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 12 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
I 
 
 BraftforU Club S>erfes 
 
 NUMBER THREE. 
 
■ ' ■■'•>'. 
 
 • Vi-'H 
 
 
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 II 
 
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 <* V'*''*/ ft (>wtfH9 
 
 iLifi 'COiiiiTis :di gm^ce, 
 
 « 
 
 ^^fi 
 
THR 
 
 Jl 
 
 OPEHATIONS 
 
 0» 
 
 w 
 
 rilK FRENCH FLEET 
 
 UNDER TilK 
 
 Count 2De Jgra00e 
 
 IN 1781-2 
 
 A8 DESCRIBED IN TWO CONTEMPORANEOUS 
 JOURNALS 
 
 NEW VOIIK 
 MDCCCLXIV 
 
Knlercil ucoording to iin Act of rongrcsn, in tlioycnr I8<14, 
 Dy Julin U. Moreau, 
 
 roll TIIK nilADPURI) CMIll, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the Dimrict Court of the United StuteH 
 for the Southern Uinlrict of Now York. 
 
 ONF. HITNDRFD AND FIFTY rOPIIS PRINTEIl. 
 
—f ■■ "-- «.- . 
 
 CMJB COPV, 
 
THE BRADPOKD CLUB. 
 
 /y 
 
 Under this designation, a few gentlemen interested in the study of 
 American History and Literature, propose occasionally to print limited 
 editions of such manusc-'pts and scarce pamphlets as may be deemed 
 of value towards illustru." g these subjects. They will seek to obtain, 
 for this purpose, unpublished journals or correspondence containing 
 matter worthy of record, and which may not properly bo included in 
 the Historical Collections or Documentary Histories of the several staleii. 
 Such unpretending cotemporary chronicles often throw precious light 
 upon the motives of action, and the imperfectly narrated eventH of 
 by-gone days ; perhaps briefly touched upon in dry official doounionta, 
 
 The Club may also issue fac-similes of curious manuscripts, or doru> 
 
 ments worthy of notice, which like the printed issues will bear ilM 
 
 imprint. 
 
 "These are the 
 
 Registers, the chronicles of the ago 
 
 They were written in, and 8peak the truth of History 
 
 Better than a hundred of your printed 
 
 Communications." — Shakerly Marmyott's Antigiiar;/. 
 
 William Bradford, the first New York Printer, whose name they have 
 adopted, came to this country in 1682, and established his press in the 
 neighborhood of Philadelphia. In 1C93 he removed to this city, and 
 set up the first press "at the sign of the Bible." His first work, 
 printed in this colony, was entitled " The Laws and Acta of llio 
 
vxu 
 
 THE BRADFORD CLUB. 
 
 Qonoral Assembly." During a period of thirty years, he was the only 
 Printer in the Province, and in his imprints, ho styled himself " Printer 
 to tbe King." In 1725 he printed our first newspaper, The New 
 York Gazette, He continued the business of his profession until 
 within a few years of his death, which occurred in 1762, at the ago of 
 92 years. He was described in an obituary notice of the day as "a 
 man of great sobriety and industry, a real friend to the poor and 
 needy, and kind and affable to all." 
 April, 1859. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Thb Bradford Club having received trom one of tbe members, Mr. 
 J. C. Brevoort of Brooklyn, a very neatly written manuscript, com- 
 prising ii journal of an officer in the fleet of the Count de Orasse in 
 1781-82, believed that it would form a most appropriate volume, as 
 portraying the naval operations of France during the Revolution, and 
 especially of that fleet which rendered such timely service to our 
 cause by its aid in the siege of Vorktown and in the repulse of Graves 
 oflF the Chesapeake. 
 
 The manuscript bears the name of the Chevalier de Qoussencourt, 
 and tlie first question of course was, in what capacity he served. Al- 
 though through the kindness of my excellent and now deceased friend, 
 Mr. Henry de Courcy, whose family has been for nearly two centu- 
 ries well represented in the French navy, I had more than usual op- 
 portunity for pursuing the investigation, our researches have been 
 futile. The only indication as to his vessel is in the fact that he re- 
 turned to France in the squadron composed of the Languedoc, 80, 
 Baron Daross ; the Diadcme, 74, de Montdclerc; and the Magnauime, 
 74, le Begue. He bestows great praise on Montdclerc for his services 
 lifter the figlit, and defends the conduct of Daross during it. Mr. 
 de Courcy accordingly applied to the navy department in Paris with 
 this guide : he found the rolls of de Grasse's fleet complete, but re- 
 ceived from the archivist who made a regular scarcii, the following 
 report : 
 
 •' No officer nf the name of Goussenconrt was on the expedition of 
 
M 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Admiral dn Oragse in 1782. An examination just made of tlie ro'lH 
 of the Languedoc, Dindpme and Magnaninie has afforded no result, 
 except lliat of eHtablisliing perfectly tliiit nu name exists there which 
 bears the remotest resemblance to thai of aoiisscncoiii't. The same 
 is true of the navy lists from 1781 to 1787." 
 
 Mr. de Courcy's inquiries among the aged naval officers of France 
 were as fruitless. 
 
 It would appear that the name nas a pseudonyme, and such was 
 the opinion of the navy bureau, but ns he might have belonged to 
 the army, Mr. de Courcy endeiivored to find whether any member 
 of the de Ooussencourt family, though bearing another name, served 
 on the fleet ; but though he discovered a living general of the name, 
 was unable to obtain any satisfactory information. 
 
 De GouHsencourt is hostile to the Count de Gnisse, and very freely 
 canvasses bis operations. Fortunately there exists another journal 
 printed nominally at Amsterdam in 1782, written in the interest of 
 that commander, and, perhaps from his hand. It is anonymous, and 
 the vessel on which the writer served is also left an impenetrable se- 
 cret. This is also here presented, that the two versions may be con- 
 fronted, and the render be belter enabled to judge of the whole cam- 
 paign. 
 
 A third French account, not of the whole expedition, but of the 
 fatal battle with Rodney, is contained in the anonymous "Voyage 
 d'un Suisse dans diff^rentes colonies d'Amerique pendant la derniere 
 Guerre." Neuchntel, 1780. The writer whs on one of the French 
 vessels that escaped from the battle, but like the other writings, care- 
 fully avoids mentioning its name or giving us any clue to it. 
 
 This account, with Rodney's despatches, give all the accessible re- 
 ports. 
 
 I have given such notices of the French officers mentioned at I 
 could glean here or get from my good friends in France. As to Ad- 
 miral de Grasse himself, the family, as it will be seen, have given me 
 their aid in compiling the sketch of his life. 
 
 J. G. Shea. 
 
INTRODUCTION, 
 
 The present war, in wliich some of our sister states 
 forming a new confederacy are attempting alike the 
 establishment of a national existence and conquest 
 of other portions of our territory, shows the immense 
 advantage enjoyed in such a war by the party possess- 
 ing a power on the ocean. The American govern- 
 ment has never, so to say, had a navy. A gallant 
 nucleus of a maritime armj^ has indeed won renown, 
 but our vessels are too few in number, and inade- 
 quate in force and armament to be at all commensu- 
 rate with our dignity as one of the great powers of the 
 world, or even with the protection of our mercantile 
 marine and the seacoast of our land, which in its 
 length would form no inconsiderable part of the 
 earth's circumference. No American fleet ever sailed 
 forth able to cope successfully with fleets such as Eng- 
 land, France, Holland, and Spain, have had on the 
 ocean in successive wars. 
 
 The revolted states have no navy, and no means of 
 fitting one out. From a variety of causes they can 
 
 i^m «a3f:mt-r::t53.».Jtrrti«ja;;; 
 
 r.5a^fr;t*.r.rn?iP!!C?.-:rt^ss!ffls-j:;=:!::^ • * 
 
mmmm^wft m tt v mmimm 
 
 12 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 neither build nor man veHHeln, and the so-ealled jn'iva- 
 teers of the Sontliern conte(U'racy, few in number, are 
 really F^nglisli vosselrt, built and ecjuipped in England, 
 under the eountenanee, if not by the direct aid, of the 
 Knglirth government, and often commanded by British 
 subjectH. 
 
 Imulequate therefore as the American navy is, it 
 has nevertheless contributed immensely to the strength 
 of government in its operations at llatteras, J'ort 
 Royal, Pensacola, CMiarleston, Xew Orleans, as well 
 as on the Mississippi and other rivers, besides the 
 great advantage it attbrds of rapid and unmolested 
 transportation of troops from one extremity to the 
 other. 
 
 We are thus enabled, by our actual reference to day, 
 to estimate more justly the importance of the French 
 naval operations on the Atlantic in the last century, 
 (»n the ultinuite result of our Revolutionary struggle, 
 In- actual aid in military operations, by defeating those 
 of the enemy, or rendering them safe only when con- 
 voyed by powert'ul tieets. It was to us, what in the 
 present war, an oi»en alliance between Kngland and 
 the revolted states would l»e to them. The damage 
 caused by the British privateers has been great, but a 
 declaration of war by England or France against us 
 would entail on our part the annament of Heets such 
 as our country has never witnessed, and which, not- 
 withstanding the immense expenses government 
 should prepare at once, and not leave to the eventu- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 13 
 
 ulity of diplomatic coinplicationrt, or the good t'uith of 
 nations, whom the history of the puHt should teach uh 
 not to trust too implicitly. 
 
 In turning our gaze to the period of our early 
 struggle for natioidiood, we find the period, one es- 
 pecially calling out naval operations. 
 
 The French, whose loss of then' vast American pos- 
 sessions still rankled in their bosoms, beheld with un- 
 disguised exultation the outburst in the ancient colo- 
 nies of England, which their statesmen had foreseen, 
 and which in its certain future, as the sure result of 
 the conquest of Canada, consoled them for its loss. 
 Her ports gladly sheltered those daring American 
 privateers, whose exploits carried terror through 
 English commerce. Ere long too, arms, money and 
 experienced officers reached America from France ; 
 among the last, that J>e Xalb, who secretly traversing 
 the country years before, had clearly discerned the 
 coming revolution with which his name was to be in- 
 dissolubly connected. 
 
 The government of France stood ostensibly neutral 
 l)etween England and her colonies, but in reality was 
 preparing for a war which gratified every instinct of a 
 French heart. The navy, neglected during the close 
 of the disgraceful reign of Louis XV, had, under the 
 young monarch, been increased in nund)er, strength 
 and morale, and the officers burned with a desire to 
 engage their hated rivals on the ocean, and at last gain 
 that mastery on water which England had so long 
 possessed. 
 
■»■*»■ 
 
 u 
 
 INTKOUllCTION. 
 
 Kmtico IiikI lu'Vi'i* Ih'cii iMitial to Knghiiid at nea, and 
 OH tlio (U'cliiu' of HpaiiiHii and Dutch naval strength, 
 Britain Htood ahnic ; nniny coiiHiderationH conibining 
 to ('onipi'l her to Hacrifici" all to nuiiiitain tlu" povvnr 
 hIii' had a('(|uir(>d. To otti'ct thin, all the con(inorttrt of 
 rti'ii'iict' were immediately utilised : no improvement 
 in naval arehitucture, in ordnance or navigation, wan 
 overlooked, tlie jtaraHiten of the court hanitthed 
 from the uavy, and the commands tilled hy capable 
 and thoroughly educated neamen, before whom the 
 fate of Hyng Ht(»od aN the Htern sentence of public 
 opinion on defeat. 
 
 Yet never, perha[)s, till our day, was France so 
 nearly a match f»tr Kngland as at the jieriod of which 
 we speak. Mrest and Toulon ha<l been active in tit- 
 ting out her ships of the line and frigates, but though 
 her otHci'rs were in nnuiy cases men of scientitic train- 
 ing, scii'net' and progress had been overlooked, and 
 tin* aristocrati«t element |»ossessed undisputed the 
 whole Hervi(!e. Xo one could become a midshipnutn 
 or ensign without presenting his fourteen quaiterings, 
 showing his indisputable right to be reckoned among 
 the noblesse. Two facts will show their lack of pro- 
 gress. The coppering of vessels had been adopted by 
 the Knglish, an<l though one of the most capable offi- 
 cers in KraiKie urged upon the government the ad- 
 vantage which would result from the use of slieath- 
 ing, his advice wa.-* iniheedcd ; and France began this 
 war with this great disadvantage of fighting the swift 
 copper-fuHtened men-of-war of her rival with her own 
 
INTHODUCTION. 
 
 16 
 
 old fawhioiied wooden bottoms. The ouHtoin of pre- 
 {)ariiitf for action on only one side of the nlii[) liad 
 been abandoned hy the Kmjli.sh, bnt retained by the 
 French, and it more than once occnrred that an Kng- 
 lish vessel by a slis^ht nuin(Puvre was able to pour 
 into tlie nnprepared side of a French vessel a broad- 
 side which could not be returned. 
 
 Yet France, regardless as she then was of such ad- 
 vantages, was eager for the struggle, and the navy 
 especially hailed thi' gathering cloud of war with 
 exultation. 
 
 When the French government, at last, resolved to 
 take an active part in the war, a fleet under C'harles 
 Henry tJount d'F]staing, was sent out from Toulon on 
 the 13th of April, 177H, with orders to attack any Heet 
 bound to or from America; and at the same time they 
 prepared to send out another fleet from Brest, under 
 Count d'Orvilliers. The flrst hostility took place ofl:' 
 the coasts of Brittany, the Ai-ethusa, 26, of Keppel's 
 fleet, having on the 17th of June begun the war by 
 attacking the Bello Poule, a French vessel of equal 
 force, commanded by the brave La Clocheterie, who 
 signalized himself in the flrst, to die flghting most 
 gallantly in the last battle of the war. This led to a 
 flercely contested, but indecisive action off Ushant, 
 on the 21st July 1778, between the English fleet under 
 Keppel, and the French fleet under the Count d'Or- 
 villiers. 
 
 Mean while the Count d'Estaing ran across the 
 
Ill 
 
 INTHODlJCTtON. 
 
 Atlniitio iiiitl lK'«fi>'i Iiowtilitiof* on tlii' J^Otli .liiiu". I».v 
 fiiptiirin^ an Kii);liNli vi'hhi'I ott' licriniitln. On tlio 
 i'jtli of tlio ni'xt month, tiu' tVijfiitt' Knpijfi-ant*' of Ii'ih 
 Hoot took tlir Kn^liwli friiruti' I{om*', tin- first real cai)- 
 tiirt' in tlu' war. An unfortunate delay iirevonted hin 
 hloolvadinik; Howe in the Dehiware, and lie n|i|>eared 
 oft' Sandv JIoolv Jidv 11, to he ahandoned hv itiiotH, 
 and oiitgeneraled by Howe, wlio nuide nueii an ap- 
 pearanei' of foreo in Now York l>ay witli a h)t of niift- 
 erahlo hulks, that ho prevented d'Krttainj;, milled too 
 by tory pilots, from entering, wlien he miglit in faet 
 have sailed up to the city and eloHod the war. D'Ks- 
 taing then eoneerted a plan with Lafayette ami Sulli- 
 van to take Rhode Island. lie mn into Newport and 
 compelled the Knglish to destroy their vessels there. 
 .Fust as operations were about to begin, IIowc apj)ear- 
 ed, d'Estaing went out to meet him, Ilowe avoicK'd 
 an action, a storm came on, d'Kstaing's fleet sutt'ered, 
 and abandoning the siege of Newport to the great dis- 
 satisfai'tion (tf tSullivan, he sailed to Hoston to repair. 
 
 Leaving U(»ston he allowed llotham's scpuidron 
 from New York to go almost before liis eyes to liar- 
 badoes. Proceeding to (lUadaloupe, in Deeendter 
 ho engaged liarrington, but failed to eapturo his small 
 s(piadron, and saw his arn^ repulsed with loss in his 
 attack on St. Lucia, Dee. IH. 
 
 The next year, having been reinforced by four ves- 
 sels nncK'r do (Jrasse, he reduced the islands of Saijit 
 Martin, St. liartholomew, and St. Vincent. On the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 17 
 
 Innt (lay of June, lio Hailed from Fort Uoyal witli 
 twonty-tivo vohhoIh of tlio lino, and two fri^atoH, and 
 early iti July, after a Hhari> action, reduced (Iranada. 
 On the (Ith, a very Hharp enpi^ement took place be- 
 tween d'EHtaing and Byron, in which the latter Huf- 
 ferod Hovercly, 
 
 The next operation of Count d'Estaing wan another 
 attack on an English post in the United StateH. Sa- 
 vannah was assailed on the 9th of Octol)er, hv Ameri- 
 can and French troops, the former under Lincoln, the 
 latter led by d'Estaing injterson; hut in spite of the 
 valor of the allies, they were repulsed with heavy loss. 
 This ended the naval and military campaign of d'Es- 
 taing, from which tlie Amei'ieans had expected much 
 and obtained nothing. 
 
 The Count de Guichen, who succeeded to the com- 
 mand of the French fleet in the "West Indies, brought 
 Kodney to action, April 17, 1780, but the battle pro- 
 duced no result, and a similarly indecisive action took 
 place May 19. 
 
 In 1781, the Chevalier Destouches sent a part of his 
 Hcet from Boston to the Chesapeake, under M. do Tilly, 
 who captured the liomulus, 44 guns, and several tran- 
 sports, but most of the enemy's vessels ran up to 
 Portsmouth. Destouchcs himself then sailed to the 
 Chesa|)eake, and had a spirited action with Graves, in 
 which he put three of the English vessels hors de 
 condtat. De Ternay, who brought another Fromh 
 squadron across the Atlantic, allowed an English squad- 
 
lb 
 
 INTUUDUCTION. 
 
 roll ti> escape from him, iitul died of mortification hoou 
 lifter his arrival. 
 
 8ueh luid Ijeeii tlio main operations of the French 
 navy in American waters up to the time of the cam- 
 pai<rn of tlie Count do (Irasse, described in tliOBO 
 I)a,i;es. That such tU-ets were sent l»y both jjovern- 
 ments to operate in the (hmgerous waters of the West 
 Indian Arcliii>elajifo, and waste their streiifftlion the re- 
 duction of petty islands, wlien a continent was at stako, 
 is not easily ex])laincd. The time was spent in taking 
 and retaking small and unimportunt isles, the pos- 
 session of wliich was of no strategic importance. In 
 the war on the Continent, the operations at Newport 
 and {Savannah, both entire failures, and the operations 
 of Destouches in the (Miesapeake, alone sliow the in- 
 tervention of our transatlantic allies, and thus far, it 
 18 clear, that the assistance rendered by the French 
 nnvy had been of little moment, except in the fact 
 that it gave occupatiim to ul! England's fleets. 
 
 Of the career of tlie Count de (irasse, whose last 
 fatal battle in a manner closed the war, we need not 
 enter here. The journals give the details in full. 
 
 " -•»i>*-4i*t^i:to>kl1 .ttA,t^ 
 
FRANCIS JOSKPII PAUL DK (IKASSK-Itor- 
 VILLK, COUNT DE GRASSE, MAHQUTS 1)E 
 TILLY, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL DES AR- 
 MhlKS NAVALKS. 
 
 Thoikui not rt'garclod in Franfis an one of tli<' glo- 
 ries of the Froncli navy, in consiMiuenco of tiio disas- 
 ter wliicli clortc'd liirt naval career, the name of I>^ 
 GraHse is a«Hociate(l in tlie Aineriean mind with th< 
 ultimate triumph of mitional independence, and pop- 
 ulnr {gratitude rewards his exertions and sacrifices hy 
 its lastinj; reverence. The family from which he 
 sprung was one of the oldest of the French nohlesse, 
 claiming descent from Rodoard, Prince of Antihes in 
 998, and boasting of its alliance hy intermarriage with 
 the royal houses of France, Spain, and Sicily. The 
 Captal de Buch, so famous in Froissart, was one of 
 tb', ancestors of the Count de Grasse. Ilis family 
 bore the name of de Grasse from the eleventh centu- 
 ry, and that of Rouville from 1070. 
 
 His father, Francois de Grasse-Rouville, Marquis 
 de Grasse, was a captain in the army, but two of his 
 
20 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Ji/-' 
 
 /: 
 
 V 
 
 sons, Joseph de Grasse, a knight of Malta, who served 
 at Louisbonrg, and woh a captain in 1757, and Fran- 
 cois Joseph Paul, souglit the guerdon of their am- 
 bition in the naval career. 
 
 Francois Joseph Paul was born in 1723 ; but of his 
 ear'ier career, even the biography published by his 
 son aftbrds us no particulars. At the commencement 
 of the war with England, brought on by the Ameri- 
 can Revolution, he was captain of the Robuste, 74, 
 and had been in active sei'vice, apparently in her since 
 177i). With that vessel lie took an active part in the 
 naval engagement fought oft' Ouessant in July, 1778. 
 In the following year, still in the same vessel, he sailed 
 as chef-d'csmdre, or commodore, from Brest, with 
 four ships of the line, and anchored in the road of 
 Fort Royal, February 20, 1779. He shared in the 
 triumphs and reverses of d'Estaing's campaign, in the 
 reduction of Granada, in the siege of Savannah, and 
 after which he sailed to the West Indies with a por- 
 tion of the tieet. Here he distinguished himself in 
 1780, under de Guichen, in his engagements with 
 Rodney, rescuing the 8phynx and Artesien from a 
 superior English force. Declining the command of 
 the squadron on the ground of health, he returned to 
 France, where he was raised by the king to the rank 
 of lieutenant-genei-al or admiral, and invested with 
 the conunand of the fleet in the West Indies, which 
 d'Estaing and de Gui'.-hen had hitherto directed with 
 judgment, though not with brilliant success. Theele- 
 
 '\ 
 
f f 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ai 
 
 // 
 
 //' 
 
 vation of de Grasse gave umbrage to many officers 
 in the navy, and involved him in difficulties which 
 ultimately dimmed by a fearful reverse, the laurelu 
 won in the earlier part of his naval campaign. Th« 
 estimate formed of him by most writers then and now 
 is not colored by the respect which success inspires. 
 That of Guerin in his Histoire Maritime de la France, iti 
 pointed. " Obedience galled him, and as a natural 
 result he brought to command a biting hauteur 
 marque, and a disposition that never stooped to con- 
 ciliate. If he was not deficient in activity, his mind 
 was ceitainly destitute of comprehensive grasp, and uh 
 he showed but too clearly he was capable of sacrific- 
 ing a whole plan of operations to a single detail. 
 Brave and good as captain of a ship, the Count de 
 Grasse was an embarrassing commodore, and a still 
 more illstarred admiral." 
 
 The following pages give two cotemporary narra- 
 tives of his campaign, one by a friendly hand, if not 
 his own, the other representing the party adverse to 
 him on the French navy. 
 
 Both describe in detail his actions in the West In- 
 dies, his generous exertions and prompt correspond, 
 ence with Washington's designs against Cornwallis, 
 his brilliant action with Graves off the mouth of the 
 Chesapeake, and then his indecisive affair with Hood, 
 and most disastrous engagement with Rodney, result- 
 ing in the loss of so many French vessels and the sur- 
 

 22 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 render of his flagship and himself into the hands of 
 the English.' 
 
 After his return to Knmce from F]ngland, the king 
 refused him audience, the honors bestowed on Rocham- 
 beau were withheld from him, and his conduct was 
 investigated in a council of war held at Lorient. 
 Though he was exonerated and several of his inferior 
 officers censured, lie was never again in active service, 
 but lived in retirement till his death, January 14, 1788.* 
 
 He was three times married : 1st, in 1764, to An- 
 toinette Rosalie Accaron, daughter of Jean Augustin 
 Accaron, commissary in the navy ; M, to t-atharine 
 Pien, widow of M. de Villeneuve ; 3d, to Christine 
 
 ' In one of his leiters he thus sums up llie whole affair : " I have 
 been henlcii at'ier an engagement of seven hours, with six ships against 
 fourlcen : I have surrendered under such circumstances, as that my 
 friends need not blush for me, when they see mu again. The English 
 fleet lins been more 8ucce8.''ful than the k'ng's, and is al«o under a 
 Utile better discipline." 
 
 ' Washington, in a letter to the Count de Rochanibenu. who an- 
 nounced the death of their fellow commander at Yorktown, says : " I 
 am sorry to learn that the Count de (Jras'-e. our gallant coadjutor in 
 the capture of Cornwallis. is no more. Vet iiis denth is not perhaps 
 so much 10 be deplored as his latter days were to be pitied. It seemed 
 as if an unfortuuaie and unrelenting ilestiny purriiid him to de- 
 stroy the enjoyment of all earthly coniforl. The ilisiislrous battle of 
 the 12th of April, the loss of the favor of bis king, ami the subgequent 
 connexion in marriage with an unworthy woman, were sufficient to 
 have made him weary of the burden of life. Your goodness in en- 
 deavoring to sweeten its passage was truly commendable, however it 
 might have bocn marred by his own inipe'uosily. Uut his frailties 
 should now be buried in the grave with him. while his name will be 
 long deservedly dear to this country, on account of his successful co- 
 operation in the former campaign of 1781." 
 
 MSaiivii 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 23 
 
 Marie Dolphine Lazaro de Cibon. a union fruitful to 
 him in unliappinesa. 
 
 By liisiirst wife he had issue: 1. Alexander Fran9oi8 
 AuguHte de Urasse Rouville, Count de Grasse, Mar- 
 quis de Tilly, who died al)out 1849. 2. Amelie 
 Rosalie Maxime, who died unmarried. 3. Adelaide, 
 who died at Charleston, 8. C, August 23, 1799. 4. 
 Maxime de Grasse, knight of Malta, who died in 
 1773. 5. Melanie Veronique Maxime, who died at 
 Charleston, Sept. 19, 179i>. 6. Sylvie de Grasse, who 
 married M. Franeis de Pan, and died in Xew York, 
 January 5, 1855, aged 83. 
 
 Death removed the Count de Grasse from the scene 
 of life before the storm of revolution swept over his 
 native land, but his surviving children were driven by 
 it into exile and reached the United States. Grateful 
 for the services of the father, the government of the 
 republic made the young count engineer of Georgia 
 and the Carolinas, and 1)estowed a pension of a thou- 
 sand dollars a year on the daughters, a fitting retui'n 
 to the family of one who mortgaged his private estates 
 to enable him to carry to Washington the money 
 needed for the army. Two of the daughters soon 
 sank victims to the yellow fever, but the youngest, 
 Madame de Pau, was long a resident of New York. 
 She left two sons and five daughters. Louis A. de 
 Pau, one of the former, represents the Count de 
 Grasse in the Society of the Cincinnati. The daugh- 
 ters married leading merchants of Xew York, and the 
 
f\ 
 
 \ 
 
 M 
 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 families of Fox, Livingston, Fowler and Coster, can 
 boast of their descent from the distinguished French 
 commander, whose prompt and generous conduct ena- 
 bled Washington to carry out his sanguine wishes, 
 and brought to a glorious close the long and desolat- 
 ing war of the Revolution. ■ 
 
 Notice biographique sur I'Amiral Comte de Grasse 
 {Fran^'ois Joseph Paul) d'aprh Us documents inidits coin- 
 muniquis par M. le Comte Alexandre Fr. Auguste de 
 Grasse, son fils. Paris, 1840, 8vo. pp. 45. GinMogie 
 de la Maison de Grasse. Paris: Imprimerie de E. 
 Brieze, Rue Sainte Anne 55, 1842, 8vo. 55 pp. Papers, 
 communicated by the kindness of Mrs. Drayton. 
 
 rfflffrr"i"'T — r " i r -•'jrrr ii " ii -<mf-irr-wi i*m>. n < t . "i'* -** »^ -i^-^*w-^ 
 
M 
 
.^^ "..^ << 
 
 % 
 

 - -i,vA«^i*^^*««ffia>L^i 
 
wmirirn-,. 
 
. I 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 or TiiK 
 
 CRUISE OF THE FLEET OF HIS MOST 
 CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, 
 
 UNDRIt THE COMMAND OF 
 
 THE COUNT DE GRASSE-TILLY, 
 
 IN 1781 AND 1782. 
 
 BY 
 
 THE CHEVALIER DE GOUSSENCOURT. 
 
LIST OP THE VESSELS OF THE FLEET. 
 
 t 1 ! 
 
 titmm of the Veiwelf. 
 
 Arm«m«nt 
 
 OipUiln'i NiiiM, 
 
 Villo (le Pnrii, 
 
 104 
 
 Count de Oraniie 
 
 AllgUHtO, 
 
 80 
 
 de Hougainville 
 
 Laiigucdoc, 
 
 80 
 
 Haron d'AroiiH, 
 
 St. Esprit, 
 
 80 
 
 do Chabert. 
 
 Clloyon, 
 
 74 
 
 0«ty. 
 
 Olnrioiix, 
 
 74 
 
 Ddcarg. 
 
 Hoiiverain, 
 
 74 
 
 QlandevcRO. 
 
 Dind^mp, 
 
 74 
 
 Moiitt^clero. 
 
 7,m, 
 
 74 
 
 Prdville. 
 
 Scipion, 
 
 74 
 
 Clavel, 
 
 Northuioberland, 
 
 74 
 
 Hri(iucville. 
 
 Sceptre, 
 
 74 
 
 Vaudreuil. 
 
 Hector, 
 
 74 
 
 Dalain. 
 
 Mngnanime, 
 
 74 
 
 Le Uegue. 
 
 l<( urgogno, 
 
 74 
 
 Charito. 
 
 Vaillant, 
 
 04 
 
 Marigny, 
 
 Marseillois, 
 
 74 
 
 U'Espinoi 5u. 
 
 C^sar, 
 
 74 
 
 CaNtellane. 
 
 Hercule, 
 
 74 
 
 Tiirpin. 
 
 Pluton, 
 
 74 
 
 D'Albert Rions. 
 
 Sagittairc, 
 
 FRIGATES: 
 
 Montluc. 
 
 Medde, 
 
 40 
 
 La Diligente. 
 
 Aigrette, 
 
 .'!2 
 FLUTES : 
 
 
 Minaulore, 
 
 V. 
 
 Union. 
 
 Fier, V 
 
 F. 
 
 D6daigneuae. 
 
 L'lndiscrete, 
 
 
 Le Sensible. 
 
 La Noiirrice, 
 
 
 L'Aurore. 
 
 et lea Vj. et frogfll 
 
 e de rinde. 
 
 
 
 i %& 
 
I t 
 
 CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA. 
 
 Thk fleet of the Count DcHtaing having arrived 
 very late from Cadiz, prevented the propoHed celerity 
 in fitting out a tieet, whieli was intended t)riginally to 
 Hail under the eonunand of Mr. de la Toueho Tre- 
 ville,' and of which the Count de GrasHe ohtained tlio 
 
 ' Louis Ken(S Madeline Lovassor de La Touohe-Trdvillo, vivo iiiliiii- 
 rol, WAR born at Uochefort in 1740, of a fiimily already diHiiiiguiHiiod 
 In tlie navy. He entered tlie gervice aa a midshipman, and liad riiion 
 III the rank of enxign, wlien by reforms in tbe navy, be wan dropped, 
 He then entered tbe muslceteeriii and obtained a captaincy in tbe dra- 
 goonM, but in 1772, succeeded in recovering a comiiiisHion in the navy. 
 Wlien Franco declared war against Kngland in 1778, bo obtained com- 
 innnd of tlio Uoaaignote, as lieutenant. In the Ilermionv, in Juno 
 17H(), iio HUHlained a long combat with tbe l»'<-^, for which ho obtninod 
 a unptaiiicy, niid was made Cbevulicr of St. Louis. He then brought 
 out liafiiyoilo, and erected batteries in Kbode Island. In July, 1781, 
 with La IV'rouse, he tool< an English frigate and corvette off Nova 
 Hcotia. In 1782, be brought out to the United States three millions 
 livrKH in gold, and on the way engaged and so disabled the Hector U4, 
 that she went down a few days after. He himself was soon after sur- 
 prised by Elpbinslone, and his vessel running on a shoal, he was 
 forced to strike, and was carried to England where ho remained till 
 the peace. Un liis return to l^rance be occupied several posts, but on 
 Die breaking out of the revolution, though a deputy of the noblesse. 
 Joined the commons. As rear-admiral, he sailed to Naples in I7U2, 
 but was tbe next year deprived of bis rank and sent to La Force as a 
 noble. Itostoreil to tbe navy in I7U'.), he battled Nelson at Koulogne 
 In 181)1, and in the same year reduced Port-au-Prince in St. Domingo. 
 He (lied on board the Bucentairc .Vug. 1*J, 1804, while commandant at 
 Toulon. 
 
 11 
 
28 
 
 OPERATIONS OF TIIK KKKNCH KI.KET 
 
 coiniiiand l>y his iiitri;;iH'H iit roiirt.' Tlif vch- 
 hoIh tliat liati made tlu> caiiipaiLCii ii> Aincricii 
 umlor tlio Coiiiit do (Julclu'ii,'' wIu-ih' tlu'v had huh- 
 taliu'd tliivo »;omhiitrt with the colt(l)rato<l llodnoy,'' had 
 
 > rhax <'t Lvlinin. in lliuir IliHlniro du In Uevniulinn do I'AiiKtrique 
 ■epteiitrioiiule, iltMliunlcd tu Niipuleun, iilno aHHvrt iLnt ilu QrniiHe ob- 
 tnincd tlio (.'oiiiniuiid hy inlrlgiic Tlio nucoihI jimniiil in iIiIn vnliimn 
 given tlic oppogitu iiocduni, nuU iIuIdii Ibul lie toult liie auiiimand re- 
 liiotuntly. 
 
 ' Luc llrliiiin do Ilouoxio, Count do Oulolirii, horn in nrittnny in 
 1712, inidftliipman in ITMI), piiNnoil llirouKli nil giiidoM up lo a cnp 
 Ininoy in 17r)fl. In the Ville de I'nriN ho wax hn commodore a( the 
 bnlllo u{ OiioMHunl in July I77M, niid llio next yvnr na liciilcnunl-gon- 
 ernl, connuundod ono of llie tliroo gronl iliviHionn of llie tloot. Ilo 
 twice HUuceHxfully cngngod Kodnoy in April nnd Miiy 17H(I, in the 
 West Indiott. In Deccndicr of next ycur, ho allowed Kempenfold lo 
 Bweop otf pnrt of IiIh convoy, conlniiiing reinfor(UMiicnlH for llio W'oil 
 IndioH, lliim grcitily enilinrniHHing (lie Count do (IrnHHc Ho coin- 
 niiindod the ItroMl tieut in \1H'2, nnd dieil in I7'<M). 
 
 ' Oeorge ItridgoH, Lord Kodnoy, K. H,. (hou of Henry ilodnoy of 
 Walton upon TliunioH, the cuniuiunder uf the yacht in which (leurge 
 II. and Iho Uuke of (JhnndoH umoiI to visit llnnover,) had the king and 
 that nohlcninn for IiIh nponnors in linpliHin. nnd hy tlicir advice wii8 
 educatrd for the navy. He wan liorn in l)eceinl)cr I7IH, nnil onloring 
 the navy at nn curly ago, beciinio in I74'.i lirulennnl of the Nnniur, 
 under ndniirni MnllhewH, nnd whh proniolod the Hnnio yonr to the 
 Plynionili, lio, im onptuin, and proioctcd llio LiNlioii tieut of niorchant- 
 nien in it wny lo merit high applnu.ie. Aflor conininniliiig HucceHHively 
 the ShcernesB, nnd the Ludlow Camle, 41, witli tlielnitor of which he 
 took the great St. Mnloes privnioor, lie next ciipliired two French 
 privnlfcru ofl' the Irish coawt in October 17-lti, being nl the linii' in 
 commnnd of the Knglo, lid. The i il yenr he served in commodore 
 Fox's squndron, which cnpiur<'(l n pnrt of iho convoy under the escort 
 of M. Hois de In Motlic, liodney inking six of the pri/cs. Ilo next 
 served in ndmirnl llnwke's Hi(undi'on in the engngenient with M. de 
 Letendeur. In March, 174'.), he wns uppuinted to the Kaiiibow, nnd 
 made Governor of Nowfoundlnnd. Me was subsequently in coniinuiid 
 of the Kent, 74, and I'rince (ieorge, ',)ii. In 1757, he sailed in the 
 Dublin, under lluwke and Uuscuwun, tirsi lu ihu FruuuU coast, thuu 
 
 ^r-rTtinlrTlfMWI 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DK (JHASSE. 
 
 29 
 
 joined vice uiiiati'iil D'Kstuinu; iit Cadiz, aiitl n>acli('cl 
 BrtMt only on tiu' Hocond of .laimarv. Our wliolv 
 tlcot wan in tlio roads on tlu- lirnt of March, and I 
 li'uvo all to ,jndj;v, in wiiat Htutc it ninnt huvu bu«n. 
 
 til IiiiiiinhiirK. In .liiiio, 1750, ho liRcninr ronr mlnilrnl of thn blu*, 
 and Hailed wiili u Hciuinlron In Imnibiiril lliivrp, itiiil runiiiiMpd off that 
 oooHt the next year eliccking (lie Prcncli naval oirorlN. 
 
 In Ortiiher, 17111, Im wiin senl tu the Vivnt Indies, imd with general 
 Mnui'klon, rfiliiccil Maillni<|iir, (linniida, St. liiiciii, iiml >S|. Vincent, 
 and by hii« activity and vigiluncu, upheld the Kn^liMh power, lie wa* 
 nmdo a baronet, .lannary 21, 17li4, giivernor iil' (iritL-nwk'li lloHpilal 
 In 17i'>'''>, vice admiral <it' lh« whiti' and rod in 17711, and rear admiral 
 of Great llrllain in 1771. 
 
 lie was) several times in |>arliamt>nt, but the last time Hecuri'd his 
 eleclion by giicli liberal nne of niiiney ns to liccomo a bankrupt, and 
 an exile in France, lie refused, however, nil otters of preferiuejit iu 
 the French servieo, and in 177H, he was enabled, by the kinduess of 
 the Uuke de lliron, wlm furnished him a thousand guineas, to return 
 to England. The next year he was a|>poinled in eotuinaiid of the Lee- 
 waril Islands. .Sailing with a Heel on the Hlh of .January, 17Ht), he 
 capturccl a large Spanish s(|uadron, and on Ihu l)iih id' the same 
 motith, engaged the Spanish s()uadriin under Don ,luan de liangnra, 
 whom he entirely defeated, taking the admiral's tlagsliip, the I'henix, 
 and four others. Having tlius neulrali/.ed the efforts of the French 
 and .Spaniards against (libr.iltar, he landed reinforcements and sup- 
 plies for the garriNiin of that post. Sailing then to the West Indies, 
 he engaged de Guichen's Heet on the 13th of .Vpril, but without a'ly 
 decisive result ; after proceeding to New York to assist .\dmiral 
 Arbuihiiot, he return d to the West Indies in December, and made 
 an ineffectual atlenipl to recover the island of St. Vincent. 
 
 On receiving tidings of the commencement of hostilities with Hol- 
 land, he seized St. Fusiaiia. I'oiiti.-^cating all the property found there, 
 a step which increased his unpopularity. His eugagonieuts with de 
 Grnsso given in the text, closed his naval career. He had been al- 
 ready superseded, but as he returned in triumph, was created Baron 
 Rodney, of Rodney Stoke, Somerset, wiih a pension of jE'J MM) per an- 
 num. He died at London, May \H, 170'i. lie married I, l.ady Jane 
 Coinpton, sister of the Karl of North'impton, and 2, Henrietta Splc- 
 cuni, and hud issue by both. 
 
30 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 since the greater part of the Cadiz fleet tbrnied a part 
 of ours, and I can say in truth that we sailed uiisiip- 
 plied with most of the articles absohitely necessary for 
 a long voyage and manned moreover with wretclied 
 crews. We were ready to sail, but the sailors being 
 unpaid were screaming like eagles, wlien Mr, de Cas- 
 trie, minister of the navy, ex-general officer of cavalry, 
 arrived and found means to satisfy them, after knock- 
 ing at a Inmdred doors, tlie treasury being exhausted. 
 He so urged the de})arture of the fleet that he at last 
 got it under way. 
 
 It is an extraordinary thing that this minister has 
 
 succeeded in winning from the navy a friendship and t^s- 
 
 teem wliich that body refuses even to its own members. 
 
 The King's fleet, commanded by Lieuten- 
 
 1781. 
 
 Mnicli. aut-(jeneral Count de Grasse-Tilly, set sail 
 
 Departure. 
 
 on Thursday, March 22, 1781, with a con- 
 voy of 250 ships, valued at thirty millions (of livres). 
 The shore was lined by crowds of people v.iijoyiiig the 
 pleasing spectacle of so large a numl)cr of vessels, and 
 M. de Castrie' and his suite liad proceeded to the Port 
 
 ' Charles Eugene Gabriel de la Croix, Marshal de Castries, born 
 Feb. Uo, 1727, the ininihler liere alluded to, had been in the most im- 
 portant campaigiLs of his time. His first service was as an infantry 
 officer at Dettiugen. At the siege of Maestricht in 171K, he was a 
 brigadier. We then find him commissary-general of cavalry and 
 niar(<chal-de-camp, commanding in Corsica in 1750. He was wound- 
 ed at Uiisback, fought at Lulxelberg, and look St. Ooar. Having 
 been created lieutenant-general, ho was in 17r>'.l at tlie battle of Min- 
 dcii, and at Warburg. He took Uliinberg and Wesel, and at (.'loster- 
 canip <lefeated llie Uukc of Hrunswlcl:, wlio, strangely enough, when 
 de Castries died an exile, erected a inonuinent to his memory. He 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 31 
 
 Rie (an elevated fort commanding the roadstead), 
 whence he contemplated with pleasure, the sea covered 
 with an immense forest, an interesting ol)ject for a 
 minister of the navy, and curious to the chief of tho 
 gendarmerie. He was saluted by the fort on his arri- 
 val, and soon after by the Ville de Paris, whicli was 
 opposite to him. They enabled him to form an opin- 
 ion on naval collisions, for he witnessed two cases, 
 and they must have augured well in his mind as to 
 the experience of the officers employed in the Hoot. 
 By evening we were out of sight of tlie coast and its 
 fortunate inhal)itants, whose happy lot was surely en- 
 vied, for a Frenchman never leaves his native land 
 without grief, or at least without a regret, which can- 
 not be defined. 
 
 The slow sailing of the ships in the convoy long re- 
 tarded us by the little headway they made, for all the 
 favoi-able winds ; still we doubled Cape Finisterre on 
 Sunday, the 2.5th,'' on which day we fell in with a Swe- 
 dish snow. In the evening, a cutter started for Brest 
 to announce our getting out, and it took letters for 
 our home. Many of us did not write, so tortured 
 
 
 was dangerously wounded at Amoeneburg, Sept. 22, 1702. Other offi- 
 ces were entrusted to him from his activity and energy, and ho was 
 successively commander in chief of gendarmerie, governor-gonaral of 
 Flanders and Uainaut, and in 1780, as stated in tiic text, minister of 
 the navy. In 1785 he was created marshal of France. Faithful to 
 the dynasty which he liad served so gallantly, ho retired into oxilo at 
 the revolution, and died at Wolfenbuttel, January 11, 1801. 
 
 ' The next account says 27th. 
 
32 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THF FRENCH FLEET 
 
 were thoy hy sou sickness, a disease which meets no 
 pity, th()n<i:h it richly deserves it. 
 
 The winds being constantly tavoi'able, on Thursday 
 the 20th, the India division, under the Hailly de Suf- 
 fren,' the Heron, Annihal, Sphi/iu: Vi'ntjcia; and Artcsini, 
 with forty nierchantinen, left us. We were then op- 
 posite Lisbon, about one hundred and iifty leagues 
 oft". The wind fell and it was only the next morning 
 that we lost sight of them. At this point, a part of 
 the fleet took vessels in tow, and when we reached 
 the isles, every one of us hud a train. 
 
 On the 2nd of Api'il, we were oft* ^^adei^a, 
 thirty leagues distant. At tivt- next morning, 
 order for forward chase ; evening, order to form in 
 
 April. 
 
 ' Pierre Andre? (ic Siiffrcii de St. Tropoz, wns born at St. Cannat in 
 Provence, .Inly !■), 1720, and was llio lliird son of llic Marquis dc St. 
 Tropez. He entered the navy in 1743 during the war, and was almost 
 iinniedialely in action. He wa.s in the Trident, in tlie Duke d'An- 
 villc's squadron, sent against Cape Breton, and liis vessel was one of 
 the few that escaped llio disasters that befell the expedition. Ii he 
 engagement with .dmiral Ilawkcs off Uellisle, Oct. 25, 1747, he fought 
 as ensign on the Monarqut till she struck, .\fter tile peace of Aix- 
 la-Cimpelle, he went to Malta and entering the order of S'. John of 
 Jerusalem, made his regular caravans ; but on the breaking out of 
 war again, the Chevalier de Suffren embarked on the Dauphin Royal, 
 iu the fleet of Count Dubois de la Mothe, for Canada. He next served 
 in tlie .Mediterranean fleet under tlie Marquis dc la Galissoni^re as 
 Lieutenant of the OrpliOc, and took part in Byng's defeat, but in 17S9 
 was taken on the port of Lagos by the English. He became captain 
 of a frigate in 1707, cnplnin of a ship of the line in 1772, having in 
 the Interval attained ilio grade of commander in his order. When 
 France took pnrt in our revolutionary struggle, tlie commander de 
 Suffren, as captain of tlic Fantasquc, served in d'Estaing's fleet, and 
 was sent from Boston to take Ave English frigates at Newport He 
 then took part in the capture of Grenada, in the engagement with 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 33 
 
 line of battle, which was executed only next morning, 
 HO much good will was there in the fleet and convoy, 
 which had the air of amusing itself to prevent the 
 manceuvre ; this is a pretty fair specimen of the mili- 
 tary subordination in our ships generally, and the 
 royal navy especially. 
 
 Here for the iirst time, I perceived the effect which 
 the sea has on dispositions. The lieutenant of the 
 store sliips flew into a jtassion with a poor clerk, 
 who had perhaps done his duty too conscientiously, 
 and gave him slajis, blows, etc., a very ordinary cere- 
 
 Byron, and blockiided Savannah with a squadron prior to the assault. 
 In the Zeli, in 1780, he formed part of the French-Spanisli fleet under 
 Don Luis dc Cordova, and perceiving the advantage of coppering 
 ships, urged it on government. In 1780, he was sent with a squadron 
 to protect the Cape of Good Hope against the English, and set out as 
 stated in the text with the Count de Qrasse, bearing as a marine the 
 future Iting of Sweden, Bernadotte. On the IGlhof April, he engaged 
 Commodore Johnston in La Praya bay. After protecting the cape he 
 joined the fleet of Count d'Orvcs, and on his death took the command. 
 He engaged Admiral Hughes jfF Sadras, Feb. 17, 1782, again oft' Pro- 
 vedien, April 12, and otf Negapatam, July 6. Received with high 
 honor by Hyder Ali, SulTren, now Bailli, besieged and took Trinque- 
 male, beating otf tlie English fleet. Holland struck a medal in his 
 honor and ordered Houdon to execute his bust. 
 
 In June, 1783, he forced Hughes to raise the blockade of Cuddalore, 
 and again engaged his fleet. The news of the peace arrested his fur- 
 ther proceedings. 
 
 On his return to France he was received with great honors, his own 
 Provence struck a medal to commemorate his service ; and tlie king 
 created him vice-admiral of France. He died at Paris, Uecomber 8, 
 17K8, when on tlie point of proceeding to Brest to take command of a 
 fleet. 
 
 Hennequin, Ksmi Ilislorique mtr In vie et lea campagncs du Bailli du 
 Su^)'ren, Paris, 1824,8: Compare Andrews, IIi»tory of the War, &c. iv, 
 82()-3r)7. 
 
 a 
 
34 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 mony in the king's ships, where a clerk is rated about 
 as a (log. 
 
 On the 4th. we found ourselves under the trade 
 winds, so called, because they always blow in the 
 same direction, are very gentle, and consequently ren- 
 der the sea beautiful. 
 
 On the 5th, the Sa(/iUaire steered for Boston, taking 
 thirty vessels as a convoy.' 
 
 The next day we were becalmed and the general 
 made all form in line. On the return of oui boat, we 
 learned from an officer who came from the Ville de 
 Paris, that the English were at sea with a ilcet of 28 
 vessels, and a convoy of '200, going to (libraltar or 
 America, Mr. de Grasse proposing to give them a 
 sound thrashing if he met them. So he promised us, 
 but he did not keep his word. 
 
 On the 9th, the calm having ceased, we held on our 
 way, and nothing eventful occurred till the 12th, when 
 we witnessed the swamping of a boat, which showed 
 that form of death in all its horrors. 
 
 It is usual for vessels sailing as a fleet, to do the 
 butchering with their neighbors ; ours had been kill- 
 ing, and the cai)tain ordered the boat to be lowered 
 to go and get meat ; we were then running four knots 
 
 ' These vessels carried six hundred and sixty recruits for Rocham- 
 bcau's army, and reached Boston in June, four liundred only being fit 
 for duly. The .\bb6 Robin, author of a volume of travels, came as 
 chaplain with this body. The t^uyittaire bore a letter from de Grajise 
 to Rochanibeau, dated at sea. March 2'.t, proposing joint action. An 
 extract will be found in Sparks's Washinyloii. viii, 76. 
 
