Washington's Engineer

by Norman Desmarais

  Resolved, That the Secretary at War express to the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Most Christian Majesty in America, the high sense Congress entertain of the zeal, abilities and conduct of these officers during their service in the Army of the United States, to the end that the said Minister may convey to his Court, the approbation of Congress of their distinguished merit.

  Resolved, That the Superintendant of finance cause the accounts of Major General Du Portail, Brigadier General Laumoy and Colonel Gouvion, to be immediately adjusted, and advance to them respectively, such sums as the state of the public finances will, in his opinion, admit, giving them certificates on interest for the balances which may be found due to them.25

  RESIGNATION

  General Duportail resigned his commission in the Continental Army that same day and returned to France on October 10, 1783. He rejoined the French army as lieutenant colonel attached to the infantry, which was his only option to advance to higher positions of responsibility, but he had to fight hard to get rewarded. He and his companions benefited from the king’s support when they left France and from the American commander in chief’s and Congress’s deserved praises during the American War of Independence. Fortunately, Lafayette’s support was most valuable.

  Before leaving America, General Laumoy requested a certificate from Washington. Washington forwarded the request to Congress on October 14, along with a detailed account of his various employments in the service of America. He also wrote about the services of General Laumoy on October 18, in part, “[T]hroughout the course of his services he has shown great knowledge of his profession and has acquitted himself with that zeal, activity and bravery which entitle him to the character of a good officer and an able Engineer.”26

  Congress ordered a few days later that their passage would be at the expense of the United States: “Resolved, (October 16) That the agent of Marine provide Major General du Portail, Brigadier General Laumoy, and Colonel Gouvion with a passage to France, in the ship Washington and that they be informed of the same.”27

  General Duportail wrote to the commander in chief very soon after Congress passed a resolution excusing them from further service. The letter began by referring to General Washington’s expressions of regret to the two French officers to see them quit the service. Duportail pointed out that the same method of approach as formerly used would have to be followed if the services of any one of them were really desired. As Congress did not make any request to the French government through its minister, their only option was to return to France.

  Washington replied promptly on October 18,

  Genl Laumoy and Col. Gouvion did me justice in mentioning the regret I feel at your intention of leaving this Country. The personal attraction which naturally grows out of such a length of service together, had I no other motive would occasion a regret at parting, but it is considerably heightened by your quitting the service and thereby depriving me of the hope of seeing you return to benefit the country by your abilities and experience in your profession, [interlined, thought not clearly expressed] if such an establishment as this great Empire ought to adopt for the peace of it, should be finally agreed to, but which this moment is yet undecided.

  It would afford me much pleasure to tell you this personally before your departure, but if I should not have this satisfaction I beg you to be assured that you carry with you every good wish I can form for you, also that I shall ever retain a grateful sense of the aids I have derived from your knowledge & advice and more especially for the repeated testimonials I have recd. of your friendship and attachment for me.28

  Duportail’s mission and that of his companions came to an end. They were still in the United States on October 18, 1783, because Laumoy received a certificate from Washington attesting to his services. General Laumoy and Colonel Gouvion probably traveled to headquarters to take their leave of Washington. They must have departed shortly after because Laumoy’s letter of gratitude to Washington was addressed from Brest, where they arrived after a rapid crossing of thirty-one days.

  Everybody who knew Gouvion loved him, and Washington seems to have held him in high regard. He wrote two testimonials to the French authorities, and Lafayette was particularly charged to acquaint the ministers with the high regard he enjoyed in America. The first testimonial is addressed to “His Exe. the Marq. de Bouille”:

  Head Quarters at Newburg 23d March 1783

  Sir

  Tho a stranger to your person, I am not so to your character—of the last I have the honor to rank myself among the first of your admirers.—Under the sanction of this profession, which I assure you is sincere, permit me to introduce to your Excellency’s civilities Mons. Gouvion, a Colonel in the American Service of distinguished abilities and of whose intelligence, bravery and zeal I have had the most unequivocal proofs.

  On whatever expedition your Excellency may embark, and in whatever enterprise engage, my warmest wishes shall attend you, and if it is possible that you may increase that military fame which is at present so high.

  I have the honor etc.29

  The second testimonial is addressed to the “Baron de Viomenil”:

  Hdqr. Newburg 23, March

  I could not let Col. Gouvion (to whom I pray your civilities and they cannot be bestowed on a more worthy man), depart without bearing with him this testimony of my remembrance of a corps, to whom gratitude, and every other consideration—public and private has bound me—

  GEORGE WASHINGTON30

  In a final letter to his chief, Gouvion says,

  Sir At the moment of leaving this country where I had the honour of serving for seven years under your command, I beg your Excellency’s leave to express to you how grateful I am for all the favours which you have been pleased to bestow upon me. Although the part I acted in this happy and glorious revolution was but small, I shall always take pride in remembering that I was an American officer. the testimonies I have of the satisfaction your Excellency had of my services will in every time be dear to me. they were my only wish and I feel very happy in having obtained them.

