 Complete the following phrase:  Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy c. 1737  after 1778 was a French volunteer soldier who served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army. Born in the West Indies, he was one of several foreigners given command positions in the army in 1776 the Marquis de Lafayette being one of the more famous of these. Fermoys tenure as a brigadier general was marked by disgrace. Although he performed competently leading a brigade during the December 26, 1776 Battle of Trenton, he abandoned his brigade while it occupied a forward defensive position opposing the British advance prior to the Battle of the Assunpink Creek. In July 1777 his force was occupying Mount Independence, part of the defenses around Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York, prior to General John Burgoynes advance. When the decision was made to secretly 