Inspector General Philippe Coudray Gets Murdered by a Horse
Philippe Coudray was a French General who came to the United States to support the Continental Army.
Although he did not receive the warm welcome he was hoping for, Coudray was still appointed Inspector General.
Unfortunately, he men a peculiar and untimely death shortly thereafter.
Silas Deane Goes To France
Before the French joined the Revolutionary War on behalf of the Americans, Silas Deane was sent to negotiate for their assistance in secret.
Deane sought the help of both the French Government and Army Generals who could propel the rebellious colonies to victory. Specifically, he was looking for the help of engineers.
This is when he met Philippe Coudray.
Philippe Charles Jean Baptiste Tronson du Coudray
Philippe Coudray (full name Philippe Charles Jean Baptiste Tronson du Coudray) was widely respected for his knowledge of munitions and artillery.
By the time he was introduced to Silas Deane, Coudray had already written several papers on these topics and, desperate to secure the man’s talents, Silas offered Philippe a commission as a Major General in the Continental Army.
Technically, this was more than Deane was permitted to agree to, but it did not matter. Though King Louis XVI told Coudray to stay out of the war, Philippe snuck away and sailed to America anyway.
Angry Americans
When Philippe arrived in the United States, many Americans were unhappy.
When Congress accepted Coudray as a Major General he immediately outranked many who had been serving for over a year.
In particular, Henry Knox, who by this point the Army’s Chief of Artillery, was not happy this new guy took his place.
Inspector General
When Knox threatened to resign, Congress found a solution by assigning Coudray to the position of Inspector General of Ordnance and Military Manufactories.
This office (which we would today refer to simply as Inspector General) was in charge of shoring up defenses at strategic locations.
Philippe’s first task was to prepare Philadelphia for an attack, though his initial recommendations were turned down by General George Washington.
Drowned by a Horse
Just a month after receiving his title, Philippe Coutray was making his rounds on horseback.
Suddenly, when on a bridge crossing the Schuylkill River, his horse was frightened by a loud sound.
Coutray’s steed made the peculiar decision to jump off the bridge and into the water.
Unfortunately, Philippe had his feed caught in the spurs and was pulled into the water with his horse.
Coutray drowned before ever having the opportunity to affect the building of the United States. His funeral was attended by most of the contemporary Delegates of the Continental Congress.
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The Marquis de Lafayette - The French American Revolutionary
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