WASHINGTON AND THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI
Editor's Note
Frequently the MSA is asked about the connection between
Freemasonry and the Society of the Cincinnati. Actually, there
is none other than that many prominent military Freemasons
(particularly of that time) belonged to both organizations.
Probably, a connection is made because of George
Washington's influence and membership in both groups.
We would like to express deep appreciation to Bro. Alexander A. Bleimann, PDDGM, Editor of
Publications and
Fellow of the American Lodge of Research (New York) for
this interesting and informative history of the Society of the
Cincinnati.
One of the generally unknown associations in
American history is that of George Washington's
connection and significant relationship with the
Society of the Cincinnati.
On June 19, 1783, Washington was elected the
first President-General of the Society, the office
which he held until his death.
The Society of the Cincinnati was formed on
May 10, 1783 by the officers of the victorious
American Army at the cantonment near
Newburgh, New York.
The principal purposes were to "render permanent the cordial affection subsisting among
the officers of our army" who had taken part in
the war; and, to be prepared to render assistance
to the members or their families who might be
in need.
The constitution of the Order, THE INSTITUTION, expressed the purposes thus, and are read
at every meeting:
"An incessant attention to preserve inviolate
those exalted rights and liberties of human nature
for which they have fought and bled, and without
which the high rank of a rational being is a curse
instead of a blessing."
"An unalterable determination to promote and
cherish, between the respective states, that union
and national honor so essentially necessary to
their happiness and the future dignity of the
American Empire."
"To render permanent the cordial affection subsisting among the officers. This
spirit will dictate brotherly kindness in all things, and particularly extend to the most substantial acts of
beneficence, according to the ability of the
society, towards those officers and their families
who unfortunately may be under the necessity of
receiving it."
Andre de Maricourt, in the magazine,
"France--Etats-Unis", also expressed one of the
objects of its formation by saying that it "sealed
in a solemn manner, and in an hereditary way,
the friendships of two peoples."
One of the first acts of the meeting of May 13, 1783, was to extend membership
to certain grades of French officers, declaring that the "Society, deeply
impressed with a sense of the generous assistance this country has received from
France, and desirous of perpetuating the friendships which have been formed, and
so happily subsisted, between the officers of the allied forces,
in the prosecution of the War, direct that the
President-General transmit, as soon as may be,
to each of the characters hereafter named, a
medal containing the Order of the Society, viz.:
His Excellency the Chevalier de la Luzerne
Minister Plenipotentiary, His Excellency the Sieur Gerard, late Minister
Plenipotentiary, Their Excellencies the Count d'Estaing, the Count de
Grasse, the Count de Barras, the Chevalier des
Touches, Admirals and Commanders in the Navy,
His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau,
Commander-in-Chief, and the Generals and
Colonels of his army, and acquaint them that the
Society does itself the honor to consider them
members."
General Washington, who as previously mentioned, was elected the first President of the
society, wrote Rochambeau this letter:
TO THE COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU
Rocky Hill in New Jersey, 29 October 1783
The officers of the American Army, in order to perpetuate that mutual
friendships which they contracted in the hour of common danger and distress, and
for other purposes which are mentioned in the instrument of their association
have united together in a society of Friends under the name Cincinnati; and
having honored me with the office of president, it becomes a very agreeable part
of my duty to inform you that the Society have done themselves the honor to consider you and the generals and officers of the
army which you commanded in America as
members of the society.
Major L'Enfant, who will have the honor to
deliver this letter to you, will execute the Order
of the Society in France, amongst which he is
directed to present you with one of the first
Orders that are made, and likewise with Orders
for the other gentlemen of your army, which I
take the liberty to request you would present to
them in the name of the Society. As soon as the
diploma is made out, I will have the honor to
transmit it to you.
(Archives of the General Society)
The letter was then transmitted through the
Minister of War to King Louis XVI, who
promptly on December 18th signified his
approval, and the French Order of the Cincinnati was organized on July 4, 1784. Up to that
time, the King of France had not allowed his
officers to wear any foreign decorations. He
immediately, however, made an exception in favor
of the insignia of the Society of the Cincinnati.
