Washington's Engineer by Norman Desmarais (best romantic novels in english TXT) 📗

on that date and authorized a $2,000 payment for Duportail and $1,000 and $600 for his assistants, Colonel Radière and Major Jean-Louis-Ambroise de Genton, Chevalier de Villefranche.10

Duportail’s title was changed to commandant of the Corps of Engineers and Sappers and Miners on May 11, 1779. Later, he and Colonel Alexander Hamilton were sent to meet with Admiral d’Estaing and deliver confidential dispatches to him regarding a joint operation with the French fleet and the Continental Army and to confer with him about combined operations when the French fleet reached northern waters. However, the French and American forces were repulsed at Savannah on October 9, and only one ship made it to the Chesapeake. After a time, with no sign of the French fleet on the Delaware, the operation was aborted. There is no further mention of Duportail’s connection with the defenses of the Delaware.

DUPORTAIL AT WEST POINT

As the British were beginning the systematic reduction of the South, Jean-Louis-Ambroise de Genton, Chevalier de Villefranche, was left in charge of the defense of the Delaware, while Laumoy proceeded south to assist in the construction of the defensive works there. Duportail went north to take command at West Point. He was ordered on June 9 to furnish a draft of West Point and its environs, including the communication with the camp. Washington was greatly relieved to have his commandant of engineers at that important post and had readily consented to allow Colonel Engineer Thaddeus Kosciusko to join General Gates at New York before accompanying him to the defense of the South.11

Brigadier General Anthony Wayne stormed Stony Point on July 16, capturing the British position with a vast amount of stores of all kinds. British retaliation prevented the Continental Army from garrisoning the height. They destroyed the fort after removing the stores and withdrew.

The British Army took possession again of both Stony and Verplanck Points, constructed new defenses, and replenished their magazines. As British troop movements to the south seemed to indicate the arrival of reinforcements, the American generals, uncertain of the enemy’s intentions, wanted to attempt the recapture of Stony and Verplanck Points, hoping to repulse the British. Duportail was ordered on July 20 “to appoint engineers to superintend and direct the new works on the heights east and west of the river.”12

The commander in chief convened a Council of War on July 26 to discuss the situation.13 As was his custom, he requested opinions be sent in writing. Duportail’s memorial, dated July 27, 1779, clarified the matter, as he saw it:

West Point being to us a point which it is of the greatest importance to preserve and to put once for all in a state of defence. I think that we ought not to touch the fund of troops necessary to the defence of this post, in its present state, and to the construction of the works already undertaken. According to what his Excellency has been pleased to submit to our view, it appears that we have there about 5000 men—This is perhaps more than sufficient to receive the enemy till the rest of the army can arrive to their succour, but it is not too much for the work we are carrying on—I therefore think it best to leave them there—The question then is what we can do with the rest—can we attack Stony Point or Verplank’s point?

The English having augmented considerably the number of their troops at Stony Point, laboring to inclose their works and probably keeping themselves more upon their guard than heretofore, I think that we ought not to attack them, because we should be likely to lose a good many men and perhaps without success—Besides according to my conception of the matter we should not have any great advantage by gaining possession of Stony Point; because we must be also masters of Verplank’s—Here then is another fort to be attacked and taken, which can hardly be hoped for, the enemy being advertised to go to the succour of the one by the capture of the other; and after all we should be masters of both places, I do not see what would result from it to us, so very advantageous. Our army (after leaving the necessary army at West Point) not being in a state to make head during the campaign below King’s ferry, I do not see what good we should derive from the possession of these places—the army could not go farther down on this account and as to the communication by water, a single English frigate always has been able and always would be able to hinder it. If we should attack Stony point, it could only be to possess ourselves of the garrison and of the magazines, but though we have succeeded once without loss, we must not believe that we should succeed in the same manner a second time; and it would not be prudent to risk the loss of a great number of men upon hopes not well founded, who may become very useful to us.—The arrival of Lord Cornwallis and the strong appearances of an embarcation seem to indicate that the English have received, or are sure of receiving, a reinforcement which enables them to send troops to Carolina or elsewhere—Perhaps therefore until we know with what number of troops we shall have to do, it will be proper not to adventure our troops in expeditions more than uncertain.

We cannot propose to ourselves to attack Stony point by regular approaches.—The ground which is on a level with it, or which commands it, is too distant for the batteries erected there, to be able to batter the works with advantage and render them more easy to be carried with assault, in which it must ultimately end. Besides, by the disposition of the roads, we should run great risk of losing our cannon mortars etc.

What I say respecting the attack of Stony Point sword in hand, applies itself to Verplank’s point—But as to attacks by means of batteries Ver-plank’s point