Comte de Grasse Won the American Revolution Essay - 831 Words

With colonial, French, and British armies awaiting battle, tension during 1781 rose dramatically. Continental Army General George Washington and French army General Comte de Rochambeau were deliberating the decision of what move to make next on the American side. Unknown to either man, the decision that they were about to make could forever change the outcome of the Revolution. With Washington pushing for battle in New York City and Rochambeau pushing for battle in Virginia, French Admiral Francois-Joseph-Paul de Grasse made the ultimate decision in the next battle plan of the Revolution. It was Comte de Grasses intelligent planning and performance in the Battle of the Chesapeake Capes that led to the defeat of the British in†¦show more content†¦The two generals were also expecting a French naval fleet commanded by Comte de Grasse to be under their command toward the end of the summer. The battle plan chosen needed to reflect the capabilities of the armies or militias in that area. Nonetheless, the battle also needed to be a decisive battle that would lead to an American victory. Rochambeau and Washington knew that the next battle of the revolution would be a significant one and therefore they had to determine a strategic plan that would help lead to allied victory. The men initially came up with two options; the first was that allied troops from the north should be taken south by [American General] Barras to the Chesapeake, and the situation in Virginia stabilized. The second choice was that the French and American land forces march against New York City; they would not be sufficient to take it, but they might well alarm [British General] Clinton enough to make him bring home troops from the south; that would mean abandoning Newport. Due to the weakness of Barras fleet, he was unwilling to comply with the plans because he believed that his troops would be unable to make it to their destination due to the powerful British naval forces in the Atlantic. Whether Barras planned on participating or not, Washington was determined to have the next military end eavor be an attack upon the British in New York City. In July of 1781, RochambeauShow MoreRelatedThe Battle of Yorktown688 Words   |  3 PagesThe Battle of Yorktown or better known as the Siege of Yorktown was the final battle in the American Revolution. The battle took place in Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. The battle lasted from September 28th 1781 and October 19th 1781. The American and French forces were lead by George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, and Comte de Grasse. 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The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed