American Aurora
Page 46
While the British army enjoys Philadelphia, George Washington settles his motley army at Valley Forge, a hilly campground about twenty miles north of the city. Physician General Benjamin Rush:
On my way to Yorktown [Pennsylvania], where the Congress then sat, I passed through the army at Valley Forge, where I saw similar marks of filth, waste of public property, and want of discipline which I had recently witnessed in the hospitals. General Sullivan (at whose house I breakfasted) said to me, “Sir, this is not an army—it is a mob.” Here a new source of distress was awakened in my mind. I felt for the safety and independence of my country as well as for the sufferings of the sick under my care. All that I had heard from General Stephen, Colonel Reed, Mr. Mifflin, and some others was now revived in my mind. I found alarm and discontent among many members of Congress. While there, I wrote a short account of the state of our hospitals and of the army to Patrick Henry and concluded my letter by quoting a speech of General Conway’s unfriendly to the talents of the Commander in Chief.1032
Saturday, December 13, 1777. Today, in the Continental Congress, the Journals report:
Resolved, That two inspectors general be now appointed:
Congress proceeded to the election, and, the ballots being taken, Brigadier General [Thomas] Conway was elected …
Resolved, That another major general be appointed in the army of the United States.
The ballots being taken, Brigadier General [Thomas] Conway was elected.1033
Thursday, December 18, 1777. In Paris, the news is good! The French arms and ammunition that Benjamin Franklin released in January and that allowed Horatio Gates his victory at Saratoga may be followed by French fleets and armies. Today, Benjamin Franklin writes the Continental Congress:
[W]e received your Dispatches … by a Packet from Boston, which brought the great News of Burgoyne’s Defeat and Surrender, News that apparently occasion’d as much general Joy in France as if it had been a Victory of their own Troops over their own Enemies; such is the universal, warm and sincere Goodwill and Attachment to us and our Cause in this Nation.
We took the Opportunity of pressing the Ministry by a short Memorial to the Conclusion of our propos’d treaty …
M. Gerard, one of the Secretaries, came Yesterday to inform us, by order of the King, that … in council it was decided and his Majesty was determined to acknowledge our Independence and make a Treaty with us of Amity and Commerce; that in this Treaty no Advantage would be taken of our present Situation to obtain terms from us which otherwise would not be convenient for us to agree to; his Majesty desiring that the Treaty, once made, should be durable, and our Amity subsist forever … that, in doing this, he might probably soon be engag’d in war, with all the Expences, Risque and Damage usually attending it, yet he should not expect any Compensation from us on that Account, nor pretend that he acted wholly for our sakes; since, besides his real Goodwill to us and our Cause, it was manifestly the Interest of France that the power of England should be diminish’d by our Separation from it …1034
Friday, December 19, 1777. Today, the Continental Congress hears complaints from Pennsylvania and New Jersey about George Washington’s Fabian tactics. The Journals report:
Congress resumed the consideration of … the remonstrance from the executive council and assembly of Pennsylvania; Whereupon,
Resolved, That a copy of the remonstrance be transmitted by express to General Washington, and that he be desired to inform Congress … what measures are agreed upon for the protection of … Pennsylvania …:
That General Washington be further informed that, in the opinion of Congress, the State of New Jersey demands … the protection of the armies of the United States …1035
Pennsylvania’s executive council and general assembly have remonstrated against Washington’s retreat to Valley Forge:
1st. That by the Army’s removal … [a] great part of this state … must be left in the Power of the Enemy, subject to their Ravages …
2d …. [T]oo many of our People are so disaffected already … [T]hose who have taken the most active Part in support of our Cause will be discouraged & give up all as lost.
