A Forgotten Hero
Too little is knoun of "Colonel Ar-
mand"% uhose eolorful career
touched Carolina during the Ameri¬
can Revolution.
By PAUL AY ItllS ROCKWELL
Charles Armand Tuffin. Marquis de
la Roucrie. known in North Carolina as
Colonel Armand during the darkest
days of the American War for Inde¬
pendence. is without doubt the most
neglected and forgotten hero in our
long struggle for Freedom. The Mar¬
quis dc Lafayette is most justly re¬
membered; counties, cities, towns,
colleges, have been named for him;
several commemorative postage
stamps have been issued in his honor;
the Lafayette Escadrille of World War
I fame is known the world over; the
name Lafayette is synonymous with
the word Liberty. But mention of the
Marquis de la Rouerie appears only
rarely in history' books. (There are a
few' words about him in Captain Ashe’s
excellent History of North Carolina.)
During the commemoration of the
Bicentennial of the American Revolu¬
tion. this writer neither heard nor read
one word about Colonel Armand.
Marquis dc la Rouerie. as gallant a
friend of Liberty and Independence as
any other man. Yet he arrived in
America before Lafayette, fought in
more battles, remained on the field
longer. Some token of gratitude and
esteem is long overdue this devoted
man.
The Marquis dc la Rouerie was bom
at Fougcrcs. Brittany, in 1750. of the
ancient, powerful, wealthy Breton
military aristocracy. He was educated
to be an officer, and at an early age was
commissioned a sous-lieulertant , on
duty at Paris. There he became the
lover of Mademoiselle Beaumesnil. a
lovely singer at the Paris Opera, in a
much discussed affair. In 1776 he
fought a duel w-ith the Count de
CKotWt Armortd TuHm. Marquis D* Lo Row***,
colled
Ь**иМ
'Colonel Armor
otter Kit mktt-
ment m Amer»co, where be succeeded to the com¬
mend ol Pulaski's Legion ond loter formed “A/-
mood's Portison Corps". His lore* wot neorly wiped
out m the debacle ot Comdcn. (Porfroi! ottnbuted to
Chorlet Willson Peole, published courtety ol the
Hittoncol Society ol Pennsylvonio.)
12
Bourbon-Busset, a fellow Guards offi¬
cer and cousin of the King who had
sought the favors of his mistress. La
Rouerie wounded him badly.
Vow of Silence
Reprimanded by the King and
threatened with disgrace. La Roucrie
resigned his commission and entered a
Trappist Monastery, taking the vow of
Eternal Silence. Reading of the Revo¬
lution in America, the Marquis-monk
became inflamed with the ideals of lib¬
erty and justice for all men, and ob¬
tained release from his Trappist vows.
Slipping quietly out of France, he
made his way to America, arriving in
April. 1777. three months before
Lafayette, and offered his services to
the Continental Congress at Philadel¬
phia. He was named Colonel on May
10. 1777. commanding the First Bat¬
talion of the Partisan Legion, com¬
posed of dragoons and infantrymen, all
volunteers. This Legion was con¬
stantly in service for the rest of the War
for Independence, largely supplied
with arms, munitions, food, clothing,
salary, horses, etc., which were paid
for from dc la Roucric’s own private
purse.
In North Carolina
The Marquis was constantly at the
head of his troops, and took part in
THE STATE, AUOUST 1978
