Posted on 05/24/2015 10:40:26 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
"Freedom's Frigate" is the nickname of a sailing ship now on its way to America. It's a replica of the French vessel that helped our country win the war of independence. Before its departure, Mark Phillips went aboard:
As memorials to American wars go, this one goes right back to the first one -- the Revolutionary War. And it is certainly among the most handsome and most intricate history lessons ever built.
A newly-launched replica of the French frigate, Hermione, is now in mid-Atlantic, ploughing her way westward toward the U.S. East Coast. She's retracing the voyage of the original Hermione, whose mission was so crucial in the American War of Independence that she may be one of the most important warships in U.S. naval history, and the most forgotten.
The original was built for speed, and so, according to her crew, is the copy.
"Lafayette said she sails like a bird, and that's true," said Marc Jensen.
Lafayette is the point of this story. The French aristocrat and great friend of George Washington's, the Marquis de Lafayette, was returning to the revolutionary battle aboard Hermione on that 1780 voyage, and he was bringing good news -- that French troops and more fighting ships were also coming to America to support the cause.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Admiral deGrasse and Rochambeau beg to differ:
The British underestimated the strength of the French fleet and in early September, were defeated by De Grasse’s fleet in the Battle of the Chesapeake, and forced to fall back to New York.
On May 20, 1781, Charles Cornwallis arrived at Petersburg, Virginia with 1,500 men after suffering heavy casualties at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
De Grasse sailed from the West Indies and arrived in the Chesapeake Bay in late August 1781.
In early September, the British were defeated by de Grasse in the Battle of the Chesapeake, and forced to fall back to New York.
The last major land battle of the Revolutionary War, begun on September 14, 1781, in which combined French and Colonial forces surrounded and bombarded the British army in Yorktown, forcing their surrender.
The 680 mile march of combined the Continental Army of Washington and the French Expeditionary Force under Rochambeau from Newport, Rhode Island to Virginia and the decisive siege at Yorktown in 1781.
The Battle of the Chesapeake was a crucial naval battle in the Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves and a French fleet led by Rear Admiral Franois Joseph Paul, comte de Grasse. The British were defeated and fled to New York, allowing the French to blockade Yorktown.
Lafayette took what he learned in America home and helped the French Revolution before it spun out of control with Solical Engineering—and The Terror.
Americans do underestimate the value of the French action ending he war at Yorktown. They also give little heed to the importance of the southern campaign, Francis Marion, the battles of Cowpens and Kings Mountain and other action that stretched British lines and weakened their efforts.
If I remember my history, Lafayette ended up in prison for his support of the French Revolution, but was later released.
Actually I was trying to take my mind off the infuriating fact that you only won by siding with the bloody French, who at the time had the most repressive, aristocratic, anti-republican and anti-freedom form of government on the planet.
He also was honored by George WAshington with a special medal.
I could almost throw a rock from my backyard to Surrender Field.
Actually, the French supporting America convinced the King of France to enter the American war as sort of a sccond front. The effort bankrupt France, led to the revolution and the king losing his head
Nice. I’ve always wanted to visit there.
It is nice. Spending the holiday getting the boat running again. Now that fuel is south of $4 a gal. we are gonna do some fishing, maybe. We are surrounded by salt water here.
A very significant factor in the start of the French Revolution was food shortages caused by bad growing conditions. The Laki Fissure in Iceland had been throwing off sulfur and other noxious materials for quite a few months in, I believe, 1783 which caused starvation in Iceland killing most of the cattle and about 10,000 Icelanders, but also widespread crop problems in various parts of Europe for several years.
The British were also busy at the time keeping control of India which was considered far more important economically than The Colonies. So the economic drain of conducting the war here was also a factor for them.
Lavosier, the father of Chemistry, gave us better gunpowder that would fire when wet. Ironically, he lost his head in the French Revolution. I believe Robespierre said “the Revolution has no need of science.” Communism never changes.
LOL, the French? Not the British?
FYI, I'm part Irish. So we'll leave it at that.
Quote: “Actually I was trying to take my mind off the infuriating fact that you only won by siding with the bloody French, who at the time had the most repressive, aristocratic, anti-republican and anti-freedom form of government on the planet.”
Actually, we begged them to side with us which was rather interesting because we had spent the last 100 years trying to kick them off the continent. But that aristocracy you cite to paid a high price for its involvement in the form of the import of revolutionary ideas (that unfortunately spun out of control).
On another note, isn’t it funny how today we are spinning back toward a repressive, aristocratic, anti-republican and anti-liberty form of government? Makes one wonder what it was all about.
Patricia Shannon?
I did too, but he’s a scumbag who maintained a ‘shadow’ family. Typical of the Left.
Point taken, but I am forever grateful for America's heritage from England.
Now, if you have any influence in getting Michael Savage taken off of your "restricted" list, that would be even better...........
Pfft...I wish...
Its bizarre that he got banned while someone like that Choudray character could spit his poison within Britain, at OUR expense!
Sometimes, in my more maudlin moments, I worry that elitism, autocracy and repression are the natural lot of Humanity. Every nation, every government system always seems to slowly revert back to such things. Liberty and democracy and freedom are the exception in this world, not the rule, and have to be fought for tooth and nail.
Perhaps that’s what Jefferson meant with his “tree of liberty” quote.
Yeah I checked your id when you commented but it didnt say you were of Irish descent. I guessed it though - it sounded like the typical fenian martyr complex in action.
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