The third annual Rochambeau Festival, produced by the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route – New York in partnership with the Yorktown Heritage Preservation Commission / Yorktown 250 and the Yorktown Grange, was a great success.
Over the May 17 – 18 weekend, hundreds of community residents, families and history enthusiasts gathered at Rochambeau Park, aka, Yorktown Grange, to commemorate the critical role that General Rochambeau and the French army performed in aiding General Washington and the Continental army in gaining America’s independence from Great Britain in the American Revolution.
Visitors enjoyed two days of immersive experiences highlighted by an informal discussion among French and American dignitaries about the motivations and lasting impacts of the Franco-American Alliance, concluding with a toast to General Rochambeau and the French army and singing “Merci France.”
Guests also met reenactors portraying Generals Rochambeau and Washington, Diplomat Ben Franklin and several of Washington’s Officers. French dignitaries, including Myriam Gil, deputy consul general; Colonel Sylvain Coat, deputy military advisor, Permanent Mission to the United Nations; and Thierry Chaunu, president of the American Society of Le Souvenir Francais, addressed visitor questions about the Revolutionary War. Members of the 5th New York Regiment and Sheldon’s Horse, 2nd Regiment Light Dragoons, also engaged the public about their local contributions to the war. Several local public officials and the New York State Daughters of the American Revolution attended.
State Chair and event organizer Lynn Briggs, explained the role and importance that New York played during the Revolution, communicating that General Rochambeau’s army built eight encampment locations through New York on the forward route to Yorktown, Virginia and five on the return march from the successful Siege of Yorktown in Yorktown, Virginia. W3RNational Trail scholar and historian, Dr. Robert A. Selig, enlightened visitors in how the French army, animals and munitions ferried across the numerous water crossings to the Siege of Yorktown and the Westchester County Historical Society provided firsthand accounts of the American Revolution in Westchester County from the McDonald Interviews. Grange Rochambeau Festival Planner Annmarie Sasso, involved kids in colonial crafts and hands-on demonstrations of cheese, butter, bread, milk and candle making at Jerry’s Barn. A bus from Rochambeau Park took visitors on a guided tour of Yorktown’s historic French encampment sites and kids joined in the History Hunt to win prizes.
Guests wandered the spacious grounds and enjoyed French and American food and beverages while visiting exhibitors.
“With the tireless help of countless volunteers, history was truly brought to life at Rochambeau Park, dedicated in honor of General Rochambeau on Sept. 18, 1954. We achieved our goal of delivering a fun-filled immersive experience while educating the community about the Revolutionary War history in New York, Westchester County and Yorktown and the crucial roles of General Rochambeau and the French army,” said Briggs.
