"...upon a signal given, the whole Army will Huzza! "Long Live the King of France." The Artillery then begins again and fires thirteen rounds, this will be succeeded by a second general discharge of the Musquetry in a tuning fire. Huzza! "And long live the friendly European Powers." Then the last discharge of thirteen Pieces of Artillery will be given, followed by a General tuning fire and Huzza! "To the American States."
Without the aide of France to the rebelling 13 colonies, the prospects for independence were gloom. The rebel alliance with France was the ray of hope that paved the way for American Freedom. Up until the Spring of 1778 for three long years the US was proving to itself and to the world that it was serious about becoming an independent entity from the United Kingdom.The rebel alliance with France was signed February 6, 1778 but this was way before the internet. Thus it took several months for official news to hit Washington. And the good news of 'divine intercession' was revealed to Washington on the Cinco de Mayo.
The irony is that today Cinco de Mayo has become a US drinking festival observing Mexico's battle victory over France in 1862 in Puebla. But Cinco de Mayo is also the date when the US managed to launch the first American in to space - Alan Shepard on Cinco de Mayo 1961. However, as of today the most important event in the American Media for Cinco de Mayo is to mention and celebrate a foreign nation's battle victory over France, mostly as another excuse to drink lime flavored fungal excrement. Yet on the Cinco de Mayo of 1778, General Washington was elated and excited to hear that France and several other European powers were going to assist the rebel provinces of America.
Oddly Cinco de Mayo has become an American celebration of France's humiliation at the hands of Mexico, yet it was on this date that Washington's prayers were answered thanks to France.
See the original Documents Here at the US Library of Congress
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