George Washington Papers

Captain Destouches to George Washington, 19 March 1781

From Captain Destouches

A Bord Du Duc de Bourgogne le 19 Mars 1781
a 30 Lieves dans le Sud-est des Caps de la Delaware1

Monsieur

Je Suis Extremement touché d’avoir a annoncer a Votre Excellénce que notre expedition contre le corp aux ordres d’arnold n’a pu S’exécuter. les Ennemis avertis Sans doute par quelqu’uns de ces traitres a L’Amerique si nombreux aux environs de Newport Sont arrivés en même tems que moi Sur les caps de la Virginie. Votre Excellence Sent combien il eut eté impraticable d’essayer de faire un debarquement de troupes des vaisseaux de Guerre même malgré L’Escadre Angloise et Sous Son feu. plein de regret de me voir forcé2 au moins3 pour le moment a L’esperance de Secourir L’Etat de Virginie, jai cherché du moins4 a humilier L’orgueil de nos Ennemis communs, et a meriter L’Estime de L’Amerique, et particulierement de Votre Excellence.

Le 16 de ce mois a la Suite d’un vent de Sud violent qui avoit porté L’Escadre au Nord-est du cap charles, L’horison etant Brumeux,5 L’Escadre courant L’Amûre a Babord, on decouvrit a la pointe du jour une fregatte a deux portées de Canon au vent. a peine avois je6 fait signal de lui donner chasse, qu’on eut connoissance de plusieurs gros Vaisseaux en arriere7 de L’escadre. je ne doutai pas des lors que ce ne fut L’Escadre Angloise, qui informée de mon projet, et ayant pû courir plus largue que moi avec les vents d’ouest et de Nord-ouest etoit arrivée presque en même tems Sur les cotes de la Virginie. Sur le champ8 je fis Signal a L’Escadre de se former en bataille L’amûre a babord, les vents Soufflants du Nord-est depuis quelques instants. L’Escadre Angloise me restant a deux lieues environ dans le Sud, et courant au même bord que moi, a 9 heures je fis virer L’Escadre Vent devant par la Contremarche, et une demie heure apres les Ennemis firent le même mouvement. a 10 heures et demie le Vent fraichissant, et la bordée9 m’approchant trop des eceuils de la cote Septentrionale de Virginie, je virai une Seconde fois par la Contremarche, et repris mes Amûres a babord. Les Ennemis continuerent a courir au bord opposé en forcant de voile, et avec l’avantage de marche quils avoient Sur mon Escadre, ils Se furent bientot elevés de maniere a pouvoir me passer au Vent. a Midi ils revirerent dans mes eaux, et avant une heure apres midi leur avant-garde n’etoit plus eloignée que d’une demie lieue de la queue de ma ligne. jusqualors j’avois manoeuvré sans eviter et Sans rechercher le combat parceque je Sentois que L’issue même la plus heureuse dont je pusse me flatter, me laisseroit toujours dans L’impossibilité de remplir mon objet, mais le projet determiné que montroient les Ennemis d’attaquer mon arriere garde, et L’honneur des armes du Roi que j’avois a Soutenir, me firent prendre le parti d’aller a leur rencontre. je fis Signal a L’Escadre de Virer vent arriere par la Contremarche, et au chef de file de porter Sur la tête de la ligne ennemie, dans le dessein de prolonger leur Escadre a bord opposé et Sous le vent, afin de procurer a plusieurs de mes Vaisseaux le moyen de Se servir de leur batterie basse avec plus de facilité. a une heure le chef de file de ma ligne etoit a portée de Canon du chef de file des Ennemis, et quelques minuttes apres le feu commenca de part et d’autre. la tete de la ligne Angloise avoit arrivé, et L’avant garde de mon Escadre avoit fait le même mouvement, pour la prolonger, tellement que ces portions des deux Escadres combaterent quelque tems en courant vent arriere. cette manoeuvre de L’avant garde Angloise ne me permettant plus de prolonger leur ligne Sous le vent un peu avant deux heures, je me determinai a faire revenir L’Escadre au plus pres du vent L’amure a babord par un mouvement successif ce qui la faisoit defiler en entier sur la tete de la ligne ennemie, cette manœuvre me reussit complettement. leur chef de file avoit a peine essuyé le feu du cinquieme vaisseau, lorsquil arriva, prit le vent sur tribord et se retira du combat sous L’Escorte d’une fregatte qui vint a Son Secours. cependant la queue de L’escadre Angloise avoit continué a tenir le Vent en forçant de Voiles ce qui la mit a portée de Combattre mon arriere garde dans le mouvement quelle faisoit en dependant pour se remettre dans les eaux de la tête de la ligne. en General cette partie de mon Escadre a peu Souffert. a 2 heures trois quarts le feu cessa des deux cotes. L’Escadre Anglaise Se trouvant en arriere et au vent de la mienne je fis Signal de retablir L’ordre de bataille L’amure a Babord, Sans avoir egard aux postes ordinaires des Vaisseaux, ce qui fut executé en peu de tems. j’avois alors le projet de Virer une Seconde fois Sur les ennemis qui me paroissoient avoir eté plus maltraités que Moi, mais les Signaux que firent le conquerant et L’Ardent, m’apprirent que ces vaisseaux et particulierement le premier, avoient eté considerablement endommagés dans le combat. je continuai donc a courir cette bordée a petites voiles, prêt a recevoir les ennemis, S’ils jugeoient a propos de hazarder un Second choc; mais ils se tinrent prudement de L’arriere et au Vent, pendant le reste du jour, sans profiter de la Superiorité de leur marche pour renouveller le combat. a L’entrée de la Nuit L’Escadre Anglaise arriva, et je Continuai a courir au Sud-est. Le Landemain matin jassemblai les capitaines pour connoitre L’etat de leurs vaisseaux et deliberer avec eux Sur ce quil y avoit de plus convennable a faire dans la circonstance actuelle. je Scû que le Vaisseau Le conqueran[t] avoit son Gouvernail et toutte sa mature dans L’etat le plus inquietant, et que le grand mât de L’ardent etoit tres endommagé, et que plusieurs autres vaisseaux avoient aussi recu des coups de canon dans leurs bas mats.

