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GENERAL NOTES below relate to Keim's data [which only addresses operations in North America], and may be used later in this draft page.However, there is good reason to seriously question much of the specific numbers reported in Keim's work.
NOTE: at end of Keim's table on p.230 states:
"In addition to the navigation and gun complement were the land troops of the Agenois, D'Hainault, Dillon, Foix (sharpshooters), G�tenais, and Walsh regiments, aggregating about 3,600 men, making a total strength of 15,377."
This list may not be complete. Alexander A. Lawrence's Storm Over Savannah (1979) lists the following: Armagnac, Dillon, Ag�nois, G�tinais, Foix, Hainault, Auxerrois, and Cambr�sis. It does not list: Walsh, Martinque, Le Cap (which are listed on the Yorktown bronze tablet! Note that Auxerrois, Le Cap and Cambr�sis are not in Keim's list!)
NOTE: The following may be worked into a later narrative that summarizes D'Estaing's expedition to North America:
p.231 states:
Aboard was the first minister to the recognized independent United States: M. Conrad Alexander.
p.233 states:
Destination was for the Delaware.
p.234 states:
Anchored inside Cape May and Henlopen on 8 July 1778 -- en route 86 days from Toulon. Captured some ships on the way up the coast.
p.240 states:
D'Estaing and his American pilots did not want to force the bar off Sandy Hook to enter New York Harbor. Remained at anchor off New Jersey for a while and then sailed toward Rhode Island on 22 July at the request of George Washington. There to cooperate with General Sullivan.
p.241 states:
US Continental navy had 10 ships, mounting 252 guns.
p.243 states:
D'Estaing arrived off Newport 29 July 1778.
p.246 states:
Battle off Newport 9 August 1778. Disrupted by a storm.
p.249 states:
D'Estaing sailed for Boston, and abandoned the American land forces at Newport.
p.252 states:
"The forcing of the Narragansett channel by Bailli de Suffren resulted in the complete destruction of the British fleet of 6 frigates (Grand Duke, 40 guns, Orpheus, Lark, Juno, Flora, each 32 guns, and Cerberus, 28 guns), 3 corvettes, 220 guns and the corvette Sengal, and a bomb ketch taken after the �great storm'."
p.253 states:
D'Estaing sailed for West Indies 4 November 1778. Need to add description of his accompliahments there
p253 states:
British took Savannah 29 December 1778.
p.255 states:
Combined attack on Savannah:
D'Estaing appeared off Tybee Island 3 September1779.
By the 12th General Lincoln concentrated his troops.
French debarked their whole force at Beaulieu (Buley).
Forces described on pp.255-256.
p.256 states:
Siege began 23 September.
p.257 states:
Assault 9 October
An 'Annexe XI: Composition de l'escadre de d'Estaing au départ de Toulon le 13 avril 1778 (A.N. Marine Bo 144)' records as departing Toulon 13 April in this fleet the additional ships not listed in Keim's work: L'Hector (C.V. de Mories), Le Vaillant (C.V. de Chabert), Le Provence (C.V. de Champorcin), Le Sagittaire (C.V. de Rions), L'Engageante (C.V. de Gras Preville), and La Flore (C.V. de Castellane).
This annex shows 15 ships with 64 guns or over and 5 with 26 or less guns; a total of 17 'men of war' ships.
Keim's work (p.232) mentions that La Flore had been with the fleet up until orders were opened at sea, and then was dispatched back to France to confirm that the orders had been opened and that 'all is well'.
Archival material from the American general Sullivan's letters indicate that L'Engageante was off the North American shore with this fleet in the fall of 1778.
General note: French documents use the following abreviations for ship comanders' ranks: C.V. = capitaine de vaisseau; C.E. = capitaine de escardre.
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