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He was originally destined for the church and was brought up at the Jesuit college at Blois, but after the death of his elder brother he entered a cavalry regiment, served in Bohemia and Bavaria and on the Rhine, and in 1747 had attained the rank of colonelColonel ( Ger: Oberst is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. The word is pronounced similarly to "kernel". In the US military, a colonel in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps is equivalent to a c. He took part in the siege of MaestrichtMaastricht also spelled Maestricht or Mestreech in local dialect, is a municipality, the oldest city of the Netherlands and capital of the province of Limburg. The city is situated on both sides of the Meuse river Maas in Dutch) in the south-eastern appen in 1748Events April 24 A congress assembles at Aix-la-Chapelle with the intent to conclude the struggle known as the War of Austrian Succession at October 18 The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war Adam Smith begins to deliver public lectures in E, became governor of Vendôme in 1749Events While in debtor's prison, John Cleland writes Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure . Released from prison, the book was published in London, England. Immediately, the Church of England asked the British Secretary of State to stop the progress, and after distinguishing himself in 1756Events March 17 St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in New York City for the first time (at the Crown and Thistle Tavern). May 15 Seven Years' War: The war begins when England declares war on France. August 29 Frederick the Great attacks Saxony October 1 Seve in the MinorcaMinorca Menorca both in Catalan and Spanish and increasingly in English usage; from Latin insula minor later Minorica "minor island") is one of the Balearic Islands Illes Balears Catalan official name, Islas Baleares in Spanish), located in the Mediterran expedition was promoted brigadier of infantry. In 1758Events June 12 French and Indian War: Siege of Louisbourg James Wolfe's attack at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia commences. June 23 Seven Years War: Battle of Krefeld British forces defeat French troops at Krefeld in Germany. July 8 French and Indian War: French he fought in Germany, notably at CrefeldKrefeld is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located southwest of the Ruhr area, just a few kilometres west of the Rhine. The borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine. Population: 238,100. The origins of the town were in Roman, received several wounds in the battle of Clostercamp ( 1760), was appointed maréchal de camp in 1761 and inspector of cavalry and was frequently consulted by the ministers on technical points. In 1780 he was sent, with the rank of Lieutenant General, in command of 6000 French troops to help the American colonists under Washington against the English. He landed at Newport, Rhode Island, on July 10, but was held here inactive for a year, owing to his reluctance to abandon the French fleet, which was blockaded by the British in Narragansett Bay. At last, in July 1781, Rochambeau's force was able to leave Rhode Island and, marching across Connecticut, joined Washington on the Hudson. Then followed the celebrated march of the combined forces to Yorktown, where on September 22 they formed a junction with the troops of Lafayette; as the result Cornwallis was forced to surrender on October 19.

Throughout, Rochambeau had displayed an admirable spirit, placing himself entirely under Washington's command and handling his troops as part of the American army. In recognition of his services, Congress voted him and his troops ?the thanks of the nation and presented him with two cannon taken from the English. These guns, which Rochambeau took back to Vendôme, were requisitioned in 1792. On his return to France he was loaded with favours by Louis XVI and was made governor of Picardy. During the Revolution he commanded the Army of the North in 1790, but resigned in 1792. He was arrested during the Terror, and narrowly escaped the guillotine. He was subsequently pensioned by Bonaparte, and died at Thoré (Loiret-Cher).

A statue of Rochambeau by Ferdinand Hamar, the gift of France to the United States, was unveiled in Lafayette Square, Washington , by President Roosevelt on May 24 1902. The ceremony was made the occasion of a great demonstration of friendship between the two nations. France was represented by her ambassador, M. Cambon, Admiral Fournier and General Brugère, a detachment of sailors and marines from the warship "Gaulois" being present. Representatives of the Lafayette and Rochambeau families also attended. Of the many speeches perhaps the most striking was that of Senator Henry C. Lodge, who, curiously enough in the circumstances, prefaced his eloquent appreciation of the services rendered to the American cause by France by a brilliant sketch of the way in which the French had been driven out of North America by England and her colonists combined. General Brugère, in his speech, quoted Rochambeau's words, uttered in 1781: "Entre vous, entre nous, a La vie, a La mort." A "Rochambeau fête" was held simultaneously in Paris.

The Mémoires militaires, historiques et politiques, de Rochambeau were published by Luce de Lancival in 1809. Of the first volume a part, translated into English by MWE Wright, was published in 1838 under the title of Memoirs of the Marshal Count de R. relative to the War of Independence in the United States. Rochambeau's correspondence during the American campaign is published in H Doniol, Hist. de la participation de la France en l'établissement des Etats Unis d'Amérique, vol. v. (Paris, 1892). See Duchesne , "Autour de Rochambeau" in the Revue des faculté's catholiques de l'ouest ( 1898- 1900); E Gachot, Rochambeau in the Nouvelle Revue ( 1902); H de Ganniers, "La Dernière Campagne du maréchal de Rochambeau" in the Revue des questions historiques ( 1901).