  May your Excellency experience from his country a gratitude so well deserved, but which can never be equal to the unparalleled toils, labours and cares you have sustained to save it, may you for a long while see its inhabitants enjoy . . happiness and prosperity.31

  REPORT OF A COMMITTEE ON A MILITARY PEACE ARRANGEMENT

  Congress accepted on October 23, 1783, Duportail’s September 30 memorial entitled “Report of a Committee on a Military Peace Arrangement”:

  The Committee are of opinion that the principles laid down by Major General Du Portail, Chief Engineer, in the Memorial annexed to this report, so far as they respect merely the article of fortifications are in general sound and just; and that it will be expedient for Congress, as soon as they have determined upon the Corps of Engineers to instruct the head of that Corps to make a survey of the points proper to be fortified and to digest a plan, proportioned to the Military establishment of the United States, to be laid before Congress for their consideration.

  A committee consisting of Hugh Williamson, William Ellery, and Samuel Osgood considered General Duportail’s request of October 29, 1783, for some immediate payment for himself and other officers belonging to the Corps of Engineers whose accounts had not been settled as Congress had authorized on October 10. The pay they received for a considerable time was in depreciated money and very unequal to their actual expenses. Some of them depended on remittances from their friends in France for their support, while others less fortunate contracted considerable debts in America. Their situation was such that they did not have the means of subsisting in America nor of returning to France unless some part of the money due them was paid.

  There is no response from Paymaster Pierce to Williamson’s query in the Papers of the Continental Congress, but the committee recommended payment on January 21, 1784. The motion was adopted the following day, and Congress passed the following resolution:

  Resolved, T
hat the superintendant of finance take order for paying to the foreign officers of the late corps of engineers, and to the foreign officers lately belonging to the legionary corps, commanded by Brigadier-General Armand, also to Major Seconde, Captain Beaulieu, late of General Pulaski’s corps, and to Captain Ponthiere, late aid to the Baron Steuben, such sums on account of their pay as may be necessary to relieve them from their present embarrassments, and enable those in America to return to their native country and that he take such measures for facilitating the payment of the balances which may remain due to them as may comport with the condition of the finances of the U.S.32

  Duportail’s last letter to General Washington was sent from Paris on December 24, 1783:

  Dear General i arrived here ten days ago from london; i landed at plymouth, traveled through England about three hundred miles and stayed at london five days; i intended to stay sometime longer but was prevented by different news i heard from here—your excellency will not be surprised of that tour of mine after the american war it was certainly curious to see england & to observe the effect of their misfortunes the alterations it ought to produce in their government and so for those reasons i propose to return there in two months hence there is now in that city and throughout the country another cause of fermentation. it is the affair of the east indies. as you receive probably the english papers i thinck it superfluous to give your excellency any account of it—but i will be satisfied with saying to you that after all that i heard of the situation of their affairs in that part of the world, it is a great pity that France has made peace with england so for one year more and probably they were irrecoverably lost there. it is what i imagined while in america—i cannot give you any interesting news from this place. pleasure, diversions are the first objects which strike the attention here and the person arriving should thinck that there are no other affairs in paris. to know that it is not so requires some stay so as i cannot give you anything interesting in politics i am almost tempted to give you something in the physical way but i suppose this same ship will carry you from every one or your correspondents great particulars about the merveille of the time. your excellency conceives that i am speaking of the air baloon the most extraordinary discovery ever made but in that very matter i am yet pretty ignorant; i had not yet time since i am here of penetrating into all the proceedings. Chv. de Chastillux to whom i delivered your letter told me that he intended to give your excellency an account of it. nobody can do it better than that gentleman.—

  everybody here, dear general, asks me if you intend to come over—i give them little hope after what you told me. your excellency may be certain that he would be received in France with great pleasure but no body could have a greater satisfaction to see you than myself—you may be an object of admiration from those who are at a distance and who know only your military and political life but for those who are so happy as to be particularly acquainted with your excellency’s private character you are equally an object of veneration and attachment—however if i have little hopes of seeing you in France i hope to see you in america for i am far from renouncing from that country forever. maybe i shall be able to tell you more about it a few weeks hence. i suppose this letter will find your excellency in Virginia. permit me to present my respects to Mrs. Washington and my compliments to the gentlemen our companions in the war who are so happy as to live near you. i have the honor to be etc.

  Duportail33

  Major General Duportail’s letter of November 6, 1783, recommending the promotion of Captain Castaing to the rank of major by brevet, was read before Congress on December 24, 1783, and referred to a committee consisting of Jacob Read, Edward Hand, and James Monroe. They considered the matter on February 26, 1784, and reported that Captain Castaing received a promotion by brevet as an officer of a regiment in the late Massachusetts line:

  But that as his extraordinary services out of the line of duty of his regiment, as an aid de camp to Major General Duportail for four years and particularly in the defence of Charles Town in So. Carolina and the seige and reduction of York Town in Virginia and the recommendation given him by the letter of Major General Duportail deserve the acknowledgement and attention of Congress, And as the dissolution of the army prevents any inconvenience, arising on the subject of this promotion in the line of the regiment to which Capt. Castaing lately belonged, and the rank requested may prove useful to him in his own country, your Committee recommend that the request of Major General Duportail, in behalf of Capt. Castaing be granted, and that the Secretary in the War Office do make out, and enclose to Capt. Castaing the brevet of Major in the Army of the United States of America.34

  The motion was defeated.

