Conseil de Guerre Extraordinaire de Marine; François Joseph Paul de Grasse (1722-1788); Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil (1724-1802); Claude-François Renart d'Amblimont (1736-1797); Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, Marquis de Castries (1727–1801).

Observations adressée au Conseil de guerre à L'Orient.

Lorient, 1782-1784.

Folio. 108 pp. Manuscript in one hand on laid paper.

Sewn, no covers.

Manuscript copy of the French court-martial proceedings following the lost Battle of the Saintes (1782), featuring extensive firsthand accounts from key French commanders, including Admiral de Grasse and the Marquis de Vaudreuil.

The Battle of the Saintes, fought on April 12, 1782, near Guadeloupe, was one of the most strategically significant naval engagements of the late 18th century. France, aiming to capture Jamaica, was intercepted by Admiral Sir George Rodney, who employed the innovative breaking of the line tactic to shatter the French formation. The resulting decisive British victory led to the capture of Admiral de Grasse and several French ships, including the flagship Ville de Paris.

This battle cemented British naval dominance in the West Indies, reinforcing control over transatlantic trade and weakening France’s colonial influence, particularly in Saint-Domingue (Haiti). The defeat also exposed critical flaws in French naval strategy, contributing to broader geopolitical shifts in the Caribbean.

The Court-Martial and the Present Manuscript
Following the French defeat, an Extraordinary Naval War Council (Conseil de Guerre Extraordinaire de Marine) convened in Lorient from 1782 to 1784 to investigate the disaster. De Grasse sought to absolve himself by shifting blame onto his subordinates, particularly Vaudreuil and Bougainville. The inquiry involved over 300 witnesses, with commanders presenting extensive, often contradictory, testimonies. On May 21, 1784, after lengthy deliberations, the court acquitted de Grasse but reprimanded Bougainville, while Vaudreuil was cleared of all wrongdoing. However, Louis XVI criticised de Grasse not for the defeat itself, but for attempting to scapegoat his officers. This led to his disgrace and permanent removal from royal favour.

This manuscript consists of correspondence between key naval officers, including de Grasse, Vaudreuil, and Bougainville, as they defended their actions. It includes copies of letters, reports, court judgments, and a list of all French ships that participated in the battle, such as Le Triomphant, Le Pluton, Le Richemont, L’Aimable, and Le Clairvoyant.

The main contributors are:

Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, Marquis de Castries (1727–1801) – Minister of the Navy, oversaw the inquiry and broader naval reforms.

Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse (1722–1788) – Commander of the French fleet; captured at the Saintes, later acquitted but disgraced.

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville (1729–1811) – Rear admiral (chef d’escadre), explorer, and navigator; reprimanded for failing to manoeuvre effectively in battle.

Claude-François Renart d'Amblimont (1736–1797) – Captain of Le Brave, taken prisoner during the battle.

Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil (1724–1802) – Second-in-command; successfully withdrew part of the fleet, later cleared of all charges.

Publication of the Court-Martial Judgment
As mentioned by Alain Berbouche in his analysis of this court-martial, the full proceedings, including testimonies and internal debates, were not widely circulated. He consulted the trial records in the Archives du Service Historique de la Défense, département Marine, in Lorient. He does not mention the existence of another manuscript copy such as the one we offer here. We did trace a contemporary manuscript copy of the part that presents the account of the Marquis de Vaudreuil, in the library of the Society of the Cincinnati. That copy counts 29 pages.
Only the final part of the trial, the Jugement, was officially printed and disseminated, as: Jugement rendu par le Conseil de Guerre extraordinaire de marine tenu à Lorient par ordre du Roi. (Lorient, Baudoin, 1784). The printed version presents the formal findings but omits many of the complex arguments and contradictions that emerge in the present manuscript.

Condition
First page slightly browned and frayed. Last quire partially detached. Otherwise in very good condition.

Literature:

Berbouche, Alain. “Chapter VI. A progressive political justice”. In: Marine and justice , Rennes University Press, 2010.

France. Marine. Conseil de guerre extraordinaire. Jugement rendu par le Conseil de Guerre tenu à l'Orient. Lorient, Imprimerie de L.C.R. Baudoin, 1784. (See BnF catalogue: http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb33706205q).

Vaudreuil, Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, marquis de. Observations du Marquis de Vaudreuil sur le combat du 12 avril 1782 : les mémoires y inclus sont les originaux. [S.l.], 1784. Manuscript. Society of the Cincinnati Library, Call Number MSS L2001F19 M. OCLC No. 47980826.