Publications

Link to Book

Summary

This biography restores François-Jean de Chastellux (1734–1788) to history, revealing his pivotal role in the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution and the Enlightenment. A soldier-philosopher and diplomat, Chastellux built trust between Washington and Rochambeau, shaped military strategy, and fostered intellectual exchanges that influenced both France and the young United States. Based on newly discovered personal papers, this work provides the first comprehensive study of Chastellux’s contributions across military, diplomatic, and intellectual spheres.

Critical acclaim

  • “De Rode’s work vaults Chastellux into the center of scholarship on the Atlantic Enlightenment.”
    (Julia Osman, Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies, 2023)

  • “Rarely do we get such an intimate look at the career of a military officer who was equally at home in the world of ideas.”
    (Olivier Chaline, Revue de la Société d’Études Anglo-Américaines XVII-XVIII, 2022)

  • “This is an impressive study that will be invaluable to scholars of Franco-American relations and Enlightenment history.”
    (Edward Ousselin, French Studies, 2023)

Link to Book

Summary

In 2012, an extraordinary 86-page campaign diary was uncovered in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Dordogne—handwritten by Guillaume Mathieu, Comte de Dumas (1753–1837), aide-de-camp to General Rochambeau during the American Revolution. Titled Draft for the Campaign Diary of June 16 – October 6, 1781, the manuscript—found in a private archive by the Society for the History of Protestantism in the Dordogne Valley—offers a rare firsthand account of the French army’s 600-mile march from Newport to Yorktown. Dumas, deeply involved in the campaign’s logistics, chronicles the intricate planning, coordination with Washington’s army, and rich observations on American society, politics, and landscapes. Now published, this unique source sheds new light on the Franco-American effort at Yorktown, with an introduction by Van Ruymbeke and De Rode.

Published Articles & Chapters

Upcoming Chapters in edited volumes

  • “The Grande Reconnaissance on New York”, in an upcoming Cornell University Press volume on the American Revolution in New York.
  • “Le Fusil : Instrument de Guerre et Symbole de Liberté”, forthcoming publication edited volume. By Bertrand Van Ruymbeke.

News article