En consequence il fut decidé que L’Escadre retourneroit directement a Newport pour se reparer et10 se mettre en etat de Se⟨rvir⟩ dans quelque tems plus utilement L’Amerique.

Je ne puis donner trop d’eloges a la Courageuse fer⟨meté⟩ qu’ont montré les capitaines, les officiers et les Equipages de mon Escadre, ainsi que les troupes passageres qui y etoient embarqué. leur valeur ma tenû lieu d’un Vaisseau que les Ennemis avoient de plus que moi, et si pour le Succes de notre Expedition il n’avoit fallu que donner un Second echec aux Ennemis, je L’aurois regardé comme assuré malgré la Superiorité de leurs forces.11 Jai L’honneur d’etre avec respect Monsieur De Votre Excellence Le Tres humble et Tres obeissant Serviteur

Destouches

LS, DLC:GW; LS (duplicate), in French, enclosed in GW to Samuel Huntington, 31 March, DNA:PCC, item 152; copy, matching the duplicate, DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 72075. The duplicate is undated, does not specify a recipient, and was written after Destouches’s return to Newport (see n.10 below). It concludes with an additional paragraph in which Destouches explains that he has dispatched the frigate Hermione to carry to Philadelphia arms meant for Virginia militia that he could not deliver directly. He also advises that he has sent a duplicate letter.

Destouches reports his inability to carry out the objective of the expedition to attack the forces under British brigadier general Benedict Arnold because of damages suffered during an engagement with a British fleet on 16 March. A council of war on 17 March resulted in the decision to return to Newport to repair and refit the ships.

