Louis de Rigaud de Vaudreuil

Louis de Rigaud de Vaudreuil (Revel, 17 October 1728[1] – 1810[2][3]) was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence.

Biography

Rigaud de Vaudreuil was born a younger son of Louis-Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil (1691–1763), and brother to Louis-Philippe de Rigaud (1724–1802).[3][4] He joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine in 1743. He was promoted to Ensign in 1746, to Lieutenant in 1756, and to Captain in 1777.[3]

In 1747, he served on the brand-new 74-gun Intrépide, along with his elder brother.[3]

In 1772, he was first officer on the 50-gun Fier.[5]

In 1777, he was commanding the 74-gun Fendant, in Brest. Navy Minister Sartine had chosen her to be one of the six ships held ready for immediate departure at all times.[6][Note 1]

Between March 1780 and 28 February 1781, he commanded Magnanime,[7] on a cruise between Belle-Ile, Rochefort, La Rochelle and Brest,[8]

In 1781, Vaudreuil was captain of the brand-new 74-gun Sceptre, in the White Squadron of the fleet under De Grasse. [9] He captained her at the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781,[3] and at the Battle of the Saintes.[10][11]

On 12 January 1782, Vaudreuil was promoted to Chef d'Escadre, and put in charge of the squadron of Rochefort.[12] He was promoted to contre-amiral on 1 January 1792, and to Vice-amiral on 1 July 1792.[3][4]

Sources and references

Notes

  1. The six ships held in a state of maximum readiness in Brest were the 74-gun Robuste, under Lamotte-Picquet; Actif, under Hector; Fendant, under Vaudreuil; and the 64-gun Bizarre, under Montecler; Roland, under Du Plessis Parscau; and Triton, under Brach.[6]

Citations

  1. Chenaye Desbois (1786), p. 424.
  2. Morris (1988), p. 479.
  3. Contenson (1934), p. 276.
  4. Gardiner (1905), p. 119.
  5. Archives nationales (2011), p. 189.
  6. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 91.
  7. Roche (2005), p. 292.
  8. Archives nationales (2011), p. 279.
  9. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 649.
  10. Troude (1867), p. 140.
  11. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 648.
  12. Lacour-Gayet (1910), p. 664.

References

  • Chenaye Desbois, François Alexandre Aubert (1786). Dictionnaire de la noblesse ... de France. Paris. p. 424.
  • Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778–1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
  • Gardiner, Asa Bird (1905). The order of the Cincinnati in France. The Rhode Island state society of Cincinnati. OCLC 5104049.
  • Lacour-Gayet, Georges (1910). La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI. Paris: Honoré Champion.
  • Morris, Robert (1988). The Papers of Robert Morris, 1781–1784. p. 479. ISBN 9780822970262.
  • Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France (in French). Vol. 2. Challamel ainé.
  • Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.

External links

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