Charles Armand Tuffin
The oft used descriptive romantic adventurer could have been coined to describe Charles Armand Tuffin, whose service to the American cause was as long and dedicated as that of his more famous countryman Lafayette. An impetuous youth, before the age of 16 he had fallen in love with an actress over whom he fought a duel with a rival. A member of the gardes francais, the honor guard of King Louis of France, his reputation was found to be wanting and he was dismissed in disgrace.
This led to a failed suicide attempt, and eventually flight from Paris, when he determined to make his services available to the American cause. His journey to America was disrupted by a British frigate, which sank the vessel in which he traveled within sight of American shores. He swam to safety, arriving in America without anything but the clothes on his back, although he retained the company of his servants.
Tuffin joined the Continental Army, awarded the rank of colonel by Washington, and became known to the troops as Colonel Armand. He served with distinction during the remaining portion of the northern campaign, earning battlefield acclaim at the battle of Monmouth, and endured the bitter winters at Valley Forge and the worse but lesser known winter encampment at Morristown.
After the death of Casimir Pulaski Tuffin took command of Pulaski’s Legion, equipping and later paying his men out of his own pocket. In 1782 he returned to France to purchase equipment for his troops and the French Court, temporarily ignoring his earlier indiscretions, awarded him the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Saint Louis. He then returned to America and remained with the Army under Washington’s command until the end of the war.
Why Tuffin is relatively unknown compared to the famous Lafayette is a mystery unexplained. For the remainder of his life he maintained an affectionate correspondence with George Washington, and he was well remembered and regarded by the American troops he had led. During the early days of the French Revolution he aligned himself with the monarchists intent upon retaining the King on the French throne, eventually getting himself involved in various conspiracies and counterplots. He died at the end of 1793 of an unknown illness. Possibly he had pneumonia, possibly he poisoned himself. By dying he narrowly escaped the ignominy of execution during the Reign of Terror, having been denounced by political enemies.