UNDER TUE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 36 
 
 an hour, that is to say, we were making about four 
 miles an hour ; we did not lie to to effect this opera- 
 tion, althongli the sea was running high ; the boat 
 was let down, but the sailors forgot to make it fast 
 behind, which caused their ruin; for as the vessel held 
 on, the swell taking the boat, drove it against the 
 ship and soon stove it in ; the water rushing in would 
 have swamped it at once, had it not been made 
 fast ; the next swell dashed the boat against tiie ship 
 and it went to pieces ; the little crew did all they could 
 to save the boat, but in vain ; it soon went down, and 
 I saw the poor fellows, five in all, go down with the 
 fragments ; I saw the master come up, then three of 
 the sailors ; the tirst got on board, the other three, 
 while he was getting up, had disappeared in spite of 
 the ropes thrown out to them, niul all that it was hu- 
 manly possible to do to save them ; then he sprang 
 into the water, dived, and brought up by the hair two 
 men whom he rescued from the jaws of death ; he has 
 them hoisted up, and in a numner devoting himself to 
 certain death, in spite of the cries of the crew, he dove 
 again and rescued his third comrade from death ; then 
 he swam around the vessel, looking for the last of his 
 party whose head he saw crushed between the frag- 
 ments of the boat and the vessel. Then he got on 
 board, met the captain, asked pardon for losing the 
 boat and a man, and having obtained forgiveness, 
 asked the command of another boat ; and having re- 
 ceived it, went next day for his meat. What an ex- 
 
h R 
 
 
 36 
 
 Oi'EKATlONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 ample of firmucsirt did not this rniiii give I Surely, 
 among the Itomaim he would have obtained the civic 
 crown. 
 
 Our voyage continuing favorable, there came up 
 with evening an extraordinary courier of the good old 
 Tropic, to announce to the statt" and all the crew, that 
 we would next morning enter the torrid zone, a vast 
 country belonging to his master : that he would come 
 in person, attended by a numerous staff of officers and 
 his high priest, to j)ay a visit to the captain and those 
 whom he had long known, and to jM-odaim to the 
 others that no one could sail in the burning region 
 without being first purified and aspersed with the 
 bitter wave, enjoining on each one to examine him- 
 self. He made protestations of sincere fridudship on 
 behalf of his master, to his old acquaintances. Then 
 with a terril)le and very disagreeable noise he returned 
 to the mast head. 
 
 On tlie 13th, at six o'clock if tlie morning, 
 
 BaptiHm. . 
 
 we heard an extraordinary symphony in 
 
 the mastheads and rigging ; it was old Tropic's cou- 
 riers. One put himself on guard at the cabin door to 
 await the captain's waking and ask him his hour; he 
 rejdied that he would be pleased to see his sable ma- 
 jesty at ten. In consequence, at half-past nine down 
 from the mizzen mast head came twenty sailor boys 
 all naked and all black ; they began the march, and 
 announced at the top of their lungs the coming of the 
 hideous sovereign, holding a cup of water in his hand ; 
 
 ^^j^^-:-^-\-' a'^ii\^ h. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 87 
 
 then down from tlio tbretop came the high prienv, 
 robed in white, with white beard and wig, preceded 
 by twelve men bearing bookw and torches to swear 
 people in ; all these ranged themselveH on the right. 
 Soon after a snperb car appeared in the main top, 
 formed of shells of sea monsters, drawn by four sharks. 
 This descended to the sound of a rude f — g, mingled 
 with the SOU" I. of the extraordinary instruments that 
 had l)een heard from daybreak. It was [)receded by 
 twelve old fellows, younger brothers of the sable mon- 
 arch, all dressed in red, trinmied with various colors. 
 They ranged themselves on the right while their elder 
 brother got out of his chariot and went to pay his 
 compliments to the captain. On his return, he again 
 entered his chariot, and ordered his high priest to 
 begin the ceremonies. He accordingly took a seat in 
 front of a table, while two of his people took their 
 seats on stools, beside a tub full of water over which 
 was a plank. An ensign was called and put on the 
 board near the table, and surrounded by the suite of 
 the head chaplain, who asked him his age, how many 
 voyages, by what straits, and o!» what sea he had sailed; 
 «)f how many male children he was father, with the 
 circumstantial details of all ; whether he had had 
 any connexion with a sailor's wife or daughter ; after 
 this thev threw water on his head ; mean while the 
 plank was slipped away and my gentleman found him- 
 self with his back in the water, caught so that he 
 could not stir. Then a glass of water was poui'ed on 
 
38 
 
 OI'KUATIONS OK TIIK FKENCll FLEET 
 
 li'iH Ih'iuI, h'lH tbreheiid (laiiiu'd black, and a plate pre- 
 Hi'iitod ill which ho iiiUHt i>ut n <iiverpieco, after which 
 ho WUH taken out. Another soeceeds him, and 80 it 
 ^ooH throu^'h the ntaft" and gentlemen on board, paH- 
 Heiigei'H aH well aH others. After this there falls a 
 heavy rain front the toitinastn, Asctting evervthing ; 
 the biicketrt along the vewsel are constantly filled and 
 ponred ov»'r Home one'.s back. This is kept up some 
 si.\ Ikuii'm, and during this last cercnion}' the sable 
 H(»veri'ign, the high priest, and their suite, are at the 
 caboose (plaiu! where victuals are given out), getting 
 drunk with the money that they have received ; this 
 debauch lasts usually three or four days. 
 
 (Jood wind and sea high. On the 18th, the admiral 
 despatchi'd the cutter Paiidour to Martiniipie to an- 
 nounce to Mr. du Houille,' governor of the Windward 
 isles, the arrival of the fleet, and the rich convoy, 
 whii'h was e,\j»ected with the greatest impatience, as 
 t)Ur islcH were destitute of many things, and the store- 
 houses empty. 
 
 I KrniiciN (Jlniiilo Amour, MnrtiiiiH du Uuiiill*', u uiitive of Auvergnc, 
 Hvrvud tirxt In (liu (irngnotiH mid roHo to the rank of niarcclial du cam)). 
 Ho WOH niftdii Kovi-rnor-goncral of the Windward isles, wliere he greatly 
 diHlingiiiHlied lilniNelf, On hisru^'irn he was made lieutenant-general 
 and |iro)inNuil for the voniniand of a }>"ojccted invasion of India, At 
 tiio uoininvncvinoni of the French revolution he reduced an insurrec- 
 tion at Nancy, and endeavored to effect a .-lompromise, but took flight 
 wliuii the king waH arrested, lie endeavored to induce the king of 
 Sweden lu aid l.ouin XVI, and on the assrssination of the former, re- 
 tired to liondoti, where he ilied Nov. '.4, 18(M), aged 62. He wrote 
 mcMioirit (111 the French revolution, published in English, at London, 
 in 17U7, iiud iii thu original at Paris in liiOL 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 89 
 
 The lOtli, we took and eat a little fish called the 
 pilot firth, about ten or twelve inches lonjj;, with firm 
 white flesh. It takes its name from servinff as a guide 
 to the shark, to the hack of which it fastens itself 
 when it finds an opportunity, and lives by the oil that 
 exudes from the pores of that frightful animal. Tlie 
 sucker is another little fish which also lives on 
 the oil of the shark, but it is diflieuit to separate it, 
 and I saw one that they could not get off, and so the 
 crew eat it with the shark to which it adhered. This 
 firth is very delicate. T also saw goldfish and dolphin, 
 which is abrtolutely the most beautiful kind of fish 
 possible ; it is al)out thirty inches long, gold, azure, 
 mingling with a ground of green, which forms a most 
 agreeable variety. Its ttesh greatly resembles mack- 
 erel. When this fish is out of water it becomes green, 
 spotted with gold, and when dead it is white. The 
 male dolphin preserves its colors longer when taken ; 
 it is also longer and thicker than the female. This 
 fish is very voracious, and so is the bonite, which is 
 two to three feet long, and always in pursuit of the 
 flying firth. Its flesh is very dry, even more so than 
 the goldfish, not being as goxl as the latter, and liv- 
 ing further from the shore. 
 
 On the 22d, we were separated from tb ) rest of the 
 fleet. IIow sad a spectacle is that of a solitary vessel I 
 What a vast desert does not the solitude of the sea 
 then present ! To see only the sky and the waves, two 
 or three hundred leagues from land I What a secret 
 
40 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE KRENril FLEET 
 
 
 iii-w 
 
 piiln (Iocs not a jnan tlioii oxporicnoe, who, aorurttoincd 
 to livo with his t'enowiiion, lives hut witli the finli. 
 Tho lu'xt (hiy T nguin hohehl tlio floot iiiul tlio roiivoy, 
 to my groat Hatirifaotion ; tor I sliouUl have died had 
 iiotliiiig diverted me from tlie gh)omy retlectioiirt in 
 whieh I was phiiigeil. "NVe took a merehaiit vessel in 
 tow, and the wlioh* fleet was soon crowding sail. 
 
 On the 24th, I had the pleasure of seeing hirds. 
 Ah, what joy I felt. This assured us that we wero 
 not over one liundred and fifty leagues from land, and 
 this pleasure was a lively one for all ; I also saw flying 
 fish for the flrst time. This little aninnil seven or 
 eight inelies long, white as a swan, rises some flfteen 
 or twenty feet from the sea, when it is pursued hy tho 
 honites or goldfish, and skims tlirough the air a dis- 
 tauee of perhaps two hundred fathoms, then it jdunges 
 again into the sea to moisten its wings, and h often 
 eaught hy its enemies whieh swim as fast as it flies. 
 They are generally three or four hundred together. 
 This fish is really the mostdelieate of all meats. They 
 can be taken only when tliey fall on hoard, and this 
 happens quite frequently in small vessels. I also saw 
 a kind of vegetation called galeres, which is very sin- 
 gular ; it hears no resemhlance to Flemish caps, 
 but burns also ; tlie galere is six to eight inches 
 long, with a kind of pivot in the middle which it 
 raises at will, and on which are two fan looking wings 
 that act as sails. When it hoists its mast it is a sure 
 sign of wind. It is of a violet color with a little red. 
 
UNDKH THE COUNT DE HKASSE. 
 
 41 
 
 Ah tln'y Hiiil pri'tty fii^t it wiis u |iiistiiiu' for iih in 
 Aini'riran HoaH, to oxainiiic wlM'tlu'r tlu-y wtTo iiiaHt 
 up, for ill tlioso juu'ts caliiiM alxiiiiui. 
 
 On tlic 2Ttii, wc tool< a sliark, fwi'iity fct'l Ion;;, 
 tlii'oi! fi'ot and a lialf in (liainctor, the licad twtnty 
 iuciicK lon^, till' inoiitli ariiiod with Hi'vrii raiin'cs of 
 tt'otii, three of wiiioli aro iiiflc'xil)k>. I liave Hoeii thcHO 
 aniinairt take in the head, arms, and thi<^hs of a iiiaii 
 thrown overhoard (hirini; or after a ti<;ht. Tiiin finh 
 in full of an oil of very otieiisive odor, hut this does 
 not prevent the sailors from eatiiiij it. In the stomach 
 of this one they found a shoe, a Hsh half <lii;esti'd, and 
 some cards. 
 
 On Saturday, the 2Htli, at H A. M., our watch (tried 
 " land ahead I" It was in fact the Moriic' dii Viiuclin, 
 a mountain on the west side of Martinicjue, from 
 which we wore twelve or fifteen leagues oft'. Signal 
 t<» clear for action : at noon we saw the land ([uito 
 distinctly. The Novthitmbcvland' s hoat went ashore 
 to bring off news from the island ; the I'dndour not 
 liaving come up, the admiral learned that the Knglish 
 had been hlockading our ports for a month. Signal 
 to the rteet to prepare for action next day, and orders 
 to heat all night ; orders to the convoy to close in, and 
 to its escort to keej) good watch. We plied to wind- 
 ward all night and were signaled from St. Lucia. 
 
 ' The word morne, which IVci|Uciitly occurs in tlicso joiirtialM, Ih u 
 term for nioiintiiin, used in the French West Indies, As sonic l-'rcncii 
 Islands pnsscd into tlie liiiiub uf llio English, they still retained the 
 word. 
 
 I 
 
42 OPKHATION.^yQF TIIK KUKNril FLEET 
 
 Ai'liiin 111 
 M<i'ii 
 
 Stiiidnv. li'.ttli.iit t! A. M. Sitrniil for iimHrt 
 
 '!"•'• oil nil tlic Hlii|is of tlu' licet; at luilf-|mMt 
 nix, Hiifiiul tor crt'ws to lirnikliist ; iit seven to |ire|iiir(« 
 for iietioii, :iii(l for the tieet to Imir the hIioi'i' of Miir- 
 tiiii<iiie, (•onrte(|Ueiill,v to ki'ep liefore tlie wind; at 
 fi'rlit, tlie friiriite ill tlie van Miufiialleil tweiitv-tlireo 
 
 nail 
 
 aiK 
 
 I si 
 
 le Hooii (ristiii''ilislie«l eiifliteeii Knirlisli 
 
 nliips of tlie line, and five frii;ateH or eorvettes ; at 
 nine llie <ii|itaiii ordered lis to leave our lireakfast and 
 take our jutsts, an order alreadv jfiveii to tlieerew, for 
 tlu'N' were all at tlie jjfiins. We were in liattle in tlm 
 natural order, and tiie Kiijilisli fleet, verv well formed, 
 came down on lis under lieiivv sail, with the (•onfideiice 
 inspired l»y eertaintv of success, supposiii<; us only ten 
 or twelve vessels. At halt'-piist nine, they wore 
 athwart the Diamond, a rock at the extremitv of Mar- 
 
 tinique 
 
 towards St. Lucia, when the ("oiint de(irnss<> 
 
 hoisted liis flaj;, and at once the lydiii/iidlur fired on 
 the eiiemv, hut the halls did not reach, and when tlicv 
 
 can 
 
 le up, the Kni^lish let themselves h(;ir away, h 
 
 liv- 
 
 ing made us out to he twenty ships of the line, and 
 losiiit; the hope of carrying ott' any vessels of our con- 
 voy, they tacked and came on the larhoard tack like 
 UH. Sijijnal to the French tl«'et to tack in Kiiceession. 
 This tended to hruij; iis nearer to the i neiiiy, and suc- 
 ceeded to a certain point, hut it was very easy to 
 hriii^ them more under our tire, as we were to the 
 indward of them, and wliat did our admiral risk 
 
 \v 
 
 w 
 
 itli liis twenty vessels ? Mr. l)'.\lhert St. Hippo- 
 
UNUKU Till'. COUNT DK tiUASSK. 
 
 48 
 
 lyto,' camo out of Fort |{i>_val witli lour voHrti'ln, tlio 
 VV(7(>(Vo, 74, tlio Siilihdn, ♦54, i-oiuiiiiiihUmI liy Mr. <lo 
 Vh'o, till' Iltj/irtii, tl4, (If Miirij^'iiv, tin- Oifo, ♦14, do 
 Kriiiiittiit, HO us to I'oviT till- fiitniiifc of tlu' convoy, 
 wliicli *li(l not iR'od it, and wliicli took no pui't in tlio 
 action. At noon the wind tV-ll and wo were, mo to miy, 
 i)ccaiincd ; four Kn;;:lisli vcshcIs ran afoul ol' I'acli 
 otiior, and wi-rc scparutcd from tiicirtlci't ; it lian hct-n 
 decided by naval ofKcerndf Honic experience, that they 
 ou^ht to have iteen cut otf and taken ; the Soiioerain 
 luarki'd the inaiKcnvre. Mr. de (Jra.xse paid no at- 
 tention to it, and comtuodore Itoupiiiiville,'' would not 
 
 ' The Clii'Vftlicr d'Alborl Hi. Ilippolyto, beoiimo ii cuminoiloro, .Iiiii- 
 iiary I-, ITM2, nml ('lii)iii|ii(>ti ilt< ('ic6 filhiiiiuil lliu Hitiiiu rank, AiigiiHt 
 lilt, 17^1. /><■ H'diiit/iiiir, /-Jliil (Ifnfriil ilr In Fraiiii. Tlio liillor n iiii- 
 tlve (if Kuiiiics, ill Uritiikiiy, wiis a brollioi' of M)(r, ilo V\v6, UiHliop of 
 Aiixi'iTo, mill lit' Mgv. ill' Clue, Ai'oliliiHJiop (if Itinilciiiix, keeper of the 
 xeiils III I.oiiIh XVI. /liai/i-jfiliie /fniiniuf. The ViMcimiil ile Marigny, 
 wlio full 8() nobly on his veosel llie Ci^Mitr, iiflor ilofuiiiliiig lior to the 
 last in llio fatal bniile • \piil \'2, I7SJ, was a bi'ollier (if Ihc inoii 
 faiiiiiiis Cliarli"^ iturnnrHi, Vineounl de Marigiiy, wliu bruuglit Frank- 
 lin over in llu lielle I'ouli! in I77M. 
 
 ' LdiiiH Viii'iMie, Connt ilu llimgainville, the ttnu of ii notary, was 
 horu «t I'arlH, November 11, 17-'.t. To |ilease his family lie Hluilieii 
 law atil wax stlinitlcd to the bar, but his niatheiiinlical faxte led liiin 
 tu tb« aniiy. After publishing a work on the Integral I'aleiiliiH in 
 17-'i:i, he served in the army as aid major and aid de camp. While 
 t»inpornry lecrotury of legation at London in I'.Vi, iiis literary am- 
 liiiion was gratified by being made a member of ilio Kuyal Society. 
 In 170(1, lie eame to Canada as aid de camp to .Moiiii'ivlin, with the 
 lirevel grade of captain of dragoons. Hero his oaroer was ii most 
 lirilliant one, and at Lake Ocorgo, at .Vbercrombic's defeat, and in 
 most of the actions of the war, he displayed coiir^igo, activity, and 
 military skill. In \~^)i^, he repaired to Kr:iiiee t. (ditain ruinforce- 
 iricnts, and presented to the eoinl four memorials on the military de- 
 
 
44 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FUKiNCll FLEET 
 
 take tho ro.s[K)iisil)ilit_v on him; ultli(nii>ii if would 
 liavo hc'i'ii iiiiich moro hoiiorabk' than to pass to the 
 windward of several vessels that were enganed with 
 the enemy to the leeward. Our fleet then entered 
 Fort Royal, Martinicjue, and i)resented a most ai^ree- 
 al)!e speetaele ; the land on one side, the Knu'l.sh on 
 the other, and our tleet, formed four very interesting 
 yroujis. All efforts to bring Admiral Hood' to close 
 
 fence of (^iniicl.i. wliifli show no ordinary taU'nt. Tlic cross of St. 
 Louis rewariioil his past uxcrlions, but liis elo(iuent'e was unavailin(;f. 
 Ho returned to tight tlic desperate tiglit on tlie St. Lawrence, and was 
 ever in the van. Even after tlie fall of Quebec, he was at Isle aux 
 Noix disputing every inch with .\nilierst. When Vaudrcuil capitu- 
 lated, he returned to France anil then served with distinction in Ger- 
 many. Having taken a fancy for naval affairs, he obtained a cap- 
 taincy in the navy, and attempted to form a settlement at the Falkland 
 Isles, but was appointed by government to surrender tho islands to 
 Spain, after wliich lie ma<U' his celebrateil voyage around the world, 
 making numy discoveries in tlie Pacific. He returned to St. Malo in 
 ITti'J, and published an account of his voyage in 1771. The war willi 
 h'ngland called him into active service. He commanded the (liirrriir, 
 74, at Savannah in 177S-'». and was made commodore; in de tirasse's 
 tleet he commanded the Aiiytmli, Kit. Strangely enough his next pro- 
 motion was to be mavechal-de-camj) in the army in 17Hl(. In 17(M), 
 he endeavored in vain to restore order in the fleet ofd'.Vlbcrt de Uions. 
 He was one of the vice-admirals of 17'.i-. In 17'.ili, he was made a 
 member of the Institute in the section of geography, and became 
 under Napoleon, senator and count of tlie emjiirc. He died August 
 81, IHll. Besides the works already mentioned, he wrote an account 
 of the Indians of North .Vmerica. Jiiu,/riij)liii' t'liinrnrUe. <>' ('iilliti/liiin. 
 New }'i)rk CoUniittl Duntmintii, x. 1124. /himtinu. Lc Vdnnthi Smm hi 
 Domination Fraii^ainc. 
 
 ' Samuel, Viscount Hood of Whitley, was born in 17-4, at Kutley, 
 Somersetshire; entered the navy at the age of sixteen. In 17'>7, he 
 was cuiilain of the Aiildn/'t', olt, and captured a French frigate. Post 
 cajitain in I'M, lie took \nin in the exiH'iliiion against (.Quebec, caji- 
 turiiig the liellona. In 17i)H-',l, he was at llosloii (■onimander-in-chief 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 45 
 
 action failed, our van was the only diviHion ol oiir 
 fleet, that could at all approacli him. The action 
 lasted from half-past nine till three ; we lost only one 
 officer killed, one dangerously wounded, and one hun- 
 dred and fifty men killed or wounded. Hood munoui- 
 vered in vain to enter St. Lucia, l)ut was prevented 
 hy our fleet, which might and should have done liim 
 much injury.' Admiral Rochiey was then husy pillag- 
 ing iSt. Eustatia the only Dutch emporium in the 
 Wiiulward Isles. We pursued the English for three 
 days iiiefl'ectually, although they had tried false routes, 
 hut as they were faster sailors, being all copper- 
 sheathed, and our fleet half and half, our vessels too, 
 
 of all the men of wiir in those parts, and involved in the atfair of Iho 
 Uosc frigate. In 177S, he was made a baronet, and in 17Hil, rear ad- 
 miral of the blue. For his part in tlie victory of de (JriisHe, lie wan 
 made liaron Hood of Cathorington, in the peerage of Ireland, and pro- 
 moted to the ciiief command of the tleet. Ills great achievement wan 
 however the destruction of the French arsenal and fleet at Tunloli, lit 
 M'M, and his expulsion of the French from Corsica in 17111, forwiilidi 
 he was made viscount and grand cross of the order of tlie IJath. He 
 was also appointed governor of Greenwich Hospital, wliich oflico lie 
 held till his death at Hath, June 27, 1810, at the age of 02. 
 
 ' The otlier journal gives a different account, and ascribes the etioapo 
 ol Hood to the neglect of the French van to come into action, ll men. 
 tions the /iiisurl, Centaur, Turha;/, and Inlrcpui, as having sutferud 
 most in the English line ; and Hood's letter to Rodney admits iho 
 sinking condition of the llu. lel. His loss he gives as 'Ai) killed and 
 It'll wounded, principally on tlie Centaur, liussil, Skriw^lHirji, and 
 (lihniltiir, which were very much damaged, and the Cintaiir losing 
 her captaiir and first lieutenant. Andrews' lliHlory n/ the H'kc, iv, lit) 
 .MiMuu's A'cm., xii, I7H. /li.ilori/ af l/ie Cii'il War in Anicra-d, lii, 217. 
 According to a report cited hy tlie latter wriler, Hood was opposeil to 
 cruising off Fort Uoyal bay, preferring a cruize off Point Salines. 
 
n'j 
 
 i 
 
 4f) 
 
 Ol'EUATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 being much oiiibarrassed with inorcliandiso, it is not 
 8Ui'i>risiiig that we did not overtake tlieni ; hut it is 
 astonishing that ^^^. de (Irasse shoukl have commit- 
 ted the fault of letting four vessels escape that he 
 might have taken ; this led to a dispute at St. 
 I'ierre, between Commodore liougainville aiul several 
 luivy otiicors : the origin of an ill feeling that after- 
 wards i)revailed in the tleet. 
 
 The action had Iteen over altout an liour, and we 
 were at tal)lc, when a noise like that of an eight 
 pounder was heard in the second battery. We went 
 down and found a gunner killed and three wounded ; 
 it was a piiming horn that had exploded and killed 
 the careless fellow who was examining it, seated on a 
 large tub full of water, in which thc\- i)luuge the lin- 
 stocks, and three of his conu'ades who were talking 
 ten paces off, were severely wounded. (The priming 
 horn is a cow's horn, in which the priming of the 
 oannon is put aiul which is used to jircss tin- [lowder 
 into the touch-hole.) 
 
 The chase of the Knii'lish havin<; nuule uh fall 
 Mny. 
 
 to leeward, it cost us some [)ains to regain the 
 island of Martinique, and we auchoied otf the fort 
 onl}' on the sixth of Mav in the afternoon, with orders 
 to land our sick at once. The last vessel had scarcely 
 anchored wlicn the admiral signaled to iirc[)are to 
 make sail. In fact on the eighth, at four i'. M., we 
 were under sail making for the channel ;,f St. Lucia. 
 Mr. de Houille liad embarked in tlie moiniuir on ves- 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 47 
 
 sels called Domaincs, which heloiig to the king, cost 
 him oxti'iivi 
 
 itlv, and 
 
 •fuHIlth 
 
 ,h 
 
 tiit;uiiiiv, uuu iiu> ui iiiiiii iin:;ii' mission, 
 
 commandod by hoggurs, who have absolutely no object 
 but to make a fortune, and who can; little for the in- 
 terests of the state. "^"Iiey had on board a part of the 
 regiments of Champa* , Auxerrois, Viennois, Dillon, 
 and Martinicpie, wlilch landed by night at St. Lucia, 
 and I have been told by otiicers who were present, 
 that had the English kept good watch, a landing would 
 have been impracticable. Mean while we cruized in 
 the channel and were fortunate enough to pass it. 
 Then it was that the Phiton and the Experiment, a 
 vessel of ;")0, which had Joined us at Fort Royal, were 
 detached to blockade and if possible take Tobago.' 
 
 On the 11th, the Snint Esprit was run into by the 
 Sceptre, and without the admiral's order, put back to 
 Martini(pie to repair her bowsprit, which was unser- 
 viceable : the Sceptre received only a slight damage. 
 
 On the 15th, at 3, we anchored in the old road- 
 stead of St. Lucia, in (iros Islet bay, where a battery 
 annoyed us considerably. There were live or six 
 others that kept up a brisk tire, but not being so well 
 posted, and the calibre being smaller, they were inef- 
 fectual, in fact only saluted us, but seven or eight of 
 our vessels being too near Gros Islet, were obliged to 
 weitjh anchor and draw in towards the anchorasi;e of 
 
 ' Tlie sc'coiiil journal says tliiit d' Albert de Uious's squadron was one 
 sliip ut' tliu line, ai;d two -'jD gunshi[>H, with transports carrying land 
 troops under M de Itlancliolniule. 
 
 I 
 
48 
 
 Ol'KKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 K 
 
 :. 
 
 
 the Ville dc Paris, aftt'r asking and boing refused 
 leave t'> return the tire, although there were tive or 
 six ni li wouiuUmI and three killed.' 
 
 On the l()th, in the morning, our long boats and 
 barges went ashore to bring ott' the troops there and 
 the prisoners they had taken amounting to one hun- 
 dred and tifty men and two otiicers. Mr. de Bouille 
 saw clearly that the Morne Fortune required a regular 
 siege which could not be undertaken except by an 
 army of twenty thousand men aiul its train.'' Tlie 
 enemy made no greater opposition to our reembarka- 
 tion than they had ^o tlie lauding of our troops, and 
 we set sail at six A. M. 
 
 The brilliant mana'uvres that tliey made ua perform 
 in the channel kept us till the 18th, when we again 
 anchored off Fort Royal. 
 
 On the 2.'3th we set sail once more, after taking in 
 water, and we again ran tip the channel of St. Ltu'ia. 
 Our wretched sailors st. alarmed an English frigate 
 that she was lost on the coast of St. Lucia.* 
 
 On the 21tth, at daybreak, we discovered Tobago on 
 one side, and on the other, seven English vessels and 
 
 ' The English buttery that drove them off was on Pigeon Island. 
 Breen'a St. Lucia, Oil. 
 
 ' The second journal better explains this affair ; ile Bouilld had an 
 idea of fortifying Gros Islet as a check on the Englifih work at Morne 
 Fiirtinid, hut found on examination that there was not time enough to 
 thr'.w up sufficient works. He seems to have had no idea of attacking 
 the English fort. 
 
 ' Tliis was the Thetis, 74, which struck while trying to enter Caren- 
 age bay. Ureen's St. Lucia, 70. 
 
UNDER TUE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 49 
 
 live frigates,' coming to the relief of that irtle, and 
 which wouhl have taken the Plutov and Experiment 
 had we not arrived. We gave them chawe l«iit co no 
 puipoHe, for they were tliree leagues t() our windward. 
 In the evening the Aujrette asked leave to give chase, 
 and at nine she took a brig of ten guns. 
 
 On the 31st, being under Tobago, we nude several 
 sail. Our chasers to the number of three, hoisted the 
 English flag, as did several vessels of the fleet, and the 
 sail we had discovered came and threw themselves 
 into our hands. A slaver which we did not see, and 
 which had at least two hundred and flfty negroes on 
 board, did the same, and in the evening, as well as the 
 next day, we took several more small vessels. 
 
 On the 2d of Jurie, about 4, P. M., the 
 
 June. 
 
 Capture of fleet all anchored ott' Tobago, except the 
 
 Tobiigo. ^ ^ 
 
 SL Esprit and Glorieux, which renuiined 
 cruising along the shore of the island. It had sur- 
 rendered the previous evening to Mr. de Bouille, who 
 had landed with eight hundred men three days before. 
 The a])itarition of our fleet, the slight relief they could 
 expec t, and the reputation of the commander on shoi*e, 
 had induced them to lay down their arms.^ Notwith- 
 standing the reputation for huuumity, which Mr. de 
 
 ' This was Drake, who, according to Gordon, had six sail of the line, 
 some frigates, a regiment, and two additional companies, for the relief 
 of the island. 
 
 " Tlicse operations are detailed in tlie second journal and in the ex- 
 tract from the Jnurnal de France. 
 
50 
 
 OPERATIONS OK THE FRKNCH FLEET 
 
 Bouille had most (loservedly ucqiiircd, a luimbci- of the 
 iiihal)itaiitri had tted to the liilKs where they had taken 
 their cattle, a [)art of which was foiuid shiughtered. 
 We made them return to their houses without doin^jf 
 them auv harm, only that a few of Dillon's soldiers, 
 and the crews of the Pluto and Experiment command- 
 ed hy Mr. de Martelly,' pillaged a little. The last 
 named otHcer found he had on hoard all the bells ot 
 the houses, which they had taken on their arrival, 
 amounting to twenty-nine. The capture of T»)hago 
 cost us only three men. We took there ten olHcers 
 and three hundred and sixty men, and left a garrison 
 of eighteen hundred men, arms and mone, . 
 
 Toliago is twenty leagues in circumference. It has 
 only 18,000 negroes. Tlie air is very unhealthy, the 
 soil very dry, covered with swarms of ants, which 
 blight the sugar cane, so that thev raise only cotton. Its 
 poi-t is snnvll, and its roadsteads many, and as securo 
 I)robai)ly as the best ports in the West Indies. 
 
 On the afternoon of the third, we set sail again, in 
 conse(|Uence of the signals made by the Gloritiix and 
 St. Exprtt, which had remained cruising, and had dis- 
 covered the enemv's Hcet. It was in fact, the cele- 
 brated Kodney coming t" the relief of Tobago, but 
 
 ' The second journal speaks of this squadron as being commanded 
 hy the Chevalier d'Albert de lUoni. This naval officer was a native of 
 Uauphiny. lie was subsequently a commodore and commanded the 
 fleet at Ctierbourg in ITSfi when Louis XVL visited it, and embarked 
 on his vessel the Patriot. In IT'.l'l he commanded at Urest. He served 
 under Cond6 against the Kepublicans in 17'.)2. and died in 1810. 
 
 E { 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE (JUASSE. 
 
 61 
 
 learniiig that it wuh taken, he would not hazai'cl an 
 action that could rcHult only in mutual slaughter, the 
 fleets being of equal force. Monsieur de (}rasse, on 
 the contrary, sought to engage the Knglish; hut being 
 to leeward, he could not overtake them. 
 
 On the t)th we entirely lost sight of them, and would 
 luive entertained fears for the JJrclor had it not left 
 us five or six days before for (Iranada, the only port 
 where she could put in, being in a most wretched 
 plight since she ran foul of the Q'iar ; the 3Iedee, 
 in spite of her injuries, succeeded in getting safe into 
 the i»ort, which is small hut ver}' secure ; it might 
 even be enlarged to twice the size with a little outlay. 
 
 Our chase of the English having made us fall con- 
 siderably to leeward, on the morning of the 8th, our 
 admiral asked the bearings of several vessels, and the 
 whole fleet watched carefully for the signals ; for so 
 little attention had been paid to the route we had 
 nuide, that probably no one except Mr. de Chabert,' 
 knew where he was. Fortunately, however, at noon 
 
 ' Jolin Uernaivl, Marquis de Chabert, was born at Toulon in 17'J3. 
 He entered tlie navy as ensign in 175!!, and by lus ability, especially 
 as a suientific man and gallant officer, rose to be vice-admiral and 
 lieutenant-general in the navy. He died December 2, 1805, aged ii'l. 
 As a liydrographcr, lie rendered essential service to the French ma- 
 rine. He was sent in 1750 by the king to rectify the maps of the 
 coasts of .Vcadia, Cape lircton, and Newfoundland, and to fix the 
 principal points by astronomical observations. On his return lie pub- 
 lished an account of his voyage at I'aris in 175it in 4 vols. The allu- 
 sion to him in the text shows that he was considered as the scientnio 
 man in the service. 
 
52 
 
 Ol'KHAIIONH OF THE KRENCH FLEET 
 
 tlio (Uroctlnii of nil wuH good; for we diHcoverod Gra- 
 iiiidii on one Hide and our now conquest on the other, 
 al>out thirty U'ligiieH apart. We anchored oft" Gra- 
 na(hi tiie tenth. 
 
 ThiH inland in very beautiful and good ; it proihice^ 
 MUgiir ill HhundHiiee and certainly the best rum in the 
 Wewt IndicH, It in very well defended, the French 
 having added many works to what the English had 
 already when Vice-admiral Couii! Destain captured it. 
 The population in considerable, since the negroes 
 Hinoiint to t!4,(K)0. Mr. de IJouiile, who continued 
 with us, as well as the troops in the expedition, dis- 
 trihntecl them among the different islands, and put 
 every thing in the best possible order, and best state 
 of deteiieo. 
 
 On the I'Uli, the Meet again set sail and lay to be- 
 fore Ht. Vincent, waiting for the general of the troops, 
 who had gone there the d- y before. Mean while sev- 
 eral periugitas full of Caribs boarded us, and offered 
 us tobacco, which in my opinion is good for nothing 
 and atfects the head greatly. The Caribs are copper 
 colortid, large, strong, and vigorous ; they have the 
 forehead tiatter than other negroes. There are none 
 except on this island, and three fanulies in Dominica. 
 They iu!ver marry out of their trine, and punish se- 
 verely any of their women who go with the blacks, or 
 even with the whites. 
 
 There grows in this isle, and that of St. Lucia, a 
 
 
UNDER TUE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 53 
 
 tree calU'd Maiiclii'iiiHier,' the wood of wliidi when 
 worked, is ('ortainl;y the liuiidsomeHt in the West In- 
 dies, but whieh is also one of tlie most (hmgerous pro- 
 d f'tions of the conntiy ; for it constantly distils a sap 
 wliich iMirns more violently than the best vitriol. 
 Those who are so niducky as to sleej) under it, jjene- 
 rally lose their eye sight. We saw its sad etfeets on 
 several of our soldiers; and s(mie even who passed the 
 night under large Manehenillier, whieh were losing 
 their sap, awaked paralized in the lind» on whieh a 
 drop had fallen. This tree is cut down by tire, and is 
 not worked till thirty years after it is felled ; for there 
 are many examples of workmen vei-y dangerously 
 att'eeted on putting the axe to it after twenty years. 
 
 I liad forgotten, when speaking of St. Lucia, to 
 mention the enormous length and bidk of the rattle 
 snakes, of which that island is full. Tliev are jfene- 
 rally twenty or thirty feet long, and huge in proportion, 
 and their sting is mortal. They are found also in the 
 other isles, for at Fort Koyal in Martinicpie, I saw one 
 at an ajtothecary's full twenty-two feet long. The 
 negroes have a mortal fear of this aninud. This coun- 
 try is generally full of all kinds of venomous aninuils, 
 and when you walk around the house you must take 
 precautions to avoid the reptiles which abound there. 
 
 On the 18th of June, the Heet anchored at Fort 
 
 ' This tree, the Mancliincel, wns described by Columbus, iiiul luiison- 
 0U9 qualities attributed to it. There is possibly some exaggeration 
 about its ettects, but its dangerous character is indisputable. ISiandc. 
 
54 
 
 orKKATIONS OK THK KKKNCII FI-KKT 
 
 Koyal, ill Martini(|iu'. Wo then' UMiriicd that (iiintij^ 
 our cniiHi', a wator-Hjumt (a coiisideral)!!' culuiiiii of 
 air and water), n coiiiiiion tiling; onoiigh in tlu' WoHt 
 IndioH, had tallon partly on tliiit inhtud. in the eliannel 
 and on St. Jiiu-ia's, wJierc it liad devantatcd one <'an- 
 ton. Home planters, and nuuiy negroes were drowned ; 
 and the most di^tingllished people of the isle liad 
 taken refuge on t lie more whipN the Union and the i'V<7\ 
 the water having risen to six or He\en feet in tho 
 streets of Fort Royal. Our admiral gave an onter- 
 tainn»ent to Mme. de Houille, whieh was returned hy 
 her husl)nnd ; and to his, were inviti'd the ladies of 
 Martinitjue and the otfieers of the two fones. These 
 entertainments were not over hrilliant, play oeeupying 
 most of the daneei-s. 1 sliall have oeeasion elsewhere 
 to desc'ril>e wliat these halls are, and how people act 
 at them : I shall therefore not speak of these. During 
 our stay the frigates visited the different ports of the 
 island, and those of tlie neighhoring isles, to eolleet 
 all the vessels hound to Cape Kran(;ois, and those that 
 were to return to P]urope. 
 
 The oth of July, the fleet and its eonvoy of 
 over two hundred vessels, hoisted sail in fine 
 weather, good wind, and heautifui sea. We went lo 
 Grenadina, an island dependant on (iranada, in search 
 of the Hector and a eonvoy of fifteen sail. After 
 making the junction, we steered for Cape Francois, 
 while the Knglish, starting from Barhadoes, wliieli had 
 since the affair of April 'il'th, been their general post, 
 
 •liily. 
 
 ^■£^&Si£^f,^J^^^,tts£Ai^f- 
 
 •-^^^u^^ •^^ii^,>^^t^Aaji'k;t4^iib^^^iSS&t^iii£sa^'^)jata«^^iS^^^ 
 
 ^.K j;.iiA*«ijjAV^A 
 
UNDKU THE (JOUNT DK GRA8SK. 
 
 55 
 
 Htt'ertul f(»r .liiniiiic-u, whence Rodney Hailed with hit* 
 treHHure for Knghmd. He carried alon^ iil>4o (h(> |)riH- 
 onerH he I'.ad taken from uh, there heinj^ no lonj^er any 
 cxeliaii)(es in America, from C'onnt de Gniclien'H arri- 
 val ill thoHc partK, We had prinonerH on our rthi|m 
 •luring tlic whole criiiHe. and finally landed them at 
 HrcHt. 
 
 On tlie l.Hth, heinjf (»tl' the coast of Porto Rico, and 
 athwart Dead Chent inland,' we were HurpriHed hy a 
 terrihle Htorin. The Heet iind convoy wen- ol)lij^ed to 
 lay to for several honrs, the liufhtninj; striking; every 
 moment among \ik. 
 
 On the 14th, Comnninder de Olandevewe was de- 
 tached with four vewselw to cruine around St. Domingit 
 and Hundl isles adjacent to the leevvurd. and to relieve 
 the Actionnaiir, 74, which wc had been assured was 
 blockaded hy two Knglish ships of the line, and two 
 frigates. 
 
 On the ir)th, about 4, P. M., the vesHels in the van 
 sigmdied sails to the windward of tiie Cape Pass, and 
 when we had passed Ija Orange, we recognized the 
 division of the 0<>!>.'.inodore Manpiis de Monteuil.^ It 
 consisted of the Paftiiiir. 74, the Ueslin, 74, comnuinded 
 
 ' One of llio Virgin iBliimlH. 
 
 < Adlioiiiar, Marquis do Muntoil, was born in Languodoo, of a fam* 
 ily wliioli waHfiiinoiiB in tlic cnisadea iind of wliich tliu iiitil dcscundant 
 in Hiiiil 10 be the Lieutcuant-colonel Viguier de Aloiituil, )<illcd at 
 Honnoke in 1H(J2. Tlio marquis conimaudod tlic Palmier, 71, in de 
 Ouiviicn'H action with Kodncy in 17811, took part iu the xiogc of I'en- 
 navulii, and contributed materially to de CiraHHe'a defeat aa wo iihall 
 Dee. 
 
 1 
 
 . ij;":..''iii..'*-.'3Jj.^.--'i'*. ■ 
 
56 
 
 orKKATMKNS OF TIIK KUKNCII »'I,KKT 
 
 l>v Mr. (K' (Joim|ty,' tlu' Trihui, «I4, Cuptain Mr. do 
 I'it'riTt'i'U, and a fiiuatf. Tlu' liiln^fwk, 74, liad re- 
 iiiaiiu'dat tlioaiu'hora^c ; it liad all lU iiuiHtM on hIkm'o, 
 art it had HiiHi-rrd »(>MMid»'ral)l_v in tlu' utoriu whivh tliif* 
 littli' M(|iiadron t'X|K'rit'n<t'd on its wav baik tVoni tlio 
 expedition ajjainft I'i'nnai'ola, a plaff at the fxtirmitv 
 of tlif (inlf oC Mfxifo, and wliit-h would ncvi'i" liavt- 
 fallen into the Inuxls of Spain, had not tliirt diviKion 
 and the Freneh infantry taken part in it. It wan at. 
 liiirt rtiefje that the Knu:linh, ha\ iiii; niaile a sortie, took a 
 redoiilit, and ♦indiiiu; the Spaniards all husily en^iij;ed 
 in takin<; their sit'sta, drove them out l».v Itelahtrrini; 
 tluMU in the lielly with the liutts of their muskets, and 
 hy kieks l)ehind, pretendinif (and perhaps justly) that 
 they wt're not worth killinj;, and nuide piisoner ot 
 only one sintfle man. a Freneh gunner, who eseaped 
 from them on the way.^ 
 
 At rtix the fleet entered the jiass of (^apo Francjois ; 
 the eonvoy was already at anchor, and as tlie coast 
 pilots preferred jfoinj; on merclumtmen, we did with- 
 out ; and in «'onse(pience three or four vessels could 
 not <fvt in till next day hy the sea l»ree/.e ; for in this 
 island, as in all the Antilhs, a periodical wind prevails, 
 called the land hreezcand seahree/.e; the latter hegins 
 
 ■ Tlic Cuuni liu Mnitz cl(> Qoiiiipy liatl ouiiiiimndcil iIiIh vchhcI in Iho 
 notion with Uodiioy in May, I'Wtl. and alter tlio doge of tlio war, wan 
 made ciiimiiodore Aii(?UHt 2(1, 17H1, 
 
 I Farniar'M jonrnal of the reniarltablo ilcfrnou of I'ennacola by ("ol. 
 Canipliell, will lie (bund in the llmliirirnl Mmjdzinf. vol. iv.. p. lliCi. 
 
 ^.A '-^iiif-'rfTf '-•"''ffrnihti^- 
 
UNDKR TIIK rOUNT I>E ORASSK. 
 
 67 
 
 nt H, A. M., hikI lastK till <\ P. M., thou tho land broozo 
 tollowrt ill I lie Hiiiiu* way. Tlioro are HoanoiiH when 
 tlii'y fliaiigc as iniicli iw two or throe ti'viCH a day, ron- 
 doriii^ tho pasHii^o vory daiiijoroiiH. 
 
 At tho ontraiioo of tho roadstoud of tho capo in n 
 Hiiiall foi't, thrown up rather for tlio sako of IooIch than 
 art a dofonoo. Ovor a<;aiiist it aro tho CarpontorH 
 rookrt ovor whioh you must paHs. Thoro aro two cluui- 
 iioIh, hoth daii<?oroiirt ; and vontii^oH of Hoveral wrcoked 
 voHHolrt may bo hoou thoro. Tho nrndstead 18 voiy 
 oxtonnivo, lyiiijif boforo tho royal battory oflJOpic.os 
 ofordnanco, whioh would not amount to muoh, I 
 opiiio, if tho town woro attaokod. I have Hoon four 
 hundrod vossols anchorod in tho ittadstoad, ami )u ; '■ 
 wart rttill room for tifty moro. Tho town in bohiiul tho 
 royal battory. On tho othor wido m tho plain in whioli 
 you find tho towiiH of Limonado and Marmclado. This 
 plain is boautifiil. At the head of tho bay in a rivor, 
 oartily ascoadod in rtiuall boatn and even in long boatrt, 
 in which wo have tran«portod our rtiok and wounded 
 to a tiiio hortpital, kept l)y the IIoHpitallors of St. Jcdin 
 of God. It irt the best in tho Wortt Indiort. It waw 
 forinorly the oountry house of tho Jortuitrt, whose ro- 
 i-idonco irt now the government hoi'-^ • 
 
 Tho town of Capo FniiK^'oirt passes for being tho 
 most agreeable in the West Indies, and justly. It is 
 tho Paris of the isles. 7VII go thoro to know tho fash- 
 ions. It is. too, tlio handsomest, and iie.vt to Havana 
 the richest. For its size and commerco it may bo eom- 
 8 
 
58 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 pared to Lyons, Its streets are always full of negroes, 
 rolling " et boneault de suerc et quart de cafe." Cap 
 Francois is regularly built ; all the streets are straight; 
 the houses are low, not over two stories, built of beau- 
 tiful stone, in spite of the earth(|uakos, which, in fact. 
 
 are 
 
 1( 
 
 th 
 
 but. 
 
 >r so conunon 
 tion. Port au Prince, on the other side of the island, 
 is constantly subjected to them. 
 
 The town is backed i)y high mountains, which ; cn- 
 dcr its position very hot and unhealthy. Its wide 
 streets arc always tilled with throngs of people, often 
 disturl)ed by the equi[>ages. There are many pretty 
 tine places, but few remarkable buildings. The gov- 
 ernment house is handsome ; the church i)retty tine ; 
 the theatre ugly. There is a convent of nuns that 
 does not look ill. This is, 1 believe, all worth men- 
 tioning. 
 
 The French part of St. Pomingo is intersected by 
 great roiuls, which are always tilled with conveyances, 
 horses and negroes, the oidy i)cdestrians of the place. 
 The luxury is extraordinary, so much so that tiieri' are 
 more than fifty planters who spend over six or seven 
 thousand francs on mulatto girls. They have come to 
 the wonderi'ul conclusion that morality is impossible 
 in this climate, where all conspires to destroy i^ The 
 soil of St. Domingo is cxcellcMt, and it is citi'd as the 
 best in the AVest Indies ; and it is not so exhausted as 
 on the other islands. It is even pretended that its 
 jiroduce exceeds that of .famaica, though belonging to 
 
 
 ^.^l. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GUASSE. 
 
 GO 
 
 the Eiiglirih, who are, hoyoiul a ch)ul)t, tho l)OHt culti- 
 vators of this torrid region, and most expex't iu turning 
 it to account. 
 
 CoiiHii Jura- 
 tion of Hie 
 Intrepidc. 
 
 Nothuig mcniorahle or intercnting occurred till tins 
 23d, a sad day by our loss upon it. It in 
 tlie custom on French vessels in Aniericii 
 to give the crew brandy or talia at (Uie 
 meal, and wine at the two others. The strong licfuor 
 is given always at breakfast. At half past seven, the 
 Intrepidc, of 74 guns, made a signal of distress, and no 
 one coidd inuigine what tlie matter was ; for like her 
 neighbor, the Hector, she had many meclmnic,;. All 
 supposed that some trouble had broken out between tho 
 erew and the people on board the two vessels, the 
 more especially as one was from ]irest, the other from 
 Toulon — there existing between the otHeers of these 
 de[>artments a hatred that extends to all that come 
 from there. At eight o'clock wc learn«'d that the Jnlri:- 
 pli/c was on fire. The clerk had gone for tafia (a li- 
 quor more spiritous tiian brandy), and seeing that 
 little c. ue out, ho held the light near the tap and the 
 flame at once extended to the barrel. lie tried to put 
 it out alone, but failing, called his men, who nuuh' 
 fruitless efforts to extinguish the fire. A thick smoke 
 whicli spread over the vessel disclosed what they wished 
 to hide. When the officers first tried to remedy it, 
 they found the caboose on fire. Thi'y cut the cable 
 to run the ship ashore away from the others. This 
 was ha[ipily effected. Much powder was thrown over- 
 
GO 
 
 Ol'KKATJONS OF THE FKtNCll FLEKT 
 
 board, and all the rest in tiie luagaziiie was soakod. 
 The gun carriages wore broken so as to point the can- 
 nons up. All the boats of the ileot aiul niercliantnien, 
 and all the carpenters were at work there, lu'l[ting all 
 they could, to save the king's property and individual 
 ettects. They were even in great apparent security, 
 each busy with his work, when a voice exclaimed : 
 " iSauvc qui jK'Ht!" Then every one rushetl to the boats, 
 and soon after a dense black smoke issued from the 
 vast nnichinc, so dense as to darken the air — the sun 
 disappeared from us — we could only see the tlames 
 bursting froii the portholes. The camions grew red, 
 and the roailstead, the town, and tiie shore, received 
 her whole broadside. A fearful noise succeeded the 
 artillery, it was tlic stern of the vessel, which was in 
 the clouds, scattered in fragments. All around was 
 tilled with tliem, wounding many and killing some. 
 Thus, at half [last eleven, ended the Intnpkk. The 
 towuspeoiilc tied, and the consternation was .-i cicat 
 that many would not go home for a long time, ima- 
 gining that the contiagration must extend to other 
 vessels. 
 
