Comte de Rochambeau: France's Finest Military Commander
Class - In Person & Zoom | Available (Membership Required)
The Comte de Rochambeau was commander of all French forces in America during our War for American Independence. Arriving in Rhode Island with an expeditionary force of over 7,000 French soldiers in July of 1780, Rochambeau would work closely with American General George Washington to plan strategy, thus enabling the American and French combined armies of over 17,000 soldiers to achieve a huge victory at Yorktown, Virginia. This brought about the surrender of British General Lord Cornwallis and his entire British army of over 8,500 troops on October 19, 1781, thereby triggering peace negotiations in London to end the eight-year long war. July 1, 2025 will mark the 300th anniversary of General Rochambeau's birthday!
Randolph Flood
Randy Flood is a historian and Co-Founder of The Real American Revolution, a nonprofit organization established to educate citizens about the American Revolution. Professionally, Randy began his career by serving on the staff of the United States Senate and has taught courses about politics and the legislative processes at numerous colleges and universities in the Washington DC area. Currently, he resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is working on the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association to educate teachers, students and communities about the national historic trail where Lord Cornwallis and his British Army at Yorktown were entrapped..