  SERVICE IN THE FRENCH ARMY

  Duportail returned to France as brigadier des armées du roi (brigadier general of the king’s armies). He and Gouvion accompanied the Marquis de Lafayette to Silesia in August and September 1785 for Prussian army drills. On June 16, 1787, the king ordered Duportail to accompany the Baron de Sales to Naples and to serve under him to train the Army of the Two Sicilies for two years. He was appointed to the general staff of the French armies as Aide-Maréchal des Logis, that is, Sous-chef d’état-major des Armées (assistant quartermaster general) on June 29, 1787. He was promoted to field marshal (Maréchal de camp) on March 9, 1788, at the age of forty-four. He was noticed for his authority in suppressing a riot in the government of Rouen in Normandy without bloodshed and for his organizational abilities in merging the artillery and engineers and in the reorganization of the general staff of the army. He retired from the general staff on May 14, 1789.

  He was given regional command of Flanders on March 7, 1790, and was appointed to the regional command of the departments of Eure and the lower Seine on October 15, 1790.

  MINISTER OF WAR

  Duportail succeeded La Tour du Pin as minister of war (November 1790–December 1791) during the French Revolution. He resigned a year later to accept a military appointment in Lorraine.

  In assuming the ministry, he found the Royal Army so disorganized that it invited a complete audit. The status of the troops was a complete disaster. Out of a theoretical total of 140,965 officers, subalterns, and rank-and-file, few fought in America, and many were absent from their units. He was constrained to make a regulation on February 4, 1791, creating a corps of 100,000 auxiliaries between the ages of eighteen and forty, enlisting in the army for three years in time of war. On June 21, the assembly sent 26,000 national guardsmen to the borders.

  Duportail realized on October 11, 1791, that he had only forty-four battalions of volunteers, and most of them were undermanned. He also realized that 1,932 officers had left their post in the infantry and cavalry, and he could only find 764 replacements, while the assembly decided to raise the number of troops to about 176,616 officers and soldiers.

  Duportail would be criticized for a lack of muskets, even though the government decided in 1784 to cut back its orders for weapons. As national production was insufficient, his efforts to diversify the rapid acquisition of new weapons during very difficult economic times would attract unscrupulous suppliers, sometimes recommended by subordinates. There was also a lack of horses, especially for the artillery, for the same reasons. That would lead to abnormally high expenses to bring them up to code.

  However, his biggest difficulty was the general lack of discipline, and he was accused of finishing his overhaul of the army by allowing soldiers to visit clubs. He believed that allowing soldiers to frequent popular clubs and organizations, where new ideas were read and discussed, would bring new ideas into the army. He hoped that this would result in better cohesion between the officers, subalterns, and enlisted men and eliminate insubordination. Duportail wanted to ensure that the army would not become an instrument of the counterrevolution.

  The queen’s partisans wanted to chase him out of the ministry as quickly as possible. The patriots criticized his allegiance to the king and blamed him for leaving the volunteers without arms or equipment. H
e would also be attacked by both the military committee of the legislature and the revolutionaries from the summer of 1791. He tendered his resignation on December 3, 1791, and it was quickly accepted. He was replaced three days later, not by the man he proposed, but by Louis Marie Jacques Amalric, Comte de Narbonne-Lara. Later, during the French Revolution, he was forewarned of threats against his life.

  He was promoted to lieutenant general on January 13, 1792, and commanded the Twenty-First Division at Moulins on February 22, but he never reached his post. This assignment bore a note saying, “never reported,” which indicates both the state of his health and the hatred against him. Everyone who was appointed by the king or who was in charge of a ministry was suspected of hatching plots against the nation.

  The legislative assembly accused him on August 15, 1792, of having entered into negotiations with émigrés and having worked against the constitution. He left the army and concealed himself in Paris for about twenty-two months, before fleeing to the United States in 1794, where he became head of the Corps of Engineers.

  10

  AMERICAN CITIZEN AND FARMER

  Louis Duportail and the French officers swore allegiance to the United States while serving in the Continental Army at Valley Forge in 1778. General Washington witnessed Duportail signing the document that ipso facto conferred citizenship and served the French general in good stead when he fled the Reign of Terror fifteen years later. He sought refuge in America and intended to buy land and to establish himself there. His flight from France did not permit him to bring very much. The inventory of his property after his death lists only his books, which consisted of about thirty volumes, mostly about agriculture and his need to enrich his vocabulary in these matters.