 The 25th we learned that the French frigate the Jn- 
 coz/A'toJi^t, of 40 guns, had the misfortune to be burnt 
 at sea. She took tire in preciselv the saine wav as the 
 Inlrci)kU\ and blew uj) two leagues otf the coast of 
 iSt. I>oiningo A midshipman, two auxiliary otticers, 
 and seventy-seven men escaiied on loose masts and 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 01 
 
 August. 
 
 Hpar« ; Imt the rest of the officers and two huudrecl 
 and eight men perished. 
 
 Tlie 30th, order to hold ourselves in readiness to 
 sail, and to ship cannons, mortars, and all necessary 
 to make a regular siege. The same day we took on 
 hoard our vessel the regiments ot'Gatinon, now Royal 
 Auvergne, Agenois, Touraine, and a detachment of 
 Lauzun's legion. 
 
 August 5th, all being ready, the signal was given 
 to unmoor, and on the 6th, at 4, A. M., to loose 
 sail. Our fleet nunil)ered 24 vessels, and the wonder 
 is that everybody, the English included, knew where 
 we were going, while we had not even a conjecture 
 as to the operation that our admiral was about to 
 undertake' 
 
 On the 7th the commander, de Glandevese, who had 
 sailed around the island to leewanl, joined us with the 
 Dourgoiinc and the Hector, which had been unable to 
 set sail the day previous. The Actionnaire, which lu^d 
 come with the commander's live vessels, anchored on 
 the 8th at the ca[>c. 
 
 On the 10th the light s(juadron gave chase to the 
 English frigate which had chased the Fee and forced 
 her to put in at the Mole St. Xicolas, after she had 
 fought three times; first with a frigate, w'hich she 
 sunk; next with a 50 gun vessel, which she cut up 
 considerably by a nuuujeuvre which excited the admi- 
 
 • The secret liiid bceti woll kopl, for a mouth before tlie Count de 
 Onisse wrote to Uot'liiiiiibeiiu. 
 
62 
 
 Ol'EKATIONS OP THE FKENCII FLEET 
 
 [i 
 
 ifi 
 
 ration of the cneiuv. Slio wua tlioii (.'ommaiulod by 
 M. do Boul)e(.', ensign', the captain having been killed 
 in the tirst engagement. In the neeond action she 
 loot her forenuist. Ilor last att'air was with the frigate 
 of which I have Just spoken, and which she would 
 have taken, for all her crippled ct»ndition, had not the 
 adversary's Hight and sujierior sailing saved her. AVe 
 learned that this young ofKcer received general ap- 
 plause on his arrival at Cap Franyois, having been 
 crowned by a young and ehanning actresw, who was 
 the idol of that town, who then embraced him on the 
 
 stasre amid the acclamations of tl 
 
 w spectator; 
 
 lit 
 
 certainly deserved all the praise 'le received in this 
 country. He had the pleasure of attaining the com- 
 mand "f his frigate, which he took back to Brest, 
 where he obtained another ship on which he sailed to 
 India, by his own re([Uest. There he again distin- 
 guished himself in the last affair of the Hailly de Suf- 
 fren, the French commander in that part of the world. 
 Oj» the 11th we entered the old channel and took in 
 a Spanish coast jdlot coming from Baracao, a town 
 lying on the northern coast of the island of Cuba. 
 The passage of tliis channel is justlv considered a very 
 dangerous spot. We were so happy as to spend three 
 days in the narrowest part of the jiass, which is sur- 
 rounded by reefs on every side, experiencing an un- 
 supportaldu contrariety of wintls. At length, on the 
 
 ' In the Krcncli nnvy thu cniiigii rankn next to tlic licutuiiuiii. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 0? 
 
 14tli, a very Htronaj wind spvans; up, and wo donl»led 
 the rocks, it'tor siift'oriiin: consid('ral)lv. Tlio JSortImm- 
 hcrland was almost lost, haviui^ got into the breakers 
 very near the reefs, and being almost ungovernable 
 through the fault of a helmsman, who gave the wheel 
 a wrong turn. 
 
 At this period we flattered ourselves that we should 
 behold the superb city of Havana, the capital of the 
 island of Cuba, and the richest and strongest place in 
 America ; the Spaniards having added considerably to 
 its fortifications since the last war. The Ahjrdle alone 
 went there, and brought off four nullions, Avhich served 
 as an excuse for the seventeen men of war there, not 
 to accompany us on the expedition we had on hand. 
 Is it not a shame for these vessels to lie rotting 
 two years in port? It is only a nation as cowardly as 
 the Spaniard that can wallow so in inaction, leaving 
 its allies to bear all the brunt of the war. 
 
 On the 18th we lay to off A[atanzas, three leagues 
 from that town, and about thirty from Havana. We 
 sent our pilots ashore, and entered the Bahama chan- 
 nel, into which the currents carried us. At this point, 
 being in order, we learned tliat the projected expe- 
 dition was to the ('hesa[)eakc. Here the charming 
 maritime ill-temper displayed itself in all \\~ beauty, 
 for they cli>-cd tlie council-cluunbcr door on the gen- 
 llomcnofthe Uoyal Auvergne, commanded by Mr. 
 de Tourville, who could not hcl[) taking up the silly 
 remarks they passed » ii the Count (V'^staing. 
 
 11 
 
G4 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 M I 
 
 On the 24th we took three English vessels ; one of 
 nhioh, connnanded by u licuteimnt in the navy, i'uv- 
 riod It) six-pounders avi I 8 eighteen-pound howitzers. 
 She had on boai'l four officers and several \oung wd- 
 men, who, on passing ink) our ha.'ds, were greatly re- 
 joicid at their adversity, i!iid said t'l.il die Fremh even 
 on the sea were better than their count rynien. There 
 is one style in which they surel}- wouhl not provft it — 
 being very knowing. I w< uld wiHln^'ly rel,\ on 
 their jr.diiment, st Tar as tlieir experiem-e g* ' s. The 
 -nitt'.l r I'i the otlur two was carrying to Euglund a 
 general oiHc?! \.lio had c<»rnnuuided at Savannah and 
 ^'hal•le8t')l^ •> ' icii lie had left a week before, and who 
 enjoyvd tlj' liigliest reputation. All these vessels, 
 at)(! tluise ruibsequently taken oft" this coast, were 
 loaded with nierchandise for Euro[)e. 
 
 1 cannot omit an incident which proves the bad 
 faith with which the English are so justly reproached, 
 an incident which they have often repeated. In the 
 evening, not having had time to man the prizes en- 
 tindy, the enerny, to the number of sixty men, left in 
 the larger vessel, found means during the night to 
 open the roblnet (a kind of port hole near the keel, 
 used lo let in water or to sink a vessel A\hen she gets 
 
 ' Lord Hawdon, rotiriiig to Englaiul in iH licaltu, after his barbarous 
 and uiijuKtifiublc cxcciition of Ilaiiu's. He had now the mortification 
 lo wiincsH, as a prisoner, the defeat of Oornwaliis on hind and Ciruves 
 on ilie ocean. 
 
UNDEK THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 05 
 
 ou fire, as Mr. dii PlessiH PaHcault winhotl to do at tlio 
 cape when the Iiitrepkle caught fire). Fortunately 
 this trick was discovered, aud it was closed in time to 
 prevent ahnost all damage. Had there hecn any do- 
 lay in making the rounds, tlie vessel would to a cer- 
 tainty ha\ e gone down. 
 
 On the 28th the ileet anchored three leagues from 
 the roadstead of the Chesapeake, according to the ad- 
 vice of the coast pilots whom we had on hoard. We 
 had not yet seen any hind, which liere lies ver}' low. 
 
 On the 20th we anchored in three columns, in the 
 entrance of the roadstead, ' after chasing a numher of 
 vessels that we could not nuike out. You will not 
 lierhaps be astonished to learn in what security' the 
 English live. Having ancliored and disi»layed our 
 flag, we were approached l)y a boat in which was one 
 of the principal citizens of Virginia, who asked where 
 Lord Rodney was. The sailors on deck hailed, and 
 one of them, who spoke English well, told them to 
 come on board, which they did at once. But what 
 was their surprise to see only infantry in white uni- 
 forms. They were taken to the main cabin, where 
 we were at dinner, and where the captain informed 
 them tiiat they were i>risoners, ordering them to be 
 well treati'd. The boat was taken, and found to con- 
 tain excellent melons and many other refreshments, 
 which were eaten in honor of Lord Rodnev. 
 
 In T.yiiii I'avi.ii Bay. 
 
 9 
 
i;i> 
 
 nPKHATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 Si'|»tonil)cr iHt, our troops' got in ItoatH mid 
 Si'plcmlior. ' 1 & 
 
 wuro laiuU'd witliout the Hliglitost molcnta- 
 tloii IVoiii tilt! torccH coiniioHiiij; the army of Lord 
 ('onivvalliw, altlioiigli lie had a ship of the line, throe 
 IVi;;ateM, and Hoveral Hinall vesKelK. The Eiiijflish gen- 
 eral ini^ht have jireventcd us from doing anything, 
 and even repidsed us, had he not despised our small 
 army. At our first I'lieampment it would have been 
 aiihihiiat('(| if attacked. Three days after, it formed 
 a junction with the army of M. de la Fayette,- 1,800 
 strong, hut wlio, at the same time, received a rein- 
 forccmeiit of 1,K00 more Americans, making in all 
 7,()(»(». The Knglish nunihered 11,000 men. AVlien 
 told that the French had landed, their general merely 
 remarked that he had been long expecting them, and 
 was glad that they had come. For all that, he soon 
 had reason to repent it. 
 
 That same day I almost perished in attempting to 
 go ashore. The boat, that I was in, cajisized, but, 
 fdrtiinateiy, the bar we struck on touched the land, 
 and had scarcelv four feet of water on it. T found 
 
 
 ' TIiIh body uniiNlfilccl of iJ,80() men, under the Marquis de St. Simon, 
 will! wcro (Miiivcyi'd cijjlilecn Icngut'H up James river by the boats of 
 tliu flci'l, niiitnKiil by 1,0110 siiilors. Cornwallls mentions, in liis ile- 
 ipriloh to Clinton, the number of boats ns forty, and of troops as 
 !I,H(MI men. After landing these the boats transported Wayne's com- 
 nuind. 
 
 > liy (hiii,)uiielion, liufaycttc, at tlicagc of 24, in his qualiiy of major- 
 gunurul of the Anierican army, had under bis command a French 
 goneritl olllcer, the Mar(|uis ilo St. Simon. 
 
 ,.,A-...vi;.io..>.. 
 
\ ■ 
 
 UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 67 
 
 I 
 
 tliirt a nm<;nificc'nt country, with fine woods, houses at 
 intervals, witli little plains around ; pasturages covered 
 with ininiense lierds of cattle of every kind ; large 
 river prodigiously full of tish. I put up at the house of 
 the cai>taiu of an American frigate, who showed nie 
 every cordiality, and was kind enough to give our 
 steward directions liow to buy the stores which he 
 know our vessel must he in need of. In the evening 
 I took my boat again to go aboard, but the tide and 
 the currents were so violent that I was forced to anchor 
 between the land and the fleet, about a league trom 
 each. 
 
 The 2d, the Aijrettc arrived from the head of the bay 
 with several prizes made by our different vessels, 
 among others by the Glorieux, which gave chase to 
 the Charon, of 50 guns, but could not get at lier on 
 account of the shoals, and wlii^^h was burnt during 
 the siege of Yorktown. 
 
 The 3d, four of our vessels were detacliod, ami sta- 
 tioned at the mouths of the rivers, by which we took 
 a considerable nund)er of merchantmen. We were in 
 the greatest impatience in consequence of the non- 
 arrival of the Concorde, a frigate of M. du Barras' '- 
 
 ' Louis, Count do Barrns St. Lnurent, boru iu Provence, had served 
 long in the French navy, l)Ut his chief services were those in Auiericn. 
 He w:is a particular friend of tlie fount d'Estaing, and commanded L 
 vanguiird when he forced the entrance of Newport. Ho reached Bos- 
 ton in ymy, 1781, in the Conenrdr, having been appointed to com- 
 mand the French squadron there. He was then about 60 years old. 
 Washington at o^"" proposed an interview with him and Kochambeau 
 
 
 ■•>■' 
 
68 
 
 OI'KKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 m 
 
 squiulroii, whk'li v;>' tu jriiicuiu'e to un tlir iiu)iiu iif 
 ot'tlie juiictioi) I)' I'n. ■ wo did not know vvlmt to 
 niiike of tlu' d>Auy ; and Honie of the navy ofHcors, jeal- 
 ous of hirt 111 rit, accused him of being a bad citizen, 
 and of being unwiliini;; to servo under \[. do ClraHse, 
 becauHo he liad, he said, his option to reniaiii at Bos- 
 ton or join him. Ah-eady th. ^ vvmiiea to m.ii.e him 
 responsible for the bhniders the admiral was to com- 
 mit. In these circumstancoH M. de liurras will be 
 H" n giving a rare example of patriotism, which is un- 
 fortunately known oidy by name in France. Wo 
 were in the greatest uneertainty as to what was to 
 happen, when our two frigates on guard outside sig- 
 
 Rt Welherstleht, uii Ibe l!2d of May, but an Arbuthnot appeared, the 
 (.'omit lie lliiriiis preferred not to be abgpnt. He, however, through 
 Itocliambeitu, objected to Iriinxportinx the French army to the Chesa- 
 peake on liis )(i|Uailron, and subHciiuently declined (o proceed to that 
 bay witli his vesselft to prevent the enriipe of <'ornwalli8, and nhowed 
 a reluclnncc to xervc underdo (iraHne, hix junior, propoHing an expe- 
 dition 1) Newfuinidland. This, Washington at hist induced him to 
 abandon and cooperate in the general niovenier He, however, pro- 
 jected an attack on the tory fort on Lloyd's neck, in July, which was 
 a complete failure. He finally joined de (irasHe, and niatiri'illy aidcil 
 in the reduction of Vorktown. From lliis, it will be seen that his yield- 
 ing to serve under dc (liiissic was far fron^ the noble sacrifice of feel- 
 ing so often prete. I'-'i. A \vn in parti' of d'Kstaiii^c, he was re- 
 luctant to eontributt in any way to the - vccss of his rival, and dis- 
 played a spirit of contrariety by no nieau.s exulting. After coUperui- 
 iug with de Orasse at the siege of Yorklown, he also took part in the 
 engagement -vith llo '., oli St. Christoph" r, on the L'o-' January. 
 I'S'J : but after reducing Nevis and Monscrrat, returned to France. 
 He had considered de Urasse's promotion to the command of theflici, 
 and the rank of lieutenant -general, as a sli,. ' upon him. In the re- 
 organization of the navy in 1782, h<' ' \s mmie vice-ado'iral. 
 
 k.w 
 
UNDKU TIIK COUNT I)K GUASSK. 
 
 O'J 
 
 iiallt'd nails in si^lit. Theno ho(»ii jd'oved fo ha Kii^- 
 IImIi, to the iiiiiiibi'r of "21 iiii'ii of will", two of thuiii 
 tlircu (k'ckcrn, and tive fri^^att'H. Ah a coin'Dat Wan 
 (leoiiiod ci'rtuiu, orderM were givt'ii to hoint nail. 
 
 At lialf-paHt eleven, ordern were given to hUji our 
 caltlert, and leaven the buoy ; at noon, to elear di-ekn 
 and to form in order of Hpeed. Thin, for a \von<ler, 
 WWK pretty well executed, for every veHHel had a hun- 
 dred men in the hoatn, which had, as 1 have said, been 
 landing our troops. The fleet formed in very bad 
 order; for, to t( ' the truth, there were only four ves- 
 HeJH in line, the Pfjilo, the Boanjoyne, the MavsviUais, 
 and the Diadeinc. The lit'Jh'r/ii/ and the Cofoii came 
 next, half a league to the lee of the first ; and the rest 
 of the tlett a league more to the lee of the latter, the 
 ViKc (Ic Paris in the centre ; the Knglish were in tlie 
 beat possible order, bows[»rit to stern, bearing down 
 on us, and consequently to our \vin<lward. Admiral 
 (1 raves commanded,' having undt-r him rear-admirals 
 Hood and Drake ; they madi an immense nund)er of 
 signals to each other before engaging us. The Eng- 
 lish vessel, the Terrible, which was immping four 
 pumps, not feeling in u condition to take part in the 
 action, kept to the windwap' of the enemy's line, 
 
 'draves commanded the Sheernriti in 1757; in 1761t, uuii iiiutidiiig 
 tlie Duke, W), he blockaded Brest. In 1781 ho wns in I1k» l.omtou, 98. 
 IIIh cngngcmeni with de Orassc is hero recorded. Duriri); t!ii« Fronch 
 revolution he servr I mulcr Hone lU Ouessanl, May ">, l"'.t4, and wftH 
 wounded soon nl'ier in the Kv nl Sovereign, He was created a poor in 
 Jill,.', 17114. 
 
70 
 
 OI'KRATIO.VS or TIIK KKKNCII KI.KKT 
 
 iitliwiii't l>mki', who Migiiiillod Iut to tiikf Iut poHitioii, 
 which whi' h)rtt nomo tlnu' in (hdiijf ; hut tho reur- 
 iuiiuiml Kooii {KTHiimlotl h'r t<» tiikc her iiliico by hoihI- 
 iiij; lu'P thri'o funuon halln. Tlieii it wiiw that thoy 
 tackod to tlio hirhoard un wo did,' and hoiwti'd a groat 
 white tiag astoni ; l)iit thoy soon Htriick it and iioistod 
 their own. It was tlion tivo iiiinutort at'tor throo, and 
 the lioad of onr line was within ritlo shot ; aiwl. in 
 t'uct, entirely separated from the rest of onr fleet ; u 
 disagreeahh' position. Tlien they poured tlieir tirst 
 hroadside into the lirffMnf, kilhiig the eaptain.'' That 
 vessel soon liore away, as well as tin- Cnli), on whieli 
 they kept np a hrisk tire. Then .Mr. de (Jrasse sig- 
 nalh'd to the vessels, at the head of the line, to hoar 
 away two points, wliieh was iinpraetieahlo, as thoy wore 
 
 ■ Tlio KiikIIhIi torniol till' liiiu on llio HUrlxiitnl titek, tlio Kronuli 
 Miood otf Mlioro on tlio liirlioiird luck ; but n* Driiko, who wiih in llio 
 rciir, WHS Hignnllod to hciir down, tin' wlmlc llrilinli lli'ot wore on llio 
 larbonril tftfk. Tlio Into I'nptnin Wiird, in liin Xninl Tnrlirt, xnyn : 
 " .\dmirnl (IrnvcH tiorc <lown and atinckvd the French fleot by nn ub- 
 lii|UO n|i|iroiich in column aliend, but in a niiinncr which cngii|{ed the 
 whole KiigliHli line — the renr very di.'ilitiilly, tliough expoxiii); the 
 head uf it niimt to the cnciiiy'H Arc. Ileiico the Krench, liiiving intlicted 
 fur more injury than tlioy received, wore niuiiil out of action, and re- 
 formed to leeward, for the lurpose of again receiving the attack. The 
 Knglinh were not in condition to repeal it. The Kngli.th van hIiIiim on 
 the approach, when only their how giuiM bore, were expoxed to a ne- 
 vcre iliagonal firo from the broadHides of the French vanshipM, a» will 
 appear by ingpection of the Hgure, and this iliagonal lire in nearly hh 
 dexlrnclive as a raking fire." 
 
 'The captain, killed in this action, according to Qut-rin, llistnire <U 
 III Miinm h'riin<;(iitf, and the (Inzfll'- ile Fraiicr, was Hrun do lloade, 
 though our author, when he first mentions the Ufjl^fhij makes de Mar- 
 igny captain of the Rrflfrh;/ ; de Ibiado coinniandod the Triloii, (!4, in 
 1 7K(). 
 
UNUKIl TIIK COUNT l)K GKA.SSE. 
 
 71 
 
 fij^litliif; within ^iin-Hliot diHtancc, iind woiiM Imvojijuta 
 vi'ry Hi!V((ri! ImiKHiti^, luul tlu'y itrcHonti'tl the MtiTii. 
 The tour nhipM iit the van toiiiHl thi-niHolvoH, couki'- 
 (liu'utly, ciitiri'ly cut otl'tVom the ront of thi' tii'c^t, mid 
 (•ouHtuntly (•n<jjii,i;('d with mcvoii or oif^ht vohhoIk lit «'Ioh(' 
 ([uartcrH; and tiic Uiadiine wuHconHtantly nour A(hniral 
 Drake,' who not fire to lier at every Hliot, the wadding 
 entorinj;^ her Hi(h'. Thin veHHol wa« eoiintantly enpiged 
 witli two and Hoinetiniert three venHeln. The Kn;^- 
 lisii would not eut off our van, whieli tliey nii^lit 
 perluipH iiuve taken, and wliich tlicv wouhl, at all 
 eventrt, have rendered pant repair. Tliey contented 
 theuiHelves Kiniply witli cutting up that part of our 
 Heet which kept up a distant tijLrht, the wailorn of tlio 
 V'dle dc J'tiris havins; heen the lant to take part in the 
 action. Mr. de l5ou!ji;ainville eoininan(U'd our van ; 
 but ho wan too far to leeward and in no condition to 
 relieve the JJiadanv, whicli could scarcely hold out, 
 antl was on the point of boarding of the Priiicestif, 
 cointnanded by the rear-adu'iral, wlio avoided her; 
 then he turned all his tire on the Tcrrihle, which he 
 ri(Ulled, so tliat tlie English liad to sink her next day. 
 With all this, this vessel was utterly unable to keep 
 ii[» the light, having only four thirty-six ])Ounders and 
 nine eighteens, lit for use, and luiving all on board 
 
 1 Sir Franuiti Drake cuimuiindcJ ILe Kdyar in 17r>'J; was renr admi- 
 ral at. (iibraltar in April, 17S1 ; with Graves at the ('iiesopcakc and 
 with Iluod and Uuduey in the West IiidieM, as described in these 
 journals. 
 
 ■i IJ 
 
OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 i 
 
 I 1 
 
 ^1 i 
 
 killed, wouiidod or burnt. At tliirt juncture M. de 
 ('hal)ort, conniiaudiut; the St. Etijml, which had, for 
 a long time, been engaged with the English admiral, 
 and who was himself wounded, seeing the imntinent 
 danger of the Diadeiiic, hoisted sail and was soon in 
 her wake; then he oi)ened a terrible tire, that the 
 g<'ntlemen of Albion could not stand, and had to haul 
 their wind. The contest was kept u]t in the centre 
 for half an hour longer. For our part we v/ere so 
 tirinl, that though within gun-shot, the vans no longer 
 tired. At (J, the battle closed.' 
 
 ' Ailmiral Graves says : "Ah we nppronched, the whole fleet got 
 under sail, nnd Btretclied out to sea, with the wind at north noith- 
 enst. As we drew nearer I fi>rnie(l the line first ahead, and then in 
 such a manner as to liring liis majesty's fleet neiirly parallel to the 
 line of approach of tlic enemy, and when I found that our van was 
 advanced as far as the shoal of the middle ground would admit of, I 
 wore the fleet and brought them upon tlie same lack witli tlie enemy, 
 and nearly parallel to them, though we were by no means extended 
 with their rear. So soon as I judged that (uir van would be able to 
 operate, I made the signal to bear away and approach, and soon after 
 to engage the enemy close. .Somewhat after four the action began 
 among tlie headmost ships, pretty close, and soon became general as 
 far as the second ships from the centre towards the rear. The van of 
 the enemy bore away to enable their centre to support them, or they 
 w<iuld have been cut up. The action did not entirely cease until a 
 little after sunset, lliougli i t a considerable distance, for the centre of 
 the enetiiy continued to bear up as it advanced, and at that moment 
 seemed to have little more in view than to shelter their own van as it 
 went away before the wind. His noijesly's fleet consisted of nineteen 
 sail of the line — thalofihe French formed twenty-four sail in Ihei.' 
 line. After night 1 sent the frig'tes to the van and rear, to (uish for- 
 ward the line and kee|> it extended with tlie enemy, with the full in- 
 tention til renew the engagement in the morning. Uut when the fri- 
 gate F'lrliiii^' returned from the vaii, I was informed tha? several of 
 
UNDER THE COUNT D.: GRASSE. 
 
 7:J 
 
 In this atthir wo lost 400 men anil 12 ottiocrH ; tl 
 
 »u 
 
 ott" with the Iohs of 700 ; 
 
 (1 
 
 J^jiiglisii came oit with tlie Iohs oi iw iiieii, 
 p'U'sons of dirttinctioK. We had to goto the aHHirttuiiCd 
 of the Dkulcinc inimediately after the Ijattle, m Aw 
 had lost 120 men and had no nails or rig^in^, liaviiiji^ 
 received 125 balls in her hull and 12 under the water 
 line. We should have had to ahandon her, liad the 
 sea run high, and do with her as the English did with 
 the Terrible, 74. It is well to note that there were only 
 22 French vessels in this engagement, all hadly manned, 
 The enemy had 21 in line, one of ,'/' guns, and some 
 frigates. 
 
 The English committed a great fault in this aetion. 
 As soon as we left the roa<ls of the Chesapeake, they 
 should have entered and anchored. They were hel'ore 
 the wind, and by hugging Cape C'haries tlu'y might 
 easily have moored with a spring in the cidile, before 
 we were formed in line and ready to attack them; this 
 would leave us no alternative but to grapjile them, 
 otherwise our army would have rin a great risk of 
 l)eing deprived of everything, perhaps have been cap- 
 tured even ; our vessels, stationed at the York, jJaltl- 
 
 (Iic ships lind suffcvcil so nmcli, tlicy were in no conilit'.ii to ri'liPW 
 tlie iictiou uiilil tlioy hiul sociire<l tlieir musts. Wc, luiwcvur, i«i«[i|. 
 well exientlcd wilh tlic enemy all night." 
 
 'Graves gives the loss at IK) l<illeil and liiO woun<leil. The Ist lieu- 
 tenant of the S/inuKliiii!/ was killed, Jiml the captain woiimled, Tho 
 rriiicms, Shreicsfiiin/, liilnpiiJr and Minitai/uc sulVereif severely in thit 
 masts ami tho Ternhti' and .\j\ix in tlichuU. On tho Kllli he says il. 
 council of war determined to destroy liie Tenilile, anil sliu wuh NUt 
 tire to on the 1 lili. 
 
 10 
 
 -'-'-— <hmMMm4* 
 
74 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 more and James rivers, would Inive been taken, as 
 well as all the boats of the tieet. Hood was in favor 
 of running in here as we shall see liini do at St. 
 Christo]»her"s, but Admiral Graves durstnot. Another 
 blunder that our enemies made was, their neglecting 
 to cut off our four vessels at the head, which they 
 might ]K'rhai>8 liave taken, or at least cut ott'from the 
 rest of the tieet. 
 
 There is no reproach to be made to >fr. do 
 Grasse in this atiair, cxcejit his not making in time 
 the signals to take jiosition in order of l»attle, and tlie 
 blunder of not posting himself at the entrance of the 
 bay and refusiriu: fiirht. He commifted a ijroHser 
 blunder of this kind afterwards; for, on this occasion, 
 he might allege the fact tiiat he was waiting for Com- 
 modore de Burriis, and that lie exposed him ]irodi- 
 giousiy if he did not tight and force thi' enemy to oj)en 
 the entrance to the anchorage of the Chesapeake. 
 
 On tht^ (Itli we did not lose sight of the Knglish, and 
 the wind haviuir varied sli<;htlv, bv maneuverin"- a 
 great deal, and the Knglisli little, we gained the 
 weather-gage. 
 
 The 7th we still kept them in sight. On this dav 
 they sunk the Tcrvihlc. in the evening we lost sight of 
 them; the sea beginning to rini high and the wind in- 
 creasing, our admiral made us steer for the Chesa- 
 jieakc. \Vi' did not. liowi'vei', make (';ipe Henry 
 till the 11th; and at the same tinu' >ve saw two Knglish 
 frigates, tlie Iris ;in<l l{iclini<iii<l, ciicji of 4(t ufuns, 
 

 UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 73 
 
 cluiHed by tl)o GloricKX, as she was rotiiriiing from the 
 river. Tlio Aigrette eanie up witli the tbniier and 
 engaged her at pistol Hliot distance ; but she had to 
 haul off, she got so hardly used. Seeing that they 
 held out so, several of our good sailors got at their 
 heels; the rest of the fleet joined, and we poured in 
 over two hundred balls before they struek. We nnule 
 the Count de Barras, who had been at anchor in the 
 roads for two days, start out two vessels of his division, 
 as he could not make out which nation we belonged to. 
 He had witnessed the attair of the ^th, but being una- 
 ble to distinguish the I'rench fleet, he had anchored 
 in the roads where we found him. \V"e dropped our 
 anchors at six or seven in the evening, well satisfled 
 with our prizes, and especially to get our boats again, 
 which Joined us this day, bringijig back our best men. 
 The 15tli tliere c ame on board our fleet M. de Cus- 
 tine,' colonel of the regiment of Saintonge, command- 
 ing the van of Ueneral Washington's army, composed 
 of a thousand French grenadiers, and as man}* Ameri- 
 can volunteers. He proceeded to join M. de la Fay- 
 ette, and announced the sp' edy arrival of the (oni- 
 bined Jirinies of France and Amci'i'ja, with all neces- 
 saries of war, and provisions ; for our troo]>s sutt'ered 
 for want of tlie latter. 
 
 ' Adam PliiUp, Count ''.o rustiiie, bora ul Mciz in 1740. lie served 
 under Fredcriek ilie (Jrenl in ilie Seven Years war. In 17'J- he was 
 summoned from tlie cuniiiiund of the army of the Rliine, to Paris, iiud 
 beheaded in AngusI, ITV'^i. 
 
Ill ' 
 
 \t':*l 
 
 70 
 
 Ol'KHATIONS OF THE FKENCIF FLKET 
 
 On the IHtli tlie vessels 1)eaiiiiij our soldiers arrived 
 Ity Haltiiiiore river, and the ifreater ](art of the army, 
 t'oastinuf alont;;, and l)rin<;injr from J'hiladelphia all 
 that was needed, and even more ; for iilenty always 
 reigned in the eamps, altliou;Ljh this country has heeii 
 eomoletelv devastated hv the Entflish. The Amcri- 
 can general eanie on hoard the Vlltc ilc Paris, where 
 he had a long conference with Mr. de (Jrasse, and the 
 other two naval commanders. ' On his departure he 
 was saluted v'th thirteen guns. He joined his army, 
 20,(KH) stronii:, including Kochamheau's and Lafav- 
 ette's armies. I think that when Lord C'ornwallis was 
 told <^' Mr. AVashington's arrival, he did T\ot say, "so 
 much the hetter," and must have laughed on the 
 wrong side of his mouth. 
 
 The i(iml)ined army having invested thi' Knglish, 
 they retired to Vorktown, posting a large dctach- 
 UMMit at (iloU( 'ster, a town on the other side of the 
 river, and immediatt'ly opposite Yo:k. The enemy 
 had already put tliese two places in a res[K'ctahle state 
 of defence, and liiur redouts prott'cted the approaches. 
 They thought pro[>er, however, to evacuate the suni"er 
 
 ' " In coinpnny wiili Couni dc U()clmml)eaii, tlio ClioviiliiT ilo Clins- 
 tellciix, (u'licnil Knox and (lenorrl Oiiiioiliiil, 1 net (iiil fur nil inter- 
 view willi llic ii'Iiiiiral. nml iirrivoil on ))oartl ilio Villi' ill J'liii^, {off 
 Cape Henry), llicncxi (laynnnul noon ; ami liaviii;; si'ttliil most points 
 willi liini to uiy salinfaction, except not olitaiiiiiit; assn.aiu'C of simhI- 
 ing !*lii|;M above York, I embarked on i)uaril the <,hirrii ('l-mlnlh , tiie 
 vecsel I wi'nt down in; )iut by reason of liiird bbuvinj; aid eolitrary 
 windH, I did not reach Willianisburgh again til. the '-''Jd. " Wasiiinc;- 
 ton's lUiin/. 
 
 H 
 
LNDER THE COUNT DE GUASSE. 
 
 77 
 
 two, wliioli were, too, I'aither oft". On the 20tli 
 Lord C/onnvallirf wisliod to cros8 the river, but was 
 prevented by tlic lire t)f onr iVigateH and otlicr small 
 ♦•raft, (^hietly prizes taken on that eoast. As the wind 
 became vei-y violent, Mr. de Grasse ran liis tleet into 
 llie bay and aiiehored on a line, with spriiigs on the 
 (able. Wii all nnule onr rejtairs then more at ease 
 and got water .nore conveniently. It is worth re- 
 marking that we got it only by digging four or live 
 feet in the sand. This country is so well wooded that 
 I saw on board the Diadaiie a piece of timber costing 
 28 francs, measuring thirty feet long and twenty inches 
 scpiare. You may judge from this that we all made 
 our rejiairs easily and without sparing. 
 
 On the 8Uth M. de (Jrasse disend)arked 000 marines 
 from the vessels to reinforce M. <le Choisy's corps.' 
 Tiicy repulsed the enemy, and compelled then; to re- 
 tire to (iloucester. The commanders had established 
 such good communication that we heard from the 
 lamu everv dav, and were even near enough to see 
 what was going on ; for we witnessed the spectacle of 
 the conflagration of an English 50 gun ship,^ set on 
 tire by the French battery. 
 
 On the iStli of October Mr. de Barras was sent 
 October. 
 
 to the camp in the admiral's place, and took 
 
 I 
 
 • Mr. do C'lioisy himsolf Ixirc Wasliiiigtoii's loller of rciiuost, wliicli 
 lie (jrasse grunted relucttiiitly. desiring tlial no furtlier reijiiisilion 
 niiglit be made. Si'.viiKs's Wnsliiiijluii, viii, 107 n. 
 
 ■'Tlic C/firoii. 
 
78 
 
 OPEKATIONS OF THE FKENCII FLEET 
 
 part in tho capitulation of the positions of Yorktown 
 and Gloucester, and of Lord Cornwallis's army, com- 
 posed of 11,000 men, an army which had committed 
 atrocities to the point even of killing a wonuin, oi)en- 
 iug her, takinj^^out tiie child she bore in her womb, 
 and hangiii_, it to a tree, with this inscription : "Thou 
 shalt not breed traitors." 
 
 This being the most brilliant compiest in the war, 
 the cai)itulation cannot but be interesting. The read- 
 ers will not be displeased to see the articles here : 
 
 Capitulation of Lord Cornwallis, on surraukrinf/ his j)os(.s 
 of Yorldoini and Gloucester and his army into the hands 
 of General Washin(/ton, Liciit.-Gcn. Count dc liocham- 
 beau, and Count de Grassc, licut.-;fcn. conimandinf/ the 
 naval forces of France in Chesapeake bay. 
 
 Article I. 
 
 The garrisons of York and (iloucester, including the 
 officers and seamen of his Britannic Majesty's ships, 
 as well as the mariners, to surrender thenisi'lves prison- 
 ers of war to the combined forces of America and 
 France. The land troops to remain prisoners to tlie 
 United States — the navy to the luival army of his 
 Most Christian Maiestv. 
 
 Gmnted. 
 
 Article II. 
 
 The artillery, anns, accoutrements, military chest, 
 and public stores of eviTv den(nuination. shall be 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 79 
 
 (U'livored unimpaired to tlu' heads of departments 
 appointed to receive tliem. 
 Granted. 
 
 Article Til. 
 
 At twelve o'clock to-day tlic two redoubts on the 
 left flunk of York to he delivered, the one to a detach- 
 ment of the American infantrv, tlie other to a detach- 
 ment of French grenadiers. 
 
 Granted. 
 
 The garrison of York will march out to a ]daco to 
 be appointed in front of the postn, at two o'clock 
 precisely, with sliouldered arms, colors cased, and 
 drums beating a British or (Jerman march. Tliey 
 are then to ground their arms, and return to their 
 encampments, where they will remain until they are 
 dispatched to the places of their destination. Two 
 works on the Gloucester side will be delivered at 
 one o'clock to a detachment of French and American 
 troops appointed to ])osf;ess them. The garrison will 
 march out at three o'clock in the afternoon; the ca- 
 valry with their swords drawn, trumpets sounding, and 
 the infantry in the manner }tri'scribed for the garrison 
 of York. They ari' likewise to return to their en- 
 campments, until they can be tinally marclu'd off. 
 
 Articlk IV. 
 OtHcers are to retain their side arms. Both oiflcers 
 and soldiers to kec]i their }>rivate property of every 
 kind; aii<l no part of their baggagt' or papers to be at 
 
 I 
 
 i .ii 
 
 I 
 
 I \\ 
 
I III 
 
 i! 
 
 80 
 
 OI'KKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 niiy time Hiiltjcct to Honivli or iiispootion. The l»niri;a<^o 
 iiiid |tii|t('rrt of olHccrs and soldiiTH tiikoii (li:iin«? the 
 mIi'^c to Ito liki'wiKC pruHorvi'cl lor tliom. 
 
 (iriinlat. 
 
 It Is iindd'slood that auji lU'npnii/ nlin'oiish/ iKhon/hn/ ■'') 
 the 'iiihtihUitiils (if l/imc .•<t(itfs In the potssvfisioit of the (jarri- 
 Mii, xliull be subject to be reclaimed. 
 
 AUTU'KK V. 
 
 The milditTH to 1)0 kept ill Virj^iniii, Marvliiiid oi' 
 I'l'iiUHvlviiiiiii, iiiid lis iiiucli by ivijiiiu'iits as iiossildo, 
 aii<l siiiiplii'd with tin- saiiu' rations of provisions as 
 uiv allowed to soldiers in the service of Anieriea. A 
 field oflh-er from eaeh nation, to wit, Hritisli, Anspaeh, 
 and II«'HKiaii, ami other ottieers on parole, in the jiro- 
 portioii of one to iifty men, to i)e allowed to reside 
 lu'artlu'ir respectivi" retjiments, to visit them frecpiently, 
 and l»e witnesses of their treatment, and that their 
 otfK'ers may reci'ive and di'liver clothint,^ and other 
 lieeesHiiries for them, tor whieh passports are 
 f^ranteil when ap|ilied for. 
 
 to I 
 
 »e 
 
 (irduled. 
 
 AuTirLi: VI. 
 
 TIh' general, st-aff, and other olHcers not employt'd, 
 as nientioiieil in the above aitirles, and who choose it, 
 to be )K'rmitted to i^o on parole to Kurojie, to Xew 
 York, or to any other American maritime posts at 
 preHeiit ill the p(»ssessioii of the British forces, at their 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE (JRASSE. 
 
 81 
 
 own option, and proper vosaols to bo granted by tbo 
 Count de . i i><so to curry them under flag of truce to 
 New York within ten days from this (hite, if ponsibk', 
 and they to resside in a district to be* agreed upon 
 hereafter, until they embarlv. 
 
 The oflicers of the civil department of the army and 
 mivy to be inchided in this arti ;le. I'assports to go 
 by hind to be granted to tliose to whom vessels cannot 
 bo furnislicd. 
 
 Granted. 
 
 AUTlCliK VII. 
 
 Officers to l)e allowed to kee)» soldiers as servants, 
 according to the common jtractice of the service. 
 Servants not soldiers are not to be (tonsidcred as pri- 
 soners, and are to bt' allowed to attend their masters. 
 
 Granted. 
 
 AuTT( LE vni. 
 
 The Ihnctla sloop of wu? I'o be equipped and navigated 
 by its ])resent ca[)tuin aiui cr"w, and left entirely at 
 the disposal of Lord Cyoinwji'n from the hour that 
 the capitulation is signed, \ > rcLcive an aid-de-camp 
 to carry disi)atches to Sir llenry Clinton; aid siu-li 
 soldiers as he may thiidc proper t(. send to New York 
 to be permitted to sail without examination. AVben 
 his dispatches are ready, bif lordship engages on his 
 part that the sbij) shall be d<Tivercd to the order of 
 the (/ouiit de (j''as.so, if slie escajtes the dangers of the 
 
 sea. That she shall not carry off any public stores. 
 11 
 
82 
 
 OI'EHAT'OVS or TIfK lUENCII FI,KKT 
 
 Any ]f'rt of tlio crew tluit niiiy I>c' <li'ti('ii'iit on her 
 return, and tlii' soldiers piissiMifjers, to lie iiceountiHl 
 li V on licr deli very. 
 
 Ai!Ti('i,K rx. 
 
 The tnideix are to preserve tlieir property, and to 
 l)e allowed tliree months to disjiose ot" or remove 
 them, and those traders ari' not to Ite consitK'red uh 
 prisoners of war. 
 
 The traders will be ttllmred to dispose of their ejf'rets, the 
 allied aniii/ hacinef the riijht of preemptioii. The traders 
 are to he eotisidered as prisotters of war upon parole. 
 
 AitTici.i-; X". 
 
 Xatives or inhaliitaiits of different jtarts of this 
 country at present in York or (Jloucesttsr, are not to 
 he jiunish il ? n account of liavin^ joined the British 
 
 army. 
 
 m 
 
 resort. 
 
 ■iiniot he iisseiitid to, luini/ idtoi/ither (d' <'iril 
 
 AllTIC'LK XT. 
 
 Proper hospitals to he furnished for tlic sick and 
 woun<led. They arc to he attended hy their own 
 surireons on parole; and llicy arc to he furnished with 
 medicines and stori's from the American lios|titals. 
 
 The hospital stores noir in York and (rloueesfer shall be 
 delirered for the ase of the British sir/; and ironnded. 
 J\issj)orts will be f/ranled for prneiiriiif/ them fiirthei' sup- 
 plies from Neir Yor/i, as ocrasion iiiaij rei/itire ; and proper 
 
UNUEK THE COUNT UE 0UA8.SE. 
 
 83 
 
 hospifnl.s irill be /urniKhaf for the rarption of the .sick and 
 wounded of (he two t/arri.sons. 
 
 AUTICU XII. 
 
 Wiis^oiirt t») I»i' fiiriii lied 'iirrv (lie luiju^^iij^i' of 
 
 till! oftictTri iitti'iidiiijti: flic h. 
 wlu'ii travfliii}; on ucfoi 
 
 1111(1 lo Hiir^fcoiiH 
 
 ui iitti'ii«rui^ iiiu 
 
 liortpitiilM at public cxiioii^ 
 
 Th 
 
 v'l/ are 
 
 to bef 
 
 iinit.s 
 
 hed. 
 
 >J i" 
 
 AiiTic'LK xni. 
 
 The shippiiii; iiiid lioiits in tlic two liarliors, with 
 ill! their Htorcs, _i;iiiis, tackliiij; and apparel, shall he 
 (k'livt'ivd up iu their present state to an otKcer of the 
 navy appointed to take possession of tiieiii, previously 
 
 uuloadini; tl 
 
 le private property, pint of which had 
 
 heen on hoard for si-eurity durinu; the sie 
 (,'raii/ed. 
 
 ire, 
 
 I '; 
 
 AitTicM'; XIV, 
 
 No article of capitulation to Ik' infrini,'ed on pre- 
 tense of reprisals; and if there l»e any douhlful 
 expressions on it, they are to he interiuvted accord- 
 ing to tlie toiinuoii ineanini; and acceptation of thc^ 
 words. 
 
 Granted. 
 
 Done at Yorktown, Virginia, Uctolicr li>, 1781. 
 
 CoKXWAl.Mrt, 
 TllOS. SVMUNDS. 
 
 f 
 
 id 
 
 -^g^-^p 
 
s^. 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.1 
 
 11.25 
 
 lis ■™" 
 ta 122 12.2 
 
 £ Itf 12.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 '/ 
 
 HiotDgraphic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 
 33 WfST MAIN STMIT 
 
 WIBSTIR.N.Y. MSSO 
 
 (716)S72.4S03 
 
 '4^ 
 
V 
 
 6^ 
 
84 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 Done in the trench, before Yorktown in Virginia, 
 Oi'tober lU, 1781. 
 
 G. 'WASniNOTON, 
 
 Le Comte de Rociiambeau, 
 Le Comte de Barkas. 
 
 Js!n mon nom cl cclui du 
 
 Comte de Gkasse. 
 
 Division 
 
 OF THE Count 
 
 de Barras. 
 
 The Due de Boxirgoyne 
 
 80 guns 
 
 , Count de Barras 
 
 Neptune 
 
 
 74 
 
 Dcstouches, 
 
 Conquirant 
 
 
 74 
 
 La Grandifere. 
 
 Ardent 
 
 
 66 
 
 de Marigny. 
 
 EvcilU 
 
 
 64 
 
 de Tilly. 
 
 Provence 
 
 
 64 
 
 de Lombard. 
 
 Jason 
 
 
 64 
 
 de la Cloobeterie 
 
 llormdus 
 
 
 50 
 
 Villebrune. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 85 
 
 The 27th wo were engaged in reeniharking our 
 troops, artillciy, and munitions of war, and the same 
 day tlie English hove in sight oft' the head of the 
 roads, to the numher of 31 sail. Two frigates were 
 stationed there, and a third went out to examine. 
 She returned next day and reported to the admiral 
 that 41 English vessels were cruising outside, several 
 of them being frigates, and smaller craft. M. do 
 Grasse would not budge with his fleet.' We have 
 leai'ued that Prince William,^ son of King George, 
 was in the fleet, which he liad joined with three 
 vessels from England within a few days. 
 
 On the 30th the enemy were again signalled, and 
 we felt sure of having another action with them in 
 those waters; and the reason of our not engaging 
 them, is, doubtless, the violent winds which blew for 
 several days. The admiral profited by their departure 
 to send two frigates to France with his despatches and 
 those of the generals of the troops, which cannot have 
 been received with indifterence. One division of the 
 fleet was intended to go to Cape Francois, and the 
 regiment of Gatinois, now Royal Auvergne,^ was sent 
 
 > The second journal correctly states that De Grasse, in so doing, de- 
 ferred to the express request of Washington, 
 
 < The lute King William IV of England and Hanover. 
 
 ■> The regiment of Gatinois was, says Soulos, made up from the regi- 
 ment uf Auvergne, and was to lead the attack. The Count de Ro- 
 chambeau said to the grenadiers: My boys, if I need you to-night I 
 
 / 
 
 /■ 
 
80 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 1 
 
 H 
 
 I • 
 
 '% 
 
 "'% 
 
 oil lioard them m as to be conveyed to that eapitul, 
 where a considerable convoy has assembled to be es- 
 corted to Europe by M. D'Albert St. llippolite.' These 
 vessels are the Vietoirc, Vailtant, Triton, I^rovcncc and 
 Hector. The last, by a blander common enough in 
 fleets, instead of following her destination, I'tyoiued 
 us, her captain, by name Dalins, intentionally misun- 
 derstanding what had just been hailed to him from a 
 small royal brig. Moreover, this oflicer wished to 
 serve, and was sure of soon having another vessel, for 
 the Hector was good for nothing. In fact, on reaching 
 Martinique, he got the command of the Neptune, which 
 drew out much complaint from several captains his 
 seniors in the service. 
 
 Before leaving this country I wish to say something 
 of North America and its people. The Americans 
 are generally li'i'ge, strong and well made; the women 
 are handsome, tai)ering in form, have very little bust, 
 of a disposition the more gentle from the fact of their 
 having '>mong them many Anabaptists, known to be 
 
 hope yuu .»ill not forget Auvrrgne sanit incht, an honorable epithet 
 of this regiment, which it has merited on nil occasions. Thoy replied 
 that they would be killed to a man, and nt the snmo time ai^kcd to 
 have their old name restored. They behaved so as to deserve the 
 highest praise ; and the king has since, by an ordinance, given this regi- 
 ment the name of Uoyal Auvergne. — Troublet de VAmfr. Any., iii, 30r). 
 