French chief commissary Claude Blanchard, who was embarked on Destouches’s flagship the Duc de Bourgogne, described the action in his journal: “On the 16th, at 6 o’clock in the morning, a sail was signaled which was perceived to be a frigate. Other vessels were soon discovered. Decks were cleared throughout our whole squadron. …

“The English had eight ships, one of which was of three decks; they also had three frigates. We also had eight ships, but inferior to those of the English, for we had no ship of three decks, and we had brought the Romulus into line, which had only fifty guns. … M. Destouches’s intention was to avoid an engagement; but perceiving that the English were gaining on us considerably, he tacked about and went at them. We began the engagement at 2 o’clock; it was bad weather and there was a little rain.” Blanchard disparaged the English gunnery. He also felt “that they did not take advantage of their superiority, and that there was confusion among them. One of their ships was so disabled that it fell to the leeward and made a signal of distress; it had encountered our ship and two others at the same time; if the Neptune had wished to follow it, it might have captured it or compelled it to run ashore. The Conquerant … had, for its part, to sustain the attack of three of the enemy’s ships, and fought hand to hand with the ship of three decks; it had also three officers killed. … A hundred soldiers or sailors on board of it were hit, among whom forty were killed on the spot and an equal number mortally wounded. The greatest carnage was on the deck; the boatswains, the captain at arms and seven steersmen were among the dead, its tiller and the wheel of its helm were carried away; notwithstanding which it held out. The English, who were to the windward and, consequently, could renew the combat, were not anxious for it, put about and went away. M. Destouches’s project seemed to be to follow them and attack them again; but we lost time in ascertaining the condition of the Conquerant, which had made a signal of distress.

“Night came and the enemy were already at a distance. On board of the Duc de Bourgogne we had only four men killed and eight wounded … the Ardent, one of the ships of our squadron, found itself for some time between us and an English ship, which warded off many blows, but at the same time was prejudicial to our manœuvre and hindered us from doing all the damage to the English that we might have done. …

“On the 17th, the admiral caused us to lie to, and all the captains repaired for orders. …

“It was decided that they should return to Newport, the landing in Virginia seeming impossible in presence of the English, who, being better sailers than we, had certainly proceeded to Chesapeake bay” (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 , 95–99). For a detailed account of ship maneuvers on 16–17 March from another French participant, see Barneville, “Journal,” description begins Gilbert Chinard, ed. “Journal de Guerre de Brisout de Barneville, Mai 1780–Octobre 1781.” The French American Review: A Quarterly Published by the Institut Francais de Washington 3 (1950): 216–78. description ends 259–63.

Reporting on 30 March from the Royal Oak off the Virginia coast, Vice Adm. Marriot Arbuthnot described the battle on 16 March to the Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty: “At eight we discovered them to windward about four leagues. … About one o’clock, the enemy having their larboard tacks, and we standing on contrary one to fetch their wake, being so far advanced as to weather them, I made the signal to tack and for the ship to continue to lead on the tack, we being in a line, and hailed Captain Cosby [Robust] to inform him I meant to engage them to leeward, as the weather was very disagreeable, hazy, and a large sea.

“Nothing could bear a more pleasing prospect than my situation. … But, the enemy changing their position, and wearing from the larboard to the starboard tacks at the time when the Robust was about two gun shots from their rear and one point to windward, before they did wear, Captain Cosby hastily bore down upon the ship that was now become their van, and began the action before I could make his signal to shorten sail, because my line was a little too extended. … But now at 13 minutes past 2 P.M., the Robust bore down and wore to the starboard tack and engaged without signal, which obliged me to form under the fire of the enemy’s line; and as

Map 3. The Chesapeake Bay region became central to strategic planning and tactical activity in 1781. (Illustrated by Rick Britton. Copyright Rick Britton 2022)

the van was by this means soon put into confusion, I was single in bearing down to connect the line, exposed to the fire of the admiral and his two seconds. Soon after which the London had her maintopsail yard shot down, and my ship’s foresail was so torn with shot that it hung to the yard by four cloths and the earrings only, the maintopsail halliards, braces, ties, also the foretopsail and fore braces and bowlines, and in short (for a little space only) the ship was ungovernable.

