"Rochambeau Statue and Memorial is a monument to French nobleman and General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, who was a key commander of the French forces who assisted the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The monument is located on the waterfront in King Park, along the southern edge of Newport Harbor, near Brenton Cove and Fort Adams state park and was erected in 1934." SOURCE
The Smithsonian Art Inventories Catalog describes all the statue as follows:
"Standing figure of Comte de Rochambeau on a rectangular base. He wears a colonial-era suit and hat with a unidentified object in his proper left hand. He points with his proper right hand and looks in the direction he is pointing. He stands in front of a small cannon. The sculpture is of bronze & approximately 8 feet x 31 inches². The base is of granite and is approximately 67.5 inches x 49 inches². The inscribed bronze tablet is approximately 20 inches in height and 31 inches in width.
The statue was a gift of A. Kingsley Macomber to the City of Newport and is a replica of a statue in Paris, which was seen by Perry Belmont of Newport who initiated the gift. A base was provided separately and the plaques, a gift of Forsyth Wickes, were provided by A. B. Tickell of Warwick, RI. The monument was originally installed in Vanderbilt Circle in Newport, the sculpture was moved in 1940 at the suggestion of John Howard Benson, then Director of the Newport Historical Society. The sculpture was cleaned in August 1993.
There are three plaques attached to the plinth; one on each side, and one on the back. On the front is simply etched: ROCHAMBEAU. The plaques read:
Left
ON JUNE EIGHTEENTH 1781 GENERAL
ROCHAMBEAU LEFT NEWPORT WITH HIS
ARMY TO JOIN THE AMERICAN FORCES
ON THE HUDSON AND ON AUGUST
NINETEENTH 1781 THE COMBINED
ARMIES UNDER COMMAND OF GENERAL
WASHINGTON BEGAN THEIR VICTORIOUS
MARCH TO YORKTOWN
* * *
TABLET PRESENTED BY FORSYTH WICKES
Reverse
TO JEAN BAPTISTE DONATIEN DE
VIMEUR COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU
MARSHAL OF FRANCE 1725-1807
COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
FRENCH ARMY AT THE SIEGE OF
YORKTOWN OCTOBER 6TH 1781
* * * *
TO THE CITY OF NEWPORT BY
A KINGSLEY MACOMBER PARIS FRANCE
DEDICATED JULY 13TH 1934
MORTIMER A SULLIVAN MAYOR CITY OF NEWPORT
WILLING SPENCER CHAIRMAN DEDICATION COMMITTEE
PERRY BELMONT VICE CHAIRMAN
Right
TO JEAN BAPTISTE DONATIEN DE
VIMEUR CONUT DE ROCHAMBEAU
MARSHALL OF FRANCE 1725-1807
COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
FRENCH ARMY AT THE SIEGE OF
YORKTOWN OCTOBER 6TH 1781
* * * *
PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF NEWPORT BY
A KINGSLEY MACOMBER PARIS FRANCE
DEDICATED JULY 13TH 1934
MORTIMER A SULLIVAN MAYOR CITY OF NEWPORT
WILLING SPENCER CHAIRMAN DEDICATION COMMITTEE
REDEDICATED ON THIS SITE JULY 4TH 1940
HON PERRY BELMONT CHAIRMAN
"Rochambeau Statue and Monument
Kings Park
Wellington Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island 02840
The Rochambeau Statue is one of the most famous structures in the city of Newport. Things to do for those who are interested in art and history should include a visit to this impressive statue. It was erected in 1934 to commemorate the achievements of General Comte de Rochambeau, who led the French forces to help the Continental Army achieve victory during the Revolutionary War. This statue is the third replica of the Rochambeau Statue in Lafayette Park, Washington DC, which was created by renowned French sculptor Fernand Harmar. The site of the statue in Kings Park is the place where General Rochambeau landed when he arrived in America in 1780. If you are driving to the Rochambeau Statue and Monument from your Newport Bed and Breakfast, you have to travel on Thames Street towards the southern part of the city. After you pass Dean Avenue, turn right into Wellington Avenue. Kings Park is located along this avenue." SOURCE
Biography
"Rochambeau, Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de. 1725-1807: Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, was born in Vendome, France, the youngest son of an old aristocratic family. He was commissioned in the French army at age 17 and devoted himself to his military studies. Rochambeau eventually gained a reputation as a fine leader, administrator, and strategist.
In March 1780, Rochambeau was selected by French King Louis XVI to command the army being sent to America. He was given orders to cooperate with General Washington. Rochambeau's patience and discretion made him an excellent choice. Surmounting the daunting logistical difficulties of moving 5,500 men across the Atlantic Ocean, Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island, in July 1780. He established a good rapport with Washington and the local population.
In August 1781, Rochambeau joined Washington for the journey to Yorktown. Rochambeau commanded the French forces while Washington commanded the combined American and French army. Rochambeau, a veteran of 14 sieges in Europe, provided valuable expertise in the conducting of the siege at Yorktown. The success at Yorktown was very much a result of this expertise and his leadership skills.
Rochambeau returned to France a hero and resumed his military duties. He remained politically neutral during the French Revolution. However, he was briefly imprisoned as a "suspect" in 1794. When released, he retired to his estates and enjoyed official honor and respect until his death in 1807." SOURCE
"Abraham Kingsley Macomber was an American adventurer, businessman, philanthropist, born in Morristown, New Jersey. Macomber was a lover of military history; his father had served with the Union Army during the American Civil War. While living in France he promoted the important historic relationship between that country and the United States.
In 1934, Macomber donated another American Revolutionary War statue to the city of Newport, Rhode Island. The sculpture of French General Rochambeau is a replica of one in Paris. It was from Newport that General Rochambeau departed with his army to join General George Washington and march on to Yorktown." SOURCE