 ' Dc Grasso was at this time anchored within the Horse Shoo, and 
 according to Robin, could not have prevented a landing by Clinton. 
 But (hat author, like the writer of this journal, censures De Qrasse 
 unjustly. The succeeding journal states correctly that Do Qrasse 
 yielded to the express re<iuost of Washington. 
 
 "m 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 87 
 
 most charitable of all sects. Hospitality is greatly 
 practiced, as travelers in this extensive country are 
 few, scarcely any in fact. The servants are negroes, 
 certainly the least unhappy of their kind, being 
 treated with more kindness than our lackeys are in 
 France ; hence we never hear in this country of mas- 
 ters poisoned by their negroes, so common an occur- 
 rence in our West India islands. The Anglican is 
 the dominant religion ; all are sutfered there ; the 
 language is English. I believe these two things may 
 well make them give the English the preference over us 
 in a few years. The Americans arc phlegmatic, ex- 
 tremely serious, always engaged in their business, and 
 that of the state. They are with their wives only to 
 take tea or some other drink. The girls are very free, 
 and can have a lover without their parents finding it 
 amiss; but if they arc unfortunate enough to have 
 a child, they must leave the country, iiidess they get 
 married ; but woe to the stranger who in such cases 
 ri'fnses to marrv, for he refuses at the risk of his life. 
 The women are as reserved as the girls are unre- 
 served, ami I do not think that imfaithfnl ones can be 
 (iited ; at all events they behave with the greatest re- 
 serve: yet they were very fond of the French officers, 
 whom they preferred even to their countrymen, but 
 with all possible decency. This is perhaps the only 
 (!ountry where justice is known and rendered. I saw an 
 American, taken in arms among the Knglish, punished 
 
 
 I 
 
 #■ 
 
 w 
 
 ...—••v^ ■ 
 
88 
 
 OPERATIONS OF TIIE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 with death hccauHe ho had taken the oath of fidelity 
 to the congress; and others in the same condition 
 were merely treated as prisoners of war, hecauso they 
 liad always served the Royalist party. 
 
 America is intersected ])y very large rivers. It is 
 still covered with wood, an<l has many marshes. For 
 this reason, at the same latitude, it is much colder 
 than in P]urope. This country produces ship timhor, 
 which would be excellent for the largest vessels; it 
 abounds in cattle of all kinds, the flesh being fully 
 equal to that of ours in Europe. These articles con- 
 stitute their staples of trade. The productions of this 
 country aie a]>solutely the same as ours, except Indian 
 corn, whieh they make into bread, and rice, which 
 they also cultivate. The birds, game and fish arc 
 entirely ditterent from ours. The Americans are 
 much given to bartering; hence in several districts, 
 especially in Virginia, they preferred sugar, ratafia, 
 brandy, linen, cloth and leather to money, and gave 
 us in cxcliange tobacco, and in the north, furs. 
 
 Xovembor 4th the fleet weighed anchor; 
 
 November. " 
 
 the ZeU and Conquerant touched on a sand 
 bank, called Middleground. They ploughed through 
 it so that the progress of the fleet was not retarded by 
 this event. When two leagues south of C-ape Henry 
 the frigates on the look out signalled sails to the lee- 
 ward, but the admiral would not let us give chase, the 
 wind and sea being very high. 
 
 ^*«. 
 
 ■'W^Vv. 
 
I. 
 
 UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 89 
 
 On tho 5th and 6th vesselH were again signalled, 
 and wo gave cliusc in vain, although the adniiral'H 
 orders were to come to action as soon as possible. 
 
 On tho 8th the vessels intended for the cape parted 
 from the fleet and steered for St. Domingo, while we 
 held on our way to Martinique, with good wind, a 
 little too strong, and a frightful sea. 
 
 On the morning of the 9th the Hector rejoined us, 
 her captain having pretended to misunderstand the 
 admiral's order, which was communicated to him by 
 the ofticer commanding a brig, the bearer of Mr. De 
 Grasse's orders. That same day 18 sail were signalled 
 to our windward, which made us sail close to the 
 wind ; but after two hours useless chase, we resumed 
 our route with forced winds. 
 
 On the 11th and 12th we experienced the most dis- 
 agreeable thing felt at sea; for the wind hav':ig sud- 
 denly fallen, and the sea still very rough, the vessels 
 pitched so violently that we expected our masts to 
 go over every moment, and we all but lost our main- 
 nuvst, as a small vessel actuallv did. 
 
 On the 13th the wind sprang up again, and from a 
 good (luarter. Mr. de Gi-asse made us resume our 
 route, to the sotmd of thunder, which still muttered 
 in the distance. Thus the day passed. About six 
 in tho afternoon the wind increased considerably, and 
 the storm overtook us with fearful and repeated flash- 
 es of lightning. The nearest land was St. Domingo, 
 
 two hundred and flfty leagues oft". This lasted till 
 12 
 
I, I 
 
 ) 
 
 it 
 
 ^1 
 
 90 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 oi^lit o'clock, when wo found ourwelves in tho midst 
 of a violent tempest, the night very <lark. the heavenn 
 on fire, the wind fearful and tlie flea furiouH — thifl 
 with Huch violent peals of thunder that most of the 
 veHsels could not hear the admirars signals, though 
 given with heavy cannon, for thus far we have con- 
 tinued our route, and Mr. de Grasse ouglit to have had 
 his fleet dispersed, hut he still had the right to com- 
 mit faults without heing compelled to regret it. We 
 lay to starboard to the wind. Scarcely was this 
 mancfuvre completed than there came two fearful 
 claps of thunder, the clouds opened, inundating us, 
 tho wind redoubled, and I do not see how some of 
 the vessels escaped heing swamped (that is to say, 
 have half the ship under water and he ready to cap- 
 size). We took necessary precautions to avert tho 
 most imminent accidents, all the crews were up and 
 at work, and in the deepest silence. This agreeable 
 weather lasted till two o'clock in the morning. The 
 rest of the night was stormy, and at six the tempest 
 ceased, to the great delight of all parties interested. 
 The lightning struck the JiioJtcmo)it, without injuring 
 the vessel, but killing two men and wounding three. 
 On the l.'ith we saw a water-spout, a very consider- 
 able mass of air and water in the form of a truncated 
 cone, which pumjis up the sea till the volume of water 
 outweighs tluit of air, when it bui-sts. The volume of 
 a spout, as I was assured by several intelligent sea- 
 men, is enough to swamp the largest vessels. We 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE QRASSE. 
 
 01 
 
 Hred two ctiniiun bulh ut it, to hruuk it, but did not 
 Buucood, HH we were too liir oft*. 
 
 On the 21 Ht the brig ContwaUis went uheud to an- 
 nounce our arrival to the Murquis de Bouilli, ut Fort 
 Royal. 
 
 . On the 25th wo hove in sight of the .Vforne du Van- 
 clin. Order to crowd nail, no as to nnike the arufhor- 
 age of Martinique. Tluf fteet <iid not clear declcH to 
 pass the channel of St. Lucia; on the contrary, 1 never 
 saw it go with such fancied security and such disor- 
 der, for the first and last vessels were at least five 
 leagues apart; so that two-thirds anchored on the 2rjtli, 
 while the rest could not come to anchor before the 
 next day. Most assuredly, in this disorder, ten English 
 vessels would liave given us our hands full. Wo wore 
 in hopes to find in the roads sonio vessels from France, 
 with a convoy; but our hopes were fallacious, and wc, 
 as well as the colony, were on. the verge of running 
 out of provisions. 
 
 We were greatly surprised, on arriving at Fort 
 Royal, to learn the departure of the Marquis <lo Houill6 
 with 1500 men, on two frigates and all the boats or 
 uovnains, on an expedition to which no one had any 
 clue. 
 
 On the let we learned that ho had junt 
 
 December. 
 
 taken St. Eustatius, a Dutch emporium 
 which Rodney had captured, as I stated on our arrival 
 at the West Indies. To recover this colony, lie URcd 
 one of those bold stratagems that always succoed with 
 
92 
 
 Ol'KKATIONS OF THE KKENCII KLEKT 
 
 a iiiaii of tali'iit wlio has won the attW'tioii of h'lH 
 trii()|ts. Tlie Mar(|uiH de Houillu knew liow iM'^li- 
 K*'Htly till' Kngliuli lay at St. KuHtatiiiH, anil tiiwt landed 
 Dillon'rt ro^inient/ wliic-li, in trd coatH, and Hpoakiiij^ 
 Kn^liHli, could hotter cover tliedeHifrn. Four liundred 
 soldierrt of tluH regiment were dlHenibarked nt three 
 o'eloek; the Hea, whieh wan running very high, pre- 
 vented the hunling of the reHt. A hundred men of 
 Walrth'rt regiment had landed on another nide, com- 
 manded hy Mr. O'C'onor.' Innigining tliat he heard 
 the Hignal, lie niarclied straight on the fort, hut was 
 mucli Huqtrised to see, instead of his fellow-Holdierw of 
 Dillon'M regiment, the KngUHJi reeruttri at drill. He 
 
 ■Tliix rfgiiiicnt formed part of tlio celebrated IriRli brigade in (lio 
 Frenoli worvlco, originnlly compoHed of llic IriHli forccH wlio defended 
 Limerick for Jiiincit II, niid on its Hurrender were left to clioone viilior 
 llio Frencli or Kn)(liNli service. Tliey fortiinntely cIioho tlie former, 
 as tlio Kngliitli government nbxolvcd itself from tlic moral obligation 
 of keeping the treaty. This brigade wan maintained till tlio French 
 revolution, ami distinguished itself greatly at Fonlenoy and other 
 battles. During the American revolution, regiments of the Irish 
 brigade served at Savannah and in the West Indies. The recruiting 
 for this brigade was kept up in Ireland in spite of heavy penalties, 
 and the recruits were termed wild geese. On the presint occasion 
 only Count Dillon and 't^) chasseurs of his regiment were able to land ; 
 the other boats were broken on the rocks and miiny lives lost ; but the 
 Marquis de Itouillt!, whoso own boat cnpsixcd, found a less dangerous 
 spot, and disembarked the rest rapidly. 
 
 > The .Marquis styles this officer tlie "t.'heTalier O'Connor, Captain 
 of Walsh's Chasseurs," but makes Dillon attack the troops on parade. 
 I do not find this Capt. O'Connor on any list at hand. There was, 
 however, a Major O'Conor in Dillon's regiment in 178U, tlr WiiToi/uier, 
 Etal (idi^riil. The Chevalier John Keating, probably the last survi- 
 vor of this regiment, Walsh-Serrant, died a few years since in Phila- 
 delphia, aged W. 
 
^TSW 
 
 UNnKH TIIK (;t)UNT UK GKASSK. 
 
 98 
 
 tirod oil tlu'iii at oiicc; tlu'v th><l iiitu tliu tbii, uiul ho 
 iif'tiT tlu'in up t(» the >?ati', which ho hi'I/amI. Tlio 
 Ki'iMK'h troopH «-aiiH' up in a nionioiit, niHlu'd in, 
 and i'oiiipolloil tho Kii^KiMh to capituhito in their 
 t|iiai*tiM'rt, lirt'iH'lioM in liaiid. Mr. O'Conor went and 
 arri'Hti'd the jfovernor, who, takint; liiiii for an otHcoi of 
 hiHpirriHon, Hcoi<li'd him for tlic tirin<; iind tlie troiihie 
 anions the troopH, l)iit vviik niiieh amazed whi-n in- 
 formed tliat hirt interhieutor was Freiieh, and hiiUHelf 
 a jiriHoner of his MoHt (Mirirttian ArujeHty. Jle went to 
 the win(h»w to h)ok, and fell hack faintinj^ when he saw 
 the re^finient of AiixerroiH drawn up in line of hattl on 
 tho H(piai'e, and Mr. do JJouillo ^ivinj; orders. He 
 then repented of the party of pleasure in the country 
 to which ho luul just been, and from which ho ^ot 
 hack tW(» hours liefore the surprise. Tho garrison, to 
 the nuiiiher of 7r)(>, were taken prisoners of war. 
 Four inillion iivres were taken; 170,000 heUuigiiifij to 
 Kodney or his troojts, arising from tho booty taken 
 hy the Knglish, were distributed among tlio troops 
 engaged in this e.xpeditioii, and tho rest was restored 
 to the Dutch colonists. St. Martin and Anguilla wore 
 also taken, and all was restored to the condition of 
 things l.v tbro tho arrival of tho onomy.' 
 
 I JanioN (N)c'kliiirti(>, liciil. col. of the iioth foot and governor of St. 
 KuMlaliii, wnH Iried hy court nmrliiil and found " guilty of culpable 
 noglocl in not Inking the nccrssary prccaulions for tho dcfeiico of tho 
 iHland, nolwilliNliindIng lie Imd received the fullest intelligence of an 
 intended attack. " The liettcr accounts make Cockburne captured on 
 the parade with the Iroops. 
 
04 
 
 Ol'KKATIONS OF THK KKKNCll KLEET 
 
 Tlioru wiiH nothing intororttiii); (luring our Htiiy ut 
 Murtiiii<iui>; the ropcatctl viHitH of an Kii^^HaIi tri>(uto 
 whU'h cttuu' uiul rt'fonnoitivd uh ovt-ry other day,* ami 
 which wo made no utteinpt to take or chuHe, wuh the 
 only thiu^ that oi't'nrrcd. Tlic arrival of the Mnniuin 
 (le Uouill6 and hirt little divinioti, out of whielt he had 
 left u Htroiig garriHoi) at 8t. EuHtatiuH, occupied uh 
 more than timt of nixteen Knglirth voHrtelH at the wind- 
 ward irtU'H. 
 
 On the 17th wc set mul again, Htcering through the 
 St. Lucia channel. Tlic Hca ran mountain higli; I 
 never Haw it ho high without a ntrong wind. In the 
 evening the Destia liad to put hack, liaving met with 
 an accident in her muHtn. We aUo saw Hinall whaleH. 
 
 The iHth in remarkahle for the collinion of the Soli- 
 Unrc and C'oiit/iurant ; the latter went to Fort Koyal to 
 refit; aa for the Solilaire, whicli lost her bowsprit and 
 foremast, she was unable to make Fort Koyal, and 
 was forced to put in at Cape Fran^oirt. It is ntrange 
 to see so many collinionri and no ])uniHhmont; it is 
 very astonit^lpng that there was not a council of war, 
 and it wan abHolutely neccsHary. AVe shall see in tlie 
 sequel how injurious these collisions were, and what 
 they brought on our tleet, and what they cost M. de 
 Grasse. The sea being frightful and the wind too 
 
 > The English naval commanders kept so sharp an eye on the 
 French, that we have a report, dated Nor. 30, 1781, by Capt. John M. 
 Laurin of the Trilon, describing quite minutely the twenty-eight ves- 
 seU of Do Qrasse's fleet as they lay at anchor at Fort Royal. 
 
UNDER THE COU^:T DE ORASSE. 
 
 96 
 
 «tron/jf to run \\\^ the ohannol, wo put bnck nf?nii\ tho 
 2Jl<l, haviiif^ tho inont of our vphhoIh to iinri^. 
 
 On tho 2Hth wo took tho troopH on hoard, and tho 
 27th wi .Miilod, lonvinjf tlio div'iHion of tho Count do 
 BurraH in port. Wo propoHt'd to tako Barhadoe«, 
 whiU' thttt oonunandor was taking Ht. CliriHtophor'n, 
 whoro wo woro to join him. [t waw, T think, vory ill- 
 ralouhitod; but an tho wind did not allow our running 
 up tl)o (.'hannol of Ht. Lucia, whoro wo Ruttbrod tor- 
 ril)ly, wo woro brought back to tho anchorago, a thing 
 wo noodod great I3'. 
 
 On tho 4th of January, 1782, tho floot nn- 
 
 1782. chorod at Fort Koyal, and loft on the r)th 
 with tho division that had roniainod thoro, oxcopt the 
 (kton an<' Uon lirittanique (u transport tnkon from tho 
 Englisli), carrying our field artillery, which anchored 
 at St. Eustiitiu^. Wo steered to St. Christopher's, 
 experiencing calms and much fog. 
 
 On the 7th, being under Gnadaloupo, tho fleet 
 separated, and rejoined on the 8th. 
 
 On the 10th the Sceptre and the Glorieux ga\e chaso 
 to an English 74, which they would liavc taken if tho 
 admiral had not obliged them to return to their posts. 
 
 On tlio lltli the fleet andiored at the Basse Torre, 
 St. Christopher's, after destroying and dismounting 
 several butteries. 
 
 On the 13th the Due de Bourgoyne, tho Diadtme, tho 
 ZeUc and the separated vessels joined us, as well as the 
 Cnton, which arrived from St. Eustatius. The whole 
 
96 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 I'' ! 
 
 island suiTondcred the 12th, tlic inbabitaiits having 
 capitulated for thomsolvcH and for Nevin. The troops 
 landed without the least opposition. Fort Brimstone 
 Hill, the only important plaec, but susceptible of a 
 vigorous defence, was the refu<;e of the garrison, 
 which prepared to make vigorous etforts to ]>reservc 
 tlie island. Sir Thomas Shirley, governor of tlie 
 windward isles, and Sir Thomas Frazer, were in the 
 redoubt, resolved to defend the position as long as 
 possible. They were, moreover, confident that tliey 
 could not be taken, and so the English engineers 
 assured them. We found in the different ports of that 
 island fifty vessels, which we to(>k. 
 
 On the 12th M. de B<»uille and his anny were under 
 B"imst<>ne Hill or the redoubt, and at once began 
 liis jireparations for an attack. A 50 gun ship and 
 two frigates were jiosted to blockade the port, and 
 M. Descars, comnumdiug the Glorkux, )troceede<l to 
 sweep off several vessels moored under the redoubt. 
 
 The 13th our troops had well nigh lost their general ; 
 50 negroes from the houses near Brimstone Hill having 
 fired on him while reconnoitering. The l-4th these 
 houses were burned. M. de ( Jrasse felt some uneasiness 
 about the Dcstin, but learned that she liad \mt back to 
 Fort Royal in conseipieuce of her leaking badly. The 
 Lion Jirltluiiliiiie has just been lost on St. Christopher's 
 by the awkwardness of the creole who commanded it, 
 and who had no merit but the protection of the com- 
 nmndcrs. All was saved, though the mi»rtars would 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 97 
 
 have gone down but for the plan adopted by an artil- 
 lery officer. The vessel was a total wreck. 
 - . On the 22d we learned that the English 
 
 ment. istof were under sail, coming to the relief 
 
 St. Cbristo- '^ 
 
 pL-'-'s. of the colony, having a fleet to the 
 windward of 22 vessels, two of them three deckers, 
 commanded by Admiral Hood. Ours, to the number 
 of 28, hoisted sail on the evening of the 23d. That 
 same night we got an exact report of the enemy, and 
 at noon on the 24th we discovered them ofl:' Rhidon, 
 doubling that little isle, under which they lay to, with 
 an air of hesitation. M. de Grasse also lay to and 
 committed the blunder of waiting for them ; but he 
 had forgotten that the enemy, being to the windward, 
 would always retain the advantage, and that he could 
 not approach i .lem at the same angle as they did us, 
 enabling them to enter the anchorage in spite of our 
 fleet. The decVa had long been cleared for action. 
 The light squaaron, commanded by Mr. de Monteuil, 
 was ordered to hug the point of Isle Nevis. This 
 was very badly executed ; at least it was supposed that 
 that officer acted intentionally, knowing that he had 
 received many slights from Mr. de Grasse, who by a 
 trick deprived him of the command of the Lmiguedoc, 
 80, and gave him that of the Ardent, 66, which was 
 rotten and was to take liim back to France; but at 
 the moment of action he carried his flag to the Nep- 
 
 13 
 
 * 
 
1 i 
 
 
 ! I • . 
 
 ei 
 
 V 
 
 98 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 tune, one of the vessels of his division.' Admiral 
 Hood, seeing our fleet retire from Nevis and fall to 
 leeward, made his advance under light siul and in excel- 
 lent order. Mr. de Grasse signalled his fleet to crowd 
 sail, keeping the wind on the larboard tack. He soon 
 after poured half a broadside on the enemy ; but the 
 balls did not reach, and we did not get fairly within 
 gun shot till half an hour later, about half past 
 three. The Gloriciix, Si'cpire, Ville de Paris, and 
 some others, brought the enemy to close action. The 
 Sceptre received many balls, but fortunately very few 
 of them went through or did much harm. In spite of 
 our Are, the English admiral managed his fleet so 
 well that it anchored in our place with a spring on the 
 cable, under our Are, without Mr. de Grasse prevent- 
 ing them. The four rear vessels of the English fleet 
 were indeed badly handled, and it was even pretended 
 that we should have taken two of them. Mr. de 
 Barras, who was in our rear division, was cannonaded 
 by that of the English for a long time, followed by only 
 two vessels; but, on the signal to veer oh" in order, we 
 left the enemy to ancho" at their ease. At the com- 
 bat ended, and we kept on broadside to broadside all 
 
 I The ulhcr account ascribeH the same misconduct to Montcil, giving 
 dolaiU which leave no doubt that this officer wns guilly ot' a most 
 criminal dignhodience of orders in un acluiil engagement with the 
 enemy. It gives a sad idea of the state of insubordination reigning in 
 the fleet. In the Knglish navy such conduct would have been pun- 
 i*hc<I with death, as it enabled Hood to escape, join Rodney, and thus 
 bring on the French fleet one of the most disastrous defeats in its 
 annaU. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 99 
 
 night long, ho us to get to windward. Our faults are 
 too evident to require any pointirg them out.' An 
 English frigate was burnt under Nevis by the crew for 
 fear of falling into our hands. 
 . . ., On the 25th at daybreak, signal to make 
 
 4ih Engage- *' ' * 
 
 raent. i!d of ready for action; we were then beyond 
 
 St. Christo- *' •' 
 
 pher's. Nevis. 8oon after, signal to form in line 
 of battle in inverse order, and to tlie Souverain, com- 
 manded by Mr. de Glandeve, to take the head of the 
 line. At 8, order to concentrate on the English rear 
 division. At 9f we began the action ; but in conse- 
 quence of the good will and aft'oction entertained for 
 the admiral, all efforts were turned to the centre of the 
 fleet. However we were fortunate enougli, and our 
 gunners expert enough, to handle the four rear vessels 
 in the English line so severely that they were forced to 
 weigh anchor under our lire, and could hardly have 
 been more cut up than they were. As our ships 
 passed the last English vessels they veered in the same 
 order. This action was simply a brush, which lasted 
 two hours, and amounted to nothing, our fleet always 
 keeping to windward. 
 
 6th Engage- -^^ ^ o'clock, signal to clear for action 
 'stl'christo- ^"^^ ^^ comc to closc uction with the i-car. 
 
 p ler s. This was done at 4 ; and we so harrassed 
 
 • Commander Ward, in his Naval Tactics, soys that De Orasse's 
 error was in anchoring near into the sliorc with both extremities of his 
 line exposed. They compeUcd him to sail out, in liopes of drawing 
 Hood out, but the Intlcr anchored on the outer edge of the anchorage, 
 will) his leading vessel under a point of land, and his rear protected 
 by vessels between the line and the shore. 
 
5; 
 
 Is i 
 
 100 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET. 
 
 the English roar that Admiral Hood rcphiced the four 
 rear vessels by others which had fluttered less in the 
 three engagements, supposing that he would have to 
 light two battles a day for some time to come. Our 
 fleet lost 2 or 800 men in these aft'aii's,' and four 
 officers; the enemy lost more, and besides lost all 
 their wounded. The French fleet always under sail, 
 hugging the wind, which it sometimes lost; the English 
 fleet still anchored with springs on the cables, always 
 with decks cleared for action, and ready to begin. So 
 we rode for 19 days. 
 
 On the 28th, several of our vessels needed provi- 
 sions. The admiral ordered those who had any left 
 to share with those which had run out. The English 
 that day landed 1200 men,* who were repulsed with 
 considerable loss by M. de F16chin, who had under 
 him only 274 men of the regiments of Agenois and 
 Touraine. They were compelled to reembark, which 
 they did under the tire of their frigates or ships. 
 This action certainly does great honor to the French 
 infantry, and proves its superiority over the English. 
 
 On the 31st, the CornwalUs and the frigate Astrh 
 joined our fleet, and we learned that several vchscIh, 
 loaded with flour from New England, had reached 
 Fort Royal. 
 
 iQordon gives the English loss nt 72 killed, 244 wounded. 
 
 ' These were troops from Antigua, under UenerU Prescott, and (he 
 60th regiment. Gordon's version of the affair is very different. IIo 
 makes tliem repulse tiic French with loss, and finally retire to the 
 ships without losing a man. 
 
 \"*(^_ 
 
UNDER THE COUNT D£ GRASSE. 
 
 101 
 
 February. 
 
 On the 2d, at 4 p. M., the Marquis de Vau- 
 dreuil,' commodore commanding the Tri- 
 
 ■ The family of Vaudreuil figure so frequently in our history, in vari- 
 ous places, as governors of Canada, of Montreal, Three Rivers, Louisi- 
 ana, St. Domingo, as commodores and captains in the navy, that in the 
 French loose way of styling an officer, simply " M. de Vaudreuil," one 
 member is often confounded with another. The most distinguished arc : 
 1. Philip de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil, who died at Quebec, Oct. 
 lU, 172<>, after having been for 21 years governor of Canada and 
 lieutenant-general of New France. 2. His son Louis Philippe de 
 Rigaud, Count de Vaudreuil, who became ensign of marines (Troupes 
 de la Marine), March 2, 161)8 ; lieutenant in 1701 ; captain in 1710 ; 
 ensign of a ship of the line in 1711 ; lieutenant of same, 1713; captain 
 of same, 1738; in this capacity he commanded the Intrf.pide in the 
 action between Vice-Admiral Hawke and M. de I'Estenducre, Oct. 
 25, 1747. He was created commodore in 1748; lieutenant-general of 
 the naval forces in 1753; and died at Tours in 1763. By his wife, 
 Catharine LeMoyne deSdrcgny, a niece of Iberville, he had: 3. Louis 
 Philippe Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil, born at Rochefort, Oct. 28, 
 1724; entered the navy in 1740; was with his father in the Intrfpide; 
 lieutenant on the Arelhusa, when taken, in 1754 ; captain of a frigate in 
 1764; of a ship of the line in 1765; commanded the Pendant, 74, at 
 the battl) of Ouesant, July 27, 1778. After reducing Senegal with a 
 squadron, in 1770, he joined d'Kstaing in the West Indies, on the 21st 
 of April, though with crews thinned by African fevers. In the action 
 off Qranada, July 6, 1779, he opened the battle with the Pendant, and 
 was the last to cease firing as Biron drew off. He wns apparently at 
 the siege of Savannah ; and the next year, still in the Pendant, dis- 
 tinguished himself in the battle of Martinique, April 17, between de 
 Quiohcn and Rodney. After taking part in the engagement between 
 de Ouichon and Kcmpenfold, he sailed in the Triomphant to the West 
 Indies. His career under the Count de Qrasse will be found in these 
 pages. After the defeat of De Grasse, he drew off the rest of the fleet 
 and proceeded to Boston, where he formed a project to attack the 
 English in Maine ; and after dispatching La Pt'rouse to Hudson's Bay, 
 sailed to the West Indies, in 17K3, to join in the attack on Jamaica, and 
 was at Porto Clabello when news of peace arrived. He then returned 
 to France in tht \urlhximhrrland. He was subsequently lieutenant- 
 general of the naval forces. In 1780 he was deputy of the nobles 
 of Castelnaudry, and in 1701 he retired to England, but returned 
 
t 
 
 102 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 omphant, 80, joined us, with M. d'Ainblimont in tho 
 Brave, 74. The next day tliey approached tho English, 
 and M. de Vaudreuil found their position respectable. 
 
 On the 11th we learned that M. de Grasse had 
 wished to raise the siege of St. Kitts ; Mr. do Bouille 
 retained him by firmness. We were told, moreover, 
 that it was simply the admiral's personal dissatisfac- 
 tion with his captains that had induced him to take 
 this false step. 
 
 On the 5th several frigates supplied such of tho 
 vessels as needed provisions, and then only we heard 
 the misfortune that had befallen M. do Guichen, and 
 the delay of the convoy that was so sorely needed. 
 
 On the 6th the CormcalUs took a schooner of six 
 guns, which kept constantly plying between tho ene- 
 my's fleet and Nevis to get fresh provisions; the 
 English not daring to land at St. Kitts, which was 
 guarded by our troops. 
 
 On tho 8th tho Richanonl brought us some small 
 vessels loaded with provisions, as well as tho Hesolu, 
 which had already taken to the camp tho third bat- 
 talion of the regiment of Ilaynault. 
 
 On the 9th the English sot fire to a merchantman, 
 which they cast off, and which did not burn down till 
 next day. That same day the English sent a small 
 boat and a sloop, with a flag, to ask the admiral to 
 
 and died at Paris, December 14, 1802. 4. His brother Louis de 
 Rigaud, Chevalier de Vaudreuil, also mentioned in tbeao pages, was 
 born in 1728; ensign of a ship of ihe line in 1746; lieutenant in 
 1756 ; captain of a frigate in 1764. 
 
 :'M«I 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 103 
 
 allow a transport with two hundred wounded to pass 
 through to one of their islands, which was refused. 
 
 On the 11th, arrived a Spanish packet. An officer 
 from her boarded the Ville de Paris, and after a long 
 conference with the admiral, sailed for the Leeward 
 Isles. The day but one before, an officer command- 
 ing a brig bearing dispatches to the admiral, carried 
 them to Admiral Hood, mistaking one nation for the 
 other; and in fact he might expect to find the English 
 standing oft" and the French at anchor, knowing that 
 we were besieging St. Kitts. 
 
 , On the 12th, to the great ioy of all, we 
 
 Surrenderor ' 6 J J ' 
 
 St. KiitH Haw a white flag raised on the breach of 
 and Nevis. 
 
 the redoubt. We could scarcely believe 
 our eyes; for the toil and hardship that de Bouill^'s 
 army had to undergo are incredible ; and men must 
 love a commander to sulFer the severe duty imposed 
 on 7000 men doing that of 21000. There were officers 
 and men who slept only one night xuider their tents 
 during the whole siege, which was most interesting 
 from the manner in which it was begun, conducted, 
 and especially terminated. 
 
 On the 13th Mr. de Grasse safely madehis fleet anchor 
 under Nevis, to take in provisions from transports that 
 had anchored at St. Eustatius the day before, and 
 which had come to Nevis; an operation that could 
 luive been performed under sail. We accordingly 
 anchored three leagues to the windward of the Eng- 
 lish, without a single frigate on the lookout. Mr. de 
 
104 
 
 OPERATIONS OP THE PRENCH PLEET 
 
 Vrtudreuil nnchorod an near the enemy as posHiblc, so 
 as to obHen'c their movenientH; but we shall see Mr. 
 Hood walk oft' without being in the least interfered 
 with. 
 
 On the 14t]i wo took in provisions. At niglit the 
 English admiral kindled on shore fires corresponding 
 to those carried at the poop by the commanders of the 
 three divisions of his fleet. lie cut liis cables and 
 started, leaving Mr. de Grasse at his anchorage, who 
 the next day opened liis eyes to sec the English, and 
 discovered only the coast; but he perceived the tops 
 of their niasts about three leagues oft*. So afraid were 
 we of molesting them that we did not even send a 
 paltry corvette to see them take their final departure 
 from this (pnvrter. The people of St. Kitts had veiy 
 justly renuirked, that those who knew so well how to 
 get in would know how to get out. Yet here was a 
 French admiral in command of the largest fleet in 
 America for nineteen months. 
 
 On the IGth we rcoccupied our old anchorage at the 
 Basse Terre, St. Kitts, to reembark the troops, ammu- 
 nition, arms and prisoners. I profited by this delay 
 to visit the island, which is the finest, most valuable 
 and best cultivated of the Windward Isles. The people 
 are mild and upright, and what is extraordinaiy in 
 this country, they are moral. It nmst be admitted 
 that the EiigUsh arc the nation who do best in the 
 West Indies; and in fact we would do well to go and 
 take a few lessons from these haughty islanders. T saw 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE OHASSE. 
 
 105 
 
 the tronelios of tho Frencli ^uiiurul opoiiud under 
 the oiiumy'H nose, and wont up to Drinitttono Jlill, 
 Two roudri lead to the Hunmiit of tli'iH nioniu, foi-ti- 
 fied with a triple work on two-thirdn of the circuni- 
 forence; the iirHt is a kind of fauase brai/, all divided 
 into eurtainH and 1>aHtionH, or denii-haHtionn, well 
 mounted with artillery, even large cannon and niort- 
 arH. The interior is full of elevationn, which com- 
 mand each other. The works were not much heaten 
 down, when tliree thousand men ca[titulated after 
 three weeks open tronchcH. 
 
 On the 17th the frigate Aigrette took a vessel 
 carrying two hundred wounded Knglish, badly sup- 
 plied with provisions. If she had been kept long at 
 sea, the poor fellows would certainly have died of 
 liunger or Jumped overboard. This is u spei'imon of 
 English humanity. 
 
 On the 19th the Aigrette left for Kranite with dis- 
 patches from the two commanders, which were cer- 
 tainly received in a very diiterent numner. 
 
 On the 20th wo hoisted sail and steere«l for 
 Capture of 
 
 Moii»errat. Martinique. The 22d and 25Jd were spent in 
 taking Monserrat and in deciding the lot of the inhabit- 
 ants. M. do liarras was employed on this little expedi- 
 tion, during which we were lying to under the island. 
 On the 26th at 8 a. m., the fleet anchored at Fort 
 Royal, Martinique. Each vessel <lid its best to refit; 
 an opemtion wliich was badly done, the colony being 
 destitute of everything. During our stay in this roa<l- 
 14 
 
106 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENril FLEET 
 
 Htt'jul wo iiiul, iiH UHual, till' n'poatcd vinit of iiii Kn^liHli 
 fri^Rte. Thi'ir fli'ct arrivod at St. Lncin without any 
 o|)))OHitioii t'i'oiii IIS, and Lord Uodiu-y uIho arrived 
 tliore with hcvoii vcshoIh from Kiiroiu", having Ml hin 
 ooiivoy at Marhath)CH. SSt'voral vi'hkcIh from Franco 
 readied uh too, <-ommnii(h>d by Mr. Mitton, who 
 brought iirt tlie lon^ deHired convoy, and wan very 
 near hein^ taken by the Kn»riish as he eame to 
 land. The eommanderH received by tliene vessels 
 orders to celebnite a double holiday, for the birth of 
 tho dauphin, and for the cajiture of Yorktown. 
 
 The tirst fete wan jriven by (Jeiieral de Mouille. All 
 the jfenteel people of Martini(pie Wi'ie invited. At the 
 morning uun all flu- venni'ls were dressed with tlajfs 
 (which is (h)ne by fastening to the rijf^injf all the Hajys 
 on board, so as to form certain desis;ns). Xiifhtfall 
 was the time when the Tc Dcutn was chanted. Three 
 thousand men were imiler arms, and the troops at 
 Fort Bourbon formed a ^roiip on the ramj)arts, which, 
 liirhted up bv the musketrv and artillerv, was verv 
 fine. The infantry bcijan by a sieneral discharge, 
 followed by all the artillery of the fort, answered 
 by the fleet, each vessel tiring '1\ guns. There were 
 three successive discharg«'s in the same way. All the 
 ])eo]tle assembled on the savannah or s(|uare, where 
 some poor tireworks were set ott", whi<'h the people of 
 the i^'land thouirht very tine. The city was illuminated ; 
 the government house with great taste. All the better 
 class vho were invited to the ball proceeded to the genu- 
 
 \V 
 
 •-J- I 'i^ifc Af iaKia^^g^* i' jg^fcf-w-j^** J < - 
 
UNDKR THE COUNT I)E GRASSK. 
 
 107 
 
 rnln. M. do < Ji'iiKHi' aixl Mnio. <Ut Itoiiillu oponod it. 
 It WUM vory Itrilliaiitiii point ot'iiiiinlKM-H niid (Ii-ohh, liiit 
 not in nittttiT of lu-uiity ; for the creolo women arc all 
 UKb'« ^''*'' *''^' yi'""W complexion of the eountry. 
 They are, to«>, very ill numnered. AccuHtomed to 
 Hpeak to their nlavex, they have a certain tone which 
 they can never drop, with no education either, tinloss 
 they have heen to France, which they leave reluct- 
 antly after Hpendin;; Home time there. 
 
 A hroad path in M. de Houille'H garden was 
 tented over; platen net for one hundred and twenty; 
 a himdred lij^hted tai»ern formed within the tent 
 Hcattered groupH, the effect of which was pleasing. 
 All the seats except six were taken hy women, 
 who ate like ogres, and who, after tilling their 
 Htonnichs, filled their pockets also, and did it with the 
 more gusto, as all on the tahle was excellent. A truce 
 was put to their pleasures for half an hour, after which 
 the hall recommenced; not, however, to last long, for 
 at three o'clock there was no one left except the 
 gamesters, who did not retire till eight. This is the 
 country where gaming is most in vogue; every one 
 plays, and what is more, plays high. 1 saw several 
 parties where nothing hut Us portUi/auses were played. 
 The next day a frigate came from St. Lucia under a 
 white flag, hringing fifty prisoners, who were ex- 
 changed. Rodney, Hood, and several English officers, 
 sent delicacies to M. de Grasse, de Yaudreuil, and 
 otliers, and we sent in return sonie of the liquors of 
 
 i! 5i 
 
108 
 
 OPKItATIONS OP THE FHENCII PI.EET 
 
 thp Widow AmphouHHo (if Murtini(|U(', which thcv 
 ]>ri7.(> hi^iily. 'l'li<> achiiinil h*>^^i>(l the o<iiiiiiiaii(lor 
 of tli(> t'ri^nto to toil Mi. Kodiicy tliut iu; invited liiiii 
 and tlio ofHcerH of hiH tloot to come and partifipato in 
 till' ft'Htivitii'H and pioaHnivH jjoing on in the colony, 
 and that he would Heiid paMHportri. I'he ineirhantH of 
 8t. Pierre jfave Hplendid enterf.ii nii!nt-», and after 
 them M. de (JrasMe jjave hit- ivhi' h \»u. like M. do 
 Uouille'rt, except that the wojiteii w.>pe a little coarner, 
 and Htufted their iiock« {.* more; for they carried oft* 
 bottlert of li(iuor. one oi which breaking in a heauty'K 
 pocket, hIic tied from the hall room, more annoyed at 
 her drertH hein^ Hpoiled than at the odor dittuned hy 
 the liquor. The otKcers laughed heartily, hut the 
 women, who feared, perhapn, that the name might 
 liappen to themselvcH, comminHcrated her loudly. 
 
 The French and Kj»f;liHh tleetH having greatly in- 
 creartc*!, it will douhtloHs he agreeahio to see at a 
 glance their rewpective forcCH. The engagements of 
 April J> and 12 are of Hufticient interent to give the 
 luimcK of the vesHelrt and captaiuH of the two nationA 
 who took part in this action. 
 
 iiai 
 
FNDKR THE COUNT DR ORASSE. 
 
 109 
 
 HTA»« OP THK 
 
 KNOUIKH 1 
 
 1 KRT 
 
 IN TIIK KNOAtlKMKNTH, 
 
 
 APKII. M AND 12 
 
 , 17H2. 
 
 Veisel. 
 
 Force, 
 
 
 ('oiiiniiindnd by 
 
 Kormidiildo, 
 
 »8 
 
 
 Adjiiiml Kodncy. 
 
 Nuiuur^ 
 
 m 
 
 
 KaiiNltuw. 
 
 I'riiK« (ieorjff, 
 
 ItH 
 
 
 Hiilfinir.' 
 
 Duke, 
 
 DO 
 
 
 1^- Sauiuel Hood ' 
 
 Barttetir, 
 
 \H) 
 
 
 H...d.' 
 
 C'oiHjueror, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Balfour. 
 
 FUUK>, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Ii»rl>>r. 
 
 Ari'ojfuiit, 
 
 74 
 
 
 r<»rni h. 
 
 lit n-uloH, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Si..va|pe. 
 
 Murlborough, 
 
 74 
 
 
 !' -any. 
 
 Anson, 
 
 04 
 
 
 J ,r. 
 
 I'rotheu, 
 
 04 
 
 
 Bticknur. 
 
 Yanu'mth, 
 
 04 
 
 
 IRfc-nr. 
 
 Nonsu'li, 
 
 04 
 
 
 T: (»tt. 
 
 Warrii)/', 
 
 74 
 
 
 Sir sMiies Wallace. 
 
 I'rincoHf*, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Sai, 1 Drake. 
 
 IJcdfonl 
 
 74 
 
 
 Com lodore Affleck 
 
 Centaur. 
 
 74 
 
 
 Inglrf '!ld. 
 
 Ajux, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Charri' on. 
 
 Invincibk'. 
 
 74 
 
 
 Jaxtun. 
 
 Alfred, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Bayne. 
 
 Torbay, 
 
 74 
 
 
 Gidoin. 
 
 ■ Several of 'lese names aru incorrect, Tliis should be J, Williams. 
 In subsequent notes other errors are thus corrected, 
 
 ' Alan. Clardner, ' Sii' Samuel llood. 
 
110 
 
 OPEKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 >ii 
 
 Vessel. Force. 
 
 Coinmanileil by 
 
 Resolution, 74 
 
 Lt. Robert Manners. 
 
 Shrewsbury, 74 
 
 Knedget. 
 
 Canada, 74 
 
 Earl Cornvvallis.' 
 
 Montagu, 74 
 
 Reduelas.'' 
 
 A Icicle, 74 
 
 C. Thoinp.><on. 
 
 Russell, 74 
 
 Saumarez. 
 
 Robust, 74 
 
 Crosby. 
 
 Valiant, 74 
 
 Baredney.-* 
 
 Intrepide, (54 
 
 Molly. 
 
 RepuKsf, ()4 
 
 Dumaresq. 
 
 Royal Oak, 74 
 
 Adenival.^ 
 
 J5oHi(|Ueux, ti4 
 
 Camton.* 
 
 St. Albans, 64 
 
 Inglis. 
 
 Prince William, 64 
 
 Wilkinson. 
 
 Trudcnt, 64 
 
 Barclay. 
 
 America, 64 
 
 S. Thompson.* 
 
 They had, moreover, lo^ 
 
 frigates, and had detached 
 
 six vessels; 265»S pieces ot" 
 
 cannon, besides those of 
 
 the frigates. 
 
 
 ' Hon. William Coriiwiillis. 
 
 
 ' Bowfii. 
 
 
 •■' Gootlall. 
 
 
 * Uurnet coniiiiaudeJ this vessel. What imme wh» meant in the test 
 I do not know. 
 
 ' Sutherland uoniniandcd the lifltiqiirui. 
 
 •The Eiijilisli list has also \\\e Monarch, 74, Reynolds; tiie Agamem- 
 non, (U, Caldwell; mid Mni/nijicent, 74, Linsee ; but not the Jnvinci/jle, 
 Hobusl and Intrepide. 
 
 ' Knglinh accouiiln xay 14. 
 
 UN 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 Ill 
 
 STATE OF THE FRENCH FLEET IN THE ENGAGEMENTS OF 
 APRIL 9 AND 12, 1782. 
 
 
 VAN GUARD. 
 
 Vessel. 
 
 She. 
 
 Captain. 
 
 Pluto, 
 
 74 
 
 D' Albert de Ri -s. 
 
 Marseilluis, 
 
 74 
 
 Castellaue.' 
 
 Coiiqu6rant, 
 
 74 
 
 La Grandi^re.^ 
 
 Caton, 
 
 64 
 
 de Framont. 
 
 Bourgogue, 
 
 74 
 
 Charite.3 
 
 Triomplmut, 
 
 80 
 
 Count de Vaudreuil 
 
 Magnifique, 
 
 74 
 
 de Macarty.^ 
 
 Reflec'hy, 
 
 64 
 
 do Medine." 
 
 Magnanime, 
 
 74 
 
 Le Begue." 
 
 ' De Castellane Majasiro was made commodore Nov. 1, 1780. 
 
 » Charles Mario, Count de la Grandi^re, was born at Brest in 1720. 
 After 43 years' service, 28 at sea, he was made commodore, Aug. 20, 
 1784. He had then been present in eleven naval engagements. He bo- 
 came rear-adniiral in 1702, !knd died at Rennes in 1812. His grandson, 
 captain of a ninn-of-war, recently commanded the French division off 
 Ihccoast of Syria. — liiographie lirctonite, Klal de la France tie Maroquier. 
 
 ' Do Chariite was made commodore Nov. 1, 1780, and commanded the 
 ninth squadron in 1780, rear-admiral in 1702. 
 
 * Macteigue de Macarty, a brother of the celebrated Jesuit preacher, 
 one of the ornaments of the modern French pulpit, was born in Dub- 
 lin in 1700, son of Count Justin MaoCarthy and Mary Winifred Tuite. 
 After the defeat of de Ornsso, he sailed with Vaudreuil to Boston, 
 where his vessel was lost on Lovjl's Island. Ho was then appointed 
 to tiie America, a vessel presented by congress. In 178') he was major- 
 general of the marine and of the squadrons at Rochefort. 
 
 ' De M^dine was chief of division at Brest in 1789. 
 
 « Le Bdgue was made commodore in 1780. 
 

 112 
 
 OPERATIONS OP THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 Vessel. 
 
 Size. 
 
 Ciiptain. 
 
 Due (Ic Bourgogi 
 
 us 80 
 
 DespiuousHO. 
 
 Dorttiu, 
 
 74 
 
 (le Goiinpy. 
 
 DiadSme, 
 
 74 
 
 do Monteclerc. 
 
 
 CENTRAL 
 
 DIVISION. 
 
 Glor'mir, 
 
 74 
 
 Desears. 
 
 Scei)trc, 
 
 74 
 
 Marquis de Vaudreuil. 
 
 L'Eveill6, 
 
 (54 
 
 xle Tilly.' 
 
 (youroiinc, 
 
 80 
 
 Mithoii.2 
 
 Ville de Paris, 
 
 104 
 
 Count de Grasse, admiral 
 
 Lnuguedoc, 
 
 80 
 
 Daross.* 
 
 Datjphi' Koyal, 
 
 70 
 
 Mon])eroii. 
 
 6V.wr, 
 
 74 
 
 Dc MarUpiji. 
 
 llt'ctor, 
 
 74 
 
 La Vicomfe. 
 
 
 REAR 
 
 GUARD. 
 
 .7a.90'/(, 
 
 G4 
 
 de Vilajje." 
 
 Citovcti, 
 
 74 
 
 mw. 
 
 ' Chovnlier Lc Oardcur de Tilly was Apparently a Cannilinn of the 
 Tilly branch of llic family of Le Onrdeur. The M. de Si. Pierre, 
 whom Wagliington met on tlie Ohio in 1753, was of the other brancli, 
 the Le Onrdeur de Repontigny. Le (iardciir de Tilly had, in 1781, 
 piiritiied Arn(dd in the Chenapfake, taken the Roviulut, 44, and several 
 tranHportM. In 17HUhe was commandant of the eighth squadron, at 
 Rochcfort, and commodore. 
 
 ' De Milhon dc Penonilly, and the Baron d'Arros d'Argelos, reached 
 the grade of commodore, Aug. 20, 1784. 
 
 ' In 1789 de VillagCM was a commodore. He also commanded the 
 seventh stjuadron. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 113 
 
 Brave, 
 
 74 
 
 d'Amblimont' 
 
 Scipion, 
 
 74 
 
 de Clavel.' 
 
 Ardent, 
 
 66 
 
 de Gouzillon. 
 
 zm, 
 
 74 
 
 de Pr^ville. 
 
 Augusto, 
 
 80 
 
 de Bougainville. 
 
 Northumberland, 
 
 74 
 
 de St. C^saire. 
 
 Palmier, 
 
 74 
 
 de Martilly. 
 
 Souvei'aiu, 
 
 74 
 
 de Glandvese.^ 
 
 Neptune, 
 
 74 
 
 Dalins. 
 
 Ilercule, 
 
 74 
 
 La Cloeheteric* 
 
 "We had alao six frigates; the St. Esprit, of 80 
 guns, was not with us, and on the 12th we had not 
 the Z^li, Caton, nor Jaso7i ; 1974 cannon, without the 
 frigates, in the affair of the 9th, and only 1772 in that 
 of April 12. 
 
 On the 9th we had 724 guns less than the English, 
 and on the 12th, 926. In the first engagement there 
 were 4672 pieces of artillery in use, and in that of the 
 12th only 4470. 
 
 ' Fuschemberg, Coun! d'Amblimont, General de Marine, was a 
 commodore in 1784 ; but on the brealcing out of the French revolu- 
 tion, entered the Spanish service, and was killed in February, 1797, in 
 the battle gained by Lord St. Vincent. 
 
 " The Chevalier Clavel was on the retired list in 1789. 
 
 ' De Glandvese was rear admiral in 1792. 
 
 * The vessels in italics were taken in the action of April 12ih, or 
 just after it, and the captains in italics killed. 
 
