Hailing France 235 years later

Blandinnd David Posiadala took their toddler daughters as well Blandine’s parents sailing along the York River on a magnificent early fall afternoon. The Posiadalas live in the Ft. Meyers area of Florida and the parents are from Paris. The girls enjoyed sitting in the small catbird seats.

It was a delight to convey to them the enormous contribution by France to the two key battles that sealed America’s independence from Great Britain n the finis of the Revolutionary War.

• Admiral DeGrasse had the superior fleet, 28 ships vs. 23 British.
• He exploited the British delay of 90 minutes setting battle line.
• His fleet did more damage than Admiral Graves could inflict.
• He beat the British back to the Capes, blockading the Chesapeake Bay.
• Four more boats sealed the York River from any British escape.
• Count de Lafayette discovered the British force at Yorktown.
• Lafayette outfitted his own army here and became a general.
• Count de Rochambeau advised Gen. Washington on the siege.
• 60 exquisite French cannons had better range and accuracy.
• Washington signed the surrender in the French redoubt No. 9.
• 50 years later Lafayette did victory laps in New York and Yorktown.
• In 1981 Presidents Mitterrand and Reagan met at Yorktown.

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