Membership in the Order was so eagerly sought
that it soon became one of the most coveted in
Europe.
To General Henry Knox belongs the title of
founder of the Cincinnati, for it appears from
Thomas Jefferson's diary that in a conversation
with John Adams as early as 1776, General Knox
expressed "a wish for some ribbon to wear in his
hat or in his button-hole, to be transmitted to his
descendants as a badge and proof that he fought
in defence of their liberties."
The original copy of the "Proposals" to form
such an order is in Knox's handwriting, and is
now among the papers left in the care of the New
England Historic Genealogical Society of
Boston, by his grandson, Admiral Henry Knox
Thatcher, who served as president of the
Massachusetts branch of the Cincinnati.
The State Societies of the Cincinnati were
formed on different dates. The General Society
of the Cincinnati was established on May 13,
1783, at Newburgh, N.Y., the cantonment of the
American Military forces, by the officers of the
victorious American Army.
The name of the Society was selected from that
of the illustrious Roman General, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who at the call of country, left
his home to lead the armies of Rome to Victory,
and when that victory was achieved, returned to
his farm, refusing the honors usually accorded
victorious leaders returning with their military
forces.
One of the interesting facts in connection with
the Cincinnati is that the medal or jewel of the
Society was designed by Major Pierre Charles
L'Enfant, of the Continental Corps of Engineers, who later planned the Capitol
of this country. The Society voted that "the bald eagle, carrying the emblems on its breast, be established as
the Order of the Society, and that the ideas of
Major L'Enfant respecting it and the manner of
its being worn by the members, . . . be adopted."
On February 24, 1784, the officers of the
French Navy who had been admitted to the Order
of the Cincinnati, presented General Washington,
through his Excellency, the Count d'Estaing, the
ranking Naval officer, the Eagle of the Cincinnati richly set in diamonds.
General Washington was so deeply touched by
the gift of the Diamond Eagle by the Count d'Estaing, on the part of the officers of the French
Navy, that he thenceforth wore this Eagle instead
of the one he had purchased.
Thus, the diamond Eagle has been worn by
each of the twenty-eight men who have held the
office of President-General. It is now held for the
Society by three trustees: The President-General,
the Secretary-General, and the Treasurer-General;
and, is worn on such occasions as the President General may deem proper.
At the first meeting, General Washington was
unanimously chosen President-General, and held
that office until his death, when he was succeeded
by Major General Alexander Hamilton, who in
turn remained President-General until his tragic
death.
Among the great leaders of the American
Revolution, who became members of the Society
besides George Washington were Alexander
Hamilton, the Marquis de Lafayette, Henry
Knox, Nathaniel Greene, Friedrich Von Steuben,
Benjamin Lincoln, Charles C. Pinckney, John
Paul Jones, Israel Putnam, John Schuyler,
Horatio Gates, James Monroe, William Moultrie,
Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Anthony Wayne, William
Sullivan, "Light Horse Harry" Lee, Arthur St.
Clair, and many others.
From the early issue of THE NEW YORK
DIRECTORY (1786), many members of the
Cincinnati are known to have been Freemasons.
Those mentioned are George Washington, the
Marquis de Lafayette, General Friedrich Von
Steuben, Chancellor Robert R. Livington (Grand
Master), John Paul Jones, and General Henry
Knox.
Although the Society of the Cincinnati is in no way a Masonic body, nor ever
was, the Society might well be considered a quasi Masonic organization as most,
if not all of the founders, were Freemasons. It is also well known that
Freemasonry became active throughout the Colonies immediately after the Grand Lodge of
England was instituted in 1717. Freemasonry was
brought here by human beings who sought
freedom and peace in every facet of life.
Thus, Freemasonry and the Society of the Cincinnati ran akin to each other. Each complementing the other to preserve Liberty, cherish the
union of the States, and maintain permanent the
cordiality between officers and mutual friends.
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