Actually, if it weren't for the French the United States wouldn't exist in it's present form. They supplied: Military uniforms, boots, rifles, at least 75% of the gunpowder, military training, diplomatic inroads, diplomatic training, naval escorts for merchant ships trading with Europe, supportive naval interference of teh British heading this way...just about anything you can imagine that was needed in a conflict they provided. To hear you tell it, a bunch of farmers were gonna win it single-handed. Also, there was no active conflict between the U.S. & the U.K. in the late 19th century as you purport. And the U.S. had a nascent naval fleet at best & was in no condition to go sailing to England or anywhere else to kick anyone's ass.