 Chaudeau de la Clochcterie, killed in this last action of the war, was 
 a highly distinguished oflBcer, and opened the war in the Belle Poule 
 by his brilliant action with the Arethusa, Marshall, in the face of an 
 Knglish fleet. He commanded the Jason, 04, in the fleet of De Ternay, 
 which brought out Kochanibeau ; and in the skirmish with Commodore 
 Cornwallis would have taken the Ruhit, but for De Ternay's excessive 
 prudence. 
 
 If) 
 
114 
 
 OPERATIONS OP THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 April 8. 
 
 I 1 
 
 ! 
 
 I 
 
 h 
 
 On the 8th of April, at 7, the convoy 
 was under sail, escorted hy the Sagittaire and 
 Experiment. At 10 the fleet was also under way; 
 two English vessels and a frigate were watching us as 
 we started.' Rodney had, the same day, sent out a 
 convoy, escorted hy six vessels of the line and two 
 frigates. As we made show of giving chase to the 
 reconnoitering vessels they returned to St. Lucia, 
 where they announced our movements. As soon as 
 the fleet was out we took the starboard tack, the con- 
 voy keeping ahead and hugging the wind as much as 
 possible. During the night we perceived the enemy's 
 fleet. 
 
 6th combat, O" the 9th, at early dawn, the rear frigate 
 ''" signalle<l sails, which prove<\ to be the 
 
 English fleet. "We were then under Dominica, con- 
 founded with our convoy and becalmed. Our van, 
 however, being at the mouth of the channel, to wind- 
 ward of the enemy, and we all having got in order, 
 Mr. de Grasse made a signal for close action, while M. 
 dc Vaudreuil bore down directly on the first vessel of 
 the English line, which had already begun to fire on 
 the convoy, and forced it to hold up and even to bear 
 away. Thus far the enemy's fleet was in good order ; 
 the French van had now rallied around their commo- 
 
 ' One of these wns the Andromachr, Capt. Byron, an active, bridle 
 and intelligent officer. — Lobd Kodnky, April 14, 1782. 
 
 \l 
 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 115 
 
 dore, when we tacked and were consequently ranged 
 in the opposite order, steering with difficulty, but we 
 soon after regained the weather-gage oft' Dominica 
 channel; then our van, which had become our rear 
 guard, attacked the English, who were becalmed ex- 
 cept their van, now also a rear guard. We took the 
 same tack (starboard) that they did. M. de Vaudreuil 
 signalled to bear down on the enemy, which his 
 squadron did. (M. de Grasse had placed in the 
 squadi'on all the captains who had not displeased 
 during the cruise, or those who he knew preferred 
 their duty to their resentment.) The action began at 
 10,' and tlie fire began at rifle distance. This aft'aii-, 
 of which there has been no detail in France, could 
 not have been more hotly contested than it was for 
 three hours and a half, between the two vans. The 
 English van suttered extremely, for six of their ves- 
 sels lost their top-gallants and two their main top- 
 masts.'' Very few vessels of the other divisions, 
 either French or English, took part in this action, 
 firing a little indeed, but too far oft". The Caton having 
 had the misfortune to have a cannon burst on board, 
 which put eighty men hors de combat. We lost in this 
 aft'air five officers and 120 men. The English lost 
 
 'Oh. 30'. 
 
 ' The Royal Oak and Montagu were disabled, and the Alfred lost her 
 captain, lia^'iio. History of the War in Amerien, iii, 354. 
 
116 
 
 OPERATIONS OP THE PRENCH PLEET 
 
 rather more than we did.* The Augusie and tlic ZiU 
 were in the rear of our fleet, which served as an ex- 
 cuse for M. de Grasse, who should have brought the 
 English to a general engagement, for he had the 
 weather-gage, with a fresh wind, which they had not. 
 Should he not Lave attacked their van with all his 
 forces ? Surely fourteen vessels could not have stood 
 the tire of thirty-four; and this division of their fleet 
 would have been destroyed before it could have been 
 relieved by the other division of the fleet, which was 
 in a dead calm ; then fall on the detached vessels of 
 the centre one after the other, and lie would have had 
 them at his own terms, as Mr. Rodney showed him 
 three days after.'' 
 
 A man must be unfortunate enough, it must bo ad- 
 mitted, to let such fine occasions slip ; but, though our 
 admiral might entertain fears for the two rear vessels, 
 the English were becalmed, and we would have so cut 
 up their van, and even their center, as to deprive 
 them of all idea of picking up our laggards, wlio had 
 Dominica and Martinique to put in to. Nothing in 
 my opinion can excuse Admiral de Grasse in this 
 affair, from which he might have derived the greatest 
 honor. During the action the convoy was anchored 
 at Guadaloupe, where it was certainly secure. It 
 
 I For Rodney's account of this action, see Appendix. 
 
 'For a defence of de Grasse's conduct on thin occasion see the fol- 
 lowing journal. 
 
 i;-i'>i£U^»«;^&'jf^..^.^ji^r{Ldi'. 
 
UNDER TUB COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 i\ 
 
 fHaCH FLtCT. 
 
 
 
 ...^y 
 
 m.Mi. 
 
 Action of April Otli. 
 
 u:' 
 
 M>UTH PI OF GUAWLOUPB 
 
 /l 
 
 T^^' 
 
 / 
 
 117 
 
 Ilk. »m. 
 
 \^ PRINCE RUPERfsBAV./ ° 
 
 // 
 
 Action of April 12th. 
 
 ;»- ) 
 
' 
 
UNDER THE COUNT I)E 0RAS8E. 
 
 119 
 
 Bccms at for the four lant montliB that M. do OraHHO 
 commanded, Iuh only care was to commit tlio /<roatcBt 
 blunders. The only advantage we derived from thiH 
 affair wan, that the field of battle waH left to um ; a 
 very trifling advantage at sea. The prenervation of 
 our convoy is indeed one. It sailed next day from 
 Guadaloupe for Cap Francois, and it ha<l tlie goo<l 
 fortune not to be molested on its route. The Cato7i 
 also Icfl us in the evening and anchored at tlie Ihisso 
 Terre of Guadaloupe, after receiving the admiral's 
 orders. 
 
 On the 10th we lost sight of the English, and wo 
 hugged the wind so as to double the channel of 
 Saintes. 
 
 On the 11th we were engaged in tlie same mancrni- 
 vre. The Z^U ran foul of the Jason and rendered 
 her unable to keep the sea. She then ran into several 
 others. I believe, indeed, that all on board of her had 
 lost their senses. She at last ran into the Ville de 
 Paris, and in tliis collision lost lier bowsprit and fore- 
 mast. A frigate had to take her in tow for the liasso 
 Terre at Guadaloupe, and then it was an incredible 
 time before she ran her cables through the hawse 
 holes. It is impossilde to behave worse than this 
 vessel did from the 8th till the morning of the 12th. 
 She brought on the hottest, longest and most terrible, 
 and I may say the most dishonorable sea-fight since 
 the invention of gunpowder. 
 
 tiiM^i^hMt*^i'MMtaU'^ 
 
N 
 
 
 120 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 7«h combat, ^" ^l>c 12t)), nt dnybroalc, the king's fleet 
 *" ■ being un<ler Marie Ujilnnte, wo perceived 
 t}»c Z^l^ dirinuiKted tliree longueH to our leeward, and 
 the Ville de Paris at one league. At the same time wo 
 discovered the Englinh van trying to done witli the 
 ^W.' Mr. do GrasHo then nuide the Hignul to clear for 
 nc*ion and form in line in inverHO order. As may bo 
 BuppoHcd, from our trying to double a channel, wo 
 were in the greatest disorder. The signal was exe- 
 cuted by crowding sail and by taking the opposite 
 tack from ^Se Englisa fleet. Then it was that Mr. de 
 Pavilion,' i»«* officer of the greatest merit, forseeing 
 the result, and the blunder about to bo committed if 
 these sigiuils were made, twice sent the adjutant of 
 the lYiomphant to distinguish the colors of the flags; 
 and when lie confirmed the fact that they really pro- 
 scribed the mantpuvres in question, tluit excellent 
 oflftcer, losing his temper, went aloft himself, tried tM'o 
 glasses, and exclaimed: "Wretched day!" Then 
 turning to Mr. de Vaudreuil he said: "General, you 
 are going to see a terrible affair, which will be most 
 disastrous to France." The French fleet kept form- 
 
 I The ensuing account throws less blame on the ZH^, of whose com- 
 mander, de Prdville, I find no further note. 
 
 'John Francis du Cbeyron du Pavilion, born at P^rigueux Sept, 20, 
 1730, entered the army at fifteen as sub-lieutenant, but at eighteen en- 
 tered the navy, and soon became the superintendent of instruction of 
 the younger officers. He wrote a work on naval tactics, published in 
 1778; introduced a system of signals by day and night. He com- 
 manded several vessels with distinction, and fell on the fatal 12th of 
 April, 1782. 
 
UNDER TliT 
 
 'ITT DE 
 
 121 
 
 inpf, iicccuHarily to the wind.ard vi llic enemy's line. 
 At 7J}0 the fire he^un, nnd Hoon after we were })C- 
 cahned under Doiiiinieu; an event that M. de GraHsc 
 should have foreHeen, an there is rarely any wind 
 under the inles, which are extremely elevated. From 
 tlie Ktato of the fleotB as given ahove, it will he seen 
 that the Kiiglinh had !)2t) p* ces of cannon over us 
 when we engaged in the most disastrous of pea tights. 
 We ran along the English line till the moment when 
 the GlortcHX was run into hy Lord Rodney's forward 
 seeouil, a thrcc-deeker of ninety guns, which threw 
 her tliree nuists overhoard and swept lier elean as a 
 I)onto()n. This was the tirst place where our line was 
 l)roken,' for the calm that held lis gave tliem great 
 advantage, and enahled them to hreak through our 
 line in three places; and they threw it into a confusion 
 that M. de (Irasse nuule no attempt to remedy.* The 
 
 'TIiIh oxplnitiN how Uodney was iiblo to effect the operation wliich 
 hruiight him no mucli glory. Am noon as ho saw the brench he kept a 
 cloNO luff niiil paNHvil Ihrougli. All now admit that the iniinoeuvre was 
 not (leliheralely planned, although the advocates uf Uodney so claimed. 
 
 ''The latu (Nimniandcr Ward, in bia masterly work on naval tactics, 
 diN(!ii)tNing IhiN notion, xiiys that the only advantage that this inove- 
 niuiit gave the Knglixh wau that it attacked the unprepared side of the 
 Fi'flnoli ri>ar, and that if De Grassc with his roar following had luffed 
 to loutvard of the KngliHli rear, engaging it closely and continuously 
 with liiN pont liiitiuriuM, Kodney's manoeuvre would have been fruitless. 
 liiKloatl of liugging to his enemy however, De Orasso most unwisely 
 and riiiiiiuiHly bore up, and endeavored to escape on a line at right 
 nngloN III hiN I'oriiior line. On which, the English rear steered oft' on 
 a parallel course before the wind, and the English van wore round, 
 thiiH taking the French rear between two fires, making defeat abso- 
 lutely aiiniliilaling: when, had he fought it out instead of trying to 
 escape, ho would in nil probability have avoided any considerable 
 Itijury. 
 
 16 
 
122 
 
 Ol'KRATIONS OF THE KHENCH FLEET 
 
 liiH Hoi^t, and liml iiIwuvh Ht'tcni oi 
 
 ty vchhoIm in 
 
 Kiijk^lish iitlmirul, on tlio otiior IuukI, rcHtorcd onlor in 
 
 twoni 
 
 iiiif. Till' (Hor'anx liuvin^ hci'ii iliHiuuHtoii, t'l'll U Ice- 
 wui'd, and wan at tin* saint' tinii> nnrronndc*! by tho 
 oni-niv. Our udniimi, followi'd l»v two or tliri'c voh- 
 HL'Irt, wt>nt to its roliof and trii'd to navo it, hut nil in 
 vain, [n thin sad jiliirht it roccivcd a torrildc renewal 
 ot'tirt', wliirh it answi-rcd so violontly that wo thouirht 
 tlu'v had sot it on tiro, xmnyr all thoir irnns. It 
 n'tardod hy this moans tlio loss of tho vossol, hut un- 
 tortunatoly only for a jnoinont. Tho fri,i;ato liichemont 
 took hor in tow and had drawn her otf al»out half a 
 U'aijjuo whon tho otfioor in oonunand of tho Glorinix 
 sooinj; tho ononiys hullots niruin pourinjf in, losing all 
 hopo of osoa[io and not wishiiii; tho frigato sunk or 
 takon, sooing ttto that sho would not ahandon him, 
 hiuHolf cut the tow-Iim-. In hor disniastini;, this vessel 
 had lost her oaptain, tho hrave antl untirin<; Baron Dog- 
 ears, many of hor ottioors, and a groat jiart of hor crew.' 
 During this time wo kept fighting on, somotimoH 
 with <»no vessel, Hometinios with three, often with 
 two. Oooasionally the tiro would hold up for tiftoon 
 minutes, hut only to hogin again more violently. 
 Tho Mar(|iiis do N'audrouil, always in the hottest of 
 the tiro, rallied his division as well as ho could. At 
 2, the Cesar finding herself to tlio windward of our 
 fleet was surrounded hv tho ononiv, and after a 
 bloody aotictn was foired to ntriko, having hor eap- 
 
 ' She w«« taken poasei<8ion of by ilie fiui/al Oak, 
 
UNDKR THE COUNT DE fiRASSE. 
 
 123 
 
 tain, Mr. tlt> Mnrii^ny, mortally woitixU-d, aiul having 
 loHt ft jfri'at niHiiy. M. dc (JraHHo lia<l loHt lii« witH; 
 mad*' no niori' ni^fnals ; Hoiiglit i>vory jumt of danger, 
 tbllowi'd by liirt t\V() Ht'fondM, till tho Conroimc al>an- 
 (lonecl him at half pawt i\. Tim Lnnifiifdoi-, shcatluMi 
 with Wwod and two yoarn old at that, conld not keep 
 up with tho copiuT-Hhoatlu'd Villf de J'tiria, but it is 
 a Hcttloil fact tliat tlu' llaroii d'Arosn rotircd oidy 
 with the Mar(|niH di' Vaudrciiil. Tho Hector, tinding 
 luM'Hi'lf in tho midst of tlio oncmy, Hiiwtaini'd tlu> most 
 Htuhliorn and torriblo uction i)o«Hil)U'. Slu' looki-'d 
 like u hhizini; furnace vomiting Hre and iroii. 
 Aftor loKing lu-r captain, M. «U' la X'icomte, with 
 six foet of water in her hold and incapable ot 
 furtlier rewintance, she struck.' ,\t tj the Ardent 
 was taken, and fought shortly before surrendering.* 
 M. de (irasse, still in the midst of the tire. Inning ex- 
 ^ hausted his ammunition, was forced to surreiuler,' 
 although M. d*' Vaudreuil offered to take him in tow. 
 That vessel had lost rigging, sails and rudder; her 
 nuists ready to go by the board. There was on Imard 
 the \ ilk lie Paris a (|inintity of nuuiey bi^longing to the 
 merchants of the \Vii\dward Isles, and the army chest, 
 
 ' Klie watt cngaguil l>^ iliu Ali-iile iiiul I'untitla uiid struck to tlie fur- 
 uier. 
 
 'Tiikoii 1)^ tilt" Hellii/iiiiij-. 
 
 'Tlie Vil/i' lie I'lirin w(i8 eiigngeil by iIip Canndu nnil /{unnrH, wlipn 
 llic liiirflfur came up iiiiil poured m n brondsiile I'roiii tlie stern, lloss, 
 in Ills Ufe of Sauninrez snys I lint tlio Jitiifell, .^auiiinroz'si vessel, 
 engaged lier firfl. 
 
 /-N^ 
 
124 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 a circumstance which heighteued the dishonor of see- 
 ing the admiral taken. ' ' !' ^.- i' ». "t+ii/^^ 
 
 M. de Vaudreuil elSected the retreat of the fleet 
 with his squadron, which was in the centre of the 
 angle of chase formed by the English, and which 
 Rear Admiral Hood wished to close. We certainly 
 could not have escaped had not Rodney twice opposed 
 this manoeuvre, saying that a bridge of gold must be 
 left a flying foe. Before striking, M. de Grasse made 
 the signal of sauve qui peut. The action ended at 7.32. 
 
 M. de Martelly, commanding the Palmier, had 
 struck, but the English prize crew on the Cesar having 
 got drunk and set her on fire,' he took it for the 
 f'hre^Dsbury. An auxiliary oflicer then asked his leave to 
 save the ship. M. de Martelly, charmed with the pro- 
 posal, told him that he had only to act as he pleased, 
 and the oflicer in fact saved the vessel. The English 
 having opened the angle of chase, left us at liberty to 
 retire, which we did without noise or show of light. 
 
 M. Rodney' ordered astern Mr. Hood, who had 
 twice wished to close the angle of chase. It was for- 
 tunate for us that that oflicer did not command, as he 
 is deemed more able than the fortunate Rodney. We 
 lost in this engagement 3500 men, killed or taken, 
 and many oflicers of distinction. The English got oft' 
 
 >In the conflngraiion, the survivors of her crew (Allen says 400, 
 Iliitory of the Civil War, in, 256, 200), with an English lieutenant and 
 60 seamen perished. 
 
 'Rodney's account of this his most famous achievement will ba 
 found in the appendix. 
 
UNDER THE CX)UNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 125 
 
 // 
 
 \. , 
 
 with 1800, and many officers, and their ships were 
 worse cut up than ours.' We sustained an irrepara- 
 ble loss in the fall of Mr. de Pavilion, a unique man : 
 the very English regretted him, acknowledging his 
 talents. He w,o wounded early in the action, and 
 died next day. He had his leg broken. He forgot 
 his pain to inquire the position of the fleets, which 
 were mingled together t. U some of ours were taken 
 and others drew off the fit'd of battle, when only the 
 division of the Marquis de Vaudreuil remained in 
 good order, not having lost a vessel nor been veiy 
 severely handled, although the English stated in one 
 of their reports that the JJiademe was sunk. 
 
 I will not omit the gallant manojuvre made by two 
 of our vessels, the Destin and the Magnanime, which 
 followed each other. Seeing Rodney bear down with 
 his two seconds, all three-deckers, and deeming it not 
 a time to be at ease, the Destin bore up in the face of 
 the Duke, poured in a broadside, not three bullets of 
 which fell into the water ; then, keeping the wind, can- 
 nonaded her on one side, while the Magnanime did as 
 much, till bearing down in her turn, she swept the 
 J}uke from the stern, currying her two galleries over- 
 board. This vessel was kept engaged by the Rejkchy, 
 and Diadime, and struck to the Trioinpharit ; but M. de 
 Vaudreuil could not man her, having no boats nor 
 time. She had lost her foremast, which the Diademe 
 
 I The Englisb give their \om at 'Ai othcers killed and wounded, 240 
 men killed, 7*J7 wounded. Total, 10U9 ; and the French at 80U0. 
 
126 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 shot away. Another English vessel also stnick, but 
 the same reasons prevented our taking it. At the 
 close of the fight, the English had eleven vessels 
 under the wind unable to molest us.^ At night fall 
 each made sail after his own fashion, executing ad- 
 mirably M. de Grasse's last signal.* 
 
 A circumstance that heightened still more the hor- 
 ror of that day, was the prodigious number of sharks 
 that swarmed in the sea, and which devoured the men 
 as soon as they reached the water (for as soon as a 
 man is killed he is thrown overboard). There were 
 certainly more than a thousand of these creatures fol- 
 lowing the vessels of the two fleets. 
 
 On the 13th we found five fugitives assembled, and 
 the next day we fell in with Mr. de Vaudreuil. We 
 were then seventeen : four vessels of our rear guard 
 went to Cura9oa, a Dutch post, with Commodore 
 Bougainville. M. de Framont, captain commanding 
 
 I It was a mailer of consolation lo the French llint England had no 
 trophies of this victory ; for not a vessel taken that day reached Eng- 
 land. The Cesar we have seen was burnt, and on their passage home 
 the Vtllf de Parit, Ileetor and Glorieuz all foundered. We, too, may 
 feel our national pride relieved, in the fact that no English crowd 
 ever flocked to see brought in as a prize the vessel on which Washing- 
 ton, de Qrasse, and Rocfaambeau had met. 
 
 'The first news of this action in the United States, was an account 
 in Rivington's Royal Gazelle, taken from the Antigua Gazette, but it 
 was naturally received with great doubt; the more especially as Captain 
 Keane of the llulker privateer, who had seen part of the action, 
 contradicted the English account. A species of gambling at once com- 
 menced in the shape of policies on the French fleet, warm Whigs 
 insuring largely at high rates, and when the news was confirmed 
 some were ruined. Among these were Blair McClenachan. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 127 
 
 the Caton, imprudently left Guadaloupe with the Jason, 
 and they were taken in the channel of Porto Rico by 
 an English squadron of ten ships and a frigate.* 
 
 The tidings of our disaster having preceded ua at 
 the cape, the Spanish ships which lay there, ten in 
 number, came out to cover the entrance of the king's 
 fleet. I know nothing more humiliating than this. 
 
 We anchored accordingly on the 26th, and found 
 already there the Couronne, Brave, Due de Bourgogne 
 and Magnifiqm. These vessels were not in good odor 
 in the fleet, especially the first two. 
 
 Our stay at the cape was spent in refitting, repairs 
 worse made than at Martinique, this colony being ac- 
 tually destitute of everything. We formed however 
 sorts of shops to put all in order as soon as possible, 
 and the naval oflicers connected with the port had 
 their hands full at that time. M. de Mont6clerc su- 
 perintended these works, and it was certainly no fault 
 of his that everything was not put in good condition 
 at the lea'jt possible expense, and M. de Vaudreuil 
 could not 1. ave made a better choice. The patriotism 
 and ability of this old and excellent oflS.cer, had been 
 long known in France ; the department in which he 
 was, alone in its jealousy refused its praise, till com- 
 pelled to bestow it, and for once it was just. But 
 after recognizing bis zeal and talents, they should 
 
 'The Colon and Jaton, with the frigate Aimable and corvette Ceres 
 were captured by Sir Samuel Hood in the Barfleur, with the Valiant 
 and Magnificenl. 
 
 1 
 
 ( 
 
 / 
 
 \ 
 
 
 1 
 
 eK 
 
 H 
 
 
 ■M 
 
 J li 
 
 ^ra 
 
 
 II 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 \i 1 
 
 Bl 
 
 
 ii'*""* 
 
 m 
 
 ■a 
 
128 
 
 OPERATIONS OP THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 have aspired to imitate him. M. de Bougainville and 
 the four vessels which went to Cura§oa arrived at the 
 cape a week after us ; the Auguste had been roughly 
 handled, having had 80 men killed on hoard ; and the 
 Hercule having lost her captain M. de la Clocheterie. 
 They brought back from that emporium, cordage 
 which we greatly needed, the rigging of the fleet 
 being cut up. 
 
 M. de Mont6clerc effected the repairs so 
 promptly that on the 30th of May we sent 
 out a convoy escorted by the Saint Esprit, which liad 
 arrived from Martinique a week before, after being 
 chased by several English vessels. The Destin, the 
 Conqaerant and the Rijfichy were under her orders. The 
 Sceptre^ left us next day to go and destroy an English 
 trading post at Hudson's Baj-, with two frigates and 
 detachments of infantry. The regiment of Armagnac 
 furnished most. 
 
 May. 
 
 • The celebrated La Pdrouse commanded this expedition, and met 
 witli all succesH. It is somewhat strnngc tlinl De GousMencoui-t does 
 not name him. Jean Francois Galaup de La IV^ruuse wm born at 
 Alhy in 1741 ; wiis educated at the navy school; becnme a midship. 
 man November ID, IT'O, and in his fifth cruise was wounded and taken 
 prisoner in the FormidnhU, Du Verger, at the battle of liellisle. En- 
 sign October 1, 17(!4; he became commander of the Adtmr in 1767. 
 lu 1770 he commanded the Anutzone, in d'Kstaing's fleet, in the en- 
 gagement with Byron; then look the Ariel, off New England. Ap- 
 pointed captain April 4, 1780, in the Aitrea, and with La Touche took 
 the Charlrntoun and Jnrk. .Vfter which he sailed to Ciipe Fran<;ois 
 where he was appointed to the Sceplre. In the expedition here refer- 
 red to lie commanded the Sceptre, having under him the frigates At- 
 trfe, De Liingle, and Eni/ageanl; La Jaille, with 29t) infantry and artillery 
 under Major de Rostiiing; 4 field pieces, 2 mortars and 8()0 bombs. 
 
 f f 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 129 
 
 Three or four days after there sailed for the Wind- 
 ward Isles the Dauphin Royal, the Sagittaire and the 
 Experiment, with a part of the troops taken from these 
 garrisons. I had forgotten to state that General, the 
 Marquis de Bouill6, had arrived at the cape shortly 
 after us, and knew our disaster. He had a long con- 
 ference with the Marquis de Vaudreuil, Senor Galvez 
 and Senor Solano and two or three other general 
 officers, the result of which was that nothing should 
 be undertaken ; and the next day the ten thousand 
 Spaniards who had arrived at the cape in Solano's 
 squadron, were distributed in the island. This in- 
 fantry was superb and verj' well kept, but a little 
 dirty. 
 
 On the 16th six of our vessels left the cape 
 
 June. '■ 
 
 and went down the coast to collect the vessels 
 of the convoy preparing for France, under the escort 
 of the Languedoc, Diademe, Marsellais and Magnanime. 
 
 After struggling through the ice, he reached Fort Prince of Wales on 
 the 8th of August, and soon reduced that fort and Forts York and Nel- 
 son. His conquest showed the generosity usual to the French. He 
 left supplies for the English in the interior, and exacted the publica- 
 tion uf Henrne's voyage, of which he found the manuscript there. In 
 1785 he sailed from Brest, in the Boj'sole and Astrolabe, to make a 
 voyage around the world, and after exploring the Pacific from Beh- 
 ring's straits to Botany, bay, sent home in 1788 an account of his voy- 
 age. No tidings of him reaching France, the National Convention in 
 1701 sent out an expedition in search of him, but it returned without 
 effecting anything; and it was not till 1825-8 that Dillon and d'Urville 
 established the fact that he perished on Vanikoro. During his ab- 
 sence La P^rouse was made commodore, November 2d, 178(i. His 
 voyage was published in Paris in 4 vols. 4to, in 1797, and in English 
 at London in 1799. 
 
 17 
 
130 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 They were also directed to take in powder at St. 
 Nicholas mole, as there was ver}' little in the fleet. 
 Under Tortugas they handed over the convoy to the 
 escorting vessels, and returned to the anchorage at 
 the cape. It was somewhat surprising to see two 
 convoys set out unopposed by the English. Having 
 returned to France with this convoy, I will give an 
 account of this voyage ; but I shall first give some 
 account of the manners, ctistoms, tuid religious state 
 of this coimtry in 1782. 
 
 Most of the French who go to the West Indies 
 count on getting rich very fast, and returning home 
 as soon as possible. They exhaust the land by over- 
 cultivation, and take none of the comforts of life ; differ- 
 ing greatly in this from the English. They keep eco- 
 nomes, a kind of superintendents, who ruin them, and 
 end by l)ecoming mastei-s of the plantations which 
 they direct. The creole thinks only of his pleasures ; 
 gaming, love, and the table, take uj) all his moments. 
 A part of the night is spent in very high play. I 
 have seen few countries where gambling prevails 
 as much as at Martinique, and not one that comes 
 up to the cape, and the manner of playing there. 
 Love is his dominant jtassion, although the easiest sat- 
 isfied. The climate and food contribute, doubtless, as 
 much as the facility of obtaining women. The slaves, 
 and even all the colored girls, prize nothing so nmch 
 as the embrace of a white ; and as they are very 
 agreeable, they are preferred to white women, who, 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GBASSE. 
 
 131 
 
 oti tlic other hmul, have to stoop to vile ails to gratify 
 their iiiulinatioii, aud they never keep a lover Higliing 
 three whole days. A fine table, the most exquisite 
 viands, cost the easy creole nothing ; and of all men, 
 they seem most to enjoy things with gusto. I can 
 say that there is no sense that they do not gratify in 
 the course of the day. From this sketch it may be 
 inferred that it is 8uii>rising to see a creole grow old. 
 Many have died of dissipation, and they die every 
 day. This is the reason why so few young men re- 
 turn from the AVest Indies. Religion is known only 
 by name in this counti-y; good faith being absolutely 
 banished, and virtue scarcely practiced by those whose 
 employment or office is intended to make it respected 
 and enforced. This country is absolutely corrupted. 
 The children go naked, and run about the streets and 
 squares, where they commit great indecencies. If na- 
 ture lias given the inhabitants of the torrid zone 
 means to exhaust every possible kind of pleasui'e, it 
 lias placed the chastisement at hand, for how many 
 diseases afflict this wretched country I There are few 
 in France to be compared, in violence, to those of 
 Southern America. I shall not enter into any details 
 as to them ; it would be too long aud too revolting. 
 I leave this to the Esculapiuses. The productions, 
 animals, birds, fish, are not in my line, and are too 
 well known for me to dwell on them. 
 
 On the first of July we set sail, favored by the 
 wind. We got most happily out of the Mo- 
 gane channel. 
 
 July. 
 
132 
 
 OPERATIONS OF TUE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 Oh tlu' 9tli of July we wore off Bermiula, wliieh 
 we hiui infinite trouble to puss, the win<l8 having be- 
 come contrary. Our voyage was cliequered by all 
 sorts of weather, mostly contrary' to us. A hundred 
 leagues north and south of the Banks of Newfound- 
 land, wo fell in with an English cartel going to Bos- 
 ton, which we examined strictly. About this latitude 
 we saw a very extraordinary fish, which Mr. Buftbn 
 does not know of. This animal is about sixtv feet 
 long, of the form of a ray, with an elevation three 
 feet high on the back-bone, to which a white shark- 
 shaped fish was attached. We could not take it, 
 although it was aloikg side of us, for half an hour. 
 
 At the altitude of the Azores we fell in with a 
 Poiluguese man of war, which must have taken us 
 for English, an we all had ♦he flag of that nation 
 hoisted. 
 
 August 13th, estimating ourselves fifty leagues 
 from Isle de Groas, and our convoy sailing very 
 badly, we sailed but a short distance, especially as we 
 had no frigate to explore our route. 
 
 The night of the 17-18th we had a heavy gale of 
 wind, the more dangerous as we were near land. 
 Most of us, I assure you, gave taii'selves up as lost, 
 ajid never expected to see day or reach France. Our 
 masts strained, yet we had to carry sail or perish. 
 Had we been dismasted, we should undoubtedly have 
 Bwamped. It is easy to imagine how we spent the 
 night At last, after being well buft'etcd, we per- 
 
 AugUBt. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE OHASHE. 
 
 183 
 
 ceived the island culled BollciHle, whtTo wo uue.Uorud 
 nil but three Hliipn, wliieli made L'orieiit. 
 
 Tlie next morning Heverul ol* ub went aHliore. It is 
 impoBHible to convey the pleanure we all felt in trcad> 
 ing upon the Hoil of France. Home kiHHcd it, others 
 lay down on it; there wuh no childiHlineHH thatwu did 
 not do. The MarseiUais having been commiMHioned to 
 convey the merchantmen over the river at Vordoaux, 
 remained another day at thiM anchorage. As for us, 
 wc Bailed on the 2lHt, three men of war, and a small 
 vessel for Brest. 
 
 On the 22d we discovered four voshcIh which we at 
 first took to be English, which did not plejise us over 
 much. At last, after much trouble, we passed tlio 
 Bee du Raz, the Bay des Trepassis, saw the fort of 
 Port Ric, and at last, on the 28d of August, arrived 
 at the roadstead of Brest. Few days have appeared 
 so interesting to the author of this journal, by name. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■AwiiJ^ 
 
 rm*fuH0t^!tr 
 
 END OF THE JUUHNAL. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Mr. du Plegsis Pasoault commanded the /ntripidt at the lime of her 
 I088 by fire. 
 
 The Count de Vaudreuil commanded Ibe Serplre, and the MarquU, 
 hie brother, in the Triomphanl, commanded the French fleet after our 
 defeat on the 12th of April, nnd the capture of Mr. de Qrawe. 
 
\M 
 
JOTTRNAL 
 OF AN OFFICER 
 
 IN THK 
 
 NAVAL ARMY IN AMERICA, 
 
 IN 1781 AND 1782. 
 Magnus gteoloriim naBoitur ordo. — VinjU. 
 
 AMSTERDAM, 17H3. 
 
JOURNAL. 
 
 The thirteen United States of North America hnd 
 declared themselves sovereign and independent in 1770. 
 So tiir were they from beiiij? mo in 17H1, that those in 
 the south were on the point of being compelled to 
 acknowledge their former master, which wouhl have 
 rendered the liberty of the others veiy uncertain. 
 Nevertheless, England, at the cloae of 1782, declared 
 them all free. 
 
 The relation of these sut^cesses forms part of the 
 cam[)aign of the Count de Grasse. In this view it is 
 offered entire to the public, as the check wliich the 
 anus of France sustained on the 12th of April, 1782, 
 did not embolden England to continue her non-recog- 
 nition of the sovt>reignty of the United States ; the 
 advantages obtained in 17H1, must, therefore, have 
 cKtablished it beyond peradventure. 
 
 The events of 1780, an<l of the first months of 1781, 
 had not even prepared those of the rest of that year 
 and of the early months of the next. In 1780, the 
 fleet of the two powers had fought no less than three 
 
 times, without obtaining any decisive advantage. The 
 
 18 
 
 I 
 
138 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 
 empire of the West India waters remained unsettled, 
 and no enterprise was undertaken on either side hefore 
 wintering. When that time arrived there were but 
 four French ships at Martinique, and five at St. 
 Domingo ; the rest escorting a very numerous convoy, 
 did not enter Brest till January 4, 1781, atter a voyage 
 of five months. 
 
 On the 16th of March following, there was an 
 engagement in Delaware river between the French 
 squadron which had wintered at Newport, and the 
 English fleet stationed at New York.* This action 
 was very spirited and well mainta>*^ed on both sides; 
 but the debarkation of the Frei ■ and American 
 troops on one of the banks of that river, which the 
 English sought to prevent, was not in fact effected ; 
 hence, without being able to claim the victory, they 
 reaped the advantages of one. Charleston and Caro- 
 lina had returned to the powr of Kngland in 1780, 
 and an English arm}- ravaged Virginia in 1781, while 
 a flotilla of that nation wasted with fire and sword both 
 shores of Chesapeake Bay. 
 
 'Such was the sitiiation of the belligerent ; arties in 
 America, when the Count de Grasse was appointed to 
 command the king's naval forces in that part of the 
 world, lie was not known to the new minister of the 
 
 ■Tbis wax tlie action between tbe Frencb fleet under ibe Cbevnlier 
 DeHtoiicbeH, and tlie Kn((1ish fleet under Arhutbnol and Oravex. Tbe 
 object was lo lake Arnold at I'i)rtgniouib, and it did not, of course, 
 lake place in Uflawarc river, but off ('ape Henry. Soiil(S's lli»(ury 
 lift Trouhlet, iii, !tr.4. Hinlnri/ i,f the Civil War. iii. 180. 
 
UNDER TUE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 139 
 
 navy. He had been obliged, in consequence of his 
 health (having been in constant service since 1775), to 
 refuse the command of the squadrons which liad 
 remained in 1780 at Martinique and St. Domingo. 
 Hence he did not expect and could not expect to 
 return thither so soon, still less to be commander-in- 
 chief there. He represented the state of his health, 
 the necessity of his enjoying liis native air, and that, 
 moreover, as the departure of th^ fleet could not take 
 place soon enough to carry out any operation before 
 wintering, he would infallibly be reproached with 
 this inactivity ; he even went so far as to name an 
 officer, whom he deemed more capable than himself 
 to fill tlie post ; but the king insisted on being obeyed, 
 and at once. On this the Count de Grasse, who had 
 reached I'aris, February Ist, left the 18th, and arrived 
 at Brest on the 2(3th. 
 
 There a considerable squadron was preparing, which 
 was to escort a convoy of one hundred and iifty sail, 
 with a reinforcement of troops ; but, as some of the 
 vessels were part of the s(piadron which had returned 
 from Cadis on the 4th of January, it required time 
 to put them in condition to make a new campaign. 
 In spite of his intirmities, the Count de Grasse, by his 
 presence in the arsenal from five in the uioi'ning, 
 hastened the fltting out ; but the arrival at Brest of 
 the new minister of the navy expedited it still more, 
 and the fleet and convoy set sail, ^[arch 22d, with a 
 favorable wind, in spite of the e([uinox. 
 
140 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 L 
 
 i 
 
 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 We doubled the cape on ♦'he 27th; and then, to 
 keep the convoy always together, and to prevent the 
 Bailing of the slow craft from retarding that of the 
 rest, the admiral had them towed by his ships, taking 
 one himself. 
 
 Thanks to this precaution, in thirty-six days the 
 fleet and the whole convoy (an unheard of thing till 
 then ft>r so many vessels), came at day-break, on the 
 28th of April, in sight of the land of Martinique. 
 
 The cutter Alerte had announced their arrival ; 
 €hey passed through the channel of St. Lucia, so as to 
 reach their destination three days sooner, and to avoid 
 a calm, if they met the English squadron, supposed to 
 be at sea. 
 
 In fact, at 11, an English frigr > • ^ perceived 
 making signals, and at 2 o'clock twenty-two hostile 
 sails were signalled towards Diamond Bock. The 
 convoy could not have entered the roadstead of 
 Martinique, except by night, and it would have been 
 imprudent to try it, in the presence of »o large a 
 hostile squadron, because there was no way of know- 
 ing whether vessels had not been left at St. Lucia, 
 which might rout the convoy while the two squadrons 
 were engaged. Accoiflingly, the French fleet passed 
 the night near the shore and athwart Point Salines, 
 awaiting the intelligence which the general sent for 
 by an oflicer whom, he put ashore at Point St. Anne. 
 This oflicer returned to the fleet at 8 p. m., and re- 
 ported that 17 vessels of the line and five frigates 
 
UNDER THE COUNT D£ GRASSE. 
 
 141 
 
 had, for the last fifty days, hlockaded the roadstead 
 of Fort Royal and the four French vessels anchored 
 there ; the latter had orders, during the cours'^ of the 
 night, to hoist sail the next morning and attack the 
 head or rear of the English squadron, as soon as they 
 saw the French fleet. 
 
 On the 29th, in the morning, the fleet, covering the 
 convoy, steered for Fort Royal ; at 8 o'clock the Eng- 
 lish squadron was signalled, and at noon the French 
 fleet was on the beam of the Euglish flagship. The 
 English began a very distant fire, to which the French 
 paid no attention till the English bullets went far 
 beyond them. The convoy had lain to the windward 
 of Diamond Rock,' and when the action began it con- 
 tinued its route to its destination, without the loss of 
 a single vessel from its leaving Brest. 
 
 The English fleet, while fighting, crowded sai' the 
 admiral sent orders by the frigates for each ^ rench 
 vessel to engage the English vessel opposite, and for 
 the suiplus with the four vessels from the roadstead 
 of Fort Royal, as a light squadron to turn the English 
 line and get it between two fires. This order was not 
 executed. Of the English fleet only three vessels of 
 the rear guard were ever engaged, because the French 
 van which served as rear guard, instead of bearing 
 down, according to all the signals, kept the wind con- 
 stantly with light sails, while, on the contrary, the rear 
 guard became van, bore down on the enemy and 
 
 ' A rock at the cnti'ance of Fort Royal Bay. 
 
142 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCi FLEET 
 
 engaged them vigorously. Thus the Englirth fleet 
 could always hear away in order; and at six o'clock 
 there were only thirteen out of the twenty-four French 
 vessels in pursuit of the seventeen English ; these 
 covered the retreat of the Russell, 74, which then ran 
 before the wind to St. Eustatius, where it arrived 
 with seven feet of water in the hold, and much cut 
 up; the Centaur, the Torbay, the Intr^pide, were not 
 less so. 
 
 The admiral sent most precise orders to all his fleet 
 to keep together during the night, so as to renew the 
 action in the morning; but on the 30th, at daybreak, 
 although the head of the French fleet Avas within can- 
 non shot and a half of the English flagship, the French 
 fleet had not rallied, as it might j^ad should have 
 been, as the Sotiverain (the Chevalier de Glandevese, 
 captain), second of the commander of the rear guard, 
 manoeuvred so well, that in the morning slie found 
 herself second to the admiral, who then directed the 
 part of the fleet that was with him, so as to make the 
 English take a route to facilitate the rest of the French 
 in overtaking them ; but they had not got together by 
 evening. 
 
 The night of April 30, May 1, w«s spent in chasing 
 the enemy under all sail ; the Englieli, on their side, 
 made all sail, wind astern. On the morning of May 
 1st there were only eleven French vessels near enough 
 to attack the enemy ; the others were excessively be- 
 hind, and some out of sight. It would have been 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 143 
 
 imprudent to begin a new action with eleven ships 
 against sixteen of eo superior sailing qualities, and 
 without any hope of being reinforced during the 
 action by the rest of the fleet. Il&d the pursuit of 
 the enemy been continued, it would clearly have been 
 useless, and time, which was precious, would have 
 been wasted in regaining the wind; for the fleet was 
 already thii-ty leagues west of St. Lucia. The chase 
 was accordingly discontinued at 10 o'clock, and we 
 were all in the sulks; for since the 29th none of us 
 wo»ild have missed his share in the prizes and gloiy. 
 
 The French fleet resumed its route, and anchored, 
 May 6th, at Martinique, where, since the commence- 
 ment of the war, the Marquis de Bouille, the honor 
 of his nation in this part of the world, commanded. 
 
 The naval and military commanders lost no time in 
 their operations; it seems that they wished to under- 
 take nothing the execution of which was not certain, 
 before the Ist of July, since they decided to attack the 
 isle of Tobago, the only one that interrupted the 
 communication of the French Windward Isles with 
 the Spanish mainland. This communication, esta- 
 blished from isle to isle, secured fresh provisions, not 
 abundant on the islands, and deprived the hostile 
 cruisers of all refuge in those ports. 
 
 The Marquis de Bouille had also a project of form- 
 ing an establishment at Gros Islet, on St. Lucia, as 
 there was not time enough to attempt a regular attack 
 on the Morne Fortune ; he proposed to fortify Gros Islet 
 
 
144 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 in six weeks. The isle of St. Lucia would then be- 
 come half English and half French ; the enemy would 
 be deprived of the best anchorage in the island, and 
 that most annoying to Martinique ; but prudence re- 
 (juired that force enough should bo landed to keep the 
 garrison of Morne Fortun6 in cheek, examine on the 
 spot the extent and situation of the works to be raised, 
 and the time necessaiy to perfect them. 
 
 These two plans would be carried out at the same 
 time, by letting the fleet cruise to the windward of 
 St. Lucia, af\er it had protected the landing of the 
 Marquit* de Bouill^. The fleet in this position being 
 to windward of the enemy's, would have been able to 
 oppose any attack on his part. 
 
 In consequence, on the 8th of May a vessel of 64 
 guns (M. d'Albert de Rions, captain of a ship of the 
 line), and two of fifty, were sent, with transports loaded 
 with troops and ammunition, under the order of M. 
 de Blanchelande,' to revictual the isles of St. Vincent 
 and Granada, and then to attack Tobago.' 
 
 1 Pbilibert Frances Kouxel dc Blancholande, born at Dijon in 1786, 
 was Iho son of a lieutenant colonel, who dieU of bis wounds in 1740. 
 He entered the flervicc at the age of 12, and in 1771) came to America 
 as major of the regiment of Auxerrois. He soon became lieutenant 
 colonel, and after his successful defence of St. Vincent was made 
 brigadier; and in 1781 governor of Tobago, and next of Dominica. 
 Having retired to private life in France, Louis XVI made liim governor 
 of St. Domingo; but after the revolution began he was supursedcd, 
 tried by a revolutionary tribunal in France, and candenined to death, 
 April 11, 17tl3. His son soon followed him to the guillotine. S. 
 
 ' Thi:i detachment was large enough for its object ; it was deemed 
 very rash in France, without considering that it was to operate to 
 leeward. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 145 
 
 The fleet having act sail the same day, the Marquis 
 do Bouille lauded with 1200 nicu at Gros Islet, Saint 
 Lucia, and surprised a hundred men, who were guard- 
 ing that post; after roconnoitering the ground in 
 person, ho saw that the time was too short to finish, 
 hot'oro winter, retrenchments solid enough in case of 
 attack ; the troope reembarked with the prisoners ; 
 the fleet escorted them to Fort Royal, where it 
 anchored May 15.' 
 
 The memy were still at St. Christopher's ; but on 
 the 22d news came that they had sailed and were 
 manreuvring to windward. The French fleet again 
 set sail on the 25th, to go and cover the attack on 
 Tobago. The French had la uled there on the 24th, 
 and the artillery of the vesaels liad soon silenced the 
 batteries which defended the anchorage ; the fleet 
 came in sight of the island on the .30th; it per- 
 ceived six hostile vessels with a convoy, destined, 
 doubtless, to cany in supplies; but they renounced 
 their project by a prompt flight. On the .Slst the 
 fleet landed the Marquis de Bouille, with a corps of 
 troops, at Courland Bay, and on the 1st of Juno, the 
 Marquis du Chilleau, with other troops, at Man of 
 War's Bay. 
 
 These reinforcements were necessary ; Mr. de 
 Blanchclande had driven the garrison of the island 
 into a very strong i)Ost, whence the enemy could retire 
 
 This should apparently be the 18th. See preceding journal. <S. 
 
 19 
 
II 
 
 140 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 from mome to mome, and liold out till winter. The 
 Marqnirt do Bouill6 and M. du Chillcau advanced each 
 on liiH side to the rear of the post: tliree different 
 attacks were conceited for tlie 2d of June; hut the 
 Man|uis de Itouill6 liaving Runinioned the enemy to 
 Hurrender, they saw tljemselves ho surrounded and 
 liopeless of relief, that they accepted the terms gmuted 
 to the island of Dominica. 
 
 Tlie day of June o was spent in reembarking the 
 troops, with the prisoners, after leaving all that was 
 needed for the subsistence and defence of that island. 
 
 On the 4th, the frigates, which were cruising to wind- 
 ward, ainiounced the approach of the enemy's fleet 
 and a convoy. 
 
 On the 5th, the English, to the number of twenty- 
 one ships of the line, and 17 others of inferior size, 
 seemed disposed to tight. The French, who had 
 hoisted sail the night before, formed in line to meet 
 them ; but the English soon bore away : they did not 
 even wait for the Frenc^h to be at the same distance 
 from them as the six vessels vvliich had sheered off on 
 the 30th of May. The army having all reembarked, 
 the fleet resumed its station to the windward. 
 
 It sailed on the 10th for (jrnnada, where it anchored 
 June lltli; it left there the 14th, and anchored on the 
 19th at Fort Royal, Martinicjue, bringing in all the 
 prizes made in the cruise and at tlu* conciuered island. 
 
 Winter had been proclaimed already at Martiniipie, 
 by the ovei-flow of the rivers; but it was necessary to 
 
 ^'^, 
 
.. 1 i 
 
 UNDER THE COUNT DE 0RAS8E. 
 
 <l 
 
 (1 of til 
 
 147 
 
 t'holo 
 
 lay in the provisions, water 
 fleet, and repair some vessels wliicih j^reatly needed it. 
 The fleet could not leave Fort Koyal before July 6th ; 
 it took its way to 8t. Doniingo, where it arrived on the 
 16th, with a convoy of 160 merchantmen. 
 
 Half an hour after midnight, on that day, the Ville 
 de Paris struck three times, hut without stopping, on 
 a bank of rock or sand unknown to all the charts ; 
 she was then three leagues N. N. W. of LuG range,' 
 and running four knots, under bare poles. 
 
 The fleet had been increased to 24 ships of the line, 
 by the junction of the division which it found at 
 Martinique, and to 2J> by the five which were at the 
 cape, returning from the expedition to I'ensacola, 
 under the ordei*s of Chevalitn* de Monteil, commodore ; 
 four of these vessels had gone out to meet a convoy 
 escorted by the frigate F(}e, and they joined the fleet. 
 Another, under the comnumd of the (Jhevalicr do 
 Glandeve, cai)tain of a ship, had ordei-s to pass 
 south of the island, to take under escort all the tra- 
 ding vessels that wished to profit by it. As it was dis- 
 covered that there were two hostile frigati's which might 
 intercei)t the Fee (M. de lioub6e, captain), two vessels 
 were detached to chase them. They did it success- 
 fully, for that frigate, which, having already sustained 
 two actions, that had wounded its nuists, hud just 
 fought a third under Tortugas. 
 
 > It wuuld be well tu exiiiiiiiic tliii* HbonI fur tliennt'ui^ uf iinvigaiiun. 
 