“The French admiral, availing himself of my situation, went ahead of me and proceeded to the ships in the van, the Europe, Prudent, and Robust. The two former being ungovernable, the Robust was attacked by the French admiral and his two seconds for some little time, in the course of which nothing can exceed the gallant behaviour of Captain Cosby and his ship’s company in general. I hastened with every possible dispatch to his assistance with my ship [Royal Oak], which happily drew off the enemy from him, after having entirely cut up his [the Robust’s] masts, sails, and rigging, so that in despite of the address of her gallant Captain, she fell round with her head contrary way from me and the enemy, who were at this time making sail from us. So did likewise the Prudent. This misfortune, and the loss of the London’s maintopsail yard put it out of my power to pursue the enemy far. After a very short show of pursuing the enemy, who was now pretty far advanced ahead, I returned to the assistance of the Robust, Prudent, and Europe. The two former it was necessary to cause to be towed.

“This happened the 16th instant, Cape Henry bearing west by south 14 leagues.

“We arrived here the 18th, in time, I am bold to say, to save both Mr Arnold’s forces here and also Lord Cornwallis, which must have cost us all our conquests to the southward, because if the French had not been prevented from this, they have 2000 men on board which they were to have landed, and taken possession of Norfolk and destroyed our ships” (Sandwich Papers, 4:166–70, quotes 168–69; brackets in source).

Destouches’s withdrawal allowed the British fleet to enter the Chesapeake Bay. A letter from a British officer on the 90-gun London, written from Lynnhaven Bay near Portsmouth, Va., on Monday, 19 March, gives another eyewitness account of the battle: “Last Friday Morning at day break, it being thick and rainey, we discovered the French fleet near in with the Capes, & to Windward of us: we immediately gave chace, & formed the line ahead; the French formed their line, & kept the Wind: Our ships sailed faster than theirs, and in the course of the Forenoon we passed each other on different tacks several times, their Line consisting of 7 Sail of the Line, and the Romulus; ours of 7 Sail of the Line, and the Adamant: Each Fleet 3 frigates. As we gained upon them our Operations were great. At 1 o’Clock the French Division bore down on us for Action: our line was not well Closed, so that the force of the Action, was aimed at, and fell on our Van, which was the Robuste & Prudent, who were obliged to edge away. The Action began at ½ past One, both fleets before the wind, under topsails. Three ships were on the Robuste at one time, and they were engaged half an hour before they could be supported by our Center; The Rigging, Masts, & Yards of the Robuste & Prudent shot to pieces, & consequently raked by the Enemy, and drove out of the Line. The London engaged the French Commodore smartly, but they kept at long shot and shot away the London’s Main topsail yard. The French wore and passed our line a second time, and sheered off in good order. Our disabled ships obliged our fleet to stay by them which we did all the Evening and night. The Rear of both fleets fired but few shots. We have no other claim to the Victory but that of remaining Masters of the field of Action” (Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:504–5).

British major Frederick Mackenzie wrote in his diary entry for 27 March: “The disappointment of The French and Rebels in this their first attempt at a conjunct operation, must be very great, and most sensibly felt by them.

“We have been relieved from a most critical situation, for had The French gained the Chesapeak, or beat The British fleet, the most ruinous consequences must have been the result; such as their having in the latter case the superiority at Sea so early in the Campaign, the loss perhaps of Arnold’s Corps, probably of that under General Phillips, and certainly a very superior force united and directed against Lord Cornwallis” (Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:495–96; see also Elias Dayton to GW, 9 March, and notes 3 and 5 to that document). Mackenzie added in his diary entry for 13 April: “Some of our Captains who commanded ships in the late Engagement, talk very freely of the misconduct on that day. It is publickly said by them, that had all our ships done their duty, the whole French fleet must have been taken. …

“Much was done by preventing the Enemy from getting into the Chesapeak, but the destruction or capture of their fleet with 2000 troops on board it, would have totally destroyed the hopes of the Rebels, and been a fatal blow to France” (Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:507).

