Autographs
1792 Citizen Jean Baptiste Comte D'Estaing Signed Officier's Military Service Record Between 1755 to 1792 for His Associate & Friend Citizen Gaultier of Kerveguen
JEAN BAPTISTE CHARLES HENRI HECTOR, COMTE D'ESTAING (1729-1794), Commander of the First French Fleet sent in support of the American colonists during the American Revolution, wounded at the Siege of Savannah in 1779.
August 28, 1792-Dated, Autograph Document Signed, "d'Estaing" on the back of a lengthy two-page Military Service Record measuring 12.25" x 8", Perpignan (France), Choice Very Fine. This beautifully handwritten document includes the front page of this French language document written in the hand of Citizen Gaultier of Kerveguen, whose long service record ran from 1755 to 1792. Gaultier's handwriting is crisp, neat, and tight in deep brown on clean solid laid watermarked high quality period paper. It includes highlights of his military career spanning 37 years and 4 wars. Similarly, with a long note by d'Estaing's who's writing is perfection. Here, he writes as Gaultier's Commanding Officer, giving a warm recommendation (in French) based on their long years of service together. In the subsequent French Revolution, d'Estaing was guillotined because of his loyalty to the Royal Family. Gaultier was Captain of Infantry and Assistant to the Quartermaster General for lodging and landing troops; entered the service in 1755 as a Naval Engineer, went to Santa Domingo as Aide-de-Camp to Count d'Estang; he performed duties of Engineer from 1764 to 1766; Topographical Engineer of Camps in 1767; sent to Corsica 1769; Captain of Infantry 1769; employed on the coasts and frontiers up to 1777; he participated in all of d'Estaing's campaign and engaged in the land actions which took place during the twenty-one months campaign of his squadron; was one of the first in the assault of the bluff of the Granada Hospital; and the (1778-1780) Siege of Savannah gave proof of Gaultier's great usefulness and valor. He survived the French Revolution, perhaps by remaining apolitical. Most likely unique, this is a very attractive historic military service record, the likes of which we have not seen before.
Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing (24 November 1729 - 28 April 1794) was a French general and admiral. He began his service as a soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, briefly spending time as a prisoner of war of the British during the Seven Years' War. Naval exploits during the latter war prompted him to change branches of service, and he transferred to the French Navy.D'Estaing served in India during the Seven Years' War and was governor of the Antilles (1763"66).
He was appointed Vice Admiral in 1767 and in 1778 attempted to surprise the English squadrons in North America and enable the colonists to resume the offensive. His blockade of Admiral Richard Howe in New York Bay proved unsuccessful (July 1778), and in August storms prevented him from engaging the British fleet near Newport, Rhode Island.
In November he sailed for the Antilles, where, despite several opportunities, he failed to eliminate a much smaller British squadron. His caution and hesitancy greatly disappointed the American colonists during a crucial phase of the Revolutionary War.
Following France's entry into the American War of Independence in 1778, d'Estaing led the first French fleet to aid the American rebels. He participated in a failed Franco-American siege of Newport, Rhode Island in 1778 and the equally unsuccessful 1779 Siege of Savannah. He did have success in the Caribbean before returning to France in 1780. His difficulties working with American counterparts are cited among the reasons these operations in North America failed.
Although d'Estaing sympathized with revolutionaries during the French Revolution, he held a personal loyalty to the French royal family. Because of this he came under suspicion, and was executed by guillotine in the Reign of Terror.