 February, 2000 issue
At the urging of Retired Army Colonel Dr. James M. Johnson, Greenway's Military Historian of the Hudson River Valley, 44 representatives of historical and other organizations from Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, gathered to discuss this aspect of the 225th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. The scope of the meeting resembled a cause which may not have been attempted since the Count de Rochambeau's French Army marched from Rhode Island through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland to Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. After British Major General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington after the Battle of Yorktown, the concluding battle of the Revolutionary War, the French Army's return trip took them through Massachusetts to Boston. In the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (WRRR) Newsletter No. 25, January 14, Hans DePold, Chairman of the Committee of Correspondence, defined the goal "to encourage creation of a National Historic Trail with the registration of the entire route ... and to raise to a higher level the quality of heritage preservation all along the route." Mr. DePold observes in a Template of Actions to Establish the Trail, "Our primary purpose for this route is to recognize the considerable contribution Washington and Rochambeau made for American liberty and independence. The route commemorates a Franco-American campaign to immobilize the British in New York City and lay siege to the main Southern British army at Yorktown. "Without this first alliance of the new American republic there would not have been that victory of liberty and democracy over tyranny. Washington's special contribution was not just his capable leadership. He showed that America had not just changed governments, but that it was within human nature to decline absolute power and to work together for the common good." However, the range of the project goes beyond the establishment of the route -- as awesome as that chore is 220 years later. It was recognized that many of the historic sites are in danger of being lost to pervading urban sprawl if they are not accurately documented and preserved. The committee also noted that the creation of the route would be an opportunity to combine historic preservation with environmental preservation -- and, thus, the economic benefits of heritage tourism. Plans include, but are certainly not limited to, providing a self-guided auto route, hiking trails, visitors centers, appropriate signage, and literature. The encampments would be lined with each other and other historical sites along the route. The importance of coordinating with Francophone Commissions which unite French cultural groups with veteran's organizations, historical groups, and other volunteers, was stressed. Souvenir Francais was considered the main champion for Francophone groups and Franco-American heritage preservation as it provides a linkage with many other groups that support Franco-American Heritage.
An Action Plan agreed to at the Dec. 16 meeting listed the following
points:
Each state delegation will accomplish the following tasks: It was decided the Reverend Dr. Jacques Bossiere would be Chairman of the Steering Committee, with Dr. Johnson, as Executive Director and Mr. DePold, as the Chair, Committee of Correspondence. Other members include a representative from each state chosen by the state's delegation. National organizations also provided members: Mr. Christian Bickert, Souvenir Francais; Mr. Russell Wirtalla, Vice President General, Sons of the American Revolution; TBD, Daughters of the American Revolution; TBD, Society of the Cincinnati; Mr. Larry Gall, National Park Service; and Mr. Paul Ackermann, Commander, Brigade of the American Revolution. More recently Jim McCafferty presented the overall plan for marking the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary War Trail to the officers of the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in Baltimore. He plans a more comprehensive presentation at the March board meeting when he will "ask for a resolution supporting this important project." Paralleling the efforts to create the WRRR, Colonel Johnson is organizing local commemorative events to lead up to the 225th anniversary of the American Revolution. The Grand Encampment at Fort Ticonderoga this year will be the first major event in the Hudson River Valley. In 2005, the significant anniversary of the capture of the British spy John AndrŽ by three Westchester patriots and his subsequent trial and execution in Tappan, will be the focus. The Cortlandt Historical Society and Stony Point Battlefield established links during Historic Kings Ferry Days last yearÑand plan an ongoing association. The hamlet of Verplanck, in the Town of Cortlandt, may well be one of the most significant sites for both the WRRR and the 225th anniversary as it was the scene of crossings of the Hudson River and Washington's review of the French and Continental troops at the conclusion of the war. By the middle of January, Mr. DePold had sent letters to Connecticut Senators and two of the Congressmen along the route. He requested they become the first Congressional Delegation to request funding of this project by the National Park Service. "Once a few states propose, the remaining affected congressional delegations should join in," he said.
Web sites that provide more information are: |