1. In his journal entry for this date, French chief commissary Claude Blanchard wrote that Rear Admiral Ternay “fell victim to his disease; it was putrid fever” (Balch, Blanchard Journal description begins Thomas Balch, ed. The Journal of Claude Blanchard, Commissary of the French Auxiliary Army Sent to the United States during the American Revolution. 1780–1783. Translated from a French Manuscript, by William Duane. Albany, 1876. description ends , 83). In his journal entry for this date, Lieutenant General Rochambeau’s aide-de-camp Ludwig von Closen described “the sudden death from asthma of M. de Ternay, who had been ill only 6 days. His funeral was held the next day. …

“Opinions as to the talents of this admiral are very divided; most people agree that he was too cautious and too much interested in all the particular expeditions, but very skilled at maneuvering” (Acomb, Closen Journal description begins Evelyn M. Acomb, ed. The Revolutionary Journal of Baron Ludwig von Closen, 1780–1783. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1958. description ends , 47–48). Captain Berthier wrote in his journal entry for 18 Dec. that Ternay “was not popular” and “his death created very little stir” (Rice and Brown, American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army description begins Howard C. Rice, Jr., and Anne S. K. Brown, eds. The American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783. 2 vols. Princeton, N.J., 1972. description ends , 1:237). For more on Ternay’s funeral and burial, see Rice and Brown, American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army description begins Howard C. Rice, Jr., and Anne S. K. Brown, eds. The American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783. 2 vols. Princeton, N.J., 1972. description ends , 1:125–26; see also, Stone, French Allies description begins Edwin Martin Stone. Our French Allies. Rochambeau and his Army, Lafayette and his Devotion, D’Estaing, DeTernay, Barras, DeGrasse, and their Fleets, in the Great War of the American Revolution, From 1778 to 1782, including Military Operations in Rhode Island, the Surrender of Yorktown, Sketches of French and American Officers, and Incidents of Social Life in Newport, Providence, and Elsewhere. Providence, 1884. description ends , 338–51.

Major General Vioménil also wrote GW from Newport on 15 Dec.: “In the Absence of the Count de Rochambeau who is gone to Boston, I have the honor to inform your Excellency that we have this Morning lost the Chevalier de Ternay from a Fever of some days—Mr le Chevr des Touches who succeeds him in the command of the Squadron of the King is an Officer of Merit, and who will accord perfectly well with the Count de Rochambeau upon all the dispositions made and agreed upon with your Excellency at Harford in Septemr last.

“It is besides with great earnestness that I seize this opportunity to entreat your Excellency to receive this mark of my admiration of the Virtues and all the other qualities which distinguish you in so particular a manner. … I entreat your Excellency to forward with as much speed as possible the dispatches for the Chevr de la Luzerne” (translation, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; ALS, in French, DLC:GW; see also Rochambeau to GW, 13 Dec., and The Hartford Conference, 20–22 Sept., editorial note). The enclosed dispatches for French minister La Luzerne have not been identified.

GW replied to Vioménil from headquarters at New Windsor on 23 Dec.: “I have been honored with your letter of the 15th announcing the sudden death of the Chevr de Ternay. I extremely regret this event, as from the short acquaintance which I had an opportunity of making with that Gentleman I had conceived a high opinion of his Merit. I am pleased to hear that the command of his Most Christian Majesty’s squadron devolves upon an Officer of whom you speak so favorably as you do of the Chevalier Destouches.

“I feel very sensibly your expressions of esteem for me . … I immediately forwarded your dispatches by Express to the Minister of France” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).

The Providence Gazette; and Country Journal for 22 Dec. printed an item on Ternay’s death under the heading “NEWPORT,” same date: “His talents, zeal, and distinguished services, had merited him the confidence and favour of his government and country.” Destouches was described as “an officer in high estimation among all ranks of the French navy.”