Transcripts For CSPAN3 French Officers In The American Revolution 20240713

Published in 2017. He has a bachelor of arts in comparative literature from princeton. A bachelor of music in opera from the Eastman School of music, and a ph. D from stanford university. She has been a member of the George Mason University facility since 2011 and i just learned this evening she has recently been elected. In thinking about the subject, french memories of the war far america, were encouraged to contemplate experiences from the u. S. War for independence from multiple perspectives in time. There is a time that french officers recorded in their memoirs, but in writing memmemo, there is also looking back into the past to recollect whether it be hours, days, or years later. It is likely that he wrote them in part after his military degr career had come to a close. Memory and magic have a role here. We that look forward to it being significance and influence in france. The latter line of inquiry has been of particular interest of historians that long sought to trace the influence of political ideals like liberty and natural rights and cultures of leadership and warfare from the american to the french revolution. Scholars research and teach atlantic revolutions analyzing the american, french, and haitian revolutions together. There is a 50th anniversary coming up in 2020 and it is dedicated to studying a fascinating age in history in a global context. Many of my assumptions about the heros of the American Revolution and the comradery with the view of american culture, the war for independence, and what mattered that we may not have expected. One of my favorite anecdotes regards our dear friend who transformed himself from a tragically awkward but wealthy an eo hwh jeffersons, the dwashingto6 and more. Kc  d my sis these were printed on billets in english. They were meant to be culturally authentic and they succeeded. Z o Abigail Adams felt very much at ease at theo;rlafayettes home. During the x6lnwar, they had enthusiasm. Washington. Since there was a language mzpn latter decidedct lafayette to mewo with full powers. In the protracted periods of war and the British Forceslk n mobilizing in new york, long island, he had come to speak about possible ways forward before returning to washingtons camp. He recalls as soon as lafayette returned, he wrote me the most pressing dispatches reminding me of the substance of our former conversations andp lafayette. And they were anxious to strike a blow. He wrote back in french and to washington in english in order to explain his perspectives on why this was ill advised and to request that all future correspondents between he and washington be direct without the interference of of a third person. Lafayettes enthusiasm for american could go a little too far sometimes. If you think back to him home in paris being filled with objects from america, Little George washington coming out to sing songs, many of them were thinking its a little much. After complaining about his enthusiasm, he celebrated his virtues and saying he was often referred to the youthful artor of his friend. The digressions in the mem wares, of what can be rather dry, are among the most interesting parts of his writings have not received sufficient attention. These are, i would argue, key to our understanding of the cultural lens through which many officers interpreted the American Revolution. Take for example a die aggression that occurred at the end. He remarks i have never mentioned the multitude of addresses of the towns and assemblies general of the different justice of america and all of which that were expressive of sincere gratitude toward frances. Others for those of the army. I will only speak of one of these addresses on account of its acsentricity. It is a translators liberty. A deputation of the ancient society of friends accosted me clad in their simple costume. It is not we care for thy achievements and liveth in perfect army and discipline where we have come to pay respects to thee. Why of all of the declarations of praise and gratitude that washington and others received during this time was it this one that he chose to memorialize in his ak sen trcentricities. Ones that he brought with him from france and that are reflective of what is terms the military enlightenment. The military enlightenment was born of the marshall crisis that plagued france in the 19th accepttu century, but also the experiences of the first global wars. It is perhaps best understood as a narrative for other proceeding historical times. According to this narrative that grew out of the quarrel, and here i quote historian dan edelstein. He they were enlightened because of the philosophical spirit of the lev lugs spaed to the classes. Institutions of learning and even part of the government. Participants in the military saw themselves as actors in history of progress and the conditions of warfare more generally needed to be improved. They provided a critical philosophical experience. To acquire a deeper understanding of war and the military and then to propose an implement, a mir variety. There is political, emotional, and physical terms. It was also practical and technical, military with weapons, uniform, tactic, and medicine. They were not confined to the army, the navy, and their administrations. They engaged a far greater public. Literal elites, playwrites, mathematicians, engineers, and more. They were vital for the know billty of the toward whose justification was tied to warfare. Also for the commonfolk that watched their sons go to war, lodged soldiers in their home, and financed the tax burdenburd. War and the military were the most pervasive and profound sense of national concern. The military enlightenment was part of a broader f eer phenome following the general chronology, embracing to make war and military endeavors reflective of an enlightened