[MANUSCRIPT MEMOIR OF M. LA VALLIER DES ROCHES, FRENCH NAVAL OFFICER, SPANNING THIRTY YEARS OF FRENCH INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEAR EAST, AFRICA, AND THE AMERICAS]

Book Description

[Np. ca. 1690].. 127pp. numbered in contemporary manuscript, plus two pen-and-ink drawings, one of Carthagena and the other a map, "Plan de Ste. Marthe." Folio. Gathered signatures. Internally bright and clean. Near fine. In a half morocco and cloth box. A remarkable and extensive memoir composed by the career French naval officer, M. La Vallier des Roches, spanning nearly three decades of service in the Near East, Africa, and the Americas. From the papers of Michel Bégon (1638-1710). Bégon was a French civil servant and colonial administrator who served for a while in Canada, and then in the Caribbean at Martinique. In the 1680s he became intendent at Santo Domingo, and was later sent to Martinique for official duties. Later he was the intendent of the port of La Rochelle and gathered a great deal of intelligence for the French Crown. Des Roches' narrative is divided into seven main sections: the march of six thousand French soldiers to Hungary before the battle of St. Gothard; the seizure of the Dutch slave colony of Gorée off the African coast in 1678; an account of the taking of Tobago later in 1678; the disaster suffered by the French fleet under d'Estrées on its way to attack Curacao in August of 1678; a 1682 naval reconnaissance voyage along the coast of Central America; a French demonstration of force off the coast of Copenhagen in 1683; and Tourville's defeat of the English and Dutch fleets off Beachy Head in 1690. Des Roches' narrative is rich in specific detail, sometimes at the expense of style. Excerpts from each section follow below (in English translation): 1) From the march to Hungary: "During the different [?] between the Pope and the King, the Kingdom of Hungary which for several years has rested from the fatigues of a furious war which overwhelmed it, began anew to feel itself torn asunder by the Ottoman armies, and to be reduced to having these vast and fertile lands serve only as theater for playing bloody tragedies. This numerous army, at the head of which the grand Seigneur had placed his first Vizir, would without a doubt have subdued the rest of this Kingdom if the Emperor hadn't asked for help from his allies, that is, the Electors and other Christian Princes. The King, who has no greater passion than helping his brothers, and all those who have need of his forces, particularly when it lies in the interests of the Religion, at the first demand from the Emperor provided 6000 men from the best troops of his Kingdom: 4000 infantry and 2000 horse, which troops were paid by his majesty. The companies of light horse already in Italy were ordered to leave and to pass into Hungary to go to the aid of this pitiful realm." 2) From the taking of Gorée: "L'Isle de Gorée est terre d'affrique...; arrived Sunday last of Oct.; squadron carried Dutch colors; fired upon; moored; same evening armed sloops detached; saluted by enemy but continued approaching land; enemy abandoned lower fort; retired to upper; next day Mon. 1 Nov. vice admiral requested surrender; gov. replied saying he had a good fort; Sr. de Combe, Ingenieur, was envoy; attacked planned; participants listed; cannonade followed by surrender; garrison of 120 men taken prison; Tues. forts razed; armaments listed incl. 40 black slaves." 3) From the taking of Tobago: "...arrived 6 Dec.; d'Estrées sent troops ashore; Blenag & Grancey share command by land & sea; camp; placing cannon, cutting road through woods; took some prisoners; several French came to help; request for surrender includes threats against Gorée prisoners if French in fort are harmed; 'renegade' French for Prince of Orange; preparations continue; Sunday midday 14 cannon volleys; a bomb in their powder magazine; vice admiral immediately to fort to accept surrender; such good care given to wounded that others surrender easily; 650 prisoners as well as fort; Precieux, 56, retaken with three others; one a 52; a frigate of 8 and 200 ton flustre, 10; fort no less well armed; sang Te Deum; blew up fort." 4) From the journey to Curacao: "...I note that we got lost on the way to the third...called Corosol [Curacao]...we left St. Christophe 6th May; squadron joined by several smaller craft from St. Dominique, by order of the king, carrying 13 or 14 hundred men, inhabitants, buccaneers, filibusters; northeasterly wind favorable...four days to the south & southwest seeking favorable winds favorable to reconnoitre Orchilla & seek Corosol in the same longitude; the plan being prudently enough formed seemed to have only the happiest consequences; nevertheless things were otherwise: currents of which we knew not the force drove us westward upon a Rock unknown to us & unmarked in the charts...weather had been nice but as soon as we touched the wind increased greatly, driving the sea before it, both of which contributed to the loss of several boats." 5) From the reconnaissance of the Central American Coast: "Took on stores & water, left Martinique 15 July intending to go by way of Grenada but had an easterly wind so steered westward with a following wind; 24th made St. Martha [represented by one of the maps], called 'Tierra Nivadas' which in our language means mountains of snow...Inhabitants at its feet & along part of its coast by a small people who could be called pygmies; they live apart from other peoples; they flee & hide; in time of great heat they live higher up the mountain; they eat ouycou, magnoc; religion unknown...2d August left Portobello; reconnoitred the Isles des catives which number 50, uninhabited, & Roatan, inhabited only by corsairs, went to reconnoitre the Isle despins, Cap St. Nicolas, Cap St. Antoine, west of Cuba. 3 Sept. passed Cayenne; 6th, Havana, rendezvous of the galleons as well as for all the West Indies...." 6) From the naval demonstration off Copenhagen: "10th, north wind, prepared for departure; wind southerly, stayed where they were. 11th, news by a letter intercepted that the Swedish army would emerge; 14th detained Swedish frigate flying so large a flag it looks as though it were made expressly to be recognized, asked questions about Swedish dispositions; following this ingenuous confession the frigates saluted the admiral who did not return it and the frigates who did...ordered back to France, giving joy to all but one who prefers the pay of extended tours to returning to his family." 7) From Tourville's defeat of the English and Dutch off Beachy Head: "4th found the English fleet to the NE but they have the wind; French moored 5th, wind SW the French prepared to attack; wind veers SE the English try to flee at which they succeed knowing better the coastal waters, wind NE, both fleets moored 4 leagues apart for the night; the 6th, NE breezes, form line of battle, a new way of signaling...Combat: the 10th, blue squadron rejoins as avant garde; enemy approaches...the Dutch (25 ships of which the smallest carried 50 cannon); French line of battle extended SE-NW; violent battle...solid bravery of M. de St. Cler second the Precieux & the offices, I made every effort to imitate their example until I was wounded toward the end; the Dutch were so busy firing at us that they let 6 of our ships gain the wind, which all did their duty well; the enemy could do no more & fled...." A unique record of a French soldier, with major New World interest.

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