Recognizing the historical significance of the Washington-Rochambeau march through New Jersey in 1781 as part of the march of American and French forces from Rhode Island to Virginia that culminated in the American victory at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.

Recognizes the historical significance of the Washington-Rochambeau march through New Jersey in 1781 as part of the march of American and French forces from Rhode Island to Virginia that culminated in the American victory at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1004 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1004

 Recognizing the historical significance of the Washington-Rochambeau 
 march through New Jersey in 1781 as part of the march of American and 
  French forces from Rhode Island to Virginia that culminated in the 
        American victory at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 13, 2006

 Mr. Ferguson (for himself, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. Payne, Mr. 
    LoBiondo, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. Saxton) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the historical significance of the Washington-Rochambeau 
 march through New Jersey in 1781 as part of the march of American and 
  French forces from Rhode Island to Virginia that culminated in the 
        American victory at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.

Whereas 2006 is the 225th anniversary of the Washington-Rochambeau march through 
        New Jersey on the way from Providence, Rhode Island, to Yorktown, 
        Virginia, for what became the climatic battle of the Revolutionary War;
Whereas the American forces were led by General George Washington and the French 
        forces were led by Comte de Rochambeau;
Whereas the plan of the two generals was to combine the American troops and the 
        French allies to defeat British forces under the command of Lord 
        Cornwallis in Yorktown, Virginia;
Whereas it was agreed by the two generals to keep up the appearance of an 
        imminent attack on British General Clinton in New York City. The feint 
        worked, and the forces joined up to continue the march to Yorktown;
Whereas the Washington-Rochambeau March to Yorktown, in conjunction with the 
        arrival of the French fleet off of Cape Henry, Virginia, from the 
        Caribbean, has long been recognized as a military masterstroke, 
        resulting in victory at Yorktown and bringing an end to the 
        Revolutionary War;
Whereas the march through New Jersey was part of a larger march occurring in 
        August and September of 1781 through nine States: Rhode Island, 
        Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, 
        Virginia, Massachusetts, and the present District of Columbia;
Whereas the route of Rochambeau's march to Yorktown across New Jersey required 
        food for an army of 5,000, plus as many as 1,000 servants and civilian 
        workers, and forage for no less than 1,500 horses and 600 oxen had to be 
        provided at each campsite throughout the State along the way;
Whereas the French march through New Jersey included parts of the Ramapo Valley, 
        Whippany, Morristown, Millstone, and Princeton;
Whereas the American march, although less well documented, included parts of 
        Bergen County, Paramus, Belleville, Mahwah, and Springfield (from what 
        historians are able to determine);
Whereas as a result of the march, British forces under Lord Cornwallis were cut 
        off from escape or reinforcement by both land and sea;
Whereas the American and French forces laid siege to the British-fortified town 
        of Yorktown, and with the land routes blocked and the Chesapeake Bay 
        blocked by the French fleet commanded by de Grasse, Lord Cornwallis was 
        compelled to surrender to the allies three weeks after the siege began; 
        and
Whereas in honor of the 225th anniversary of the Washington-Rochambeau march, 
        the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route in New Jersey Association 
        (W3R-NJ), a non-profit corporation formed to promote, preserve, and 
        commemorate the march of the French and allied expeditionary forces 
        through New Jersey, chose as its main commemoration a two-day re-
        enactment of the French encampment at Liberty Corner, formerly known as 
        Bullion's Tavern, on the actual site of the encampment of August 26, 
        1781: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
historical significance of the Washington-Rochambeau march through New 
Jersey in 1781 as part of the march of American and French forces from 
Rhode Island to Virginia that culminated in the American victory at 
Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781.
                                 <all>