148 
 
 Ol'KKATIONS OF TUE FKENCU FLEET 
 
 hi 
 
 On the 25th of July, at hulf past hix, a. m., ati acci- 
 deiit Ix'fi'll tho Intri^pitle, 74, which iiiijjjht have do- 
 stroyotl the whok' floct at the anohonigi'. Thi- vi'hhi'I 
 took tiro, and the tlaiiu'H were iiiHtaiitly ho vi»)k'nt that 
 it wart iinportrtihU' to I'xtingnirth them. The vchhoI \\m 
 drawn from amid the Heet and run awhore ; everything 
 with oars was most /ealounly emj»h>ye(l to Have the 
 crow, and tlie vohhoI ])k'W up a few ininuten after.' 
 
 A Himiiur aeeidont, ahnont at tlie naiuo time,, befell 
 from the same eaune, the frigate (JonsUmk, near IhIo k 
 Vaehe. iShe formed part of a detaehment of the tleot 
 sent Houth of St. Domingo: who ran on shoalH; tho 
 boats eould not got near enough to nave all the crew ; 
 only a midshipman and 175 men wore saved. 
 
 On arriving at the eai)e, the admiral found the 
 frigate Concorde, from North Auioriea. The news 
 spread that tlie dispatches of the naval ami military 
 comnumders, itnd those of the envoy of Franee, at 
 IMiiladelphiu, joined in assuring him that, witliout a 
 prompt relief of vessels, men, money and ammunition, 
 Virginia would fall again under the Knglish yoke; 
 and that the French army had pay only to the 20th 
 of August. These feju's and these wants were sot 
 forth without fixed projects to remedy them ; they left 
 the admiral a choice only between an attack on New 
 York bv sea and hy land, or to transfer the theatre of 
 war to Virginiu by a sudden occupation of Chesaiieake 
 
 < A barrel or lattiu, which tiiuk tiru from the candle of Ihc dealer 
 uui, caused lliia terrible cuuliagratimi. 
 
 
UNUEK TUE COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 149 
 
 Hay with HiitHcieiit imval tbrcoH. For either plan, 
 nothing Iohh wuh uHked than ii roiiitbreeniciit of GOOO 
 iiu'ii, 1,20(),()()() livroM ill Hjiecit', iminitioiiH in pro- 
 poilion, and ail in tlu' course of August; without all 
 this relief, the most (liHiistrouH events were menaced. 
 The adinii'iil's reply was expected hy the same frijfute.* 
 The nioveineiit of the comhined armies on New 
 York iiad heeii announced ; a movement necessary 
 for tlie first plan, and facilitating the execution of the 
 
 HUCOIld. 
 
 The admiral was not unaware that the English West 
 India Heet was about to sail ft)r the most part to North 
 America; thatas(iuadron frcun Europe, under Admiral 
 J^ighy, was on its way to the same point; that Lord 
 (yornwallis was, with his army in Virginia, destroying 
 warelious(is, shipyards, ships, carrying off negroes and 
 cattle. The American troops might, indeed, harass 
 him in his march; hut deprived all naval protection, 
 they durst not approach the shores of the Chesapeake, 
 for fear of being cut off. The attack f)n New York 
 would certainly have delivered Virginia ; but its 
 success was more doubtful than the defeat of Lord 
 (/'ornvvallis, in Virginia itself. To ensure the success 
 of this, re(iuired only the sudden occupation of 
 Chesapeake Hay with a commanding fleet. The 
 French commander soon resolved to tran8i)oi*t his 
 whole force there; but it was necessary to provide 
 
 ' Tliiit ngrvoH uiitinly witli the stntement iu Uocliitmbeau'a Alemuus, 
 II, 277. S. 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 Sir 
 
 J ^ 
 
160 
 
 Ol'EKATlONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 for the B<'i!urity of the coo.^tH nnd oommorcc of St. 
 Domingo during Win ahwoin'o ; it rt'(|uiro(l a oonHicU'ru- 
 bli' nntouiit of Hpi'cif, a powoiful rfiiiforci'iiu'iit of 
 trooprt, mutiitioiiH of all kiiidrt, and to lut at the CiioHa- 
 poako Uy tho month of Augunt. lit' had not noar tho 
 uid ri'quired in men and nioni'y ; cightron hundred 
 men hud been left nick at Martitrupie, and he niUHt 
 expect to leave an numy more at St. Domingo ; the 
 admiral had instructioiiH from the court only as to 
 some escorts and cruises. I know not whether he 
 was sure enough of its contitlenco in him to hope that 
 hi.^ project, useful and glorious us it might he to tho 
 French navy, would not ho reproached by all in ease 
 of failure ; he had to create all the means, and had 
 only twenty days to provide for everything.' There 
 happened to hi' ut St. Domingo a commissary from 
 the island of Cuba ; it was agreed with him that u 
 Spanish scpmtlron should protect the coasts and com- 
 merce; and as iibout three thousand four hundred men 
 could be spared fn)m St. Domingo, till the month of 
 
 ■The publicity recently given by order uf tlie ImuKe of lordi to 
 the correspondence of Lord Qeorge Ocrninin nnd Oenornls (Minton nnd 
 Cornwallis, nnd the admiraln on iho Americnn Htation, nnd between 
 these Inst, sliould not diininigh the merit of thin expedition. 
 
 In tlie French translation of this correspondence, printed nt Berne, 
 in 1782, wo rend ilint llie affairs of tho rebels (p. r)2) were in such a 
 desperate slate, according to intercopied letters of their generals. Ilint 
 nothing but the success of some exirnordinnry enterprise could give 
 vigor and activity to their cause. That New Yorli was tho object of 
 this enterprise: Ilint the generals and the minister eongrntulnlod 
 themselves (p. 18')) as if sure of repulsing it: that the Count de 
 Grasse's orders (p. '2t)2) were to send ten or twelve of his vessels to 
 
UNDER TIIK COUNT [)K OBASSE. 
 
 161 
 
 N'ovoniht'r, they wore unki'd of tlio governor, niidcr 
 an t'xprt'HH prom'iHu to roMtoro thcni to him, and tlu'V 
 worn cnil)urk(M| on tho fliM>t to tivt)id tlio deliu'H of u 
 convoy. 
 
 It I'oinainod now to obtain csirth ; the merchant of tho 
 capo would give it only on two conditiouH : first, that 
 Houio men-of-war nliould be detached to escort their con- 
 voy to Kiiropo ; necond, that security Hhould be given 
 for the reimbursement. The admiral refused tho 
 first article, becuuse, at the moment, he did not wish 
 to enfeeble his fleet; for the second, he ottered to 
 picdgo his .;wn plantation in the island. M. de Cha- 
 ritte, cap^ in of a ship-of-the-lino, also ottered his ; 
 they wcio acceptel ; but the iTioney was not forth- 
 v'Ohi iig and time s^as lost. 
 
 [t was then necessary to have recourse to the same 
 Spanish coinmissary (Senor de Salavedra), but he re- 
 marked that the gallions bad sailed to JOurope ; the 
 admiral urged him so much, that be agreed to go to 
 
 North Amcricii, tiiul to t'urni»li nn escort to the merchant convoys lo 
 Kiiropu ; tliat the French and American army conaisiicti of merely six 
 thousand regul.".r troops (p. 1*10, IT^t and 227) ond the corps under 
 M. do la Fayette of IStK) monniaincers; that the militia wore 
 scarcely armed, and such as had any, badly armed ; that tho French 
 could bring only blighi reinl'orcoments from the cape. According to 
 his picture, the minister, generals and admirals believed that they 
 had nothing to tear, and the minister did not doubt (p, 54) but that 
 Admiral Uodney would reach the American coast before the Count 
 deUrasse; and Uodney wrote (p. 282) that Admiral Hood, whom he 
 detached there with Jij'leen ihips. aj'ler juimng Admiral (Jravee, uoiild be in 
 force »uJ)Uient lo defeat the enemy and overthrow all hii detiynt ; which f 
 have no doubt will be the eate. 
 
 
 
 
152 
 
 OPEKATIONS OP THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 ITavuna, with his letters to the governor, and to do 
 his best to assist the puhlic treasiuy by the purses 
 of iiidivichials. Tt must he said, to the honor of the 
 colonists, that all were eager to do so ; ladies, even, 
 oifering their diamonds. Then the frigate Ctutcordc was 
 sent, on the 28th of July, to announce the coming 
 of the fleet with reinforcements to Xorth America.' 
 To reach it, the fleet took an extraordinary route, the 
 ocnse of which we afterwards saw ; there was dread, 
 doubtless, lest the frigate sent to Ilavaiui for money 
 should be taken or not arrive soon enough ; more- 
 over, had the fleet gone by the ordinary chaniiels, the 
 enemv niis^ht have been informed of its course and 
 got to the Chesapeake before it ; the Alf/rette frigate 
 was accordingly sent to Havana. The fleet followed by 
 the old channel, the famous dreaded channel, where 
 no French fleet had ever passed ; it set sail from the 
 cape, Augu.st 5 ; on the '.Hh, it took coast pilots at 
 the port of Baracoa ; on the ITth, the frigate AvjrcUe 
 rejoined it; on the 19th, the whole Meet, having passed 
 the channel without accident, sent back the pilot. • 
 and on the 24th, being oft Ohiirleston, the i-uttcr la 
 Mourhc was .sent to Europe with intelligence. 
 
 The fleet had [irovidcd for the secresy of its arrival 
 by the capture of all the enemy's corvettes and vessels 
 it fell in with ; they were, moreover, mu«h more u.se- 
 
 ' The U'ttiT of Do (iriiHHe in Rncliaiiibpnii will lie ('Diind in llic 
 Appendix. S. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 153 
 
 
 ful than could be imagined, in tranHportiiig the troops, 
 after the complete destruction which Lord Cornwallis 
 had made of the American vessels on both shores of 
 the bay. 
 
 On (lie 30th of August Cape Henry was discovered 
 N. W. J W. Chesapeake Bay was reconnoitred, and 
 the fleet anchored l)ehind Cape Henry on the 31st. 
 Thus, on the day named, Lord Cornwallis could no 
 longer hope to return to New York, or derive any 
 aid from there. 
 
 On the 1st of September, storms prevented the land- 
 ing of the troops, which was to be made at Jamestown, 
 on James river, as concerted by the admiral with the 
 French officer (M. de Climat) sent to (^ape Henry to 
 repoi't the respective positions. 
 
 The English army was posted at Yorktown on 
 York river, and thought only of fortifying itself there, 
 unable to foresee the fate that awaited it. The Marquis 
 de la Fayette camped at the fork of the Pamnnkv and 
 Mattapony, with detachments on both sides of York 
 river; the Pcnnsylvanians were on .James river; the 
 militia were assembled on the Uoussock,' It was while 
 this was going on that tlie fleet api)eared at the mouth 
 of the bay. Then Cencral Wayne was to pass James 
 
 ' Marjlaiiil, Pennsylvania, anil Virginia militia were then serving, 
 but the militia here rcl'erre'l to are doubtless tlic Virginia militia 
 under Gov. Nelson, and the river the Kappahannook. Gov. Nelson 
 look part in liie siege and directeil the gunners to tire at a prominent 
 house wiiich, lie said, must be head (juarlors or something of the kind. 
 It was his own house and still st.inds, bearing the marks of balls, 
 
 20 
 
 k 
 
 iH 
 
154 
 
 OPEKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 rivor, and adviuico ho as to hold tlie Pinglish in clieck, 
 if they attoinitti'd to tall hack into Carolina; hut, as ho 
 had no transports to i-arrv out this i-ssontial ojioration, 
 the Ht'ct supidiod him. 
 
 On tin- :2d of Soi»t(Mnhor tiic weather pcnnittod the 
 vesst'ls dostinod to carry and escort the troops to he 
 landed (the Man^uis de 8t. Simon, commandant,) to 
 Htart from the anchorage for Jamestown ; after land- 
 ing the troops, they transported General Wayne and 
 liis division.' The y\i(/irt(e (M, de Traversay, captain,) 
 returned with two jirizes, a corvette of twenty-two 
 guns, and a schooner. The Triton and Vailhint en- 
 tered the river, and the Ai(/re(iv, the next day, took 
 two vessels of the same kind as the itrevious day. 
 
 On the evening of the same day, M. du Portail,^ a 
 French officer, dispatched hy (Jenerals AVashington 
 and llochandteau, announced the departure of the 
 s«|uadron oi' Count de Barras, escorting the artillery 
 and munitions necessary tor the i)roJectcd siege ; he 
 was also directed to ask the assistance of the light 
 vessels of the tlcct. to ciiahle tin- army, on arriving 
 at Maltimorc, to come down thi' Klk hy water ; the 
 admiral, in the ahsence of his hoats, ordered the ves- 
 
 ' The lroo|m Inmli'd .Sojit. IcI, at Ciil. liiirrirs on Ihc Is^le of Wiglit, 
 and St. Simon iinii liis nflicers wcic refoived by Col. Butler nnd Col. 
 Slcxnrt of I'enrisylvaiiiii. — ]iuller'» Jonnml. S. 
 
 '' n« iiri'ivcil from Newport to piji .iself under I lie orders of his 
 junior, the Counl de (irntti^e. No one was AKtunirilied. Ho Ih of ii dinpo- 
 Hition to nncrifice nil conKidi-rntionR, nt nil times, to tlie good of I tic 
 Kcrvire. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 J 55 
 
 .seirt of his fleet under G4'h to prepare for tliis service; 
 they were reudy to sail .Se[>teiiil)er 5th, wiieii the 
 enemy's fleet was sifjjnalkMl. It had heen necessary to 
 post ships-of-the-liiie at the mouth of tlie James and 
 York to Idoekaiki hy sea Lord Cornwallis's army and 
 all the transports attached to his army ; these liad to 
 he left at tlieir stations ; thus the fleet, reduced to 
 twenty-four vessels, had orders to form, at noon, a Hue 
 in order of swiftness, the tide favoring it at that hour. 
 This movement was executed with such precision and 
 holdness, in spite of the ahsenee of the hest drilled 
 part of the crew, that the enemy, douhtless taken hy 
 surprise, at once wore so as to ])e on the same tack 
 as the French fleet : it had the ca])e E. and E. X, E. ; 
 in this position, Iteing to leeward, it awaited the 
 enemy's attack. The issue of the cx[)edition, the 
 vacancy left hy the crews employed in the deharka- 
 tion, the fear of getting too far from the mouths of 
 tli< ^'()rk and James rivers, and the fear lest the Eng- 
 lish fleet, hy its known superior sailing, should suc- 
 t'ced in getting l)i'tween these mouths and the French 
 fleet, all ohliged il I' keci' on the defensive; the enemy 
 held the weatluT-gage in excess ; their halls did not 
 come near eno'.igli to the French to in (•(■ixc a reply; 
 then- was no it[>[)earance that thi" co (it would 
 hecomc very warm, hut the winds ordered nerwise ; 
 they shifted till they came to the northeast and forced 
 the Etiglish to attack. The two vans having come so 
 close as to he almost within pistol slH)t, the fire was 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
156 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 long well Hustainecl, and the affiiir sooniod pboiit to bo 
 (loc'isivo, when Admiral Hood made a wignr! to the 
 English rear division, which he connnandod to hear 
 down on the French rear. The admiral witnessed 
 this movement with pleasure, and prepared to tack 
 his whole fleet together, hearing X. N. W., which 
 would inevitably have thrown the English line into 
 contusion, but Admiral Graves anticipated him, and 
 signalled his whole fleet to keep the wind. The heads 
 of the two fleets gra<lnally fell ofl" in eonsefpuMice ot 
 this new order of the English admiral, :'.nd the Are 
 ceased at (51, 1'. M. 
 
 The French fleet passed the night in the presence 
 of the enemy in line of battle, the flres in all the 
 vessels lighted. These signs of victoiy were not belied 
 in the morning, for we perceived by the sailing of the 
 Engli;-'h that they had suflered greatly ; so that during 
 the night of the iith-lOth, they had to blow up the 
 Terrible, 64, themselves, and another jtut into the lIo()k 
 in a most wretched plight.' 
 
 The two fleets, in sight of each other, spent the (itli 
 of Septend)er in repairing, favored by the calm or 
 rather by the feeble north wind that continued till 4 
 o'clock. The wind then came from the southwest, and 
 the French availed themselves of it to approach the 
 enemy. It was too late to engage ag.-in, and they lay 
 tliat night as the preceding. 
 
 >AdniirAl Graves's letter, Sept.iJI. His fleet, licgakl, wns sodiBablml 
 that lie could not say when he cuuld ]>ut to »uu. 
 
 m 
 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 157 
 
 On the 7th of Septcmhor at (hiy-l>reak, the French 
 fleet veered and tacked together to attack tlie liead of 
 the eneniy'w Hne ; he made liis van take the opposite 
 tack ; as the second Enghsh vessel wore, the French 
 van had orders to use all efforts against the enemy ; 
 hut the English fleet wore and formed in line of hattle 
 behind the last vessel. This movement withdrew the 
 English from the French, wlio, to sail alo'ig the 
 enemy's line, were unable to come up except by edging 
 awav while the English had studding sails. Th<! vari- 
 able winds and storms that sprung up in every direc- 
 tion, then separated the two fleets. 
 
 On the 8th of (September the wind was veiy fresh, 
 iuid the fleets kept far ajtart. The English held the 
 north, and it was precisely from this direction that the 
 French expected the squadron of M. de Harras from 
 Newi»ort. It was very essential to gain the weather- 
 gage of the enemy, to prevent his revenging himself 
 upon <hat scpuidron, composed of only seven ships of 
 the line and one of oO ; it escorted all the siege artillery, 
 an object of vital importance. The fleet sailed north- 
 ward, and at (i, V. M., the enemy lay N. X. W., and 
 N. W. Tho weather-gage thus gained, the French 
 fleet hoped to preserve it to engage in the morning ; 
 but the enemy's fleet instantly wore. At 8, P. M., it 
 nuide signals, and it was thought that they wished to 
 try and get into Chesapeake IJay before us, the more 
 so as on the 0th two frigates detached from the English 
 fleet had entered at full sail. 
 
 I 
 
 ! ^ 
 
 
 ll 
 
 M 
 
158 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLKKT 
 
 \Vliili> tlu' Hoots wt'iT ()l>st rviii^jf oacli otlior, tlio 
 wiiui it'll (Uu'iii^r tlio ni.LTlit, and in tlio iiutniin^, Sopt. 
 Sith, a -q'nulrot' w«p discovered, thouffli itn Hafij could 
 iiwl lu' !li<tiii<!;iiiHlio!. The Froncli Hi'ct bore down on 
 il in line .u butJc ; a n oK-t si^lit of it dnrinfj^ tlio day. 
 It w.is tlio Hciuadroii of M. de Harms, whicli ancliorod 
 ■)n tlie lOtli in Clu'sapoakc JJay. On tho sanio day 
 the Frucli tteet no lovcror discovonn<i^ anything, took 
 lis route for the -aine bay, where it anchored the 11th; 
 two Enjili'b *"i<;iites, the Iris and liichiiioiid, those de- 
 tached *Voni the enemy's fleet on thf (ith, were taken 
 as they were getting? out to rejoin it, by tlie Ai(/rctlc ami 
 D>r«icntc, whieh were eliasin<; in front of the lleet. 
 They paid dearly for the petty advantaj^e of cuttinu^ 
 the buoys whieh the fleet had left at the anehoraj^e, 
 on hoisting sail Sept. ."). 
 
 All the boats and erews came on board, as soon as 
 the return of the fleet was announced in tlie bay; they 
 had remained, while waiting in .lames river, under the 
 protection of the vessels anchored at its nioutli. They 
 were sent back to transport promptly the American 
 and French army to the common rendezvtius for the 
 siege of Yorktown and Gloucester. M. de Harras, on 
 his arrival in the bay , had detached tor the same service 
 the snnill crafl attached to his stpiadroiv 
 
 On the 17th G<nerals NVashington and Rochandieau 
 came on board the Vilk de Paris to concert further 
 
 
 ■y/ ra 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 169 
 
 oponitions.' As thoy left, they wero lioard c>x[»iitiatiiig 
 oil tlio adininirH zeal for the coiiimoii cauHo, aiul liis 
 rt'adiiu'HH in (lotat'hiiij? a part of tho inariucH of his 
 vi'rtHC'ls to au^nuMit tlie army of the liOHie^crs.^ 
 
 On the 20th the fleet oliai)<;ed its aiiehorage, to come 
 nearer tlie army ;'' it entered the hay further, more 
 in reaeli of York river, and anchored in hattk' order 
 reversed at itrt moutli, with the Horse Shoe hanks in 
 front. By this {tosition it at once preserved to the 
 army free communication with all tlie rivers flowing 
 into the hay, and was less likely to dra<;' the anchors 
 or hreak the cahles than at the otlier anchora^v. 
 
 Although the operations of the army on land had 
 the success which the fleet had jirepared and secured 
 them, they entered only summarily in the naval cam- 
 paign : homage is due however on all occasions to the 
 cond»incd French and American army for the concert 
 and harmony which reigned hetween two such different 
 nations, for their ardor and nohle emulation in all 
 instances, ])rincipally during the siege of York- 
 
 '" I am happy to inform congress, that I found the French admiral 
 (lisposcil in the best manner to give us all the assistance in his power, 
 and perfectly to coiiperate witii me in our present attempt." — Wash' 
 inyloii to I'remlrnl of Coiir/riKu, 2^! Sept., 1781. .S'. 
 
 ''These marines were really given very reluctantly on Oct. 4, when 
 I'.ODO landed on tiio liloucester side. — Sj>ark«',i Wiuhini/ton, viii, 1()8 
 note, and liullefs Journal. S. 
 
 •' Tills movement was tlie result of a correspondence between Wash- 
 ington and Ue Urasso, whicli lias too intimate a connection with the 
 campaign to be omitted here. Tlie letters will be found in the ap- 
 pendix. >'. 
 
 . , 
 
1()U 
 
 OI'tUATIONS OF HE FKENCII FLEET 
 
 1 
 
 town ;' a sifge ever inemorable for its resultw and for 
 the at'unrate combinations, wITu-h brouglit to^t'tlior on 
 the appointed day, a fleet eoniinjj seven hnndred 
 lea,<;neH, and a landarniy that liad two hnndred to nuireh. 
 
 Jjord C'ornwallis, invested on all sides, wislied in vain 
 to try to escape from the tleet with a part of his 
 transports, that liad taken refnge mider his gnns. 
 Hefore concludin<; to capitulate, he also tried to l)urn 
 at their anchora«;e, the vessels that hlockacK-d the 
 mouth of the river, I>y sending tire-sliips from York- 
 town ; l)ut this laid been foreseen, and tlie vessels gave 
 them free passage. 
 
 The last resource having also failed, the Knglish 
 general asked to capitulate on the 17th of October, the 
 same day that (Jeneral Murgoyne surremlered in 1777. 
 As soon as congress received the intelligence, its joy 
 and its gratitude to the coninumders was expressed in 
 most authentic testimonials. The following resolutions 
 were passed at IMii-ladelphia, ()ctoi>cr :i',itli. 
 
 Jivsolml, Thiit the thanks of the Tnitcd States in 
 Congress assendded, be presented to his excellency 
 tlie Count de Uochandteau, for the cordiality, /.eal, 
 judgment, and fortitude, with which he seconded and 
 advanced the progress of the allied army against the 
 British garrison in York. 
 
 'Thin Icgliinony of ii iiiiviil (ifficcr is tlie more goncrouo, iis tliearniy 
 alone rcceivnl fuvorM iit court ; if tlie ttcet received no mark of satis- 
 factioii, it waH iloublle«s miftieiently rewarded Iiy the hununiblc ceno- 
 lutioii)* of ooimreHH. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GHASSK. 
 
 101 
 
 I 
 
 liesoli'fd, That the thaiikn of tlic irriltwl Htiitc^H in 
 Congresrt aHHuinblod, be i»reHontc'(l to hin excellency 
 Count (le GrasHe, tor bin diHplay of Hkill an<l Itravttry 
 in attackinj^ and defeating the llritiMh Heet oft' the 
 Bay of ( 'he vipeake, and for IiIh zeal and alacrity in 
 rendering, witli tlie Heet under hiw coninuind, the niOMt 
 etteetual and diHtinguinhed aid and HUpportto the 
 allied army in Virginia. 
 
 Jii'solred, That the L-nited Statew in CongrcHH an- 
 Hembled, will cause to he erected at York in Virginia, 
 u marble column, adorned with embleniH (»f the alli- 
 ance between the United States and his most ('hristian 
 Majesty; and inscribed with a succinct narrative <tf 
 the surrender of Karl Cornwallis to his cxcifllency 
 General Washington, commander in chief of the com- 
 bined forces of America and Krance; to his ((xcelleney 
 the Count de Uochambeau, commanding the auxiliary 
 troops of his most ('bristian Majesty in America, and 
 his cxcu! < 'y the Count de (Jrasse, commanding in 
 chief the naval army of France in Chesajieake. 
 
 licsobrd. That two pieces of the field ordnance, 
 taken from the Hritisli army under tl)' pitulation 
 of York, i»e presented by the comnuindi . iii chief of 
 tlie American army, to Count de Kochambeau; and 
 that there be engraven thereon a short mi'morandum, 
 that (\)ngress were induced to ])resent them from con- 
 8i> . -;- ; n\ of tlie illustrious part which he bore in 
 effectuating the surrenlcr. 
 
 m\ 
 
162 
 
 OPKRATIONS OF TIIK FRKNCH FLEET 
 
 I 
 
 Jiemhti/, That tlii' Socrctnrv of Fori'i^n Att'airH !»(> 
 dln'«tt'«l t(t ro([in'rtt tlio MiniHtcr PU-iiiiioti'iitiary of hin 
 Most Clirisfiaii Majt'sty to iiifonu hirt Majt'sty, that it 
 iH tlie wish of Coii^rcHH, tluit Count tie OrasKo may hv 
 pi'miitti'd to awi'pt a tnHtiiiioiiy of tluir apiiroltation, 
 similar to that to hv prcsontcd to ('(umt do Kochain- 
 ht-aii." 
 
 (SiiriH'd.) TiniMPSoN." 
 
 Thi'so rosohitions fully meet thi' chMrifc mado 
 aj];aiiist tlu' Count i\v (Jrassc, of liavini^ wisluMl to peril 
 tho suc'ci'ss of that cxpodition hy a uv\v -(^a fijrht ; as 
 this imputation rests solely on the reply of the Amer- 
 ican ifeni'ral to the French icliniral, wlii' h lias been 
 puhlisluMJ in Kurope without addintr the hitter's letters, 
 wo may infer that the puhlication of tiio one without 
 tlie oth''. and the silence fall the Kuropcnii gazettes 
 as to tlie resolutions of cor -ess rehitivi ',, tlie Count 
 do Orassc, have the same soun-e and the same ohject; 
 hence it seems just to jfive tli 'Motives of his letter, 
 which we all knew. 
 
 We heard from all sides, of the spec', return of the 
 Kiii^lish th'ct to the Cliesai|»eak<', to eny:a<;e ih if the 
 siege had not heeii terminated. This engagement the 
 Count de (Jranse must accept either at anchor or under 
 sail; he explained to (u'lieral Washington, that he 
 preferred to tight under sail; laying before him his 
 reasoii'i drawn from scientific rules, and the position 
 of lii- fleet hctweeii the nioiitli of a river and a bar. 
 
UNUEU TUK COUNT DE GKASSE. 
 
 103 
 
 which would not porinit hitii to |turMue the I'liciiiy 
 •jiiickly I'lion^li if victoriourt, nor ntanamvre during tlic 
 I'rigiigcrucnt, if he did not tirnt k'livo thiit aiiichonige ; 
 now hi' might wi'll liolifvo tluit the fleet wouhl eover 
 tlie wiege aw well, iind perhapn better when under Huil, 
 tluin at anehor. Why then reproach him with wiwh- 
 iiig to comi»romirte the siege? Was not the project 
 of laying it hin own? Could he wish it to fail? He 
 hu<l sacriticcd his own glory to the good of this project 
 oil tin' f)t\\ of Septendicr, when he returned to his 
 uneliorage instead of pursuing the enemy, whom he 
 hud repidsed ; he sacrificed it also on tliis occasion, by 
 yielding to General VVashiugton's desire, and renuiin- 
 ing at an anchorage where, if he did not fear being 
 defeated, he was absolutely sure ot deriving no advan- 
 tage from viet(uy. 
 
 On the 22(\ October the generals of the laud forces 
 <'ame to the admiral to concert all the arrangements 
 to be taken for the security of their conquest and the 
 departure of the forcc:^. 
 
 According to the report of the otttcers present, 
 Cieneral Washington welcomed the Count de (Jrasso 
 with cordiality ami expressions attesting the decisive 
 Bcrvices which the latter had rendered his country, 
 und the sentiments which he personally entertained 
 for him. During the dinner given on the Villc 
 ili: Pari» to the generals and all the otticers of 
 their suite, the fleet was dressed with flags, and the 
 health of the king, the congress, and the commanders 
 
 I 
 
104 
 
 OrKHATIONS OF TIIK KKKNCII KI.KKT 
 
 'I • 
 
 
 wi-rc «lrmik witli hhIv<m. TIu' Anicrit'iin ^nicnil 
 ofU'rcd (111*' tor Aiiu'ricati IiiilcpiMKii'iicc, wIi'h'Ii, ho 
 m'ul, wan iu)w to(» Hnii to bo wlmki'ii. 
 
 Tlio Stirrrillantf Hct H«il tlu' 28(1 to carrj' to FraiH'o 
 the army iiiul iiiivv otilccrs, choHeii to hour to tlu' kiii^ 
 Iho t'uliii^H of tilt' Miu'ct'rtM ofli'iH avu\H. The Aiidfitiwi- 
 tfiie WUM al)oiit to hoint nail on tlic 2H\h to carry iluitli- 
 catCH of tin- Hanu' dinjiatclii's ; l»ut ri'tunu'd into tlii' 
 bay, tlic trigati-N on the watch liaviii^ ni^nalU'd thu 
 Kn;;lisli licet : on the niornin;; of the liHth thirty-ono 
 Hailw could l»c already made out oft' Capi' CharlcM; by 
 evening' t'oi-ty-four were Hi^'nalled ; the .'{0th they made 
 var'nuiH luanu'UvreH, nometimeri on one tuck, Hometinicrt 
 on the other; at hint at •'{ they Htood on tlie larboard 
 tack with the wind on the tjuarter, and we Haw no 
 moru of them. 
 
 Wo were ut first much aHtonirthed at receiving no 
 order to hoist sail us soon aKpoHsiblc, when the enemy 
 were first si/^nalled ; but we learned that this too wan 
 in deference to the generals »»n land, who had expressly 
 requested it. 
 
 Tlie AhdroDiiiifiic sailed on the lid of Noveiidu'r 
 and on the 4th, the fleet to the nunibei- of Mo ships, 
 proceeded to dnuble Cape Henry, and on the r»th 
 steered for the Windward Isles. Four of these vesseirt 
 under M. le Chevalier d'Albert Saint-llippolyte, 
 captain of a ship of the line, separated on the IHli to 
 proceed to St. Domingo. 
 
 The renmining thirty-one unchoretl ut Fort Uoyul, 
 
 %tt 
 
UNUKU TIIK COUN UE U liASSE. 
 
 lOo 
 
 Miirtini([iio, on flic 'Jittli, the diiy roiiiai'kiililc for tht> 
 Hiirprirto of St. KiMtutiiiH. 
 
 Till) Hi'ct tu'cdcti ffiH'iit rfpiiit'H, liut tlid not Hii*l all 
 tliut wuM iu'imIimI at Mai'tinit|iii'. It H|K'iit twenty dayn 
 in iTi'i^^in^ aH W(*ll i\n it coiilil, ami in taking in pro- 
 vinionH : liy tin* li*'l|» of nt'iitral vchhi'Ih, it Hi-t Hail 1)*'- 
 ccnilKT 17, luully t-non^li itn-part'd ; nlncc itn dcpartniv 
 lr(»ni lliTHt, Knropr luivii'^f fnrnislu'd it neither niantw, 
 extran of any kind nor HailorM; nieknertH, en^a^eint'ntH 
 and deHertion liad dintiniHiied thu ereWH ntoiv tiian 
 tivo tiioUHand nten. 
 
 The fleet had ordern to jfel to windward of Martin- 
 icpie, by plyinj; to windward in the ehaiuiel of St. 
 Lneia : to reach it more easily, every vcHnel wan at 
 lihertv to nnuni'iivn^ independentiv. Althoui;h the 
 wind wart alwayK eoijtrary and in s»|nallrt, several 
 vertrtelH jfot to wimlward ; l»nt the force of the enrrentrt 
 ani^mented hy that of the rt(|nallrt, drove them hack 
 into the channel and prevented the others from urettin^ 
 to windward. Anid its mnlti[died ami the fleet per 
 for<'i' pnt ".w' *'i . . iipie and anchored in tlie 
 roadstead of < , i ' eeeniher 24th. The crews 
 
 w*'re exhaus* I > ; ' ' .-d lahor of this fruitless 
 cruisi". Tin ' af^ain the 2Hth, met the 
 
 same difficulty aiid returned to the same roadstead 
 the appointed rallyiuir place. The event which 
 hrouufht it hack had heen foreseen, hut it wished to 
 hasten to jirofit hy its su[)eriority wliich it was not 
 much longer to enjoy. Moreover it eould get on the 
 
 i i[\ 
 
 III 
 
 ! If? 
 
166 
 
 OPERATIONS OF TUB FRENCH FLEET 
 
 17th December provisions for only forty-seven days ; 
 it feared that the convoys, impatiently expected, would 
 not arrive in that time : hence an attiick must be made 
 on some hostile island, if only to procure subsistence 
 a little longer. 
 
 In consequence, the weather continuing unfavorable 
 to reach Barbadoes, we started January 5th, for St. 
 Christopher's with 26 ships of the line (the others were 
 refitting) and (3,000 land troops divided among the 
 ships and transports. We hoped to find subsistence 
 in that island, draw the enemy to leeward to defend 
 it, and thus divert them from attacking the convoys 
 from France, which had been too long expected not 
 to arrive soon. 
 
 The fleet hove to off St. Christopher's on the 11th, 
 and the next day anchored at the Basse Terre of that 
 island : scarcely hat' it cast anchor when the whole 
 island submitted ; the iidial)itants deputed their chief 
 men and capitulated for the wliole island, except the 
 high, precipitous, and well fortified rock called Brim- 
 stone Hill, situaited on the southwest of the island, to 
 which the garrison retired (piite [>recipitately. 
 
 On the same day, the 12tli, all the troops were landed, 
 and by niglit Brimstone Hill was invested. The 
 artillery was landed next day ; and mortar batteries 
 soon established ; i>ut when a breach was to be made 
 the first battery of 24 of the Caton was taken for the 
 service. 
 
 During the siege, the most difficult in America, 
 
 ■■/mi 
 
 ■ W- 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 167 
 
 from the poaitiou and nature of this rook, Admiral 
 Hood came to the relief of the island with twenty-two 
 vessels and a 'uody of land troops ; he was signalled 
 the 24th, and the French ileet at once set sail to meet 
 him. Had we remained at anchor, the array on land 
 would have lost all communication with the neighbor- 
 insr islands, a necessary communication foi' its subsist- 
 ence rendered precarious by the delay of the convoys 
 from Europe; moreover it could not have rallied the 
 vessels that were to join it, after repairing at Martin- 
 ique. In fact the Hector came in the same day. 
 
 The French fleet fbrmed in line of battle in the 
 natural order : it came in sight of the enemy only the 
 next day ut day break under the isle of Monserrat, 
 which had not yet capitulated. The English tacked 
 to approach St. Christopher's and endeavored to avoid 
 an action as mnch as the French endeavored to come 
 up with them ; but the English had the weather-gage, 
 and could nol but have it, the attacked island being to 
 leeward ; it varied in the direction of E. S. E., which 
 facilitated their standing with a free wind towards St. 
 Christopher's, while it L.bliged the French to hug the 
 wind so as to press the enemy on Isle jS^evis. The 
 French light s(iuadron and van had orders to bear 
 down on tlie :'nemy's, which had gone in a line with 
 that island ; the rest of the French '' ''t kept the wind, 
 and, in consecpience of its direction, was in a bow and 
 quarter line ; at this moment the French light squadron 
 instead of continuing to bear down on the enemy. 
 
 I!- 
 
»i 
 
 4 ' 
 
 168 
 
 OPliltlTlONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 bore away. The admiral, sur[>ririO(l at this rnanfpuvre, 
 thought that Noviw intercepted their wind; to assure 
 himself of it, he signalled him to lie to, which the 
 squadron did ; a>^sured hy this that it was hy no fault 
 of wind that they hore away, the admiral repeated his 
 tirst signal to the squadron and the van ; hut it was 
 too late, the English fleet, favored hy the wi id, supe- 
 rior in sailing quaiities, heing all copper fastened, 
 tool: the resolution of hurrying towards St. Christo- 
 pher's; and although the French fleet made every 
 ertort to overtake his rear, which it even handled 
 roughly, it could not prevent the enemy anchoring 
 near the spot from wliich it had sailed. Then it took 
 the larboard tack to stand out to sea, and prepared to 
 attack the English the next <lay at this anchorage. 
 
 The English admiralty has published an extract of 
 a letter of .Xdmiral Hoods, giving an account of this 
 affair; it contains a doast good enough for the London 
 mob, but which can not come from an officer so dis- 
 
 • 
 
 tinguislu'd for his talents; he seems to attach a sort 
 of trium])h to oecuining the same ancliorage tliut the 
 French hiid b*'fore the cjigagemeiit. This is an 
 illusion easily destroyed : tliis anchorage could n-.)t be 
 the Slime, although on the same shore, becaiii^e the 
 Knglisli fleet would tlier«' have been eypo^^od to the 
 fire of the land butte.-ies. The most important anchor- 
 age for tlic Kiiglisli admiral, the only one decisive for 
 raising the siege of [irimstone Hill, coMl(i he have 
 taken it and held his ground tlK-re, was that of Sandy 
 
UNDKU THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 169 
 
 Point : there, even under sail, he could have communi- 
 cated directly with the fortress, he could have landed 
 his troops under his g-uns, and been protected by them 
 ill case of attaijk ; the place would never have been 
 totally invested; for the English troops landed by 
 Admiral Hood from his anchorage, and whom he was 
 forced to reembark, might have occupied the post 
 whicii the cannon of liHmstone Hill obliged Mr. 
 Duchillean to abandon: honce at Sandy Point they 
 might have communicated mth the besieged place, 
 and with tlioir s'|uadruu, and the position of the 
 besiegers would have become very critical ; on the 
 other hand the vaunted anchorage, if it favored the 
 landing of the English troops, could not have been 
 more useful to their project tban it was, because it 
 was too far from the besieged place, and th(> P]nglish 
 corps was too weak to cut its way through to it. 
 Thus the French Heet being under sail to windward 
 of the English, the latter had simply taken the most 
 hazardous position, from which a circumstance beyond 
 its knowledge, alone, as wo shii'.l see, delivered it. 
 
 On the -itith at 7, A. M., the fleet rallied in the 
 natural ork^r of battle, on the starl)oard tack; at 
 7J it had orders to dear for action ; the French van 
 atta<'ked the enemy's rear, several vessels of which 
 lay far from eacih other and from the rest of their 
 fleet; the fire of the French obliged th<^n to hoist sail 
 precipitately to gain a higher n/a/lstead : the French 
 
 vessels at the head "having veered in succession, the 
 •22 
 
 
 
170 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 ^1 
 
 -5: 
 
 line was in nahira' order on the larboard tack. The 
 winds being from E. to E. S. E., another tack enabled 
 the French to attack the English rear a Hccond time ; 
 but only the head of the French line coiild come into 
 action, and the -.vind prevented the action from be- 
 coming general. 
 
 "We Bhould have attacked again on the 27th, if the 
 Engli.^h squadron had not appeared out of reach of 
 insnlt ; the vessels cut up the day before were rcnioved 
 and eight or nine of the largest had taken their places. 
 They were anchored, the bowsprit of one over the stern 
 of the other; thus unattackable, the fleet contented 
 itself with keeping them there. 
 
 On the 28th tbe frigates informed the admiral that 
 the enemy's position, as they lay at anchor with 
 springs on the cables, was a perfect chain formed by 
 their twenty -two men of war, the iirst of which was 
 so anchored that no one could pass ahead of it; the 
 rear forming the angle of the line enclosed their frigates 
 and other small craft ; in consecjuence we contented 
 ourselves with so completely intercepting all commu- 
 nicp^'on from the seaward that Admiral Hood was 
 forced to send and ask a passport of the French admiral 
 to dispatch his wounded to Antigua. 
 
 On the 29th the English land forces disembarked ; 
 and havii ^ been repulsed with great loss, reembarked. 
 The 1V!uniph«in(, Marquis de Vaudreu:', and Brare, 
 Count d'Arnbliniont, arrived from Brest on the 4th 
 of February. By them we leanit the mischance that 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 171 
 
 befel the convoy of which they formed part., aud we 
 inferred that AdrMr.vl Hood knew it before he came 
 to endeavor to relieve St. Christopher's, as he had not 
 preferred to go and await the convoy at the landing 
 places. 
 
 On the 12th Brimstone Hill proposed to capitulate, 
 and the 13th the French garrison took possession. 
 
 The forces had taken on the 17th of December, 
 provisions for only forty-seven days, being all that 
 could be supplied. For the last ten days they were 
 maintained only by the prizes taken at St. Christo- 
 pher's, or from the neutral vessels which it had been 
 forced to stop ; the munitions of war were not more 
 plentiful, several vessels had not enough to live on for 
 thirty-six hours or fight with for two ; fortunately pro- 
 visions from the Mediterranean had reached Martin- 
 ique ; and it was announced to the fleet to its great 
 satisfaction, that it should receive them at Nevis on 
 the 14th. To render the delivery more prompt ind 
 convenient, it proceeded to anchor oft" the town of 
 that name, a league or a league and a half from the 
 head of the English fleet ; ti<f> latter might have been 
 deceived by the number of small vessels and taken 
 them for tire ships intended for it ; so that while the 
 French fleet was providing for its urgent necessities, 
 necessities more imperious than the duty of fighting, 
 the English squadron cut their cables during the 
 night ; and the better to conceal their course made no 
 
'^ET 
 
 172 
 
 OrERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 signalH ; and falling to loowanl ran under St. Eusta- 
 tius to retire with all haste. 
 
 The Freech fleet anked nothing hetter than to 
 engage the Engli?*)), when it left the conquered island ; 
 but it was out of provisions and the admiral could not 
 prevent the English executing their manamvre ; this 
 manopuvre necessarily led the two armies under the 
 wind, drew the French off from their provisions, and 
 itK necessity was so great that it could not defer even 
 for tweuty-four hours taking in supplies. Now the 
 first car<' of a commander is to provision his nnny; 
 and tbe best he could do was to provision it in the 
 surest, promptest manner, to the windward of the 
 enemy ; he did so : if the English, favored by the 
 night, without signals, leaving his anchors, steering 
 to leeward, putting boats at their anchorage with tho 
 same lights they were in the habit of showing, leaving 
 their sick on their lios])ital slii^js, were fortunate 
 enough to escape him, they owed it only to the abso- 
 lute and urgent necessity of the P^rench fleet, and not 
 to the fault of the admiral who drew off from before 
 the enemy oidy to obtain provisions, never was more 
 tlian a league and a half ofl" kept always to windward 
 and never out of sight of their fires ; tliis was surely 
 all that he could or should liavc done under the 
 circumstances. 
 
 On the Kith the Hcct anchored at the Masse Terre 
 of the conquered island, and began to reembark the 
 troops and artillery. It hoisted sail on the 22d for 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 173 
 
 
 Martitiique, «teering to leeward so aw to take possession 
 of the island of Monserrat on the way. A detach- 
 ment of vessels under M. de Barras, received its 
 capitulation on the sanie terms as St. Christopher's. 
 On the night of the 26th the whole French fleet was 
 back at the roadstead of Fort Royal. 
 
 Tlie repairs of the vessels were constantly more 
 numerous, difficult and long; neither means nor 
 crews had been increased ; the convoy from Europe 
 was still expected, and a veiy considerable supply of 
 masts, sails, rigging and extras of all kinds, as well as 
 munitions and supplies were required. There was 
 almost a iiew equipment to make, crews to be aug- 
 mented a third, ships to careen, &c., &c. Yet the 
 convoy escorted by the Couromie, brought only three 
 ships of the line, two hundred and lifty sailors, and 
 some transports ; the Triomphant had brought the 
 account of the munitions sent at its departure on each 
 vessel, and it was easy to distinguish what was in- 
 tended for the fleet from what was intended for the 
 colony. According to the project made, the former 
 should have followed the fleet loaded ; the others 
 should have been discharged at leisure without retard- 
 ing the departure of the fleet: on the contrary the 
 cargo of the ships escorted by the Couronne, had been 
 mado precipitately without a distinct detailed account: 
 all was heaped in pell mell ; all the ships had to be 
 unloaded to ascertain which belonged to each. Had 
 there been order, the fleet would have sailed sooner 
 
 I ' I 
 
174 
 
 OPEKATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 n 
 
 and tlio enemy would have been so unprepared to 
 lollow, that they would have learned its departure 
 and the arrival of the convoy at the same time. 
 
 After the revictualling and refitting had been ac- 
 celerated aH mueh as circumstances would permit, the 
 fleet set sail on the 8th of April. 
 
 On the 9th the English fleet approached the French, 
 whicli was to windward, covering the route of its 
 convoy towards Guadaloupe, and, the rallying of two 
 of his vessels' retained by a calm n^.-ar Dominica: the 
 English van jtrofited by the tirst gusts to fori.: in line, 
 while the rest of his fleet was still becalmed under 
 Dominica. In this hampered position the Fi-ench 
 comnmnder saw a chance to act on the English van ; 
 he did so successfully : their van retired before liis 
 which handled it roughly. He would probably have 
 pursued it, had he not feared for his two vessels ; he 
 was sure of rallying them by going to meet them, 
 anil he was not sure of taking the vessels of the Eng- 
 lish van, which had been crippled : after three hours 
 ti^'hting the aumiral took the surest course and rallied 
 his vessels. He immediately sent orders to the convoy 
 to continue its route towards St. Domingo ; which it 
 did, setting sail again at 11, V. M. 
 
 This convoy was very embai'rassing before a supe- 
 rior hostile fleet, all sheathe*! with copper, of more 
 even and quicker sailing. It could not yet have made 
 
 ' The Chevalier dr (Jouneeneuiirl Bays the Aiigiute and ZiU. 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 175 
 
 distance enough by 10, A. M. ; the Frencli fleet would 
 have soon rejoined it and the KngliHli been better 
 enabled to route it : thuH tlie Frenifh continiied to ply 
 to windward in the channel of Dominica, keeping the 
 weather-gage of the KngliHh. 
 
 On the 11th the French hud almost doubled HainteH, 
 when well founded fearw arose an to two of their vcHHelH 
 which had sailed so that they could be intercej)ted 
 by a number of the enemy's vessels, whose best sailors 
 were giving them a lively chase ; the whole Krencli 
 fleet had to be rallied to their relief; it thus lost most 
 of what headway it had gained over the enemy : but 
 it rallied the vessels, and saw those in chase full otf'a» 
 quickly as possible. 
 
 Then constant to his project the French fleet re- 
 sumed the weather-gage and would have* soon been 
 as far ahead of the enemy as before, had not the 
 flag slip been run into by the Zili'i, by a viola- 
 tion of the cvder of sailing expressly i)rescribed.' 
 These two vessels were obliged to lay to to leeward 
 during the whole time it took them to get loose, and 
 the vessel which had run foul, more injured than the 
 other, asked to be taken in tow, which was done, but, 
 having fallen still more to leeward, made signal at 
 daybreak that the enemy's fleet was approaching. 
 Then the admiral, who was plying to windward to 
 rejoin the fleet, ordered it to rally and to form in lino 
 
 > rbis order was that " T()u^ bftiiment ayiijil Ion arinureii h bni 
 bord devoit arriver, suns avoir t^ifard A r«ncit'iiii8lfc." 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 176 
 
 nrERATIONS OF THK FREN«^II FLEET 
 
 1' 
 
 in liis wake to cover the Z6U in \tn retreat to Gnada- 
 loupe. 
 
 Those who always judge by lh«' result, have not 
 faile<l to say that the admiral should have abandoned 
 the Z(7<' and continued his course without engaging. 
 Had lie so detemiined the day before aiul the two 
 preceding days, he would have had three or four 
 vessels less, at least on the 12th, and would have been 
 justly reproached for losing ships without an engage- 
 ment. There was still eight to ten days' sail ; some 
 vessels would have sailed worse than the rest or met 
 some accident; thus without striking a blow, he 
 would have diminished his fleet before reaching St. 
 Domingo, more than it would be by the most dis- 
 astrous battle ; then all the blame would have fallen 
 justly on the admiral, and on his l)ravery and not on 
 his inferiority. 
 
