Journal of the ship Auguste, 1781-1783

Journal of the ship Auguste, 1781-1783

Auguste journal

Brest, France [and elsewhere], 1781-1783.

French

In French

185 pages; 265 x 178 mm

MSS L2025S1 [Bound]

Manuscript journal maintained by Charles Martin Le Baigue, a cook (cuisinier) aboard Louis-Antoine de Bougainville's flagship Auguste, documenting the vessel's service during the American War of Independence, 1781-1783. The journal records French naval operations in the Caribbean and North America, including preparations for the Yorktown campaign, the embarkation of troops for service in Virginia, and the fleet's cooperation with the allied forces of George Washington and the comte de Rochambeau. Beginning in April 1782, the journal provides a detailed account of the Battle of the Saintes, during which Admiral Sir George Rodney defeated the French fleet and captured the comte de Grasse and his flagship. The narrative traces the Auguste's movements from Tobago, Grenada, Martinique, and Saint-Domingue (Cap-Français) through the Yorktown campaign and concludes with the ship's return to Brest in 1783. The volume offers a rare lower-deck perspective on French naval operations during the American Revolution.

The volume was formerly bound with an additional set of manuscript sheets listing the officers of the day during the Siege of Yorktown, documenting the strength of Rodney's fleet in April 1782, and providing lengthy descriptions of Martinique, St. Lucia, and Saint-Domingue. The insert was removed during conservation treatment and is now housed separately.
Title devised by cataloger.

Christie’s Important Americana Purchase 2025. Acquired with support from the Société des Cincinnati de France.

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