Honoring a French Legion's Visit in 1782-3

The kickoff event of the April 22-23, 2005, annual meeting of the National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutiuonary Route Association (W3R-US) in Wilmington, Delaware, was the dedication of a sign describing the military, economic, and social impact of the five-month stay of Lauzun's Legion in Wilmington during December 1782 to May 1783. The cost of the sign is being split between the George Washington Fund of the National Society SAR and the Delaware State Society of the DAR.

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Kim Burdick, Vice Chair of the W3R-US and chair of the W3R-DE, read a note of greeting from French Gen. of the Army Gilbert Forray, head of the W3R organization in France. Gen. Frank Ianni (Ret.), representing the Delaware Heritage Commission, served as master of ceremonies for the dedication ceremony. Jacques de Trentinian, Executive Vice president of the Branche Française of the SAR, spoke about the history of Lauzun's Legion, in which his ancestor, Jean-Jacques de Trentinian, was captain-commandant of the grenadier company. The Legion had 580 soldiers and 280 horses, and Their purchases of food and fodder (using silver coins) was a great help to the economy of Wilmington, whose population was about 2,000 in 1782.

The dedication ceremony was attended by a crowd of W3R directors
from across the region, local officials, and members of the DAR and SAR.

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Ralph Nelson, chairman of the NSSAR's W3R Liaison Committee,
wore a uniform like that of his ancestor, Joseph Cheesman,
Captain of Artificers in the Continental Army's Quartermaster Corps.
Evelyn Swensson, a local composer, has written a musical,
"Billy Lee's Washington", which will be performed in several states
as part of the W3R celebrations in 2006. She sang "The Liberty Song",
written just before the Revolution by John Dickinson of Delaware.

The Newark Fife and Drum Corps played a fife and drum tune as the sign
-- flanked by the flag of the U.S. and the tricolor of France -- was unveiled.
(The sign will be placed in a permanent mount at a later date.)
The veil was made up of the sky blue and citron colors
of the body and facing of the Legion's uniforms.

Sign outside the Grand Opera House

Secretary General Roland Downing of the NSSAR (who lives in Delaware)
brought greetings from the National Society SAR.
His photo is not here because he was our photographer.

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State President Lyman Brenner noted the role of the Delaware Society SAR
in funding research and commemoration of the W3R in Delaware.
State Regent Saundra Chapman told how the Delaware State Society DAR
has helped commemorate the role of France in the American Revolution.

Rev. Richard Stazesky, president of the George Washington Society, Ltd.,
gave the benediction (no photo available).