's Engineer

by Norman Desmarais

  the affair of savannah was I thought a glorious opportunity of distinguishing myself. . . . my disappointment was compleat, I had however this satisfaction to have been among troops, who among the distresses of that unfortunate day, acquired as much glory as if they had been crowned with success—it is without partiality I say that never were greater proofs of true valour exhibited than at the assault at Savannah. . . .

  there my military career was stopped for a time by a wound I received that day which detained me in bed till january 1780—my weak state of health did not permit me to work at the fortification of charlestown, and when the enemy debarked I still was obliged to use a crutch. . . . the 30th march . . . the major who commanded the light infantry being wounded by the fire, I supplied his place. . . . I successfully opposed the parties sent by the enemy to reconnoitre the works . . . from this moment to the reduction of the place. . . . I attached myself wherever I could render the least service.

  . . . sensible of the duty of an officer and jealous of my personal honor I have done nothing with a lucrative view, my ambition was to gain the general esteem of the army and perticularly to merit the approbation of your Excellency deprived (by my captivity) in sharing in the reduction of Yorktown I dare, however . . . compare the merit of several unfortunate campaigns with the good fortune of those who happened to be at York. . . .

  I have etc. L’ENFANT, capt. of the corps of engineers.30

  The commander in chief wrote a personal reply on March 1, 1782, expressing his sympathy at seeing “inferior officers promoted over one’s head.”31 He explained that he had no part in the promotion of Rochefontaine, that it was done solely on the recommendation of Duportail to Congress and according to the custom in Europe. The letter ended with the following complimentary observations regarding L’Enfant’s record: “Your zeal & active services are such as reflect the highest honor on yourself and are extremely pleasing to me and I have no doubt they will have their due weight with Congress in any future promotion in your corps.”32

  The French minister wrote General Washington about this time, asking that L’Enfant be permitted to remain a month at Philadelphia and adding, “[H]is presence will be very helpful in constructing a hall which I am making in order to give to Congress and the inhabitants of Philadelphia a festival to celebrate the birth of Monseigneur the Dauphin.”33 Washington replied, begging his excellency to be assured that he is most happy to have the opportunity of doing him a favor “but especially on the present occasion,” which he viewed as “diffusing the most sensible joy to the allied nations of France and America.”34

  L’Enfant received his long-desired promotion of major by brevet, as did Major Villefranche and Lieutenant Colonel Cambray on May 2, 1783. This was shortly after Congress ratified the Preliminaries of Peace on April 15, 1783, and Washington’s announcement to the army of the cessation of hostilities.

  L’Enfant’s most signal honor, however, was having his design chosen for the insignia of the Order of the Society of the Cincinnati, which was organized May 10–13, 1783, at Newburg on the Hudson, where the army was encamped. Washington, as the first president, had written to the major, asking him to suggest a design. L’Enfant replied in a lengthy letter on June 10, published many times since by the society in their records, in which he says in part,

  Dear General:

  Immediately on receiving your letter of the 20th May . . . I set about the plan of the medal: I send you the design with both faces made very large so that you may better judge of them. . . . I have not complied with your desire to make it oval, as such a form for a medal is not proper. . . . A medal is a monument to be transmitted to posterity and consequently it is necessary that it be executed to the highest degree of perfection possible in the age in which it is struck.35

  The society approved his design at the next meeting:

  Cantonment of the American Army, 18 June, 1783

  Resolved that the bald Eagle, carrying the Emblem on its breast be established as the Order of the Society, and that the Ideas of Major L’Enfant respecting it and the Manner of its being worn by the Members be adopted. . . .

  Resolved That the thanks of this convention be transmitted by the President to Major L’Enfant for his care and ingenuity in preparing the aforementioned designs, and that he be acquainted that they cheerfully embrace his offer of Assistance, and request a continuance of his Attentions in carrying the Design into Execution, for which purpose the President is desired to correspond with him.36

  L’Enfant was given leave of absence from the army in October until May of the following year for the purpose of going to France on his own private affairs.37 Duportail, Gouvion, Laumoy, Cambrai, Villefranche, and others joined the Order of the Cincinnati before leaving America.38 Later, L’Enfant planned the national capital in Washington, DC.

  Jean-Bernard Gauthier de Murnan

  Jean-Bernard Gauthier de Murnan joined the Corps of Engineers while the Continental Army was at Valley Forge in 1778. He served as major to the end of the war and received honorable testimonials from his superior officers, Generals Sullivan, Lafayette, Hand, and Howe, and later from the Chevalier de Choisy, under whom he served before and at Yorktown. There was one unfortunate incident while he was in Connecticut that called forth a letter from the governor. He was said to have stabbed a sergeant in a quarrel, but the case seems to have been amicably settled, as he remained in the army there. When the French army joined that under Washington at Philipsburg before marching south to Yorktown, he stayed at Newport under the orders of Choisy, who was left to guard the port with a detachment of four hundred men. This detachment later followed Barras’s fleet and took up its post at Gloucester on the opposite bank of the York River.

  Congress granted Murnan a certificate on May 24, 1783, attesting to his “activity, intelligence and bravery on all occasions.”39 There is no evidence that General Duportail attempted to secure a raise in rank for this officer at any time after Yorktown, probably because Murnan temporarily left the corps and joined the French army.

  Jean-Louis-Ambroise de Genton de Villefranche

  Major Villefranche’s painstaking, plodding part in the Revolution deserves special attention. He never failed in his duty, though he regretfully saw the opportunity of taking part in an active, energetic campaign pass him by more than once. The commanding engineer at West Point might have been called into active service had Washington’s favorite plan of attacking the British in New York become reality. But though the British soon lost control of the approaches to the defense of the Highlands and though there was no attempt to capture West Point after Arnold’s treason, the significance of the post on the Hudson remained unimpaired until the close of the war, and its superintending engineer was a person of outstanding importance.

  Villefranche was ordered to West Point during the summer of 1780 to replace Colonel Kosciusko. Washington wrote to General Arnold, then in command,

  Head Quarters, Peekskill 6th Augt. 1780

  Sir,

  Col. Kosciusko having permission to join the southern army—Major Villefranche has directions to repair to West Point and take upon him the superintendence of the Works. You will, I am persuaded, find this Gentleman fully acquainted with his Business, and I doubt not but he will give general satisfaction to those with whom he will be immediately concerned in the execution of the Works.

  I am etc.

  Go. WASHINGTON.

  There are many letters, reports, and so on in the handwriting of Major Villefranche in the Washington Papers and from the generals immediately over him that show the painstaking attention to detail that characterizes his work. Finely drawn maps of the region (published by Justin Winsor in his history) also remain, testifying to his skill and knowledge of technique.

  When the army moved south at the end of August 1781, Villefranche hoped to be allowed to go also. Instead, he was sent west into the Indian country to rebuild the defenses near Fort Herkimer. When he learned that the officers who took part in the siege of
Yorktown were getting promotions in rank, he must also have expected a promotion. General Heath wrote to the commander in chief about him on February 21, 1782,

  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 are fit to be captains but not to be field officers, so that sistem ought to be left aside, merit, activity and attention constantly pay’d to instruction, duty and discipline must be the only recommendation for promotion above the rank of captain, a board of superior officers be the judge of it, and the necessary precautions to be taken to hinder private interest from prevailing.

  as the number of troops keept on foot during the time of peace shall be inadequate to that necessary in time of war, they must be alwais in the best and most regular order, so that being distributed among the regiments raised for a war they should bring with them discipline, instruction and enable the other men to perform in a short space of time every part of a soldier’s duty with propriety.

  the young officers who should be willing to acquire some military knowledge ought to be permitted to follow the after mentioned military academy and proper encouragement given to them, those to be admitted in the quarter master department ought to be obliged to it, because it is not only to perform their duty in all its different parts chiefly when an army of some extent has to move in a difficult country.

  It is not very difficult to form an officer of foot, or of horse, it does not require a long space of time, but an officer of Artillery and an Engineer want a great application to be perfectly instructed in all the different branches of their service. being more acquainted with the duty of these two corps than of any other I will particularize as much as in my power the different methods to be follow’d for the instruction of their officers, and the regulations to be established to attain it. Their service is of so important a nature, and of such a consequence in the field that no pains ought to be spared to have them fully acquainted with the theorical and practical parts of it

  the military operations of these two corps have such a connection that it is not possible to be a good officer of Artillery without having a pretty extensive knowledge of the service of an Engineer and this one to serve with some reputation must be acquainted with the principal parts of the artillery service, then I think that it should be advantageous to the good of the service to have these two corps united, to form one only, and that each officer should acquire the necessary knowledge to be able to perform with propriety what belong to one or the other of these two duties, according to what circumstances should require from him.

  A well-established military academy and kept up with great care, is the basis which is to serve t
o raise that corps to the pitch of instruction necessary to it. officers of knowledge, carefull, and attentive must be put at the head of it, they must consider that the pains they shall take are to form officers who are to have charge afterwards of important operations, which require sometimes great military talents. there must be attached to it a good professor of mathematicks and another of drawing. every young gentleman to be admitted in the said academy must have had a liberal education, and be previously instructed in arithmetick, geometry including trigonometry, at his coming in, his knowledge of mathematicks must be carry’d to perfection, he shall receive instruction about the different machines employed by the artillery or the engineers, their construction, the forces to be employed to put them in motion, and their effect. he shall be taught to survey by every method, and to draw exactly the ground surveyed by him, to make plans and profils of works and buildings in the greatest detail, the above mentioned parts belong entirely to the professors, what follows must be thought [taught] by the commanding officers