Sartine, Antoine de, comte d'Alby (1729-1801) Memoire du Roi pour servir d'instruction particuliere a M. le Cte. de Grasse [in French]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04322.02 Author/Creator: Sartine, Antoine de, comte d'Alby (1729-1801) Place Written: Versailles, France Type: Manuscript document signed Date: 8 June 1780 Pagination: 12 p. ; 31.5 20.5 cm. Order a Copy
Copy of orders sent to Admiral de Grasse. Orders state that he is to replace Comte de Guichen as the French naval commander. Also state that he is to remain in Newport, Rhode Island and protect the French squadron under Rochambeau. By the time de Grasse had received these orders he had already returned to France with Guichen. He quickly returned to America, and later played a vital role in the American victory at Yorktown. This copy was most likely intended to be distributed to de Grasse's subordinates.
Antoine de Sartine, comte d'Alby, was the French Minister of the Navy.
François Joseph Paul comte de Grasse was a French Admiral who served under Comte d'Estaing during the American Revolution. Comte de Grasse and his fleet played a decisive role in the pivotal American victory at Yorktown. After arriving from the Caribbean they took control of the Chesapeake Bay and cut off any attempts to escape by sea. On 12 April 1782 at the Battle of the Saintes he was defeated by the British fleet under Admiral Rodney and taken prisoner.
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