Historical Figures

Why was Comte de Rochambeau famous?

Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau (1725–1807) was a French general and nobleman. He is best known for his service as commander of the French expeditionary force that fought alongside the Americans in the American Revolutionary War.

* Rochambeau was born into a noble family in Vendôme, France.

* He entered the military at the age of 16 and served in the Seven Years' War.

* In 1779, Rochambeau was appointed commander of the French expeditionary force that was sent to aid the Americans in their war of independence.

* Rochambeau and his troops arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, in July 1780.

* He worked closely with George Washington and the Continental Army to plan and execute military campaigns against the British.

* Rochambeau's forces played a key role in the victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, which effectively ended the war.

* After the war, Rochambeau returned to France and continued to serve in the military.

* He was promoted to marshal of France in 1791.

* During the French Revolution, Rochambeau was imprisoned by the revolutionaries and was narrowly saved from death when the government was overthrown in 1794.

* He retired from the military after the revolution and died in Paris in 1807.

Rochambeau was a highly respected and skilled military leader. He was also a diplomat and statesman who was devoted to the cause of American independence. He is considered one of the most important figures in Franco-American relations during the Revolutionary War.