3d. [B]y the removal of our Army, it will be impossible to recruit …
4th. The Army removing … must give a fatal Stab to the Credit of the Continental Currency … [I]t is very difficult to purchase from many of our most able Farmers the necessary Provisions of our Army, owing to their fear of the money …1036
Tuesday, December 23, 1777. Today, George Washington writes the president of the Continental Congress:
[U]nless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line, this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things. Starve, dissolve, or disperse in order to obtain subsistence …
Yesterday afternoon … to my great mortification, I was not only informed, but convinced, that the men were unable to stir on Acct of Provision, and that a dangerous Mutiny, begun the Night before and [which] with difficulty was suppressed … was still much to be apprehended …
All I could do under these circumstances was to send out a few light Parties to watch and harass the Enemy … [W]ith truth, then, I can declare that no Man in my opinion ever had his measures more impeded than I have by every department of the Army.1037
Tuesday, December 30, 1777. Today, the Marquis de Lafayette writes George Washington of dissatisfaction in the Continental Congress:
There are open dissensions in Congress, … stupid men who without knowing a single word about war undertake to judge you, to make ridiculous comparisons; they are infatuated with Gates without thinking of the different circumstances, and believe that attaking is the only thing necessary to conquer …
I have been surprised at first to see the new establishment of this board of war, to see the difference between the northern and southern departements, to see resolves from Congress about military operations—but the promotion of Conway is beyond all my expectations … I found that he was an ambitious and dangerous man … I wish your excellency could let them know how necessary you are to them …1038
Thursday, January 1, 1778. Today, French Foreign Minister Vergennes’ first secretary, Gérard de Rayvenal, reports to Vergennes that Franklin appears to be negotiating with the British:
Mr. Hutton … who left London on Friday, arrived yesterday afternoon … He told us that he came on purpose to see his old friend Dr. Franklin who called there during the evening. Their interview was cordial and affectionate …
This man sees the King and Queen [of England] a good deal … If he is a fresh emissary, I regard him as more dangerous than any other, because of his merit, of the confidence he inspires, and of his old ties. He told me plainly during the conversation that he had a těte-à-těte Conference of one hour with the King; that that prince, whom he adores, breathes nothing but peace, that … he was disposed to grant to the Americans everything they might ask, except the word independence.1039
Tuesday, January 6, 1778. Today, from Maryland, an admirer writes George Washington:
The morning I left camp, I was informed … that a strong faction was forming against you in the new Board of War and in the Congress … At my arrival at Bethlehem, I was told of it there, and was told that I should hear more of it on my way down. I did so, for at Lancaster I was still assured of it. All the way down, I heard of it, and I believe it is pretty general over the country …
The method they are taking is by holding General Gates up to the people, and making them believe that you have had a number three or four times greater than the enemy, and have done nothing; that Philadelphia was given up by your management; and that you had many opportunities of defeating the enemy …1040
Thursday, January 8, 1778. Today, in Paris, the King of France informs Ben Franklin that France will sign an alliance with the United States. As one historian will write, “Franklin’s greatest work for the salvation of American independence was accomplished.”1041
Today, the King of France
writes the King of Spain:
SIR, MY BROTHER AND UNCLE:
England, our common and inveterate enemy, has been engaged for three years in a war with her American Colonies. We had agreed not to meddle [and] … made our free trade to the one that found most advantage … In this manner America provided herself with arms and ammunition, of which she was destitute. I do not speak of the succors of money and other kinds which we have given her, the whole ostensibly, on the score of trade. England has taken umbrage at these succors and has not concealed from us that she would be revenged sooner or later. She has already, indeed, seized several of our merchant vessels and refused restoration …
Such was the posture of affairs in November last. The destruction of the army of Burgoyne and the straitened condition [thereby] of Howe have totally changed the face of things … I have thought … having consulted upon the propositions which the insurgents make, that it was just and necessary to treat with them to prevent their reunion with the mother country.1042
Tonight, at six o’clock, the Comte de Vergennes’ secretary, Conrad-Alexandre Gérard de Rayvenal, meets with Ben Franklin and the other American commissioners. From Gérard’s report of the meeting:
I declared that, being now able to speak to them without reserve, I would announce to them that the King, being henceforth persuaded that the United States were resolved to maintain their independence, had decided to co-operate efficaciously to uphold it and cause it to be firmly established; that the deliberation … guaranteed the sincerity of his disposition and the firmness … that they were exempt from all views of ambition and aggrandizement; that he only desired to bring about irrevocably and completely the independence of the United States; that he would find therein his essential interest in the weakening of his natural enemy …
The Doctor … observed that this was what they had proposed and solicited vainly for a year past …
I showed myself eager to satisfy him, and explained to him that two treaties might be concluded, the first, of peace, and the second, of eventual alliance … that the general basis of the treaty would be equality and reciprocity; that the King was too great, too just, and too generous to profit by the circumstances, to snatch from them any advantage … that His Majesty was eager to give to Europe as well as America on this occasion an example of disinterestedness, by asking of the United States only such things as it might suit them to grant equally to any other Power whatsoever …1043
Monday, January 12, 1778. Today, from Pennsylvania, Physician General Benjamin Rush writes anonymously to Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia:
[Our] army, what is it? A major-general belonging to it called it a few days ago, in my hearing, a mob. Discipline unknown or wholly neglected … The northern army has shown us what Americans are capable of doing with a General at their head. The spirit of the southern army is in no way inferior to the spirit of the northern. A Gates, a Lee, or a Conway would in a few weeks render them an irresistible body of men.1044
This month, George Washington’s Commissary General of Prisoners, Elias Boudinot, visits American General Charles Lee, formerly Washington’s second in command, who is still being held prisoner by the British. Elias Boudinot:
In January 1778, I was sent by Genl Washington over to New York (with consent of Genl Howe) to examine into the actual Situation of our Prisoners and had orders to pay particular attention to Genl Lee and accomplish his exchange if possible. The Morning after my Arrival, I waited on Genl Lee … When Breakfast was over, Genl Lee asked me up into his Room … [He] began to urge the impossibility of our troops, under such an Ignorant Commander in Chief [as Genl Washington], ever withstanding British Grenadiers & Light Infantry …1045
Saturday, January 31, 1778. Today, Benny Bache’s father, Richard Bache, writes Ben Franklin:
I acquainted you before how soon after Sally’s lying in (when she … produc[ed] a fine Girl) we were obliged to quit the city [of Philadelphia] … [W]e moved to a place near Trenton where we staid till the latter end of last Month, when our Army going into Winter Quarters … we were oblig’d to leave most of the furniture behind …
We are happy to hear that Ben likes his School and that he improves fast. We esteem it a happy circumstance his going with you, for as things have turned out, had he remained here, he would have lost a deal of precious time, which is now usefully, I hope, employed …
[T]he little Stranger sends Ben and you a kiss apiece …1046
Friday, February 6, 1778. Today, in Paris, Benjamin Franklin and his fellow American commissioners sign the Franco-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and, knowing that this treaty’s recognition of the United States as an independent sovereignty will inevitably put France and Britain at war, they also sign a Franco-American Treaty of Alliance. From the Treaty of Alliance:
THE FRANCO-AMERICAN TREATY OF ALLIANCE
The Most Christian King and The United States of North America … having this day concluded a Treaty of Amity & Commerce … [and] in case Great Britain in resentment of that connection … should break the peace with France … concluded and determined on the following articles:
Article 1. If war should break out between France & Great Britain … his Majesty and the said United States shall make it a common cause … as becomes good and faithful allies …
Article 6th. The most Christian King renounces forever … any part of the Continent of North America which before the Treaty of Paris in 1763 or [as in the case of Canada] in virtue of that Treaty were acknowledged to belong to the Crown of Great Britain …
Article 8th. Neither of the two parties shall conclude either truce or peace with Great Britain without the formal consent of the other first obtained, and they mutually engage not to lay down their arms until the independence of the United States shall have been formally or tacitly assured by the Treaty or Treaties that shall terminate the war …
Article 11. The two parties guarantee mutually from the present time and forever against all other powers, to wit, the United States to his most Christian Majesty the present possessions of the Crown of France in America [including those in the West Indies] …1047
From the Treaty of Amity and Commerce:
THE FRANCO-AMERICAN TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE
The Most Christian King and the thirteen United States of North America … agreed upon the following articles: …
ARTICLE I. There shall be … perpetual peace between his most Christian King, his heirs, and successors, and the said United States.
ART. II. The most Christian king and the United States engage, mutually, not to grant any particular favour to other nations in respect to commerce and navigation which shall not immediately become common to the other party …
ART. XIX. It shall be lawful for the ships of war of either party, and privateers, freely to carry … ships and goods taken from their enemies … to and [to] enter the ports of the other party … On the contrary, no shelter or refuge shall be given in their ports to such as shall have been made prize … of either of the parties …
ART. XXIV. It shall not be lawful for any foreign privateers not belonging to the subjects of the most Christian King, nor citizens of the said United States … to fit their ships in the ports of either the one or the other … or to sell what they have taken …
ART. XXV. It shall be lawful for all and singular the subjects of the most christian king and the citizens, people and inhabitants of the said United States to sail with their ships with all manner of liberty and security … from any port to the places of those who are … at enmity with the most Christian King or the United States. It shall likewise be lawful … to sail … from the places … of those who are enemies … And it is hereby stipulated that free ships shall also give a freedom to goods, and that every thing shall be deemed to be free and exempt which is found on board … contraband goods being always excepted …
ART. XXVI. [U]nder this name of contraband … shall be comprehended arms, great guns, bombs with their fusees … cannon ball, gunp
owder [&c.]
ART. XXX. It is also agreed that all goods, when once put on board the ships and vessels of the contracting parties, shall be subject to no further visitation … [n]or … be put under any arrest or molested …1048
As I write in my history,
The examination of these treaties, and of all the other circumstances under which they were formed, presents an example of generosity in political transactions that is at once as extraordinary as it is rare and honourable to the negotiators and the nations concluded in it. They exhibit the first evidence of philosophy in modern times, blending true liberality with diplomatic proceedings.1049
In the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, France neither demands nor receives any trade preference, just the promise of being treated as favorably as America treats any other nation. Similarly, France does not demand or receive any limitation upon those with whom the United States may trade. Freedom of the seas, the freedom of neutral nations to trade anywhere, even to the ports of a friend’s enemies during war (unless bringing instruments of war), is honored. In my history, I write,
It is, however, clear that France informing these treaties had neither taken advantage of the circumstances in which she herself stood, [nor] of the exigency under which the soliciting party [America] was placed, nor of any provision for a contingency either in point of expenditure or future remuneration of any kind.
The whole appears rather as the sacrifices of an affectionate friendship than the cold stipulations of a selfish diplomacy; it was the emanation of the characters and circumstances that produced it. To America there was a direct, immediate, and stupendous good, in return for which France was to be entitled for a remote and circumscribed advantage; a privilege which could not be considered as an equivalent [even] exclusive of the remoteness. This privilege was … to be in fact mutual … of passing ships of war into the ports of the United States during a future possible war, without the officers of the United States taking cognizance of the validity or invalidity of the capture … and at the same time excluding the enemies of France from a similar privilege … 1050