Washington's Engineer

asks for the rank of Major, which appears reasonable. In all the States of Europe, a grade is readily given to an officer and especially to an Engineer whose service is wanted, and it is easily conceived that this is necessary, as no one would expatriate himself and go into a new service without reaping a benefit from it.

I am with great Respect

Your Excellency’s etc.

DUPORTAIL.¹⁹

Washington passed the application on to Congress. As he received no answer, Washington added the following postscript to his March 1 letter to Congress: “As Genl. Portail is pressing to know the Comee. Decision relative to Engineer recom. by him and a real want of these people appear I should also be glad to know what to expect & say to him.”²⁰

Congress still paid no heed, but Mr. Murnan, the Frenchman in question, was willing to enter into the service immediately, expecting Congress would give him his commission later. Congress did not consider his case until January 13, 1778, and passed the following resolution: “That M. John Bernard de Murnan be appointed major in the corps of engineers, to take rank as such from the first day of March last, and to receive pay and subsistence from the 1st day of February last, the latter being the time he was directed by the Commander-in-Chief to act as major.”²¹

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Congress adopted a resolution on February 3, 1778, requiring that every officer in the military take an oath of allegiance before the commander in chief or any major general or brigadier general:

Resolved, That every officer who holds or shall hereafter hold a commission or office from Congress, shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation:

I, do acknowledge the United States of America to be free, independent and sovereign states, and declare that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience, to George the third, king of Great Britain; and I renounce, refuse and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him: and I do swear (or affirm) that I will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain and defend the said United States, against the said king George the third and his heirs and successors, and his and their abettors, assistants and adherents, and will serve the said United States in the office of which I now hold, with fidelity, according to the best of my skill and understanding. So help me God.²²

As France had not yet declared war against Great Britain, French officers were not required to sign the oath until after the Treaty of Alliance with France was promulgated. Duportail signed it on May 12. His signature on this document would later play an important role, as it conferred American citizenship on him ipso facto.

DEFENSES OF VALLEY FORGE

The defenses of Valley Forge were practically completed by the end of March. Henry Laurens, president of Congress, wrote to a friend on April 7, “The present newly adopted encampment Genl. Duportail assures me, is tenable against the enemy’s utmost efforts by their present powers.”²³

The defenses of Valley Forge consisted of five redoubts (highlighted) connected by miles of trenches and earthworks designed to strengthen the natural advantages of the terrain. The redoubts were arranged in a triangle and were all visible to each other because the ground had been cleared of trees for miles around to build the huts and earthworks and for firewood. Enemies approaching the encampment could be spotted miles away. Valley Forge National Historical Park Visitors’ Brochure.

The work was accelerated because General Washington expected the enemy would attack the Continental Army in their entrenchments as soon as the good weather returned. Washington also thought that an enclosed work on a particular height (“Joy Hill” or “Mount Joy”) might add to the army’s security. General Duportail wrote a note on April 13, expressing his concern that such a work would be a hindrance rather than a help, as it only allowed viewing an enemy advance on one or two sides. They could mount an attack on the other sides under cover, which were incapable of defense.²⁴

The situation at Valley Forge was very tense during April 1778. The so-called Conway Cabal attempted to replace Washington with General Gates as commander in chief. The debate roiled in Congress during February and March and was still on everyone’s mind when news of a new menace reached camp. After news of the surrender at Saratoga reached London, Parliament considered Lord North’s Conciliatory Bills, and General Howe was sending out notices from Philadelphia about them. There were also reports of commissioners from Parliament coming to restore peace. They were due to arrive shortly, with full powers to grant any demand short of independence and to pardon all who would immediately lay down their arms.

Washington wrote a private letter to John Banister, a personal friend and a delegate from Virginia, a few days later, emphasizing his distress:

The enemy are beginning to play a game more dangerous, than their efforts by arms . . . which threatens a fatal blow to the independence of America, and of course to her liberties. They are endeavoring to snare the people by specious allurements of peace. . . . Nothing short of independence, it appears to me, can possibly do. A peace on other terms would . . . be a peace of war. The injuries we have received from the British . . . are so great and so many, that they can never be forgotten.

He then thinks of France, and his outlook brightens immediately:

I think France must have ratified our independence and will declare war immediately, on finding that serious proposals of accommodation are made. . . . It cannot be fairly supposed that she will hesitate to declare war if she is given to understand, in a proper manner, that a reunion of the two countries may be the consequence of procrastination. An European war or European Alliance would effectually answer our purpose.²⁵

General Washington proposed on April 20, 1778, three plans and related questions