age. Philosophically and politically they brought a wide range of perspectives. Some were atheists, some brought christian morality, some championed a system that sought universal principals and others adopted principals with human fallibili fallibility. Some advocated for classic republicanism and others were royalists. Despite this, an overarching project emerged. One that entailed a bipartide ambition. And it was to do so effectively and efficiently to achieve objectives while watching costs. The second goal was to wage war humanly to reflect the rationality and dignity of the human race. French military aumofficers of ranks saw themselves as leaders in the military enlightenment and the french war archives are filled with memoranda that attest to their commitment to innovation and progress. Many of them were considered military philosophers. Who were dedicated to truth and to making good war in involved rationality, discipline, and civility as well as calling upon ones inate empatve empathy to with war with compassion. Sensitivity toward others, social, the latter two being in the 18th century were a departure of chivalry and rationalist military humanism. They were an authentic development. While he was never considered a military philosopher, his understanding of the military enlightenment is clear. He opened his memoirs with a dedication to relaying only the truth. He wrote and this is my translation from the french, the truth must be the basis of history. I could only write on that which i saw or learned of in a certain manner, one will find blanks in the tableau that i have made in thel. T÷ four great wars that i been a part of in the course of my life. I prefer to be quiet. In addition to this commitment, he had an attachment to the moral values of civility and waging war humanely as a friend of human kind it is for this reason, i believe, that he privileged and perhaps even cherished an encounter with a quaker above others and recorded only this such conversation in his memo s memoirs. It is important to recall that military officers were among the most prolific world travelers in this period. By the late 18th century, france navigated, dispatched missionaries and scientific teams, kcolonized lands, and sailed three of five of the world oceans, ice in the arctic and antarctic prevents more exploration. Fishing and fir trade posts in american trade policies. And in china. Navel outposts and the islands and economic hubs throughout the mediterranean sea. In this era of amerimercantilisy worked to secure frances potion in the world of global trade. Haiti was the premier producer of sugg ar in the world. The 15th and the 16th insters ministers. And on protecting the cargo transported going to and from the island. Navel, sea, and landmetropolita aide the private militaries hired by companies in wartime when trade routes were the path ways of warfare. They shaped the careers of military men in multiple ways. Some held commissions in the army and the navy. And it is a suck succession to india. Military officers had a number of important positions in addition to their marshall roles. They were governors general, diplomats, explorers, and they relayed valuable information about foreign lands, leaders, cultures, and militaries. They wrote travel narratives, informational logs, and memoirs. That spoke about cultured of different groups. Living and fighting abroad was a source of inspiration and challenge for the military officers of the 18th century. In north america these individuals were adopted by tribes, and embraced local ways of war. They coupled with native women, depended on native medical practices, and traded their rations for moccasins. Associations away on the indian subcontinent, they lead indian mercenaries and sultans and other local authorities. They collaborated with african princes to ensure a supply of a security of french slave trading posts and ships. Such experiences could not but transform these men confirms or debunking stereo types about others. And the culture and society. Like their counter parts who never left europe, they were at sea in the colonies and they recorded their observations, wrote reports for the navel and war ministries, and offered treaties with the people they ber acted. Bub lished works convey interest, cultural adaptation, and they exercised as explorers a be it at times parts of the far away worlds. Many military men saw themes as per pervayers of enlightment. Im currently part of a digital humanity projects, and in different french academies. All of this helps us to find an answer to a most basic question that we seldom ask when approaching memoirs by officers who fought in the American Revolution. Why did they write these memoirs in the first place . Recon tkoconseptua tech cont the person accounts, notably, maxine i wont test you on these names afterwards. John baptiste. Collections of mem wares and will thors have also been assemble assembled. These documents not only reveal military details of the campaigns in collaboration with the americans, but also show how the french warrior but how they communicated. They took positions on the practice of slavery. Some condemned it, others purchased enslaved people to return as domestic subjects. Here i am quoting the racial terminology of the time, a dog often leading a happier life and is better nourishes than the pour negro slaves and mol arula. It is the common for them to shop their counter parts because of their difference in social standing. Many american officers were part of the blacksmiths, bakers, cobblers, and intypers. He had an amusing anecdote. A Good American villager asked of what trade his father was in france. My father, he replied, does nothing. But i have an uncle who is a marshall. Very good, said the american, that is a very good trade. Frances American Allies also represented a political danger at least potentially while many were enthusiastic about the fight for freedom, the crown and high ranking officers were nervous about whether or not the fires of violent revolutionary ferver might jump from american troops to french ones. District laws were implemented to keep american and french soldiers from socializing. Officers seemingly avoided one another as well. They remarked that one never sees a french officer with an american one. We had a strong understanding, but we did not live together. This, i think, is the best thing that could have happened. Theyre kpark ter was so different from us, quarrels would have surely broken out quickly. On the french side, five of every 100 were not noble and outside of sharing in military service they had very little in common with their cobber willle inkeepers, and black smiths that were often snubbed. They invited high ranking british and jgerman officers to die in their camp. The british general prompted with 100 bottles of wine. He knew how to please a frenchman, but not win a war. Journal writers noted the grandiose officers, which made american officers quite jealous. Although french officers preferred to keep company with english and jermgerman officers they passed opinions on these gentleman. They were apalled at the atrocities committed on americans. He recounted a Young Pregnant woman whose body had been mutilated and eviscerated and flung a door with her fetus hanging from her wound with a sign that said can the dammed rebel no longer shall you give birth. Kinder hospitality could be found between enemy generals. Also in American Society where french officers met in boston and new york. The french officers could not fa th fathom. Couples were able to spend hours and entire nights alone together in a bedroom. There they were to remain clothed, but they could kiss, and they could devote themselves to tender caresses excepting those that only marriage has the right to permit. A show of incredible trust, self control, and respect bundling concluded is really only for americans. Policies and prejudices would not be the lasting character of social relations between french and american officers. When the american war of independence drew to a close, american Major General henry knox permits a society of the revolution to remain in contact and serve family and public memory. The society was founded in may and was named for lucious who left his farm to become counsel and wartime dictator. He returned lawful power to the senate and went home to plow his fields. George washington became the votes first president. Initially, when they had a chapter in each former colony but they made a gesture of gratitude. And they invited high ranking officers to join the society as well. They were among 14 french founding members of the society. A French Branch was found in december 1783 and here we have a document located here in the society in our archives that shows the first list that was compiled in january of the french society. Friendship had not been necessarily there, but there was still an alliance between french and the kmiets today. I would like to conclude about why it matters to read french memoirs. First, this perspective allows us to view the authors in a new light, we see them as they saw themselves in an age of global w warfare. It brings into relief issues that french aumpss considered to be important. New geneologies can emerge from such inquiries. Questions of slavery was one area to which i had the privilege of focusing while i was here at the society of the cincinnati library. Certain officers exhibited the limits in the American Revolutionary war as they did not so much bat an eye at slavery as i mentioned. In newport, they purchased enslaved people and replaced the white valets they would have hired on the european continent. The negros not reclaims found new ones among the french and we made a harvest of domestic servants. Those of us who didnt have one were to happy to find one and for so cheap. However enslaved and free men of color was an experience that marked certain officers profoundly and may have played a role in turning them into abolitionis abolitionists. American and British Forces both implied them in their communities. For labor until the end of the war where manpower forested them to trade for fighting units. They composed about one quarter of the troops. The black and mixed race race soldiers. Their service resulted in death and resulted in military service for nearly all of them. Though it is difficult to trace a relationship between racial intermixes, data and membership of the friends of blacks, founded in 1788 in france, sheds light on to this question. The society had 95 founding members of whom between one fifth and one quarter will military officers of the army or navy. Of these military men, onethird fought in the American Revolutionary war and were members of the society of the cincinnati. One who fought witnessed the other men of color he later became the naval minister during the directory and worked to enforce the laif ri and worked to accomplish a cool near paris. He also became the most force. And he want today reinstate slavery in 1802. It was to no avail. Rereading the memoirs also allows us to have a more newed and complete picture of the foreign and early days of french and americanly jallegiance. This image that you may have seen is a really marvelous example. Ly give you a closer view. Let me see if i can use my pointer. So here we have a stone inscripti inscription. Thank you for your freedom. Here we have the rooster. And then we have the busts of louis the 16th, franklin, washington, and it is a little hard for you to see, but washington is spelled wagingston. Maybe it is the friend proch influenceuation, and then we have a very interesting figure right here subduing england that is represented by the lion in the corner. This figure is a totally bizarre hodge podge. He is dawning not just