Comte de Rochambeau

Comte de Rochambeau was the Commander-In-Chief of the French Expeditionary Force that sailed from France in order to support the American Continental Army's fight against the British army. Although he arrived in Rhode Island in 1779, he was mainly idle for a year as a result of the British navy's successful blockade of the island's ports. The American and French forces collided on July 6, 1781, close to New York City. Despite having nearly 40 years of combat experience, Rochambeau told Washington that he had come to serve, not to lead, and he never questioned Washington's authority.

The combined troops of Washington and Rochambeau then marched to the Yorktown siege. To carry out the successful siege, their troops gathered with the Marquis de Lafayette's troops there. It was the pivotal battle of the American Revolutionary War, leading to the complete surrender of Lord Charles Cornwallis' army. Rochambeau stayed on to guard the southern states when the siege ended until 1783. This is the reason why Comte de Rochambeau is one of the major leaders of the American Revolution. Rochambeau was lauded by King Louis XVI upon his return to France and appointed governor of the Picardy region.