[page 126]

Register of the French Flotilla under the command of General de Grasse in America, during the naval battle with English General Rothnay[207] from the 9th to the 12th of April 1782[208]

Register der französischen Flotte unter dem Befehl Herrn General von Grasse in America, bey der Seeschlacht mit dem englischen General Rothnay vom 9ten biß den 12ten Aprill 1782.

Names of the war ships Cannons Names of the war ships Cannons Names of the war ships Cannons
Le Plouton 74 L’hector 74 L’aimable 44
Marserlloise 74 Le Jason 64 L’angagant 34
Le Duc de Bourgongne 80 Le Citoyen 74 L’amazon 32
Le Caton 64 Le Brave 74 Total 9
Le Conquérant 74 Le Scepion 74 Corsaire  
L’alson 64 L’ardent 64 Le Claire Voyant 18
La Bourgongn 74 Le Zellée 74 Le Resolution 16
Le Triomphante 80 L’august 80 Le Kornwallis 12
La Magnifique 74 Nord Comberland 74 Total 3
Refléchy 64 Le Palmier 74 47 sails in all during this battle were lost: the Admiral de Grasse was taken prisoner and 5 war ships  
Maganime 74 Le Souveraine 74  
Le Destin 74 Le Neptune    
Le Diâdeme 74 L’hercul 74  
Le Glorieux 74 Total 35  
Le Scepter 74      
L’eveiller 64 Frigates   La Ville de Paris 110
La Couronne 80 Le Richinond 32 Le Glorieux 74
La Ville de Paris 110 Le Ceräss 18 L’hector 74
Langedoc 80 Le fripon 32 L’ardant 64
Dofin Royal 74 La Gallathé 32 le Cezar Verbrand 74
Le Cezar 74 L’Astre 34    
Le St Esprit 90 Loris 34    

Namen deren Krieg Schiffen Canonen Namen der Krieg Schiffen Canonen Namen der Fregatten et Corsaires Canonen
Le Plouton 74 L’hector 74 L’aimable 44
Marserlloise 74 Le Jason 64 L’angagant 34
Le Duc de Bourgongne 80 Le Citoyen 74 L’amazon 32
Le Caton 64 Le Brave 74 Total 9
Le Conquérant 74 Le Scepion 74 Corsaire  
L’alson 64 L’ardent 64 Le Claire Voyant 18
La Bourgongn 74 Le Zellée 74 Le Resolution 16
Le Triomphante 80 L’august 80 Le Kornwallis 12
La Magnifique 74 Nord Comberland 74 Total 3
Refléchy 64 Le Palmier 74 In allem 47 Seegel Beÿ dieser batalien seÿnd verlohren ge- gangen : L’amiral de Grasse gefangen und 5 Kriegschiffen  
Maganime 74 Le Souveraine 74  
Le Destin 74 Le Neptune    
Le Diâdeme 74 L’hercul 74  
Le Glorieux 74 Total 35  
Le Scepter 74      
L’eveiller 64 Fregatten   La Ville de Paris 110
La Couronne 80 Le Richinond 32 Le Glorieux 74
La Ville de Paris 110 Le Ceräss 18 L’hector 74
Langedoc 80 Le fripon 32 L’ardant 64
Dofin Royal 74 La Gallathé 32 le Cezar Verbrand 74
Le Cezar 74 L’Astre 34    
Le St Esprit 90 Loris 34    

https://gallica.bnf.fr/iiif/ark:/12148/btv1b10110846m/f64/pct:0,0,50,100/,700/0/native.jpg

Strasbourg, Médiathèque André Malraux, ms f 15, p. 126.

[agrandir]

 Notes

207. Georges Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, was born in 1718 in Walton-on-Thames, and was a major figure of the eighteenth century Royal Navy. He joined the navy in 1732 and obtained the rank of lieutenant in 1739. His first recognized feat in battle was his participation in the English victory off Cape Finisterre in 1747. During the Seven Years’ War, Rodney took part in the expedition against Rochefort in 1757, then in the Siege of Louisburg. Due to his action in Le Havre then in the Caribbean West Indies, he was made vice admiral at the end of the war in 1763. In debt, Rodney was forced to take up residence in Paris. He had particular connections with Marshal de Biron who paid off his debts and allowed him to return to England. At the onset of the hostilities against France in 1778, Rodney was sent to the Caribbean West Indies at the head of a fleet. He led several undecided combats against Count de Guichen, then took the Isle of Saint Eustatius from Holland without declaration of war and presided over the pillaging of that island. After a temporary visit to England, he returned to his post in January 1782. He met the powerful flotilla of Admiral De Grasse near Les Saintes on April 12, 1782. The confrontation was a disaster for the French flotilla, which was supposed to be the spearhead of an attack against Jamaica. Rodney took De Grasse prisoner and won his greatest victory. Incidentally, he deployed a new tactic there, later used by Admiral Nelson in Trafalgar, which consisted in breaking the adversary’s line. Honored by the Parliament of London upon his return in June 1782 with a second title of Baron, he did not play any major role thenceforward. Rodney died on May 24, 1792.
208. This refers to the Battle of Les Saintes. Inserting this table here is not very logical, as that battle took place 6 months after the surrender at Yorktown that Flohr is here describing. The most plausible hypothesis is that he confused the Battle of Chesapeake Bay of September 5, 1781 and the Battle of Les Saintes, which is nevertheless dated correctly in the presentation of this table as occurring between April 9-12, 1782. As he does not provide documentation for the first battle, Flohr perhaps fills this “gap” using this table about a battle that he does not even talk about.