the icons of liberty, but also an animal skin and a multicolored plumed head dress and skirting or belt somewhat reminiscent of native american ceremonial gash. I am endlessly amused by this image with its spelling of washingtons name and this od figure that really encapsulates what many french thought of america in the 18th century and in some way reflects who we are today, a strange colorful and beautiful and here this text says in rising i have become beautiful. So a strange, colorful, and beautiful conglomeration of people seeking to right the wrongs of history. To conquer oppression and to live in freedom. This image can inspire us since were inher titors of the same struggle and we must pursue fight together of seeking liberty and justice not just for the few, but for the all. Thank you. Hello, thank you for that wonderful talk and thank you in particular for emphasizing the role of slavery in your thoughts. I would like to ask you if you have any sort of thoughts on how slavery fits or doesnt fit into the wider narrative of military enlightenment. With the exceptions that you mentioned, with the humanist tendencies, for the most part slavery is part and parcel of the reason the wars are being fought and these people are becoming enlightened, and in particular the example of haiti that is relevant to this time period for france and to the u. S. Because when the revolution happens, the french attempt crush it and the americans are terrified because the United States at in time depends on an economy of slavery and is frightened of the idea of a giant black revolution undoing that. I just want to know more about how you see that fitting or not fitting into this narrative. Thank you so much for that question. You kind of indicated it. There is really two sides to this coin happening at the same time and it is true for a lot of different groups. While, for example as part of the military enlightment more care is given to the common soldier for the common soldiers health and hygiene and far top of it democratization of heroism. In masonic lodges, soldiers were brought back to france and celebrated in these very elaborate ceremonies in the free mason lodges. So there is part of celebrating and on the other side, there is, at any moment, anyone can ignore this and commit atrocities. Many time they go unpunished, and certain groups never really receive respect. The woman who received the torture and the example being flouted for all to see, women were part of a society that were not included in in and maybe just barely at the beginning of the french revolution. And so one can imagine what the question of slavery how central it is to francis power es powe time and how many people are invested in the slave trade in one way or the other. Na p napolians own wife was importantly involved in the slave trade. There are people who are overcritical about slavery or who support it and promulgate the suedo science about it, but race is colealescining at this moment. So we have officers who are absolutely involved in this and who confirm all of the negative developing stereotypes about people of african dissent and why they should continue to be enslaved. On the other hand and this is other literature about colonial warfare is reckoning with the fact that on the ground people had to work together. The spanish model of conquering other people and forcing their way is often not what really happened. There was a need to understand other people and other cultures to collaborate with them. And also there is a sents of growing respect for these different people and you have writers, military writers who is are connecting french culture and values to values, for example, of neeti tivnative ame saying we have so many similarities. Theyre attached to honor like us, they enjoy dancing like we do. And so there is a whole other piece of the military population and enlightenment who are more supportive of a generous stance. Of a stance that goes toward equality, and there are people, there are interesting writings in the archives where one of the officers who served in haiti wrote and said free people of color, you should stand up. You have strengths. You have a culture. And we want to invite do you be part of what we do in the military. Kwun be skeptical and say yeah, theyre just looking for manpower, but this is one of the difficult parts of the study. It is easy to always be cynical and say everything they did and said was just to get people to serve. They just needed manpower. On the other hand it is very clear in narrative about people who the french officers would see as ethnic others, and about common soldiers who they saw as different from themselves. There is a sincere attachment and respect and desire to up lift these people if is a really sort of it is an issue with two side thats are really developed and it is something that i talk about in my boom, and it is also fuelling some of my work for my next project. So keep looking for my work out there. Thank you for that question. On the contribution, the accompli accomplishment of bertier. He was in the 1795 campaign and he becomes a chief of staff. He was responsible for in of the victories. He would translate battle plans to an action plan. So he made a substantial contribution to french history and military successes and so on. So i think it is mentioned, could you please comment about the country on Louis Alexander bertier. It sounds like someone whose life you have studied, so i would look forward to hearing more about what you know about this persons trajectory. He constitutes, indeed, one of the sort of tactical agageniuse and one of the officers whose career spanned a period that seems unlikely in some way. How could kbrou a revolutionary serving the American Revolution and then be an officer serving a dig day torship. Dictatorship. It is something very interesting and thinking about who survived the