 The French fleet in battle order was joined at 8, A. 
 M., by the enemy in an order which exposed their 
 van to be crushed by the whole French tleet, without 
 giving time for the rest of the English fleet to prevent 
 it. The admiral, to profit by this unwise disposition, 
 wished liis whole fleet to veer at once to bring it on 
 the same tack as the enemv ; but this movement was 
 not executed, although it was repeated exactly and 
 known through the whole line. It hasbeei pretended 
 that they were too near the enemy to wear; as though 
 one could be too near an enemy when you wish to 
 engage him sharply ; and as though the commander's 
 
 i 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE ORASSE. 
 
 177 
 
 glance did not hIiow liini tliut wliat waw )»o8»il)lo for 
 li'iH vcHHcl waH wo tor the otherH. The order to voer in 
 »»uc(rHHi(»ii WHH no bettor exet'Uted, though it wonld 
 hftve HUpplied the faiinro of the otlior. The JKhnirul'ri 
 rigging wan totally cut up by o • f the seconds of 
 tlie KngliHli Hag nhip, another f'>- /ii ;■ vcHgel lost all 
 her nuiHts, the winds chunged in fii >;• of the English, 
 tlu' French line was cut in two places and a calm 
 eame on. As soon as the winds sprang up, tliey 
 miij^ht have reformed in line and done it so as to 
 render the English van useless in the engagement, for 
 It was to leeward. The admiral gave the order, but 
 in spite of all his signals a part of his tleot preferred to 
 run before the wind and keep on obstinately, even 
 with studding sails. 
 
 To render the history of this day clearer, requires 
 the signals and plans before the eye; but from what 
 has been sumnuirily said, there is no ofHcer in li <» 
 fleet, the least competent to judge, who will not see 
 that the tirst order i)Iaced us most advantageously, 
 and that after the calm the combat might have been 
 very honorably renewed. 
 
 At last at night, after having been constantly sus- 
 taini'd by seven or eight vessels, the '^/V/e de Paris, 
 long since abandoned by its two seconds, without 
 ammunition, her rigging all cut away, surrounded 
 and cannonaded by ten English vessels, surrendered 
 afti-r twelve hours tight, in such a state that she had 
 to be towed to damaica. 
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178 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 We have been told that not to be lost in Parisian 
 circles, it would have been more becoming to blow up 
 the flagship ; one must then be more ferocious on sea 
 than land, and in France more than in other nations. 
 Neither law nor honor gives a captain such a right 
 over his crew, he has only himself to kill. Fools and 
 cowards need this means of escaping shame; but 
 misfortune does not humiliate the brave. If the 
 Count de Grasse escaped over three hundred cannon 
 that swept his deck, it is clear that his destiny pre- 
 served his life only for his reputation sake ; for the 
 dead would all be wrong and the acts of the living be 
 whitened at their expense: this was well observed at 
 St. Domingo, where he was supposed to be certainly 
 killed. As soon as the contrary was known, language 
 and letters changed. 
 
 The Count de Grasse arrived at Jamaica April 29th ; 
 he was transferred on the 2d of May to Spanish towoi, 
 and the 19th of the same month to the Sandwich, 
 commanded by Admiral Parker, who was to escort 
 a fleet of merchantmen to Europe. He sailed May 
 25th and reached Portsmouth on the Slst of July, 
 arriving in London on the 3d of August by his 
 Britannic majesty's orders. He had scarcely entered 
 the lodgings prepared for him and the French officers 
 when General Conway, by the king's orders, wished 
 to give hinx a guard of honor, which he refused. Soon 
 after high officers of the court came from his majesty 
 to invite him to the palace of St. James, t) occupy 
 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 179 
 
 the apartments prepared for him. Sensible as the 
 Count de Grasse was to this honor, he begged his 
 majesty to excuse his not accepting it, and leaving 
 his comrades. An hour after the king sent to hire 
 for him the whole house where he lodged, ordered his 
 expenses and those of all the French officers to be 
 defrayed during their stay in his kingdom, and at the 
 same time announced that he expected to see him the 
 following Friday. 
 
 On the 9th of August, he with the French officers 
 had the honor of being presented to their Britannic 
 majesties and the royal family, who lavished on him 
 the most flattering marks.' 
 
 The visits, invitations from the ministiy, the eager- 
 ness of many leading men, the crowd at his door, and 
 wherever he passed, repeating their expressions of 
 consideration, are no unequivocal sign in a couutiy 
 where actors of every order and quality are hissed 
 and where the ignorant and the cowardly can never 
 hope to draw the crowd. 
 
 The king of England had himself given orders to 
 Admiral Keppel to convey the Count de Grasse and 
 the Fi'ench officers to France on vessels chartered at 
 the expense of the admiralty, as soon as they were 
 ready. He left London on the 12th, reached Calais on 
 the 13th, and Paris on the morning of the 16th. 
 
 • The king speaking uf the components of the French navy, wittily 
 termed the intruded captains and admirals as inspired officers, probably 
 with the same views on this matter ns the famous Admiral De 
 Ruyter. — Vie de Ruyter, Amsterdam, 1(598 /o/.,^. 098. 
 
180 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 On the 18th the Count de Grasue presented himself 
 before the king and obtained all that he could desire; 
 a severe examination of his conduct and a council of 
 war. This favor would have been complete, had the 
 result been more prompt; many think it might have 
 been, if, as is said, the Count de Grasse simply pre- 
 sents himself as captain of his vessel and admiral of 
 the fleet without charges against any one. Lock's 
 book and the plans of the battles are the only docu- 
 ments of the trial. The courage of the captain, the 
 intelligence of the commander, are the only questions. 
 The commanders of the fleet have then only to 
 produce the logs and plans ; as to the execution of 
 the signals, the commander is not responsible, and 
 this may be ample matter for another court mai-tial. 
 
 All can feel how painful it is to languish under the 
 public censure, for the public asks success. It must 
 even be avowed that fortune most surely indicates the 
 hero to the crowd ; with then) ' fortunate are always 
 skillful and prudent. Rept-i .auipaigns, combats, 
 decisive success, are lost in a single day, especially if, 
 beside the disfavor of a last misfortune, one has under- 
 gone, during the whole course of his command, a 
 concerted system of calumny, which spared neither 
 forged anecdotes nor false reports, nor odious suppres- 
 sions nor mercenary pens to accredit them as occasion 
 required. 
 
 Although time dispels illusions, it is no less afilict- 
 ing not to enjoy one's reputation till after death, 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 181 
 
 especially after having always lived more on consider- 
 ation than reward ; it' one commits no other crime 
 against his country than the unskillfulness or the 
 want of discipline of his subordinates ; and none 
 against some enemies, but the honor of despising 
 them, and the frankness of saying so. 
 
 When command has been i-eached only by cam- 
 paigns and combats, an old sailor has often more the 
 talent and even the roughness of the trade than the 
 turn and grace of society ; if his innocence supposes 
 too many guilty, it thereby augments the number of 
 those interested in his fall. Too isolated, too awk- 
 ward moreover to make u party, he can have only a 
 few gratuitous benevolent pai'tisans. 
 
 When we reflect on destiny, the Count de Grasse 
 might have had a more useful one. Had he been 
 dishonored from youth, driven from his native land 
 by public contempt, he would have gone pirating on 
 distant shores, and then escaped only by a royal hand 
 from the just reward with which the English repay a 
 breach of parol, this debut might yet have closed by 
 honors and reputation.' 
 
 Had he constantly had lits of baseness and hauteur, 
 timidity and rodomontade, familiarity and indiscre- 
 tion with his subalterns, dissimulation and childish 
 jealousy with the superiors, lucid moments of counsel 
 and reason with the rarest incoherences, some ideas 
 
 > AH thia alludes to d'EHtiting. 
 
\ •■ 
 
 182 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET 
 
 M 
 
 at first Bight, bold and luminous, always incomplete 
 or abortive on the whole or in execution ; if the pro- 
 ject agreed on the evening had been sacrificed to the 
 dreams of the night, it is clear that the wise and 
 especially medical men would have sought in the 
 animal economy the solution of all these contradic- 
 tions ; especially if they were told of an old disposition 
 from birth to suppose fabulous adventures, imaginary 
 combat«, visions by night and broad day, &c. Yet 
 some people would have taken these freaks for ideas 
 and this folly for genius. 
 
 Then the Count de Grasse become a great man, 
 might have left port, without even looking at his masts. 
 He might have exposed himself to perish in a neigh- 
 boring gulf, lose precious time in passing the straits 
 to range obstinately the opposite coast,' then throw 
 himself into a calm so as not to follow one of the two 
 common routes, and show on all occasions the most 
 settled love for this bizaiTc and dangerous tactics 
 against winds and coasts, that fortune would some- 
 times seem to have been exhausted not in giving him 
 success, but in getting him out of scrapes. 
 
 He would always have advanced or fallen back at 
 the wrong time, had 800 men killed in an impossible 
 
 ■The Count d'Eslaing Bailed from Toulon, April 13, 177H, and by 
 not putting in at Hieres was drawn into the gulf of Genoa; the 
 squadron, poorly fitted, lost her masts, and he hy the delay lost the 
 opportunity of surprising the English in the Delaware. 
 
 ■ 
 
'W0^- 
 
 UNDER THE COUNT DE GRASSE. 
 
 183 
 
 attack, instead of easily destroying a fleet at anchor.* 
 He might indeed have taken an ill defended island 
 and bruit about this victory which in the eyes of 
 sensible people deserved punishment, if only for the 
 fine occasion lost of seizing several ships of the line 
 and a whole convoy.* 
 
 At last, for his final adieu, he might have gone 
 and gratuitously sacrificed 1,500 men' and then de- 
 serted his fleet that in vain awaited him for several 
 days. He would have been received none the less as 
 a hero on his arrival, and in his happy hand all would 
 have become victories and laurels. Be not surprised, 
 the road to reach glory surely, is a simple one. 
 
 Ist. If the Count de Grasse had entered the navy 
 as a general, he would infallibly have decried hia 
 service to render it suspected and exceptionable. The 
 sensible people v/ho compose it, would have cried 
 very uselessly, that it never was a crime for a general 
 not to have been born a soldier, nor for an admiral 
 not to have been a sailor or midshipman. That they 
 know wondrous well that superior people fly where 
 others only crawl; that they have on the contrary 
 been enraptured to see a man announced as entei-pris- 
 ing arrive, in the hope that he might emancipate the 
 generals from the tutelage of bureaus and cabinets ; 
 
 I Mis aolion with Barring) on and repulse at St. Lucia. 
 
 'St. Vincent's. 
 
 'The attack on Snvnnnali. 
 
1 ,' 
 
 U-; 
 
 [ 
 
 184 
 
 OPERATIONS OF THE PREKCH FLEET 
 
 but that it must liowcver be avowed, that although 
 LuculluH left Rome a great eaptain, we iiiuHt not con- 
 clude that all the admirals who start from Paris have 
 the same privilege. • '■-' - = '• - • 
 
 2d. To give one's name to some fashions, figure as 
 a sliop sign, subsidize gazetteers and journalists, buy up 
 hawkers of songs and verses, write to merchants that 
 the art of convoying is at last discovered, that you are 
 the only man of precaution for their interests; ask 
 their advice and ordei-s, and call yourself with the viost 
 jyrofoiatd esteem avd rei*])ect, their very humble, jfc. Then 
 you get proclaimed in the squares of commerce, in 
 the public papers, applauded at the opera and played 
 on the boulevards. 
 
 But enough on the plan of fortune that his friends 
 might have desired for the (V)unt de Grasse: this is 
 only a slight interest when we consi<lcr the general 
 cause ; for the navj' and the whole nation is to be 
 thought of. If all this becomes a war of pen and 
 intrigue ; if by embarrassment, nuuiagement, or a 
 false and cruel sensibility, it is sought to draw the 
 curtain over the past, the present and the future are 
 lost, and the 12th of April, 17S2, on the first occasion 
 will perhaps decide a battle. 
 
 If it is feared that all was not prejudged and settled, 
 and that there were no judges, we might seek them 
 in a rival nation, enlightened aiul equitable however; 
 the peace otters a fine occasion of sending all the pro- 
 ceedings of the examination there, and the Hoods, 
 
UNDER THE COUNT DE ORASSE. 
 
 186 
 
 
 Howes, Parkers, Barringtons, Digbys, Graves, &c., 
 will judge the cause. '- < ^- ,.. i' vv •• '' ' ' \ . 
 Awaiting the result of an afiair on which all the 
 navies of the world keep an attentive eye, this is the 
 testimony of a witness who has not lost sight of the 
 flag since 1781. His grade gives no great weight to 
 his suffrage ; but as he speaks only of what he has 
 seen, he believes he owes the testimony to his country 
 and to truth, and he would not fear to give it or his 
 name before the crowd of milliners, painters of tavern 
 signs, cutlers, song hawkers, gazetteers, plagiarists 
 pit yellers, maids and valets of the wardrobe, court- 
 iers of intrigue and calumny, and above all before the 
 director and hero of the troupe. 
 
 24 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 / 
 
 • 11 
 
 SIEGE OF YORKTOWN, ETC. . 
 
 litiUr from Count de Graane to General Washington, 
 concerning Operations in the Chesapeake. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 C'ai'k Hknri, 28 Hcptember. 1781. 
 
 The intelligence, which yuur Kxcelluncy huH Huiit tu me by 
 the aid-de-camp of Count de Kochambeau, iu moat distreBsing. 
 I know but little of the evil and the progress, which this 
 operation may effect, but I perceive that our position is changed 
 by the arrival of Admiral Digby. 
 
 The enemy is now nearly o<|ual to us in strength, and it 
 would be imprudent in me to place myself in a situation, that 
 would prevent my attacking them, should they attempt to 
 afford succour. I have the honor, the.-.Jbre, to propose to 
 your Excellency tliat I should leave two vessels ut the mouth 
 of York River, and draw around mo all the rest, excepting 
 the corvettes and frigates, which have been blockading James 
 River since my arrival, and which are the Charlotte^ the 
 Cormorant, the Sandwich and one other frigate. The rest I 
 shall bring together, in order to sail and keep the sea, 
 that in case the enemy attempt to force the passage, I may 
 attack them in a less disadvantageous position. But it is 
 
IM 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 pouible, that tho iMue nf the combat luay force un to leeward, 
 and deprive ui of tho power of returning. Under thoae 
 oircuniHtHnceH, what could you do, what would be your re- 
 ■ourcoH ? I can not itacrifico tho army under my conimund, 
 and my prciicnt poaition iH neither favorable for attacking, nor 
 lecuro in cane of a gale. .,, 
 
 The anchorage at York, on which wo were agreed, dooH not 
 appear more suitable, considering the maritime forces of the 
 enemy ; because it would place mo in a very unfavorable posi- 
 tion, and would have no effect in preventing the reinforcement 
 from entering. I see no resource but the offing, and possibly 
 that may not leave me free to return within tho Capes. I 
 shall wait impatiently for your answer, and that of M. de 
 Rochambeau, to whom this letter is addressed in common with 
 you. I bog you to communicate it to him, and to send your 
 advice and opinions on tho subject. 
 
 If my troops, or those of M. do Ht. Himou, remain with you, 
 the two vessels and tho corvettes at James River will be 
 sufficient for you. I will sail with my forces towards New 
 York, and 1 may possibly do more for the common cause than 
 by remaining here an idle spectator. If the enemy do not 
 come out, it is evidently because they dare not. We shall 
 then consider what course to take. In tho meantime you will 
 push Cornwaliis vigorously, and we will act in concert, each 
 on his own side. I have the honor to be, with respectful con- 
 sideration, &c. 
 
 Count dk Orashe. 
 
 Letter of Gen. Washington to Count de Grasse. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 WiLLlAMSBUROii, 22 September, 1781. 
 
 The enclosed letter for your Excellency, and the copies of 
 others to Count do Rochambeau and myself, have this moment 
 come to my hands. I deem the intelligence they contain of 
 
APl'KNDIX. 
 
 181) 
 
 HO much importance, that I havu thuuf(ht It pro|M)r to traiiNinit 
 theiu iiiinicdiutcly to you by thu Hnroii (Mimoii, ono of tliu uuIm- 
 (lo-onnip to Cuuiit do lloohutiilHrnu.' 1 am, duar Hir, ko. 
 
 ThiR lott«r, HUHtaiiiod by tho uxplniiuttoiiN mid urguiiiontn of 
 the Marquis de liafuyutte, priiduottd n chuiiKfl in thu HchomoM 
 of Count do OrnHHo; iind ho iigrood to rctniiin within tho 
 CapoH, and blockade tho buy durin){ tho Hiogo. Ho laid tho 
 matter before a council of war. "Tho rooult haM boon," Muid 
 ho in hiM reply, '*thut tho plan I had Hu^^ontod waH the moHt 
 brilliant and gloriouM, but it would not fultill tho viowM wo 
 had propoHod. It Ih conHoquontly decided, that a largo part 
 of tho fleet Mhall anchor in York lliver, th"* four or five 
 veMolH Hhall bo Htationed ho aH to paNN up and down in JamoH 
 River, and thnt you Hhull aid uh with tho nioann to erect u 
 battery on Point ('onifort, where wo can place cannon and 
 mortarH. Wo nhall iinniodiiitety proceod to oxocuto thin 
 urrangomcnt, and I huHten to give you iiotiuo, that wo may act 
 ill ooncort fur tho advancouiont of our opuratioiiN." 
 
 iti 
 
 Ai'counI of de Orasae'^ (yonijitinf of Tdhnf/o, from (he 
 Gazette de France, Any, 10, 17HI. 
 
 The king'H floot, commanded by llio (!ouiit de OraHMo, had 
 gained Martinicu tho 2Hth of April. J!) thu afterno(m they 
 doHcried the oneniy'8 fleet, At H in tho evening tho admiral 
 learned that Fort lloyal wiih blocked up by Hoventoon KngliHh 
 HhipR and five frigatoH or othi <iglit vohhoIh, Tho next morning 
 at break of day, the fleet Mtoerod for Fort Uoyal with itx convoy, 
 and at half past eleven the two fleetM wore within cannon Hhot. 
 The engagement began and tho Count do OruHHo gave orders 
 for tho c(mvoy to put into Fort lloyat, whilHt the two fleets 
 
 ■The intelligence contained In tlie lei lent w»pi, tlial Admiral Digby 
 had just arrived at New York wilb a rel»rui'coineiil of six Bhipa of the 
 line. 
 
 1'^ 
 
 ir 
 
190 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 were engaged. From the beginning of the action the enemy 
 crowded sail ; the French pursued them thirty leagues to the 
 westward of St. Lucia; and having no hopes of coming up 
 with them, returned to Martinico, where the fleet anchored 
 the 6th of May. 
 
 The Sieur Fournicr de Bellevue, lieutenant, died of the 
 wound he received in the engagement. The Sieur de Perigny 
 of the marine guard had an arm shot off. 
 
 As soon as the (^unt de Grasse was joined by the Marquis 
 de Bouill^, Governor General of Martinico, they concerted 
 together an expedition against the island of Tobago ; but in 
 order to conceal that operation, and take oflf the enemy's 
 attention, it was agreed to miiko u false attack, with 1,500 men 
 on St. Lucia. 
 
 In consequence of this project the Marquis de Bouill<5 set out 
 the 8th of May, with the troops for the false attack, and the 
 squadron sailed the 9th with a reinforcement of troops ; those 
 destined to attack the island of Ti-iago under the command of 
 the Sieur de Bhinchelandc, went off at the same time under 
 the protection of the ships le Pluton and lit Serapk, commanded 
 by Count d'Albert de Rions. On the 10th at midnight, the 
 troops were landed under the fire of the batteries of Gros Islet 
 of St. Lucia ; the enemy's cannon did no damage nor occasioned 
 any loss. At 2 o'clock the troops were on land, and the boats 
 under sail ; the fleet to the windward of St. Lucia covered the 
 expedition. The guard was surprised, the sentinel killed, 
 and an officer and 94 soldiers taken, who occupied the town of 
 Gros Islet. 
 
 The Mar({uis de Bouill<^, informed of the position of the 
 enemy, who had fallen back to their posts, and being well in- 
 formed that the Morne Fortun<> could not be taken, because 
 the island had received a reinforcement of GOO men two days 
 before, made his troops rei'uibark the 12th in the night, to the 
 number of 1,500 men, leaving only 2 behind, who had strayed 
 in the island ; and bringing away with him 120 prisoners, a 
 great number of muskctn, clothing, kc. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 191 
 
 The fleet cruised till the 15th, to windward of St. Lucia; it 
 then returned to Fort Royal ; the Marquis de Bouill4 embarked 
 on board of it with 3,000 men ; the 25th it put to sea, anU the 
 30th, in the morning, was in sight of the island of Tobago. 
 
 They discovered some enemy's ships to windward j it was a 
 division of six ships, with as many transports, that were going 
 to the relief of tb" i island ; that division yvp.:, chased by our 
 fleet, but could come up with only one vessel on the lookout, 
 which was taken. 
 
 The Sieui de Blanchelande had happily eflected his debark- 
 ation the 24th, under cover of the ships, the Pluto and the 
 J'Jxpen'meiit, which had driven the enemy from the battery ; 
 he had taken the town of Scarborough, and a little fort that 
 prelected it; but the English had entrenched themselves on a 
 ver^ ''igh mountain, with cannon, provisions and 800 men. 
 
 The 31st, the Marquis du Chilleau landed with the battalion 
 of Viennoit, at Man of War bay, to windward of the island ; 
 the Marquis de Bouill^ disembarked with the battalion of 
 Dillon and 300 grenadiers and chasseurs of the rAginjents of 
 Armaguac and Auxerrois, in Courland bay; tLe Count de 
 Dillon, the Count de Damoy, and the Marquis de Livarot, 
 landed with the rest of the troops. 
 
 The Marquis de Bouill^ having marched to S<^arborough, 
 found there the troops commanded by the Sieur do Blanche- 
 lande, in sight of the enemy, who had intrenched themselves 
 on the Morne Fortun6 to the number of 3 or 400 troops, and 
 4 or 500 militia, a number of negro chasseurs, seven pieces of 
 cannon, and two obitzcrs. It was decided to attack that post 
 with 2,000 men, who were assembled in a moment under the 
 command of the Manjuis de Bouill6. 
 
 The Morne Concorde was abandoned in the night : the 
 enemy being informed of the arrival of the French troops, were 
 in full march, after having spiked up their guns; the van of 
 our troops pursued them, and all the rest soon followed, the 
 Viscount de Dames had orders to take post on the Morne 
 Concorde. 
 
 The enemy was pursued a whole day ; the heat was excessive. 
 
 .:» \ 
 
192 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 the roads bad, and Btrewedwith English Holdiers dead or dying 
 of fatigue: the French troops could no longer stand it, and 
 there remained only about 150 chasseurs of Walsh and Koyal 
 Gonitois in the van guard, when they came up with the Eng- 
 lish troops who had halted in a defile. 
 
 Major Ferguson, commandant general of the island, then 
 capitulated; and on the 2d of June, the governor and the 
 garrison laid down their arms and their standards. 
 
 The garrison consisted of about 400 men of the 86th regi- 
 ment and of the artillery, 300 of which were embarked on 
 board of the French ships; between 4 and 500 Scotchmen 
 composed the militia, which was very fine and equal to regular 
 troops. 
 
 We have not yet an exact account of the stores taken ; it is 
 estimated that there must be 50 pieces of large cannon, seven 
 field pieces and two brass obitzers. 
 
 Journal of the Operations of the Fleet under Count de 
 Grasse, abridged from the Gazette de France of the 20th 
 of November. 
 
 [Alraon's Remembrancer, xiii, 40.] 
 
 Comte de (Jrassc after a very short passage from Brest, 
 arrived the 29th of April, oif Martinico, whence he drovt off" 
 18 English ships of the line, which had blockaded that place for 
 the space of 50 days. As they had the advantage both of wind 
 and swiftness, the comte was obliged to drop the chase, and 
 enter Fort Royal. A feint attack was made upon St. Lucia, 
 when the real intention wa.s to take Tobago, which colony was 
 reduced, in the very sight even of Rodney himself, who, with 
 22 ships against 24, was pleased to stand an unconcerned 
 spectator, keeping an awful distance, and constantly refusing 
 coming to action, which the French offered him with a good 
 grace. The 5th of August, the fleet weighed anchor from St. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 108 
 
 Domingo, and on the 30th arrived in the Bay of Chesapeak. 
 The difipatches of Generals Washington and Rochambeau, 
 received by Comte de (Irasse, informed him of the situation 
 of their army, and the success which the British arms had 
 obtained in Virginia and Maryland. The frigate Concorde, 
 by which the intelligence had been conveyed, was sent back 
 to acquaint the above generals that the French fleet was 
 arrived off Cape Henry. Here the comte took up 3,300 men, 
 under the command of Marquis St. Simon, and distributed 
 them on boai ' the 28 ships of war which composed his fleet. 
 Comte Barras, informed of the disposition, and thinking that 
 his union with the Comte de Grasse would be of the greatest 
 service, cheerfully renounced the superior command which he 
 had in the northern parts, and sailed for the Chesapeake. The 
 Glorieiix, the Aigrette, and the Dili'gente, sailed before the 
 fleet and took the advice boat Loyalist. The Ghrieux dropped 
 anchor at the mouth of the river York and next day being 
 reinforced by the Vail/ant and the Triton, the river James 
 was also shut up, and every means taken to prevent the r3treat 
 of Lord Cornwallis to Carolina. Marquis Saint Simon, with 
 his 3,300 men, arrived at the head of the river James, on the 
 2d of September, the Marquis do La Fayette on the 3d, v;ith a 
 body of troops under his command ; and on the 4th they pro- 
 ceeded to Williamsburgh, five leagues from York. The fleet, 
 moored at Lynn Haven, was waiting for intelligence concern- 
 ing the march of (leneral Washington ; as also the return of 
 their boats and sloops, when on the 5th the enemy's fleet was 
 descried bearing down to the Chesapeake with crowded sails. 
 Comte de Grasse instantly dispatched orders to recall the rowing 
 boats, which were taking in water, and directed the fleet to be 
 in readiness for weighing, which was effected by noon, when 
 they formed themselves in a line. 
 
 Notwithstanding the absence of 1,800 men and 90 oflScers 
 
 employed in landing the troops, in less than three-quarters of 
 
 an hour, the whole line was formed in the following order : 
 
 Pluto, Bourgogne, Marseillois, DiaUinic, Refi&chl, Auguste, 
 
 25 
 
 ■<!• 
 
194 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Suiiit fJsprif, Cuton, Cfesnr, Dentin, Vitle de Paris, Vic- 
 toire, Sceptre, Northumherlanil , Palmier, Solitaire, Citoj/en, 
 Scipion, Ma<innnime, Ilercule, Laiujuedoc, Zili, Hector, and 
 Siiiveraiii. The enemy had kept the wind, forming them- 
 Belvea in a line upon the starboard tack. At 2 o'clock they 
 tacked altogether on the same tack with us, without being, 
 nevertheless, drawn out in parallel line ; the rear of Admiral 
 Graves being infinitely to the windward of his van, the head- 
 most ships of the French fleet were by the current, too far to 
 windward, to keep in a regular line. At 4 o'clock the action 
 began at the van commanded by Sieur de Bougainville, with a 
 very brisk tiro, and successively all the ships of the main body 
 came in for their share. At 5, the wind having continued in 
 its variation, the French van still remained too far to wind- 
 ward : that of Admiral Graves was very ill treated, and this 
 officer improved the advantage of the wind, to keep at a dis- 
 tance, and avoid being attacked by the French rear. The 
 Hetting of the sun terminated this combat. 
 
 The 7th, at noon, the wind shifted favorably for the French 
 fleet. Conite de G rsisse drew near to the enemy, and manoeuvred 
 during the evening, in order to keep the wind in the night. 
 The Hth at the dawn. Admiral (J raves improved a favorable 
 gale, in an endeavor to gain the wind of the French. In the 
 evening of the JMh, Comte de (irasse, by a skillful manoeuvre 
 had the great advantage of being idde to crowd more sail, his 
 ships having suffered much less tiian those of the Knglish 
 squadron; but iti the night the enemy disapjteared. C'omte 
 de Gras.«c seeing the difliculty there was of forcing Admiral 
 Graves to an action, and fearing, lest by means of some favor- 
 able wind, the enemy would get before him to the Chesapeake, 
 returned thither to continue his operations. The 11th, the 
 two frigates lilchnwud and //•/)!, which sailed the evening 
 before from tlie bay, where they had been to cut off the buoys 
 of the fleet of the C'omte de Gra*>se, fell into his hands. 
 
 The French fleet, in the affair of the Sth, consisted of 24 
 ships of war and two frigates. Admiral Graves, reinforced by 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 195 
 
 Hood, had 20 sail of the line, two of them three deckers, and 
 nine frigates and advice boats; according to their own account, 
 five of their principal ships were considerably damaged, and 
 especially the Tcrrilde, of 74 guns, the sixth ship of the line, 
 which they set on fire on the 9th at night; as it was impossible 
 to keep her above water. The 15 ships first above mentioned, 
 in the French line were all that were engaged, and opposed to 
 the same number of the enemy's ships; five of the English 
 rear having refused to come within reach. The French fleet 
 on this occasion lost Capt. Boades of the Kefltchi; Lieut. 
 Dufe d'Orvault, major of the blue squadron; Khaal, a Swede 
 and midshipman on board the Caton; cfc la ViUeou, auxiliary 
 officer on board the Diaileme; 180 wounded; in all killed and 
 wounded, 200. 
 
 Meanwhile the combined armies of America and France had 
 reached the mouth of Elk river, the van guard under the command 
 of Comte de Custine, who had embarked on board country 
 vessels arrived at Williamsburgh the 19th, the rest of the 
 army, commanded by Baron de Viomesnil, having marched as 
 far as Baltimore, took shipping there, on board frigates and 
 transports sent by Oomte de Urasse, On the 24th they all 
 met at Williamsburgh; there Generals Washington and lloch- 
 ambeau had arrived on the 18th by land, having only two aids 
 de camp iu their train. On the I8th the generals went on 
 board the Ville de Fon's. in order to consult with Comte de 
 Urasse on the best methods to be pursued. The French 
 admiral left Lynn Haven, where the ships could not be safe, 
 and went to that which is above Milbank ground and Horse- 
 shoe, where they dropped ani^hor in a line in order to prevent 
 Admiral Graves, now reinforced by the arrival of Admiral 
 Digby, from giving any assistance to Lord Cornwallis. Three 
 ships were also appointed to shut up the entrance of James 
 river. On the Hist 800 men from the marines were sent as a 
 reinforcement to the Sieur de Choisy, who then blockaded 
 Gloucester, with the Duke of Lauzun's legion and 2,000 
 Americans. Yorktown was invested on the 29th and the 
 
196 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 trench on the 7th of October, P. M, On the 17th Lord 
 Gornwallis desired a suspennion of hostilities for 24 hours 
 (General Burgoyne had signed four years ago on the same 
 day, the convention of Saratoga). Two hours were granted 
 him, and then he made overtures for capitulation. A whole 
 day was taken up in debating about the articles, which at 
 length were concluded and signed the 19th. 
 
 In the posts of York and Gloucester were found 6,000 
 regulars, English and Hessians; 11 pair of colors; 1,500 
 seamen; 106 guns of different bores, 75 of which were brass 
 ordnance; 8 mortars; about 40 ships, 1 of them of 50 guns, 
 which was burnt; besides 20 sail of transports which were 
 sunk, and amongst them the frigate Guadeloupe. 
 
 Actions of April 9th and 12th. 
 
 The author of the Vnifage d'lin Suisse dans diffrrenteit 
 cohniesd' Amerique pendant la fArneVrcf/j/frre, Neuchatel, 1785, 
 who was present at Pe Grassc's defeat, thus describes it : 
 
 " Admiral Rodney every day .sends out some frigates, which 
 come to the entrance of the harbor to observe us. 
 
 M. de Grasse's fleet takes incessantly all the troops here 
 except 2,000 men who remain to defend the island. And I 
 who have obtained permission to embark on board a man of 
 war, may hope that in such good company nothing will retard 
 my arrival in St. Domingo. 
 
 On the 7th of April, I repair to my new post, where all to 
 my eyes seems beautiful. 
 
 The French fleet, composed of .S4 ships, has already divided 
 up all the supplies brought by the last convoy from Europe : 
 yet it still wants many essential things, especially powder and 
 extra spars. The merchant convoy, bound to St. Domingo, 
 sets sail at daybreak, under a special escort of two 50 gun ships. 
 The fleet commanded by M. de Grasse then hoists sail, and by 
 afternoon we were all at sea. The convoy sails to leeward of 
 the fleet. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 197 
 
 On the 9th iit dawn, we saw the English and made out 49 
 miil. There reigned Huch supreme disorder among ua at the 
 time that the merchantmen were peUmell with the men of war, 
 and we were afraid that tho enemy would attack us in this 
 confusion. All however was disentangled so well and so 
 speedily that our line of battle was formed perfectly about 9, 
 A. M., while the convoy, brought close together fell back on 
 Guadaloupc. 
 
 This change of scene relieved our minds and kept the 
 English in check. They, however, kept the weather-gage 
 and came quite near us. At this juncture, a calm cut off 
 their rear with half the centre from the rest of their fleet. M. 
 de Gras.se then signalled to bear down and wc had the advan- 
 tage of cannonading the part of tlieir fleet that could not be 
 supported by the rest. This engagement lasted three hours 
 and was indecisive, but it gave our convoy time to take refuge 
 at Guadaloupc. Admiral itodney by the help of a light 
 breeze succeeded in bringing his fleet together, ran before the 
 wind and insensibly disappeared from our eye,-*. 
 
 This action took place near the Isle des Saintes between 
 Dominica and Guadaloupc. M. de Grasse preserved the 
 weather-gage, but did not pursue the English, contenting him- 
 self with tacking in Dominica channel, and detached a frigate 
 with orders, as we supposed, to get the convoy under way next 
 night. This conjecture seemed to us the more probable, as it 
 could while covered by us reach St. Domingo without danger. 
 
 On the morning of the 10th the English again hove in sight. 
 They seemed to have a regular move of tide by day and ebb 
 at night, and we kept on tacking in Dcmiinica channel, holding 
 the weather-gage. 
 
 On the 11th it was the same on the English side and ours. 
 M. de Grasse's object in the.se manoeuvres, which brought us 
 up to the same spot, seemed to be to hold the English at bay 
 to give his convoy time to reach St Domingo. * * * 
 
 The sea in the gulf enclosed by these isles (Dominica, Gua- 
 daloupc. Marie (>alante. Sainte) is ordinarily calmer than that 
 without the same gulf, I saw it every night luminous in the 
 
 II 
 
 
 ill 
 
 I ii 
 
198 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ship's track ; and the greatest heat that I observed up to this 
 time was 22°, the least 10°. 
 
 It is not unconinion on this sea to see one vessel becalmed 
 very near another keeping steadily on. This difference is 
 always produced by a limited puff of wind, produced by some 
 isolated cloud. These little currents of air which pierce the 
 calm, and which mock the skill of commanders, sometimes 
 decide the gain or loss of a battle. On the last occasion, for 
 instance, when the English were separated and could not get 
 together, had not de Qrasse a fine chance, the whole French 
 fleet having a wind? He had apparently good reasons for 
 neglecting so considerable an advantage, which fortune prof- 
 fered him. 
 
 Although the action of the 9th was a small affair, yet it 
 sufficed to give me some idea of a sea fight. Every one knows 
 his post beforehand. A part of the crew remains on deck to 
 work the ship and the rest are employed in the butteries ; the 
 cabin boys are engaged in furnishing the ammunition fur each 
 piece, and they fire as they get ready. 
 
 To say that perfect order then reigns in the vessel would be 
 too much. The noise of the cannon, the cries of the boys, the 
 gunners and the smoke, necessarily create some confusion in 
 so small a space; yet it is not so great as to embarrass any one 
 in doing his duty ; it is ruther a general hurrah that inflates 
 the courage and increases the powers of each. 
 
 The English seem to fire in preference ut the musts and we 
 at the hull. Their method has the advantage over ours of 
 disabling the vessels they engage sooner. Ours is more 
 murderous, dismounts many cannon, and sometimes sinks a 
 vessel. 
 
 The true reason of our different manner of aiming is per- 
 haps that the timber of the English ships are Ic.'is solid than 
 ours. 
 
 Be that as it may, if the projects of this campaign are 
 realized, the French will have more than one chance to cope 
 with their enemies not only by i^cu but by land also. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 199 
 
 Seven thousand regular troops collected from all the Wind- 
 ward Isles, distributed in the vessels of the fleet and the convoy, 
 are going to join 4,000 more French and 10,000 Spanish 
 troops and 14 vessels of the same nation, which are at the 
 capo. The most general opinion is, that we are going to 
 besiege Kingston in order to take Jamaica from the English. 
 These are great preparations; beautiful projects! Shall we 
 see them fulfilled '( 
 
 April 12th. The dawn scarcely oasts some light over the 
 horizon, when we beheld our foe already ranged in good order; 
 they approach us majestically. The ZH6, one of M. de 
 Grasso's fleet, much injured by being run into, asks leave 
 to put back, obtains it, and steers for Gundaloupe.' The 
 English at once try to cut her off'. M. de Grasse, believing 
 her in danger wishes to save her and signals his whole fleet to 
 prepare for action and to bear down on the eneniy.2 Our 
 vessels were then so dispersed, and their speed so various, that 
 only nine were in line, including the flag ship about 7}, A. 
 M., when we got near enough to engage. 
 
 The fire was very lively on both sides, and so close that the 
 grape shot alone pierced our second battery. The English 
 three deckers complnisantly presented their broadside to our 
 smaller vessels so as to crush them more speedily. 
 
 For almost three hours the nine French vessels bore the 
 brunt of the whole English fleet, when the Glorieux, 74, 
 appeared like an isolated ponton in the midst of the field of 
 battle, and drifting down on the enemy's line. One of our 
 frigates went to take her in tow, hoping to bring her to wind- 
 ward, within reach of help. But the effort, praiseworthy as it 
 was, was unsuccessful, and the officer in command of the 
 Glorievc himself cut the tow-line so as not to compromise to 
 no purpose one of our best frigates. Then hoisting the French 
 flag on the stump of the main mast, he was seen in the midst 
 
 ' The Caton had left U8 the day previous for the anme reasoti. 
 ' Many sailors are of opinion that the Ziti ran no risk. 
 
200 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 of tho KngliHli with thuutiiiotit intrepidity Hriiig Ixitli broadKidoH 
 niid ruccivin|r thuiii un ull HiduH. 
 
 Hut durill^ ull the tiiiiu that cliipHcd t'roni tho coiuincnoe- 
 inent of tho uctioii, what wero our othor vohmoIh doing' Thoy 
 bore down in HUcccMHion, and ah each got in reach fired 
 separately, wo that each had ulwayw Hoveral cneniioH on lier. 
 ThiM inequality HubHiHtcd from the euuinionccnient of the 
 action, and M. de (iraHHO in vain hignalled them to ral'^ ; liis 
 HignalH wero never executed. We lost the advantage of the 
 wind about the middle of the day and Home of our vcHHeU were 
 obliged to bear away. UtherH for tiiu Hame reason kept ho far 
 to windward, that their prcHcnco became uhcIohh. At laHt at 
 8, P. M , the (iforiiujT being no longer Hupported and finding 
 herHcIf amid the Knglinh. Htruek after withntanding a terrible 
 fire. Soon after the Anfiiit, llnlor, an(' ('i»ar underwent tho 
 same fate. There now remained in reach of the Englinh fleet 
 only the Villf ifr J'miii with a nniall number of our ships. 
 The IV/A- i/r J'lniH in spite ol" her triple fire was soon sur- 
 rounded and juHtly gave us the geatent alarm. Night was 
 beginning to spread his sombre veil over that scene of horror 
 and carnage; the starry heaven secuicd to invite all nature to 
 re])ose; but our infernal mouths still kept vomiting fire and 
 death. 1 They at last ceased about Tj, 1'. M., and each one in 
 our ship conjectured, without daring to say so, that the 
 admiral himself had surrendered. 
 
 Till then we had kept the wind, a league from the English, 
 but seeing Hood's division in pursuit of our scattered vessels, 
 we ran before tho wind and the darkness favored our retreat. 
 
 Had Commodore Hood sooner obtained of admiral Rodney 
 the permission he solicited, as 1 have been told, ti) execute 
 this mana'uvrk., in the di.>)order, distress, and <-onsternation we 
 
 > Tlio repeated comniotions of tlie artillery made n calm succeed the 
 breeze wliich prevailed during the early part of tlic day. Over a 
 hundred tliuuBaiid dischurges of cannon were fired in this action on 
 both Bides, without including the fire of the swivels. 
 
Al'l-hNDlX. 
 
 201 
 
 woro all ill, it Ih to Itu itroHUiiittil tliiit ho Wdiild liiivo iiiuii(i no 
 gnuit rusiHtiiiicu in griipplinK Huviiriil of our HliipH; wliili; in t'uet 
 tliuy hud time to CHcapo, Iiocuiiho Iio ht'^iin tho |iurHiiit too liitu. 
 
 Hut wu can Hiiy tliat wo dirl not ti^ht an inntaiit in line. 
 Wo ^avc ourHcivoM iHolutud to thu iiiiitod Kn^liMli, who onisiuul 
 our dctachud vuhhvIh by tlioir HUiuirior nunihor; and thiH 
 niunncr uf detbatiiig um Houuicd ho ttuHy that hud tliu day hiHtud 
 a t(!W hiiiirH inoru not oiii; would huvit ohcuikmI. A torrililo 
 luHHoii tor an admiral who iicgloclH unity of action, on which 
 nil HucccHH dupundn. Witli a Hli^lit reflection on tho manner 
 in which the enKii^rement wuh brought on, we niUHt admire 
 tho fortune of tho KngliNh atlmirul, and be HurpriHod that he 
 protited so little by it. 
 
 About 9, 1'. M,, our vohmoI whn oiitirely HOparatod from tho 
 roHt of the Vronoh fleet. The captain commanding tleoiim it 
 proper to alter our courne to the H. W., ho an not to fall in with 
 tho ononiy. We had wcarcely made three loaguoH in thiw 
 direction, when a vomhoI huilod um. She wuh in our wake. 
 Wo recognized one of our Hoot and we agreed to keoj) company. 
 Tho linntockH were ko|)t lighted all night for fear of Hur- 
 prino; and each ime Htood to his pont, but with no lightH 
 outHido, to avoid being perceived. 
 
 About 11, 1*. M., we had, two or three leagues to leeward, 
 tho tragi(!al Hpectacic :;f « 'iissisl on lire. Tlu- explosion of the 
 niaga/.ino was not long delayed, then the burning iiiuhh disap- 
 peared entirely. It wan the Cimir:' 
 
 On the l.'Jth wo endeavored to repair an well an wo could do 
 at Hoa, and wo needed it greatly; for after the fight (mr sails 
 and rigging wore in ragn; wo had not a ninglo nhoot to the 
 foremast. AVo had over eighty balln in the hull, eight under 
 the water lino, and a hundred men killed or wounded of our 
 crew of five hundred. 
 
 ***** >!<♦ **** 
 
 On the Dtli of 3Iay, good day's ."I'il wind astern. In the 
 
 > It tuok fire in tlie lioltl in a barrul of i-utufia wliicli a drunken 
 English sailor went to with nn open liiiilorn. 
 
 20 
 
202 
 
 Al'PKNDIX. 
 
 ahcriuM)!! wti Mt'o u iiiiin of wnr: wo iiiiulo Hintitilx; it wub 
 one of our frif^atcfl Hunt out trmn (lio fiipo to louk fur uhj 
 iti* iniHHioii lioiiifr riilHIIi'd it rcturiiH witli u«. Th« offitvr in 
 ooniniiiii(i (I itirnis the <'M|iturt! nt' M. tie (iriixHo, which wu hud 
 inen-iy i4UH|K>('tiHi ; anil mforniM Uf tliut th(> Cofun loul Juiuiii, 
 NhipH of tho line, uml tho friptti^H Mmnhlf and the littlit Clrt» 
 had hcon afterwards taiccn hy IIt)od'i« diviHion in t)u> rhanixd 
 of Porto llico. 
 
 Itixlney')* Account of the Actions of April *Mh ai\d VJh. 
 
 FoiiMlDAHi.K. at Hca. 14th April, 1782. 
 Sir: — I must doHJro you will ai-(|uuint thoir lordMhipM, that 
 iiotwitliHtunding tht; disposition I have nntdo of his .Majesty's 
 fleet under my eoniinand. whieli were stationed to windward 
 of the Freneli islands in a line stretching; from the latitud ■ of 
 Deseadtt to the latitude of St. Vincent's, with a line of frij^ntes 
 to windward, which their l(trdshij)s may perceive by the dispo- 
 oition of the fleet 1 have the honimr to inclose, and which 
 disposition wu- ihouf^ht hy every officer of the fleet to he such 
 08 to rondei it impossible for any convoy hound to the French 
 Islandn t I escaju . yet notwithstanding the vijrilance of every 
 cuptain and officer, the enemy fuund means to escajie by making 
 the island of Deseadu, and creeping close under (iiuidaloupo 
 and lJomini<|ue. they arrived safe in the bay of Fort Hoyiil on 
 the 2Uth and 21st of .March. 
 
 Information having been given mo of this unlucky event, I 
 thought it to be my duty to return to the bay of (Jros Inlet, 
 St. Lucia, where I had ordered tho store ships, victuallers, 
 and trade bound to Jamaica to ronibzvous. 
 
 On my arrival in that bay every ui/ij n.r'i ] fisHible was niado 
 in refitting oi ilie fleet, and taking i' y:'<r.y . i. , rtvisionHt livu 
 months of all species for tho whol . ! . a watchful eye being 
 kept the whole time on the French fleet in the bay of Fort 
 Uoyul, as I knew that Counte dc (irasse would hasten the re- 
 
Al'I'KMMX. 
 
 203 
 
 fitting' liJH flcot, ami tiiki' rhi* i\rnt uppiirturiity of pructfeHitig to 
 tho pincf of hin iloMttiiiitiori. 
 
 Oil thti till , of April. I iiieulviid itittlliKiinc*) that tho eiiviny 
 wuru oiiiharkiiiK thi'ii* tinopH on himni <ii' tln-ir i«hipM of wur; 
 uiid coiicIikUuI tlioy iiitcmli'tl U> viil in u vi'iy r»>w liuyn. 
 
 <'upt. Hyroii of thii Ani/rnmin/ir, iiii iKiti*( briMk ami 
 diligont ofliuur, wutuhuil tlu-ir iiiolioiih with Nui^h nttuiilioii, 
 thut uii tho Hth iiiMtiitit, iit ihiyli^ht, he iiinilo tho Nigiiul of thi- 
 oiu'iiiy'N cdiniiiK out, ami HtMiidiii^ to \\w nortliwcNt, I iiiHtaiitly 
 uiuilt! tho ni^iial to weigh, ami having lnoio'il into thi* bays of 
 Fort [loyul ami >St, I'icrrii'N wIku'o no uni'niy'H Nhipn nuiiuinoii 
 I luuiiu tliu signal for a gttnorul cIihho, and linforc dayligli 
 cauiu up with the enemy littforo Donn ii(|ii<', wluiri) both flcutn 
 were buculnied. and eontinued ho for ni me tinu>, 
 
 Tho oncniy tirHt got tho wind and lood for (iuadtiloupe; 
 uiy van division under that gallant rtDi' er, Itear Admiral Mir 
 Samuel Hood, received it next andNtood ifier iheni, At nine 
 tho enemy began to eannonado my van. whi<di waH returned 
 with tho greatoHt briskneHH. 
 
 The baffling winds under |)ominii|ue did not |iermit part of 
 the centre division to get into acfion wilii the eneniy's rear 
 till half past eleven, and then only the ship next to me in the 
 line of battle. 
 
 Their lordships may easily imagine the nm liiication it muHt 
 have been to the sixteen gallant otiieers eomn Hiding tho shipH 
 uf tho rear, who could only be spectators id' an action in which 
 it wuH not in their power tn join, being detaiml in tho calmo 
 under I>(miini(|uc. 
 
 The enemy's cannonade ceased upon mv rear iipproach.but 
 not before they had done considerable daiinige ' ' tlu; ships of 
 the van, and diHabletl the h'oi/n/ On/,' and the Uonfni/u, and 
 his Majesty had lost a gallant oflicer. viz; ('apt, 'iiyne, of the 
 Alfiiil, and a number of otiieers and seamen ; but itch was the 
 steady behavior uf Sir Samuel Hood and the shi|i-> id' tho van, 
 that the enemy received more damage than they ofcasioned. 
 
 The night of the ilth the riiet lay to to repair the ir damages. 
 
 
 li 
 
i 
 
 204 
 
 Al'I'ENIHX. 
 
 The 10th they continued to turn to wiiitlwiird under easy sail, 
 the eneuiys' fleet eoiitinuiufj; to do the same, and alwayw hud 
 It in their power to couie to action, which they cautiously 
 avoided, and rendered it impossible for me to force them, in 
 the situation they were in between tlie Sainte and the Ishmd 
 of I)omini(jue. 
 