British commander in chief Gen. Henry Clinton later assessed the battle: “Although the French fleet had two days’ start of the British, Admiral Arbuthnot, unencumbered with transports, by pursuing with that zeal and celerity which the greatness of the exigency required had the happiness to overtake them before they entered the Chesapeake. And, though his action of the 16th was certainly not so decisive as might have been expected from the superiority of his force, yet, as he compelled them to return into port without effecting their purpose, he is very justly entitled to the merit of having entirely disconcerted the present enterprise of the enemy against His Majesty’s ships and troops in Virginia—which, it must be confessed, could not have well failed had it been undertaken seven weeks sooner” (Willcox, American Rebellion description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends , 255).

For full descriptions of the battle from a modern perspective, concluding that Destouches could have won a decisive victory if he had continued the fight, see Nelson, Washington’s Gamble description begins James L. Nelson. George Washington’s Great Gamble and the Sea Battle that Won the American Revolution. New York, 2010. description ends , 58–71, and Philbrick, Hurricane’s Eye description begins Nathaniel Philbrick. In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius and George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown. New York, 2018. description ends , 61–68; see also Clowes, Royal Navy description begins William Laird Clowes. The Royal Navy: A History From the Earliest Times to the Present. 7 vols. London, 1897-1903. description ends , 3:488–93.

1Destouches gives his position as thirty leagues southeast of the Capes of Delaware.

2The French for renounce (“de renoncer”) is written after this phrase on the duplicate LS.

3A small mark appears over the words “au moins” in the LS; a translation written in the left-hand margin by GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman reads “at least.” All subsequent margin notations occur in the LS.

4A small “x” appears over the words “du moins”; a translation written in the left-hand margin by Tilghman reads “however.”

5A small “x” appears over the word “Brumeux”; a translation written in the left-hand margin by Tilghman reads “foggy.”

6Tilghman wrote the following translation of the words “apeine avois je” in the left-hand margin: “scarcely had I.”

7Tilghman wrote “last” in the left-hand margin as a translation of this word.

8Tilghman wrote “immediately” in the left-hand margin as a translation of the previous three words.

9Tilghman wrote “tack” in the left-hand margin as a translation of this word.

10The remainder of this sentence translates as: “to put itself in a proper state to serve America for some time more usefully.” The duplicate is altered to “apres une assez longue contrarieté, nous y Sommes arrivés, et y avons moüilles hier au Soir,” which translates as: “after a rather long difficulty, we arrived there [Newport] and anchored there yesterday in the evening.”

11GW replied to Destouches from New Windsor on 31 March: “I was last evening honored with your favor of the 19th instant by the Hermione Via Philada—and with a duplicate from Newport. I am obliged by the minute detail which you are pleased to give me of the Action on the 16th instant between the Squadron of his Most Christian Majesty under your command and that of the British under Admiral Arbuthnot. Tho’ you have not been able to accomplish the object which you had in view, you have merited the thanks of every American by the boldness of the attempt, and by the gallantry and good conduct displayed through the whole course of the engagement—I will confess to you, Sir, I was never sanguine in my expectations after I saw the British Fleet follow you so closely from Gardiners Bay. I knew that the success of the expedition depended almost entirely upon your arrival in the Chespeak before Admiral Arbuthnot—A circumstance in which the Winds and Weather had more influence than valour or skill—Had it depended upon the latter, I should have had perfect confidence, and the event has justified my opinion” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; copy, in French, CSmH; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).

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