guillotine, the french revolution, what were the narratives that were deployed in order to help them survive, and also some luck in many cases that allow people who were jailed and able to get out. Those who were routed just in time for many of the people to survive and of course this was really critical. Both for the french revolution and for the era. The military experience of someone like that, the over officer thats survived, was essential to the initial successes of his campaigns. So losing these officers would have been a tremendous, tremendous drain and casualty for the french military. You had a slide up there, you characterized the military enlightenment. What proportion of the senior or other prominent french officers at the time subscribed more or less to this . Was it an isolated, subculture, i assume the answer is probably more in the middle, can you talk about it more please . Thank you so much, im trying to get back to that slide. I would say that the French Armed Forces at the time, the very top officers, generals, and offer times colonels, are the most power fful families of france. They are absolutely positively sitting in the salons in paris and also participating in conversations. Theyre very well red and other historians, he had actually conducted a study and worked here at the library of the society of the cincinnati to show what were the sort of reading lists, the common readings that officers engaged in for pleasure, but also to inform themselves for fighting all over the planet. So there is definitive an elite eggment that is reading, and using the vocabulary of the social contract. Many of them seem to be steeped with that vocabulary which i never made it back to that list of terms, and then what is interesting is that is where you see middling officer whos are maybe less powerful who did not have as much money and who were likely never sitting in those fancy salons. They, too, surprisingly had a lot of the same discourse in what they were wrying. Lets see if this is my slide nope. Maybe this one . Yes. So this was really shocking and interesting to imagine a sort of trickle down effect because these gentleman maybe had a less exsentive education, and also came from the provinces rather than in paris. And it is something happening in the French Armed Forces. This is part of the language talking about reform. Salons, a that at the Officers Mess over the brandy or whatever it is they drink, french get at the end of the meal . Yes t happens in a lot of places. And this is one of the things i had to think about in my book. How is this happening, sort of logistically, that this type of discourse and way of thinking is permeating through the french army, at least through the officer corps to a certain extent . People having casual conversations in cafes, in free mason lodges. This is a very important aspect of how the military enlightenment is happening. Its free masonry. In fact, the spread of free masonry in france was, in large part, thanks to the french military. They established masonic lodges in many of the different towns where they stayed temporarily and set up barracks. They would establish a military lodge and then the troops would move on, but the lodge stayed and became populated by local people. And so lonls were part of it. People were definitely reading. People were corresponding. And so there were all these different mechanisms by which this information was permeating. That is where this question of socialabili sociability is key. Its not the age of the iphone where we do not speak to one another. We gaze into our phones, right when were right next to each other. This is an age that cared deeply about discussion, dialogue and about debate. And so that culture was key to the sort of blossoming of the military enlightenment. Thanks for that question. Thank you for a wonderful talk this evening. Shell be at the rear of the ballroom signing books. Please join us for refreshment notice Winter Garden f you havent had a chance to see the exhibition, youre invited to do so. Thank you again. Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much. Every saturday night, American History tv takes you to College Classrooms across the country. Why do you all know who lizzi borden is, and raise your hand if you ever heard of this murder trial before this class. Where well find a true meaning of the revolution is in this transformation that took place in the minds of the american people. Were going to talk about both of these sides of the story here, right . The tools, the techniques of slave owner power. Well also talk about the tools and techniques of power that were practiced by enslaved people. Watch history professors lead discussions with their students on topics ranging from the American Revolution to september 11th. Lectures in history on cspan 3, every saturday at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on American History tv and lectures in history is available as a podcast. Find it where you listen to podcasts. Youre watching a special edition of American History tv. Airing now during the week, while members of congress are working in their districts because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tonight at 8 00 eastern, we talk with White House Historical Association Historians about their jobs and the Organizations Mission to protect and preserve the executive mansion. Please enjoy American History tv now and also watch over the weekend on cspan3. The book the road to charleston nathaneal greenes Southern Campaign next author and historian John Buchanan discusses his new book at the American Revolution institute of the society of the cincinnati in washington, d. C. Good evening and welcome. Im Kelsey Atwood at the American Revolution institute of the society of the cincinnati. And im delighted to welcome you to anderson house. The American Revolution institute of the society of the