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

These barracks ought to be in the works where they will admit them—and where they will be so near as to always be sure of a communication on any sudden emergency and effectively protected by the fire from the works. How far can the bomb-proofs be made to answer the purpose?

General Duportail sent in a lengthy report two days later, covering the works.19 He was still in camp with Washington on October 3 when Washington wrote to General Wayne that General Duportail planned to reconnoiter the post of Stony Point the following day “to ascertain the distances from the enemy’s works to the places proper for the establishing of batteries.”20 He requested an escort to meet him and a reconnoitering party consisting of a regiment.

ARNOLD’S TREASON

Duportail was ordered south in 1780, leaving Lieutenant Colonel Gouvion in command of the defenses of the Highlands. When Gouvion left West Point to replace Duportail at Washington’s side, Major Villefranche replaced him in the Highlands. In August 1780, Washington sent Gouvion to examine the fortifications with Villefranche to correct any deficiencies. They found some matters needed urgent attention.

Gouvion’s report to the commander in chief, dated August 22, 1780, began as follows:

Sir,

I received last night the letter your Excellency has honored me with; your orders concerning the safety of this post shall be exactly complied with.

Villefranche soon directed more than four hundred men to repair the works, while a band of ten musicians eased their labor. Although the newly formed companies of sappers and miners should have assisted Villefranche, they were stationed instead at Dobb’s Ferry with the artillery until the end of October, when they moved to West Point for the winter. Construction and repairs lagged, and West Point became weaker.

General Benedict Arnold had been put in command of the post early that year, replacing General Robert Howe. While the work of strengthening the weaknesses in the fortifications was progressing, Arnold was secretly communicating with the enemy, plotting to deliver the whole into their hands. British spy master Major John André was captured on September 26, and Arnold fled, making his complicity evident. Washington arrived and immediately took possession of West Point. Surprise, terror, and consternation spread like wildfire, but Arnold’s treachery had some beneficial effects on the country at large. It rekindled the fires of patriotism, which were in danger of being extinguished.21

The situation of American affairs was extremely distressing. The allies had no decisive victory since Saratoga, and they progressively lost territory since General William Howe evacuated Philadelphia in 1778.22 D’Estaing’s fleet returned to the West Indies after the repulse at Savannah in the fall of 1779, leaving the entire Atlantic coastline exposed. The small fleet that had brought Rochambeau and his army had been anchored at Newport since July 1780, but both fleet and the army were too small for their respective commanders to attack the enemy safely until reinforcements arrived from France. The whole southern army remained prisoners at Charleston.

Little else happened in the Highlands throughout the harsh winter of 1779–1780, except the construction of barracks and the customary repairs to the great chain. Kosciusko attempted to build some fortifications, but the lack of artificers and laborers, a recurring problem at West Point, stymied him, as did the difficulty of transporting materials to the mountains.23

JOINT CAMPAIGN

The real campaign of the year, however, had been arranged in May with the French minister plenipotentiary Gérard, who visited Washington’s headquarters at Middlebrook. They planned a combined action of the American army and the French fleet under Admiral d’Estaing, preferably against New York. Washington had requested that the French fleet

proceed with all despatch directly from Martinique to New York, so as to arrive there before the return to the harbor of Admiral Byron’s squadron, which had wintered in the Caribbean. Washington considered it essential to any extensive combined operations, that France maintain a clear superiority over the British naval force in America. If this plan should not meet with favorable consideration he suggested that d’Estaing sail for the South Atlantic coast and give aid to General Lincoln in driving the enemy from the province of Georgia, which had been invaded by the British the preceding November.24

The season was nearly over to accomplish much of anything for that year. Meanwhile, illness forced Mr. Gérard to leave his post. He was replaced by the Chevalier de la Luzerne, who had visited Washington at camp in the Highlands in September. He landed in New England and made a detour on his way to Philadelphia. As the new minister knew nothing more than Washington about the location of the French fleet, they reviewed the plans agreed upon with Gérard but could make no definite arrangements.25 Luzerne continued on his route to Philadelphia, and Washington continued to strengthen the defenses of the Hudson.

A messenger from Congress arrived at 12:30 p.m. on October 3 with news of the French alliance. One dispatch contained two letters Congress received from the French minister, the Chevalier de la Luzerne, sent from Charleston, South Carolina, with the dates of September 5 and 8, that told of the arrival of the Comte d’Estaing’s fleet off the shores of Georgia. Another dispatch was a resolution from Congress “authorizing and directing” Washington “to concert and execute such plans of cooperation with the Minister of France or the Count as he may think proper.” The resolution said,

Whereas, Congress have received authentick information of the arrival of Count D’Estaing with a powerful fleet within these United States; and whereas by the vigorous exertions of the said states, the allied forces may be able to strike an important blow against the enemy,

Resolved that it be most earnestly recommended to the several states to furnish General Washington with such aid as he may require of them respectively, as well as detachments from their militia as by providing that the allied armaments in the United States be speedily and effectively furnished with ample provisions; and that the most vigorous exertions be made for that purpose.26

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