DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDAL.
Occasion.—Taking the fort of Stony Point.
Device.—America, personified in an Indian queen, is presenting a palm branch to Captain Stewart: a quiver hangs at her back: her bow and an alligator at her feet: with her left hand she supports a shield inscribed with the American stripes, and resting on the ground.
Legend.—Johanni Stewart cohortis prefecto comitia Americus.
Reverse.—A fortress on an eminence: in the foreground, an officer cheering his men, who are following him over a battis with charged bayonets in pursuit of a flying enemy; troops in Indian files ascending the hill to the storm, front and rear: troops advancing from the shore: ships in sight.
Exergue.—Stony Point oppugnatum, 15th July, 1779.
LIEUT.-COL. DE FLEURY.
Very little is known of the hero of the following memoir previous to his leaving his native country. He was educated as an engineer, and brought with him to this country testimonials of the highest order. His family were of the French noblesse; his ancestor, Hercule André de Fleury, was canon of Montpelier, and appointed by Louis XIV. preceptor to his grandson. At the age of seventy years he was made cardinal and prime minister, and by his active and sagacious measures the kingdom of France prospered greatly under his administration.
De Fleury, the subject of this brief sketch, was pursuing his profession when the news of the American revolution reached the shores of France. Endowed by nature with a spirit of independence, vigorous intellect, undaunted courage, and a spirit of enterprise, he seemed peculiarly fitted to encounter perils and hardships, which his daring, prompt and skillful maneuvers, in some of the sharpest battles of the revolution, proved most true. He read with excited anxiety, again and again, of the oppression and tyranny exercised by the mother country against the colonies.
Next came the news that at once decided our young hero on embarking for America; the colonies had actually revolted, had thrown off the yoke of tyranny and usurpation, declaring themselves a free and independent people. This was a struggle, but it must be conquered. De Fleury reached the shores of America, was received by the Commander-in-chief, received a commission, and commenced his revolutionary campaign, to which he adhered with that unflinching constancy which leaves no doubt of the purity and disinterestedness of his motives. Soon after the battle of Brandywine our hero was dispatched to Fort Mifflin in the capacity of engineer, described in the following letter from General Washington to Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Smith, in which he says:—“Enclosed is a letter to Major Fleury, whom I ordered to Fort Mifflin to serve in quality of engineer. As he is a young man of talents, and has made this branch of military service his particular study, I place confidence in him. You will, therefore, make the best arrangement for enabling him to carry such plans into execution as come within his department. His authority, at the same time that it is subordinate to yours, must be sufficient for putting into practice what his knowledge of fortification points out as necessary for defending the post; and his department, though inferior, being of a distinct and separate nature, requires that his orders should be in a great degree discretionary, and that he should be suffered to exercise his judgment. Persuaded that you will concur with him in every measure, which the good of the service may require, I remain,” &c.
For six days previous to the evacuation of Fort Mifflin, the fire from the enemy’s batteries and shipping had been incessant. Major Fleury kept a journal of events, which were daily forwarded to General Washington, from which the following are extracts.
“November 10th, at noon.—I am interrupted by the bombs and balls, which fall thickly. The firing increases, but not the effect; our barracks alone suffer. Two o’clock:—the direction of the fire is changed; our palisades suffer; a dozen of them are broken down; one of our cannon is damaged; I am afraid it will not fire straight. Eleven o’clock at night:—the enemy keep up a firing every half hour. Our garrison diminishes; our soldiers are overwhelmed with fatigue.
“11th. The enemy keep up a heavy fire; they have changed the direction of their embrasures, and instead of battering our palisades in front, they take them obliquely and do great injury to our north side. At night:—the enemy fire and interrupt our works. Three vessels have passed up between us and Province Island, without any molestation from the galleys. Colonel Smith, Captain George, and myself wounded. These two gentlemen passed immediately to Red Bank.
“12th. Heavy firing; our two eighteen pounders at the northern battery dismounted. At night:—the enemy throw shells, and we are alarmed by thirty boats.
“13th. The enemy have opened a battery on the old Ferry Wharf; the walk of our rounds is destroyed, the block-houses ruined. Our garrison is exhausted with fatigue and ill-health.
“14th. The enemy have kept up a firing upon us part of the night. Day-light discovers to us a floating battery, placed a little above their grand battery and near the shore. Seven o’clock:—the enemy keep up a great fire from their floating battery and the shore; our block-houses are in a pitiful condition. At noon:—we have silenced the floating battery. A boat, which this day deserted from the fleet, will have given the enemy sufficient intimation of our weakness; they will probably attempt a lodgment on the Island, which we cannot prevent with our whole strength.
“15th—at six in the afternoon.—The fire is universal from the shipping and batteries. We have lost a great many men to-day; a great many officers are killed or wounded. My fine company of artillery is almost destroyed. We shall be obliged to evacuate Fort Mifflin this night. Major Talbut is badly wounded.
“16th. We were obliged to evacuate the fort last evening. Major Thayer returned from thence a little after two this morning. Everything was got off that possibly could be. The cannon could not be removed without making too great a sacrifice of men, as the Vigilant lay within one hundred yards of the southern part of the works, and with her incessant fire, hand grenades and musketry, from the round-top, killed every man that appeared upon the platforms.”
After this devastating conflict, Fleury was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the army. He had already received from Congress the gift of a horse, as a testimonial of their sense of his merit at the battle of Brandywine, where a horse was shot under him.
“To the President of Congress—
“Head Quarters, West Point, 25th July, 1779.
“Sir:—Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury having communicated to me his intention to return to France at the present juncture, I have thought proper to give him this letter to testify to Congress the favorable opinion I entertain of his conduct. The marks of their approbation, which he received on a former occasion, have been amply justified by all his subsequent behavior. He has signalized himself in more than one instance since; and in the late assault of Stony Point, he commanded one of the attacks, was the first that entered the enemy’s works, and struck the British flag with his own hands, as reported by General Wayne. It is but justice to him to declare, that, in the different services he has been of real utility, and has acquitted himself in every respect as an officer of distinguished merit, one whose talents, zeal, activity, and bravery, alike entitle him to particular notice. I doubt not Congress will be disposed to grant him every indulgence. I have the honor to be, &c. &c.
G. Washington.