 On the 11th of April, tlie enemy having {r.iined considerably 
 to windward, and the wind blowing a fresh and steady gale, I 
 made the signal for a general chase to windward, which con- 
 tinued the whole day. Towards sunset some of the headmost 
 ships of the fleet had approached near to one of the enemy's 
 ships that hud received damage in the late action, and had 
 certainly taken her, if the Counte de (irasse had not borne 
 down with his whole fleet for her protection, and which 
 brought him so near, that I flattered myself he would give me 
 an opportunity to engage him next day. With that view I 
 threw out the signal for the form of sailing, and stood with 
 the whole fleet to the southward till two o'clock in the morn- 
 ing and then tacked, and had the happiness at daylight to find 
 my most sanguine desire was near being accomplished, by my 
 having it in my power to force the enemy to battle. Not one 
 moment was lost in putting it into execution, the consequence 
 has been such as I have the honor to rojjrcsent in my former 
 letter of this tlay; andean say no more than that too much 
 praise can not be given to the gallant otliccrs and mon of tlic 
 fleet 1 had the honor to command. I have the honor to be, 
 with great regard, Sir. your most obedient and 
 
 most humble servant. 
 
 G. B. RoD.NEY. 
 
 N. B : Lord Cranston and ('apt. IJyron relate, that the 
 Cfrmr. one of the captured ships, soon after she was taken 
 po.ssession of, took fire by accident and blew up, and a consider- 
 able number of people on board her unfortunately perished; 
 and that Lord Uobcrt Manners, died in his passage home in 
 the Aitilriiiiuirhr. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 205 
 
 Formidable, at Sea. April 14th, 1782. 
 
 Sir : — It has pleased (iod, out of his Divine Providence, to 
 grant to his majesty's arms a complete victory over the fleet of 
 his enemy con»mandcd by the Countc de Orasse, who is himself 
 captured with the Vlllv ih Paris, and four other ships of the 
 fleet, besides one sunk in the action. This important victory 
 was obtained the 12th instant, after a battle which lasted 
 with unremitting fury from seven in the morning until 
 half past six in the evening, when the setting sun put an end 
 to the contest. Both fleets have greatly sufiered, but it is 
 with the highest satisfaction I can assure their lordships that 
 though the masts, sa'.ls, and riggings, and hulls of the British 
 are damaged, yet the loss of men has been but small consider- 
 ing the length of the battle and the close action they so long 
 sustained. The gallant behavior of the officers and men of 
 the fleet I have the honour to command, has been such as 
 must forever endear them to all lovers of their king and 
 country. 
 
 The noble behavior of my second in command. Sir Samuel 
 Hood, who in both actions most conspicuously exerted himself, 
 demands my warmest encomiums; my third in command, Rear 
 Admiral Drake, who with his division led the battle on the 
 12th instant, deserve ^ the highest praise; nor less can be given 
 to Commodore Aflleck for his gallant behavior in leading the 
 centre division. My own captain, Sir Charles Douglass, merits 
 everything I can possibly say ; his unremitted diligence and 
 activity greatly ea.sed me in the unavoidable fatigue of the day. 
 
 In short I want words to express how .sensible I am of the 
 meritorious conduct of all the captains, officers and men. who 
 had a share in this glorious victory, obtained by their gallant 
 exertions. 
 
 The enemy's whole army consisting of 5,500 men were o:i 
 board their ships of war ; the destruction among them must be 
 prodigious, as for the greatest part of the action every gun 
 told, and their Lordships may judge what havock must have 
 been made, when the Formtduhlc fired near eight broadsides. 
 
206 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Enclosed I have the honor to send for their inspection the 
 British and French linesof battle with an account of the killed 
 and wounded, and damages sustained by his Majesty's fleet. 
 
 Lord Cranston who acted as one of the Captains of the Formid- 
 able during the action, and to whoso gallant behavior I am 
 much indebted, will have the honor of delivering these dis- 
 patches : to him I must refer their lordships for every minute 
 particular they may wish to know, he being perfectly master 
 of the whole tran.'saction. 
 
 That the British flag may forever flourish in every quarter 
 of the globe, is the most ardent wish of him who has the honor 
 of being with great regard. 
 
 Sir, 
 Your most obedient humble servant, 
 ', . B. UOUNEY. 
 
 PlIIMl' StEVKNS. Esq.' 
 
 r- \ 
 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Aberorombie, 48 n. 
 
 Aoikdia, 51 n. 
 
 Accaron, Antoinette Rnsnlie, wife 
 
 of tlie Cuunt de Urasse, 22. 
 Accaron, Jean Augiigtin, 22. 
 Adcmvnl, Cap!., IIU. 
 Affleck, Commodore, 109, 205. 
 AizlaCbapclle, 32 n. 
 Albert dc Kions, d', 20, 50 n, 44 n. ; 
 
 blockades Tobago, 47, 144; 
 
 commandHtbo Pluto, 111, 100. 
 Albert, St. Hippolyte d', 42, 4;! n, ; 
 
 escorta convoy to Europe, 86, 
 
 104. 
 Alby, 128n. 
 
 Almon'8 Rememhrancer, 46 n. 
 Amblimont, Fusclicmbourg, Count 
 
 d', 102, 118, 170. 
 America and the Americans de- 
 scribed by dc Qousaencourt, 88. 
 Amiierst, Lord, 44 n. 
 Amocnoburg, 31 n. 
 Ampliousse, Widow, 108, 
 Amsterdam, Journal printed at, 10, 
 Anguilln, taken by do Itouillu, 08. 
 Andrews, History of the War, 38 n, 
 
 46 n. 
 Anspach Troops, 80. 
 Antigua, 100, 170. 
 AniillcH, 5(5. 
 Anvilie, Uuke d' 32 n. 
 Arbutliuot, .\dm., 29 n, 08 n., 138n. 
 Arnold, Uenedict, 188 n. 
 AroB d' Argcloi<. ('apt.. Baron d', 
 
 0, 20, 112, 128. 
 Auxcrrc, 48 n. 
 Azores, 132. 
 
 Bahama Channel, 03. 
 Balfour, Capt., lOO. 
 Baltimore, 105,78, 70. 
 Baracao, (12. 
 Barbadoes, 64, 06, 100. 
 Barber, Ciipl., 100. 
 Barclay, Capt., 110. 
 Barodney, (^apt., 110. 
 
 Barras, St. Laurent, Louis, Count 
 
 du, 74, 75, 77 ; sketch of, 67 ; 
 
 joins de Grasse reluctantly, 
 
 167; list of his squadron, 84; 
 
 at Fort Uoyal, 95; at St. 
 
 Cliristopcr's ib, ; in action, 
 
 98 ; takes Monserrat, 106, 
 
 173. 
 Barrington, Adm., engages d'Es- 
 
 taing, 10, 188. 
 Basse, Torre, 95, 104, 106, 172. 
 Bath, 46 n. 
 Battle of April 9, 114, 174, 197; 
 
 plan, 117. 
 Battle of April 12, 113, 120, 177; 
 
 plan of, 117. 
 Battle between Arethusa and Belle 
 
 Poule, 5. 
 Battle between the Engageante and 
 
 Rose, 10. 
 Battle off Cape Henry, 158. 
 Battle of the Chesapeake, 09-74, 
 
 164, 188-196. 
 Battle of La Praya Bay, 33 n. 
 Battle of Martinique, 44, 141, 189, 
 
 193. 
 Battle of St. Christopher? 97, 99, 
 
 107, 109. 
 Battle of Ushant, 15, 20,28, 101 «. 
 Bay des Trepasgea, 133. 
 Bayne Capt., 109, 116. 
 Bee du Uax, 133. 
 Behring's straits, 129 n. 
 Bellisle. 32 n. 
 Bermuda, 10, 132. 
 Bernadotte, 33 n. 
 Biographic Brctonne, 43 n.; Uni- 
 
 versello, 44 n. 
 Riron, Dukedc, aids Rodney, 29 n. 
 Blair, Capt., 109. 
 Blanchelande, Philibert H. R. dc, 
 
 sketch of, 144 n. ; at Tobago, 
 
 47/1., 146, 190. 191. 
 Bois de la Mothe, 28 n., 32 n. 
 Bonitc, 89. 
 Boscawcn, Admiral, 28 n. 
 
208 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Boslon, :!2«., 44h., 101 ». 
 
 Hoiibei', M. lie, IiIk success, (12, 147 ; 
 IcIcmI al Cnpe Kriviiriiis, ib. 
 
 liougiiiiivillc, Louis Antdiiio. Count 
 lie, 2ti ; skcti'li of 4;! II. ; ilis- 
 ])ule lit St. I'iorre, 4(1; coiii- 
 iiiiinds in l)iiltlu of tliu ('liosa- 
 l)i-nkt;. Ht4; in liio Auguslo, 
 11!5: rcliri'slo Ciirmjoa, 120 
 
 Dnuillc, Finncis Cliiude Amour, 
 Mnnniis de. ."JH : skctcli of, 
 ;W II. : attacks St. I.iicia. 40, 
 4H, 14.!, 145, I'Jd; takes To- 
 bago, 4it, 148, 14"), IHO; at 
 (iitinada, ■'i2 ; takes St. I')usta- 
 lia. 01 : St. Cliristopiiers, lll2, 
 It);! : entertainments given by, 
 lOti. 
 
 Hot any liay, 129. 
 
 Itowen, t'ajit., 110. 
 
 Itreen's St. Lucia, IS;/. 
 
 Urest. 1,">. 20. lil, !!:! ».. ;')(» «.. jV), 
 <12. 120. in;!. It!.-), 170, 180. 
 
 IJrevoorl, J. , has de Goiis8cn< 
 court's journal, 0. 
 
 Brimstone Hill, siegeof. 00, Kill-,-*, 
 100, 171. 
 
 Uriiiucville, ('apt , 2t(. 
 
 Urun de Uoade, C'a])tain of the Ue- 
 flLclii. killed, 70, 10."). 
 
 Ilrunswick, Duke of, ;iO«. 
 
 Ituckner, ("apt., 100. 
 
 Iturgoyne, (ien , surrender of, Itld, 
 100. 
 
 Uurnet, ('apt.. 110, 
 
 liyiig. Admiral, ;!2«. 
 
 liyroii, action witli tl'Eslaing, 17, 
 ;•;!»., 101 ». ; commands the 
 Andromache, 114, 202, 2lt;!. 
 
 Caldwell, Capt., llt». 
 Campbell, Col., oti ii. 
 Camion, Cnpt., 1 It). 
 Cape lireion, ;I2«., Al h. 
 Cajie Finislerre. ;il. 
 Cape Charles, 7;i, 
 Cape Henry, 74, 70, 88, l.-)8. 104. 
 Cape of (iocid Hope, '•]'■> n. 
 Ciipe l'asi<, •-)-). 
 
 Cap Krani^ois, ni, iil't, ()2, 85: de- 
 scription of, 57. 
 Captal de Itucli. 10. 
 Cureiiage Hay, 48 n. 
 Caribs, .')2. 
 Carpenter's Rocks, 57. 
 
 Caslellane .Majastrc, Captain do 
 
 20, 111. 
 Casielnaiulry, 101 ;i. 
 Ciistries, Cha-lcs Kugenc (Inbriel 
 
 de la Croi.x, Marshal do, .Minis- 
 ter of the navy, sketch of, ;iOn. 
 Ciuibori, .lolin Hernard, .Mari|uis 
 
 de, 20, 51: sketch of, 5I«. ; 
 
 saves theDiadcme, 72. 
 Chandos, Duke of, 28 n. 
 Charite, ('apt. de, 20, 111 ; offers 
 
 10 mortgage his plantations to 
 
 enable de Urasse to gu to tho 
 
 Chesapeake, lol. 
 Charleston, t)4. 
 Charrington, ('apt , 100. 
 Clias et Lcbrun, llinltiire ile la He- 
 
 voliitiiiii, 28. 
 ('Iiflstcllux, (Jhevalier, dii, 70 h. 
 Cherbourg, 50. 
 Chesapeake, 0;i, t!5, 7;', 74, lia, 
 
 148, 140, Kil. 
 Cliitleau, Marquis du, 145, 14(i, 
 
 100, 101. 
 Choisy, .M. de, reinforced by de 
 
 (irasse's murines, 77. 105. 
 Cibon, Christine .Marie Delphinc 
 
 de. 2;j. 
 ("ice, ('hampiou de, 4;i. 
 Cicc .Mgr. de, Uishup of .Auxcrrc, 
 
 »;{ «. 
 
 Cice, Monseigneurde, .Archbishop 
 
 of lloi'ileaux, 4;! n. 
 Clavel. ("apt. de, 20, ll;l. 
 Clinton, Sir Henry, 00 n, 81, 8ti n, 
 
 l.)0. 
 Closlevcamp, 'Mn. 
 (."ocklinrne, Lt Col. .lames, (iov. 
 
 of St. Kiistalia. 0:J. 
 Colundjus. 52/(. 
 Complon, Lady .lane, 20//. 
 Conile, I'rince de, 5l(. -■ 
 Congrc\>is. It esc d lit ions compliment- 
 ing de (Jras.se. 100. 
 Conway, (ien., 178. 
 ♦Jordova, Don Luis de, ;f;i n. 
 Cornwallis, Capt. William, 110, 
 
 11;!. 
 Cornwallis, Lord, (Hi, 7('p, 77, 78-8;i, 
 
 140, 150, 15:!, UiO, 101. 1H8, 
 
 105. 
 Corsica, ;{0 n., 45 n. 
 ('ourcy, Henry de, 0. 
 Courland Day, 145, 101. 
 Cranston, Capt. Lord, 204, 200. 
 
INDEX 
 
 209 
 
 Creoles, cliarnclcr of, 130. 
 Crosby. Cnpt., 110. 
 Crossing the Line, 3(1. 
 Cudiliilorc, 33 n. 
 Cnva<;oa, l:iO, VZi'i. 
 Ciistine, Adnin I'liilip, Count de, 
 75. 
 
 Diilnin, Citpt., 2ti. 
 
 Divlins, Capt., 2ti; insuhonlina- 
 
 tion of, T)!,; appointed to the 
 
 Neptune, 8(i, 113 
 Danien, ViHcount de. I'Jl. 
 Danioy, <'ount de, 101. 
 Daross, 0. 
 
 Dead Chest Island. f)5. 
 Deseada, 202. 
 Despinouse, Cnpt., 112. 
 Dcstouclic.i. Chcviilier, engages 
 
 Graves, 17, «4, 138 h. 
 Decars, 2(i. 
 Dety, Capt., 2(i, 112. 
 Dettingen, 30. 
 Diamond Uock, 42, 141. 
 Di^hy, Admiral. 140, 105. 
 Dillon, Count, 101. 
 Dillon, Capt., 120 w. 
 Dolphin, 30. 
 Domaines, 47. 
 Dominica, 52, 121. 
 Dominiijue, 202, 204. 
 Dougla.s, Capt. Charles, 204. 
 Drake, Rear .Vdni. Sr Francis, 40, 
 
 71, 105, 205. 
 Drake, Capt. Samuel, 100. 
 Drnytoii, Mrs , 24. 
 Dufc dOrvHult. 105. 
 Duniaresq, Captain, 110. 
 Duportail, (Jen., 7<! n. 
 Dussieux. I,e Vanaila noim In Po- 
 
 miiKiliiiH Fniui;aist<, 44 ii. 
 
 Elk River. 105. 
 
 Elphinstone captures La Touchc 
 Troville, 27. 
 
 Escars, liaron d', conininnils Glo- 
 rieux. 2(i. 0(1, 112; killed, 122. 
 
 Espinoussc, Capt. d", 2t'>. 
 
 Estning, Charles Henry, Count d', 
 15, ('«3, (17 «. ; outline of Ills 
 campiiign, 15-17; captures a 
 vessel iitt' Bermuda, Hi; fails 
 to hlockiide Howe. il). ; batlled 
 at Sandy Hook, ib. ; operations 
 inRhddc Island, K! »., ■Vlu.\ 
 lets Hotham slip, Kwi.; en- 
 
 gages Harrington, ib. ; re- 
 pulsed at St. Lucia, ib. ; joined 
 by Vaudreuil, 101 u.\ reduces 
 St. .Martin, 1(1; Granada, 17 n, 
 32 n. ; engages Ryron, ib, ; 
 repulsed at Savannah, 17 n, 
 101 II. : at Cadiz, 27, 20; sa- 
 tirical allusion to. 181. 
 Exchanges, none in America, 55. 
 
 Falkland Isles, 44 /(. 
 
 Fanshaw, Capt., 100. 
 
 Ferguson, Major, capitulates at 
 Tobago, 102. 
 
 F'landcrs, 31 n.- 
 
 Flochin, de, 100. 
 
 Flyingtish, 40. 
 
 Fort ISourbon, 10(1. 
 
 Fort Nelson, 120 n. 
 
 Fort Prince of Wales, 120 n. 
 
 Fort Royal, 17, 43, 44«., 40, 47. 
 48 n., 51, 63, 54; de Grasse 
 at, 4fi, 51, 54, 01, 04, 10(1 
 141, 14(1, 104, 105, 173, 180; 
 inundated by waterspout, 54 ; 
 Entertainments at, 54, 100; 
 Fleet at, 202. 
 
 Fort York, 120 n. 
 
 Fournier de Uellovile. Lieut., kill- 
 ed, 100. 
 
 Fox, Coninmdore, 28 ii. 
 
 Franiont de. 43, 111; captured, 
 120, 
 
 Franklin, 43 //. 
 
 Frazer, Sir Thonuis, 00. 
 
 Froissart 10. 
 
 Galeres, 40. 
 Galvez, Senor, 120. 
 Gardner, Capt. Alan, 100 
 Germain, Lord Geo., 150. 
 (Itnclle (1c France, Extract from, 
 
 IW). 
 (Iihifnlnijic lie III iiiiiixoH ilc (Jianse, 
 
 24. 
 Genoa, 182. 
 (ieorge II. 28 ti. 
 George III. 85. 
 Gibriiltnr, 20 », 34. 
 (iidoin, Capt., 1(10. 
 Gliindcvcse Comnmnder <le, 20, 55, 
 
 00, li;i, 142. 
 Gloucester, 70, 82 ; blockaded, 105, 
 
 100; surren<ler of, 78. 
 Goinipy, Count du Maitz de, 50, 
 
 112. 
 
 ! 
 
210 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Uuodall, Gapt., 110. 
 
 Qordon, l()Un. 
 
 OouBHcncouri, Chovalier do, inef- 
 fectual attempt to identify, '.I; 
 hoHt ilo to Count de GraHse, ib. ; 
 bis Journal, 25; his descrip- 
 tion of tlie Ainerionns, 87. 
 
 Uouxillon, Captain de, Hit. 
 
 Urafgo, Alexandre Fran; Aug, 
 Count de, 23. 
 
 Oraggo, Aindlie U, M. de, 23. 
 
 (iraHse, Adelaide, 23. 
 
 (jra880, Francois do Grng»o Ilou- 
 villc. Marquis de. It). 
 
 Qrasso, Francis Joseph Paul de 
 Urasse-Kouville, ('ount de, 
 biograpliical nkctcli of, lU; 
 Captain of tbe Kobusle, 20; 
 at tbe battle of Uxbant, 20; 
 Commodore, ib. ; joins d'Es- 
 taing, ib. ; appointed to com- 
 mand of fleet, 27, 138; leaves 
 Paris, 13it ; leaves Krest, 30, 
 13U; writes to Rocbambeau, 
 34 n ; at Martinique, 41, 140, 
 180; engages Hood, 42, 140, 
 18'J ; returns to Martiniqo, 4i), 
 143, I'.IO; sails to St. Lucia 
 with do Uouill6, 4t), U."). IWt; 
 clieckedand retires, 48, 145: at 
 Tobugo, 50, 145 ; at Granada, 
 52, 14(1; at .Si. Vincent, 62; at 
 Martinique, 54, 14t>; receives 
 dispntcbi's from U.S., 148; 
 diiticulties, 141) ; sails to (Mic- 
 »>apcake, 112, 152 : takes Lord 
 Uawdon, 73; at l-yun Haven 
 Hiiy. 115; engages (i raves, 110- 
 74, 1.54-7 ; lands marines, 77. 
 158; Hcnds de Hurras to act 
 in bis place at tbe capitulation 
 of Yorktown, 78, 84; defers 
 to Washington's re(|uest. 85, 
 8<1 n, 1(12; sails luick to West 
 Indies, 88.<J0; lokt St. Cbris- 
 topbcrs, 0(1, 1(1(1 ; figbts Hood, 
 07, 1(17 ; allows liini to escape, 
 103, lt)8; defence of, 180; 
 bis fleet. 111 ; takes Monscr- 
 rat, 1(13, 173; festivities, 10(1; 
 engages Uodney, 114, 174; 
 defeated nnd taken, 113, 120, 
 177 ; correspondence witb 
 Washington, 187-8 ; resolu- 
 tions of ('ongress, KIO. 
 
 Grasse, Chevalier, Joseph de, at 
 Louisbourg, 20. 
 
 Grasse, Maxime de, 23. 
 
 Grasso Melanie V. M. de, 23. 
 
 Grasse, Sylvie do, daughter of 
 Count de Grasse, marries M. 
 Francis do Piiu, 28. 
 
 Graves, Admiral, 71 «., 151 ti. ; 
 sketch of, (10; defeated by du 
 Grasse, GO, 155, 104 ; bis ao- 
 Roun toft be action, 72 n., 73 n.; 
 Ward's opinion, 70 v. ; bis 
 loss, 73 n. ; de Goussencourt'a 
 opinion, 73 ; action with Ucs- 
 toucbes, 138. 
 
 Greenwich Hospital, 20, 45 n. 
 
 Grenada, 51, 54; reduced by d' 
 Estuing, 17, 32 n; by Uodnoy, 
 27 n. ; Account of, 52 ; do 
 Grasse at, 144, 140. 
 
 Grcnadina, 54. 
 
 Gros Islet Bay, 47. 143, 145, UK). 
 
 Guadaloupe, 1(5, 107. 
 
 (Jufirin, llmloire Marilimt, 21, 70 H. 
 
 Guichen Luc Urbain do Uouexie, 
 Count de, sketch of, 28 «. ; suc- 
 ceeds d'Estaing, 17; engages 
 Rodney, 17, 2(t, 20 n., I(»l n. ; 
 his fleet joins d'Estaing at ('a- 
 diz, 20; loses his convoy, 102. 
 
 Hainaut, 31. 
 
 Hanover, 28 n. 
 
 Havana 57. 
 
 Havre, 20 n. 
 
 Hawkc, Admiral, 28 n., 32 n., 101 ». 
 
 Ilennoquin, 34 n. 
 
 ilessiiin troops, 80. 
 
 Heroism of a French sailor, 35. 
 
 Hit-i-cs, 182. 
 
 Historical Magazine, 50 n. 
 
 Hood, Samuel Viscount, 44, 71 »., 
 151 H.; sketch of, 44 n. ; en- 
 cnpngesdeGrasseatSt. ('bris- 
 tophcrs, 07. 1(17 ; escapes, 104, 
 K 8; in the IJiirfliur, 1(10; in 
 the buttle of the (^hesapt-uke, 
 155 ; outwits de Gnisse, (18 n., 
 00, 1(17 ; at deGrasse's defeat, 
 200. 
 
 Horseshoe, 8(ln., 150, 105. 
 
 Hotbam evades d'Estaing, 1(1. 
 
 Houdon, 33 n. 
 
 Howe, Admiral, 16. 
 
 Hudson's Day, 101 n. 
 
 Hughes, Admiral, 33 n. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 211 
 
 Iborvillo, 101 ii. 
 Inglefield, Ciipt., 10«. 
 Inglis, Cnpl., 110. 
 Irish Urigado, 02 n. 
 Islo a VaoUo, 148. 
 lale de Oruas, 132. 
 Ulo aux Noiz, 44 n. 
 IhIo des Saiutos, 107. 
 
 Jamaica, 56, 101 n., 177, 178. 
 
 James 11, U'i n. 
 
 James rivor, 74, 193, 106. 
 
 Jaxton, Cnpt., 109. 
 
 Jesuits, 67. 
 
 Johnston, Commodore, 133 n. 
 
 Kempenfeld, Adm., 28 n., 101 n. 
 Keppel, Adm., 16, 179. 
 Knedgett, Capt., 110. 
 Knox, Uen., 76 n. 
 
 La Clocheterie, Cliaudeau do, 16, 
 84; lights first battle of the 
 war, 113 n.; in de Ternay's 
 fleet, 113n. ; commands the 
 llercule, 113; killed, ib. 
 Lafayette, Marquis do, 10, 04, GO, 
 75, 70, 151 n., 163, 189, 193. 
 La Galissouiere, Marquis do, 32 n. 
 Lagus, 82 n. 
 LaCirandiui'o, Charles Marie Count 
 
 de, 81, 111. 
 La Grange, 65. 
 LaJiiillc, 128 n. 
 Lake George, 43 n. 
 Langura, Juan do, defeated by 
 
 Uudiiey, 29 n. 
 Liiiiglc, M. de, 128n. 
 La I'crousc, Jean Frantjois Gulaup 
 de, Skvichuf, 128 ». ; tiikesan 
 Knglish vessel, 27 ; cunimauds 
 uxpi'dilion sunt to Hudson's 
 15ay, 101 «., 128. 
 La I'raya IJay, 33 n. 
 La Tuuohe Trevillo, Louis Uen6 
 
 de, sketch of, 27. 
 LaVicomte, Capt., 112; killed, 
 
 123. 
 La Villeon, dc, 195. 
 Le Ucgue, 9, 20, 111. 
 Leeward Islands, 29 n. 
 I'Estenduero, M. de, 101 «. 
 Le Moyne de Serigny, lOl n. 
 Letcndeur, M. de, 28 n. 
 Leviirot, Count de, 191. 
 
 Lemonade, 67. 
 
 Lincoln, General, 17. 
 
 Liusee, Capt., 110. 
 
 List of do Grasse's fleet, 20. 
 
 Lloyd's neck, attack on, 08 «. 
 
 London, 38 n., 43 n. 
 
 Lombard, M. de, 84. 
 
 Louis, XVI, 38, 50 n. 
 
 Louijbourg, 20, 28 n. 
 
 Lutzelburg, 30. 
 
 Lynn Haven, C6, 193, 105. 
 
 Macarly, Capt. Macteiguede, 111. 
 
 McLauren, Capt. John, 94 «, 
 
 Madeira, 32. 
 
 Maestricht, Siege of, 30 n. 
 
 Malta, 32 n. 
 
 Man-of-war's bay, 146, 191. 
 
 Manchineel, 63. 
 
 Manners, Lord Robert, 110. 
 
 Marie Galante, 120, 197. 
 
 Marigny, Vi-.count Charles, 43 n. 
 
 Marigny, Viscount, 20, 43 n., 84, 
 
 112; killed, 123. 
 Marmclade, 67. 
 Martelly, Capt., 50, 113 ; saves his 
 
 vessel, 124. 
 Martinique, 38, 47, 106, 171, 173; 
 reduced by llodney, 29 n. ; do 
 Orasseot, 41, 42, 40, 89,106; 
 account of ladies of, 107 ; ves- 
 sels at, 138 ; action at, 42, 140, 
 107, 101 n., 144, 150. 
 Matnnzas, <>3. 
 Mathews, Admiral, 28 n. 
 Mattapuny, 163. 
 Mudine, Cupt., 111. 
 Mctz, 76. 
 Middlebank, 195. 
 Middleground, 88, 196. 
 Miihon de I'enouilly, M. de, 100, 
 
 112. 
 Mogane Channel, 131. 
 Mole St. Nicholas, CI. 
 Molly, Capt., 110. 
 Monckton, Gen., 29 n. 
 Monpcron, Capt. de, 112. 
 MouHcrrat taken by de Orasso, 
 
 08 n., 106, 107, 173. 
 Montcalm, 43 n. 
 Montcclerc, de, 9, 20, 112, 127. 
 Montcil, Adhemar, Marquis de, 
 66, 97, 98 n. ; at I'ensacola, 
 147 ; misconduct, 97. 
 
212 
 
 INUKX. 
 
 Monloil. LI. Col. V. tlo, 55. 
 Montluc. Ciipl., Jtt. 
 Movno ('oiiciinlc, I'.M), 1!»1. 
 Mciinc Kurluiu', 4H. l-iil, \U, I'.X), 
 
 Moniv (l(> Vaiicliii, 41, 111. 
 Moriicx, 41 II. 
 
 Nancy, HH. 
 
 Nnpuloiiii, '2H II,, 44 H, 
 
 Ncgnpiilnni, :!')». 
 
 Ni'uro L'liiiNHPiirs, 1!M. 
 
 Nelsiiii, .'Vil III it'll, 27 n, 
 
 NuInoii, Ooveriior, 15:1 n. 
 
 Novin. surrpiulci'!*, tlH ii, '.tti, ((", 'M, 
 
 1(»;i, 1(17. 1(18, 171. 
 Ncwfouiullikiul, 2!)n., oin., i'lHii, 
 
 V.V>. 
 Newport, K!, 'VJt n. 
 New Voik, L'ltH., 81. 
 yolice liiiii/riiphii/iii- tiiir V Aiiiiral 
 
 I'omir lie Oriisiie, 24. 
 Norlhninploii, Knil of, 'JMn. 
 
 O'Calliiglinn, Coloiiinl Ihicitmentu, 
 
 44 H. 
 (('Conor, Ciipl., 'XI. 
 OrveH, Count d', !!;!«. 
 Orvillicrff, Count d", 15. 
 Oiifssani, Untile of, 15, 20, 28, 
 
 11)1 n. 
 
 I'aniiinky rivor, 15;l. 
 
 I'uris, .'!8 «,, 51 ii. 
 
 Pliny, Ciipt., It.'.t. 
 
 I'lirker, .\iliiiiriil, 17W. 
 
 I'liii. KrnnciH tie, 2:!. 
 
 I'nii, I.oiUH \. lie, 2.!. 
 
 I'avillon, .lolin Kriiiii;ol8 <lit (?|iey- 
 
 riiM (III, 12(1, 125. 
 Penny, Cnpi., IK'.i. 
 Pennftcnlii, Sicjje of, 55, 5(1 w., 147. 
 Pt-rigny, Lieut, de, woiiiKicd, \W. 
 Philadclpliiit, 14H. 
 Pien. Caihiiricn, wil'eof Aniiralde 
 
 Grasse. 22. 
 Pierrefeii, .M. de, 5(1. 
 Pigeon iHland, bntlcry on, 48. 
 Pilot fish, ii'.t. 
 
 Plexsis, Pascaull, du, (14, lltlJ. 
 Point ."^alines, 45 ;i., 14(1. 
 Port ail Prince, reduceil by Lu 
 
 Toiielie, 27; eHrilii|uake, 58. 
 Point .St. .Viiiie, I4(i. 
 Porlail. .M. du, 154. 
 
 Porto Kico, 55. 
 Porto Cabello, 1(»I n. 
 PorlHiiioiitli, 178. 
 I'reMOott, Oeiil., 1(H). 
 Picville, ('apt. de, 2(1, li;t, 120. 
 I'roveiliun, Il.'i ii. 
 Provence, ;!2 »., WWii. 
 Quebec, 44/1. 
 
 Itappnhaiinoek, 15U. 
 Uiiwddii, Lord, 7,'t 
 IteiliielaM, Capl., 110, 
 I lleginieiilK. Kruiicli i 
 I .'VgenoiH, (11, 100. 
 .Vrniagnac, 101. 
 .VuxorroiM, 47, O.t, 101. 
 Chani|iagne, 47. 
 Dillon, 47, 50. 02, 101. 
 O.itinoiN, (11, 85. 
 Ilainaull, 102. 
 Irish brigade, 02 n, 
 Lanziin'.v Legion, (11, 105. 
 Marllnii|ue, 47. 
 Royal .\iivergno, (11, (l;!, 85. 
 Koyal Conitoix, 102. 
 >Saintongv, 75. 
 Touraiiie, (il, 100. 
 Viennois. 47, 101. 
 WalHh, 02, 102. 
 Kenne!*, 4;Im. 
 Ucynold."*. Cipt., 110. 
 llhaal, Swedish officer, 105. 
 llhidon, 07. 
 Uhinberg, :!()». 
 Kobin, .Uibc, ."il II. 
 Uoaiioke, 55. 
 
 Itoehainbcaii. ('ouiil tie. (17 w , 7(1, 
 85, lo;!; reiiil'oreeiiienls for, 
 ;!4 II : letter ofdetiniHselo, ib.; 
 at Yorklown, 7H, 84, 154; Ke- 
 siduiions of Congre.ss, conipli- 
 ineiitiiig. 1(10. 
 Uochelorl. 27 ii. 
 
 Ilodipiird, I'rince of .\ntiben. 10. 
 Uodiiey. tienrge Hridges. Lord, 05, 
 71 ", 151 /( ; okeldi of, 28h ; 
 early servieoM, ib ; engage de 
 (iiiii-heii. 17, 20, 2H, 55: al- 
 Icnipts 10 reeiiverSt. Vincent, 
 20 H. ; seizes St. Kiistaliii. 20, 
 45; atlenipls to save Tobago, 
 50; list of his Heel, 100; 
 watches ile firasse, 10(1; do- 
 feats him. li;i, 120, 177 ; his 
 account of action, 202. 
 
INUKX. 
 
 213 
 
 Kodnoy, Henry, 28 n. 
 
 RoHlmck, !)l)n. 
 
 ItoHtiiin};, Mnjoi' tic, 128/1. 
 
 UuiisHook, I <'>;(, 
 
 lluylur, Adiiiii-iil du, 17U/i. 
 
 Sadras, liil «. 
 
 8iiiiilc, 204. 
 
 Siindy Hook, Hi, 
 
 Sftndy I'oiiil, Kl'.t. 
 
 Suuiniiro/., (.'apt., 110. 
 
 Savaffo, Capl., llii. 
 
 Savannah, Siege of, 17, 20, ;!;!»., 
 
 04, 101/1., 18;l. 
 Scarlioroiigli taken, I'.ll. 
 Scnegiil, 101 //, 
 Shark, 41. 
 Shi|)«, (.American) : 
 
 Queen ('hnrlolte, "(in. 
 (Kngli^h) : 
 
 Agaiiiuninon, 110. 
 
 Ajax, 7;t;/., 10'.). 
 
 Alcidu, 110; caii(uros Hector, 
 
 i2;i. 
 
 Allied, 100, 11.5, 20n. 
 
 America, 100. 
 
 Andromache, 114, 104, 20;!. 
 
 Anson, 100. 
 
 Antelope, 44 h. 
 
 Aretiiii.xa, 15. 
 
 Ariel, 128 H. 
 
 Arroftaiit, 100. 
 
 UarHeur, 100, 12:5. 
 
 Hedlbrd. 100. 
 
 ](ellii|uc(i\, 1 10. 
 
 Itonella, HI. 
 
 Canada, 110, 12.'i. 
 
 Centaur, 4r.w., 100, 142. 
 
 Cliarlotie, 187. 
 
 Charlcitown, 128 /i. 
 
 Charon, burnt, ()7. 77. 
 
 Conqueror, 100. 
 
 Dul)liii, 28/1. 
 
 Uuke. ()0/(., 1(,0, 125. 
 
 Eagle, 28 H. 
 
 Edgar, 71 >i. 
 
 Fame, 100. 
 
 Formidable, 100, 20(1. 
 
 Forluiicc, 72 ji. 
 
 (iibraltar, 45/(. 
 
 Uuadaloupe taken, 100. 
 
 Hootor, 27. 
 
 IFercules, 100. 
 
 Intrepid, 4.')n., 7.'5h. ; 110, 142. 
 
 Invincible, 100. 
 
 IriM, 74, 158. 105. 
 
 IhIh, 27 /(. 
 
 .lack, 120;(. " 
 
 Kent, 28 „. 
 
 lionilon, 00 II. 
 
 Loyalist, lO)!, 
 
 Ludlow Castle, 28 h. 
 
 Magniticent, 1 10. 
 
 Marlborougii, 100. 
 
 Monarch, 110. 
 
 Montagu, T.iii., 110, 115, 2()it. 
 
 NaiMiir, 28//, lllO. 
 
 Nonsuch, 100. 
 
 I'lyiiu)uth, 28//. 
 
 rrinco (ieoige, 28//., 100. 
 
 Prince William, 110. 
 
 Princess, 81, 7:i//., 100. 
 
 I'rothee, 100, 
 
 Prudent, 110. 
 
 Uepulse, 110. 
 
 Uesolution, 100 
 
 Uichmond, 74, 158, 105, 
 
 Robust, 110. 
 
 Uose, 10. 45//. 
 
 Uoyal Oak, 110, 115, 122 »., 20il. 
 
 Uoyal Sovereign, tiO/i. 
 
 Ihiby, Hi! /I. 
 
 Russell, 45//., 100, 123, 142. 
 
 Saiulwich, 178. 
 
 Sheeruess, 28//., 00//. 
 
 Shrewsbury, 45/1., 7i{ /I. , 110. 
 
 St. Albans, 110. 
 
 Terrible, 00; burnt, 71, 73//., 
 
 150, 105. 
 Thetis lost, 48. 
 Torbay, 45//, 100, 142//. 
 Triton, 04//. 
 Valiant, 110. 
 Warrior, 100. 
 Yarmouth, 100. 
 (French) : 
 Actionnairo, 55, 01. 
 Adour, 128//. 
 Aigette, 20, 10;!; takes a brig, 
 
 40; goes to Havana, 03, 152; 
 
 brings in prizes, 07, 105, 154 ; 
 
 engages the Iris, 75, 158. 
 Aimable, taken, 127, 202. 
 Alerle, 140. 
 Amazonc, 128//, 
 Aiulronuu|iie, 104. 
 Annibal, 32. 
 Ardent. 84, 07, 113, 123, 107, 
 
 200. 
 Arcthusa, 101. 
 
214 
 
 INDKX. 
 
 f • 
 
 I 
 
 ArloRion, 20, H2. 
 
 Amrec, 1(V), li!«n. 
 
 Aiiroro, 2(J. 
 
 Astrolabe, 12(i. 
 
 Aunimie, l!«, 45 n., 113, 11(1, 1U8, 
 174, l!t4. 
 
 nollo I'oulo, 15, 43. 
 
 Ilollono, 44 n. 
 
 Uourgogno, 2(1, 01, 00, 111. 
 
 llouMgulo, 120. 
 
 llrave, 102. 11.1, 127, 170. 
 
 Cato, 4!1. (10. 70, 05, 111, 115, 
 127, 1(10, 104, 100, 202. 
 
 Cores, lakon, 127, 202. 
 
 Cosar. 2(1, 43, 51, 112, 104; 
 takon, 122, 200; burnt, 124, 
 201. 
 
 ClmrloKo, 187. 
 
 CKoyen. 2(1, 112, 101. 
 
 (loncorile, (17 ; brinRadispatchea 
 from United States, 148; re- 
 turns, 152. 
 
 C..n«iucrnnt, 84, 88, 94, 111, 128. 
 
 Constunte, 148. 
 
 Cormornnt, 187. 
 
 Cornwallis, 01, 100, 102. 
 
 Couronno, 112, 123, 127, 173. 
 
 Uauphin Uoyal. 32 n., 112, 120. 
 
 DedaiKncusc, 2(1. 
 
 Hostiu, 55,04,00,112, 125,128, 
 104. 
 
 Diaileme, 0, 2(1, 00, 71, 72, 7'. 
 77,05, 111, 125,120,103,104 
 
 Diligcnto. 2(1, 158, 103. 
 
 Due do Uourgogne, 84, 05, 100, 
 127. 
 
 Gngngcantc, 1(1, 128 n. 
 
 Kveille. 84, 112. 
 
 Experiment, 47, 49, 114, 120, 
 101. 
 
 Fnntasi|uc, 32 n. 
 
 Fee, (31, 147. 
 
 Fondant, lUl n. 
 
 Ficr, 20, 54. 
 
 (Uorieux, 2(1, 40, 50, 07, 75, 05, 
 00, 08, 112, 100, 101; dis- 
 masted and taken, 121, 122; 
 founders, 120 n. 
 
 flucrrier. 44 n. 
 
 Hector, 20, 27, 51, 54, 50, 01, 
 80, 80, 112, 107; taken, 123, 
 2(H) ; lost, 1 20 n. 
 
 Ilerculo, 2i!, 113, 128, 191. 
 
 Heriiiiono, 27. 
 
 Heron, 32. 
 
 Inoonstanto, deslrnyod, 00, 148. 
 
 IndiHorote, 2(1. 
 
 Inlrupide, 50, 101 n. ; dcstroyod, 
 
 50, 148. 
 Jason, 84, 112,110; token, 127, 
 
 202. 
 Languodoo, 9, 20, 42, 97, 112, 
 
 123. 120, 104. 
 Lion Ui'ittaniquo, 05; tost, 90. 
 Magnaninie, 0, 20, 112, 125, 120, 
 
 104. 
 Mrtgnifique, 111, 127. 
 Marseillttis, 20, 00, 101, 120, 135, 
 
 108. 
 Medee, 2(1, 51. 
 Minautnro, 20. 
 Monarque, 3:? n. 
 Mouche, 2(!. 
 
 Neptune, 84 SO, 07, 113. 
 NorlhuiiibcrIi)nd, 2C, 41, 03, 
 
 101 n.. Hi, :I4. 
 Nourrico, 20. 
 Orpliec, 32 fi. 
 
 I'almier, 55, li3, 114, 104. 
 I'andour, 38, 41. 
 I'luton, 20, 47, 40, 100; in ac- 
 tion with Graves, 00, 111, 104. 
 Provence, 84, 80. 
 Rcflecbi, 43, 00, 70, 111, 115, 128, 
 
 103, 104. 
 Resolu, 102. 
 
 Kiclioniont, 00, 102, 122. 
 llobuHte, 20. 
 Uomulu8, 17, 84. 
 Hose, 10. 
 Uossignole, 27. 
 Sagiliaire, 20. 31, 114, 120. 
 Sensible, 20. 
 Sandwich. 187. 
 Sceptre. 20, 47, 05, 98, 112, 128, 
 
 133, 104. 
 Scipion, 20, 113, 104. 
 Serapis, 100. 
 Solitaire, 43, 04, 104. 
 Souvorain, 20, 43, 09, 11.3, 142, 
 
 104. 
 Sphynx. 20, 32. 
 Surveillanic, 104. 
 St. Kxprit, 20, 47, 40, 50, 72, 113, 
 
 128, 101. 
 St. Malo, 28 n. 
 Trident, 32 n. 
 Trioniphant, 101 «., 102, 100, 
 
 111, 120, 12.5, 133 n., 170, 173. 
 Triton, 50, 70 n., 80, 164, 103 
 
INDEX. 
 
 210 
 
 Union, 20, M. 
 
 ViiiUunt, 2tl, 8(1, 16-1, IVO. 
 
 Vcngcur, ill!. 
 
 Victniro, 4it, 80, 194. 
 
 Ville do I'ariH, L!fl, HI, n»; nt 
 
 (iros Islet, 48 ; Hlrikos iv mek, 
 
 147; ill badlo orClicsnponkc, 
 
 (i'J, 71, l'.>4; WnHliiriK'un, on, 
 
 70, ir>8, 10;J; in actluii off .St, 
 
 Clii'istoplior'H, •,)8, lOH, ll'j; 
 
 taken, I'Sii, 177 ; I'oundorH, 
 
 120n. 
 Zele, 20, .1.1 n., 88, 0."), IIM, 110, 
 
 lilt, 174 «., 17'), 170, lit J, llM.t. 
 (Spftnisli): 
 Plienix, '-'.I II. 
 Shirlpy. Sir Tlionmn, 90. 
 Sullies Troubles ilc V AmcriijHc Ah- 
 
 ylai»e, 85 n. 
 Solano, 8cnor, 129. 
 Spnnisli Town, 178. 
 Sparks' I.il'o and Writ ings of Wnsli- 
 
 ington, iJ4 «., 77 ii. 
 Splcciim, Hcnrietia, 29;/. 
 St. IJartboloinew reduced hy d'Es- 
 
 taing, 10. 
 St. Cesar, <:,ipt. do, 11:1. 
 St. Christophers taken liy do 
 
 Orasse, 95, 90-lO.t, 100.17:t; 
 
 described, 104; actions near, 
 
 100, 08 n. ; prizes (akeual, 171. 
 St. Domingo, 55,89, 178, 144/1.; 
 
 Account of, 58 ; Vessels ut, 
 
 i:!8, 147, 148, V\ 
 St. Kiistaiia, seized by Rodney, 
 
 29 n., 45; retaken by de 
 
 Uouille, 91, 105; garrisoned, 
 
 94, 95, 10;5. 
 St. Ooar, :!0h. 
 St 
 St 
 
 John, Knights of, !i2n. 
 
 ilohn of Ood, Hospitallers of, 
 57. 
 
 St. Lucia, d'Estaing repulsed at, 
 10, 183; veducfd by Itoiliiey, 
 29 H.; Hood, tries to outer, 45 ; 
 do (Irassc at, 41, 42, 40, 47, 
 144, 145. 191 ; Maneheuillier, 
 Mi; English licet at, 100; tlag 
 of Iruco from, 107. 
 
 St. Lucia Channel, 94, 95, 140, 
 100. 
 
 St. Malo, 44 H. 
 
 St. Martin, reduced by d'Kslaing, 
 10; taken by de IJouille, 9:1. 
 
 St. rirrrc, 40; enlcrtalntncnt given 
 by merchants of, 108, 202. 
 
 HI. Simon, iMari|uis do, commands 
 Iroops landed by do Urasac, 
 00, 154, 187, 188, 19:i. 
 
 .St. Vincent rcdiu^cd by d'KstaIng, 
 10, 178, I8;!;by Ilodnoy, 29«.; 
 do (Iriisso at, 52, 187, 190, 202. 
 
 Huffren, I'ierro Andre Uailly du, 
 !I!1h,; skeleli of, U2«. ; in d' 
 Kstaing'sticot, ii2;i.; sent from 
 lloslon to Newport, ib. ; block- 
 nilcs Savannali, M:i n. ; sails for 
 I'iasl, il2 II. ; llunbeo serves 
 under. 02. 
 
 Sullivan, (len., in Ithodo Island, 
 10. 
 
 Kulhcrlaud. Capl., 110. 
 
 Symonds, Tlios., 9!i. 
 
 Ternny, do, commands squadron, 
 17, I l.'i ; dies of murlitication, 
 18. 
 
 Tlionipson, Capt. C., 110. 
 
 'rhom|)son, Capt. S., 110. 
 
 Thomson, ('has., 102. 
 
 Tilly, M. de, captures tlio Romu- 
 lus, 17; in the Eveille, 84, 
 II '2. 
 
 Tobago blockaded by do Rions, 47 ; 
 du (Irasse at, 48, 190; surren- 
 ders to du liouillc, 49, 190; 
 description of, 50. 
 
 Toulon, 15, 45h.,5I it., 182. 
 
 Toiirvillo, M. do. Oil. 
 
 Travcrsay, M. do, 151. 
 
 Trini|uemale, It:) ii. 
 
 Truscott, Cap!., 109. 
 
 Turpin, Capt., 20. 
 
 Ilrvillc, iSr. do, 129 ;i. 
 UshanI, 15. 
 
 Vanikoro, 129 n. 
 Vauilreuil, Count dc, 1 II. 
 Vaudreuil, Lieut. Oov. of Canada, 
 
 44 n. 
 Vaudreuil. Miinpiis de, 20, 101, 
 
 112, 170; gallant conduct of, 
 
 114-5, 122, 
 Vuudrnuil, Marquis de. Governor 
 
 of Canada, 101 n. 
 Vilage, Capt. dc, 112. 
 Villebrune, 84, 
 
210 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 C 
 
 Viomcsnil, Ilnron de, 106. . 
 
 VlrRlnla, 148. 
 
 Virgin IgUndi, Mi. ' 
 
 Voyage d'un Suiiie, 10; Extract 
 from, 1U7. 
 
 W»llnoe, C»pf. Sir Jiiinen, 100. 
 
 Walton upon TliameN, 'JH n. 
 
 Ward. Commondcr J. U., 70, 90, 
 121. 
 
 Waroquior, de, J!(at Gfnfral de la 
 Frarifl, 48 n., U'J n. 
 
 Waihiuglon, Qcorifo, 07 n., 7r>n., 
 70, 153, 1.54; viiita the Villo 
 de rarin, 70, 168, 10.3, 1H6; 
 force!* Curnwalliit to capitu- 
 late, 84 ; correRpondenoe willi 
 
 de Oraasn, 187; romurki on 
 
 death of de Uraiie, T2; diary 
 
 quoted, 70 n. 
 Watcriipouti, 54, DO. 
 Wayne, Oenernl, 00 n., 15il. 
 Wcthersfiold, 08 n, 
 Wilkini, (.'apt., 110. 
 William IV, in KnKlinh floct when 
 
 Prince William, 85. 
 Willlamri, l^itpi., lOU. 
 WillinrnHhurg, l'.).'), K)5. 
 Windward IsIcr, ilH, 1U4, 120, 104. 
 Wolfcnbultcl, 31 n. 
 
 York riTer, 73. 
 
 Yorkiown,, 08 n., 70, 82, 163, 101, 
 100. 
 
 ii