The French troops were to be considered as auxiliaries, and were, according to the usages of war, to cede the post of honour to the Americans.[41] [Footnote 41: These orders were given at the instance of General Lafayette .-- _Correspondence with General Lafayette._] Convinced that cordial harmony between the allied forces was essential to their success, both generals cultivated carefully the friendly dispositions felt by the troops towards each other.

Warm professions of reciprocal respect, esteem, and confidence, were interchanged between them; and each endeavoured to impress on the other, and on all the military and civil departments, the conviction that the two nations, and two armies, were united by the ties of interest and affection.

On this occasion, General Washington recommended to his officers, as a symbol of friendship and affection for their allies, to engraft on the American cockade, which was black, a white relief, that being the colour of the French cockade.
Late as was the arrival of the French troops, they found the Americans unprepared for active and offensive operations.

Not even at that time were the numbers ascertained which would be furnished by the states.
Yet it was necessary for General Washington to communicate a plan of the campaign to the Count de Rochambeau.
The season was already so far advanced that preparations for the operations contemplated eventually, on the arrival of the second division of the French fleet, must be immediately made, or there would not be time, though every circumstance should prove favourable, to execute the design against New York.

Such a state of things so ill comported with the engagements of congress, and with the interests of the nation, that, trusting to his being enabled, by the measures already taken by the states, to comply with what was incumbent on him to perform, he determined to hazard much rather than forego the advantages to be derived from the aids afforded by France.