Behind the Sails of Silence: The Franco-American Connection in Revolutionary New Hampshire

Laila Aruscavage
Jun 27
6 min read

Updated: Jul 7

New Hampshire and France’s roles in the American Revolutionary War are underappreciated, appearing sparsely in history books and museums. Through the Pi Delta Phi French Honors Society, I was able to connect with a local Historian from Portsmouth, Sue Polidura, who is one of few people who has spent time researching and gathering information on the Franco-American connection in New Hampshire during the revolutionary era. Her curiosity led her to write Tales of Revolutionary Portsmouth. After reading her book and meeting with her, I understood why her interest was so profound. Through our rendezvouses, two revolutionary men who she discussed stood out to me: Pierre de Beaumarchais and John Langdon.

Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Public Domain — Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais *Public Domain*

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799), commonly known as Pierre de Beaumarchais, was a man of many talents: a playwright, businessman, spy, and ultimately was the man at the center of French weapon trafficking operations during the American Revolution. He was friends with Voltaire and was close acquaintances with many high-status French individuals, including the King of France, Louis XVI—who acted as the main funder of the revolutionary pursuits. Beaumarchais’s role often goes unrecognized due to the nature of a covert operation. However, without his efforts, the financial and material support to the American troops would have been delayed (assuming France still chose to intervene) resulting in greater losses, both in battles and lives.

A close acquaintance to Beaumarchais was John Langdon (1741-1819), the naval agent of the United States and governor of New Hampshire. Though his name is known by few, he played an invaluable role in the birth of the United States. He worked side by side with the French who traveled to Portsmouth. He was known for being hospitable with accounts of him hosting grand banquets, providing lodging to sailors, and entertaining his guests.

John Langdon Public Domain — John Langdon *Public Domain*

Few people know that he was the President pro tempore (acted as a replacement if the president were to be absent) of the Senate during George Washington’s first term. He helped ratify the United States Constitution by declaring New Hampshire the ninth state of the Union.

Beaumarchais’s operation was instrumental in facilitating the American’s victory among their common enemy. After having persuaded Louis XVI to help fund the colonists’ fight forindependence, the Roderique Hortalez et Companie was developed. This import-export company acted as a front for bringing war supplies from France to the Americans. Organized by Pierre Beaumarchais and executed with assistance of John Langdon, the French attempted to conceal their support towards the Americans by forging naval documents for ships transporting war supplies. Many ships left the port of Marseille carrying armory for the colonists. The boats were disguised as being destined for the West Indies which would not be alarming due to France having colonies out there.

In an interview that I had with Sue Polidura, she states, “If you study the French in the American Revolution, you’re going to find that there is miracle, after miracle, after miracle, it’s almost like providence.” An example of this pertains to a ship named l’Heureux (later becoming the Flamand). Leaving the port of Marseille on September 25, 1777, the ship carried gunpowder, ammunition, and other war supplies to America, the boat l’Heureux was essentially a floating bomb. Further, unbeknownst to its crew, their voyage across the Atlantic would be anything but smooth sailing. On its way to America, the ship experienced a list of misfortunes, including three fires, violent storms, and revolts from the crew (who thought their destination was the Caribbean). Nevertheless, against all odds, the Flamand arrived at the port of Portsmouth, NH on December 1, 1777. The French were prepared to aid the colonists in defeating their mutual enemy, England.

Marquis de Vaudreuil, a naval officer who arrived at Portsmouth aboard l’Heureux kept intricate memoires of his voyage to New Hampshire. In one of Vaudreil’s accounts, he states:

Remarques : Portsmouth, à une lieue de la rade de Newcastle où nos vaisseaux étoile mouilles est dans le Newhampshire ; c'est une petite ville dont les maisons sont baties en

bois ; la plupart sont isolées et entourées de jardins ce que rend les Incendies moins dangereux ; elle est située sur une rivierre ou bras de mer dont l’eau est toujours sale. La marée y monte d’une douzaine de pieds dans le tems des nouvelles et pleines lune; plusieurs bras de mer qui pénetrent dans les terres au dessus et au dessous de la ville, en font une presqu’ile ; l’air en est très sain. Le pays des environs paroit maigre; il y a peu de grains, et le bled y est cher ; il est abundant en bestiaux; pendant l’été et l’automne on ne trouve presque rien au marché chaque particulier ayant un jardin en ville ou une maison de compagne qui lui fournit des légumes et des herbages qui étoient rares cette année a cause d’une sécheresse extrême qu’il y avoit eu.”

Translation:

Remarks: Portsmouth, a mile from Newcastle harbor where our star ships are anchored, is in New Hampshire; it is a small town whose houses are built of wood; most are isolated and surrounded by gardens, which makes fires less dangerous: it is situated on a river or arm of the sea whose water is always dirty. The tide rises there by a dozen feet at the time of the new and full moons: several arms of the sea which penetrate into the land above and below the town, make it a peninsula; the air is very healthy. The surrounding country appears lean; there is a great deal of grain, and wheat is expensive there; it is abundant in livestock; during the summer and autumn one finds almost nothing at the market, each individual having a garden in town or a country house which provides him with vegetables and grass which were rare this year because of an extreme drought that had occurred there."

Furthermore, Marquis de Chaustellux, a French military officer journaled about his admiration of Portsmouth, stating, “This country presents, in every respect, the picture of abundance and happiness. The road from Greenland to Portsmouth is wide and beautiful, interspersed with habitations, so that these two townships almost touch.” He further writes about the ways of life in Portsmouth as observed during his visit. Chaustellux described that Portsmouth was an ideal location for French ships to port because of its distance inland, which permitted concealment from English patrol ships, offering security. Chaustellux wrote, “There is every appearance of its becoming to New-England, what the other Portsmouth is to the Old: that is to say, that this place will be made choice of as the depot of the continental marine. The access to the harbor is easy, the road immense, and there are seven fathoms water as far up as two miles above the town; add to this, that notwithstanding its northern situation, the harbor of Portsmouth is never frozen, an advantage arising from the rapidity of current.” In other words, Portsmouth offered a unique advantage to revolutionary pursuits and quietly played a role in shaping the course of the war .

Sue Polidura explains that her research took on a life of its own after she began investigating the “identities of attendees at a seemingly un important dinner mentioned in an old diary” which led her to uncover “unexpected bits and pieces of Portsmouth’s forgotten Revolutionary-era history.” Every story she shared with me emphasized that there are so many layers to history that get overlooked—not because they lack significance, but because few have taken the time to ask “why?” Sue further stated, “I want to see how people lived…history to me is more interesting at a 300-foot level than at the 30,000-foot level.” She described the challenges she faced while conducting her research, working with limited information, doing research concerning people who are generally otherwise lost in time. Sue describes how she often runs into what appeared to be dead ends; however, these obstacles lead her to uncover “new” stories. While many accounts have been lost to time, her work has helped bring these people and events back to life – all connected by one remarkable place: Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Written By:

Laila Aruscavage, University Intern