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.