Below is a picture of the Comte-de-Grasse, who commanded the French fleet which came from the West Indies to blockade Yorktown. Without this, the key victory of Yorktown might not have occurred.
There is a story that when Washington and Rochambeau arrived with their troops, and de Grasse was introduced to the father of our country, the French admiral called Washington “mon petit gĂ©neral,” (my little general).
I always heard he said this because he towered over Washington, who took great pride in his own unusually tall height, so would have been a bit of a humorous put down.
Yesterday I did some research online and learned that de Grasse was actually the exact same height as Washington. Therefore if he did say it, he was likely making a joke, acknowledging that they were both the same size.
I am obliged to tell you that there are no primary sources for this story, i.e. accounts of the meeting that were written by eyewitnesses.
But it is still a great story.