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 Seven Years War, spending time as a prisoner of war of the British. Following France's entry into the American War of Independence in 1778, he led a fleet to aid the American rebels, but participated in failed Franco-American attacks on Rhode Island and the Siege of Savannah. He returned to France in 1780. He was subsequently executed in the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.
BiographyHe was born at the Château de Ravel in Auvergne to Charles-François, the Marquis de Saillant and a lieutenant general, and Marie-Henriette Colbert de Maulevrier, a descendant of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. He entered the army as a colonel of infantry, and, in 1757, he accompanied count de Lally to the East Indies, with the rank of brigadier-general. In 1759, he was taken prisoner at the siege of Madras, but was released on parole. Before the ratification of his exchange, he entered the service of the French East Indian Company and, with two vessels, destroyed the British factories in Sumatra and the Persian Gulf. On his way back to France in 1760, he fell, accidentally, into the hands of the British. On the ground of having broken his parole, he was thrown into prison at Portsmouth but as the charge could not be substantiated, he was soon afterwards released. In 1763, he was named lieutenant-general in the French navy, and, in 1777, vice-admiral. American War of IndependenceMain article: Franco-American alliance
 One year later, he left Toulon in command of a fleet of twelve ships of the line and fourteen frigates with the intention of assisting the American colonies against Great Britain. He sailed on 13 April, and, between the 11th and the 22nd of July, blockaded Lord Howe at Sandy Hook, the entrance to New York harbour, but did not venture to attack him, because his ships could not clear the bay's bar, although his force was superior numerically. NewportIn cooperation with the American generals, he planned an attack on Newport, Rhode Island, preparatory to which he compelled the British to destroy some war vessels that were in the harbor. Before the concerted attack could take place, he put to sea against the Britishfleet, under Admiral Howe, when owing to a violent storm, which arose suddenly and compelled the two fleets to separate before engaging in battle, many of his vessels were so shattered that he found it necessary to put into Boston for repairs. While being in Newport he was assisted by captain Caleb Gardner against the British forces. He then sailed for the West Indies on 4 November. After a feeble attempt to retake Santa Lucia from Admiral Barrington, he captured St Vincent and Grenada. On 6 July 1779, he fought the Battle of Grenada[1] against Admiral Byron, who retired to St Christopher. Though superior in force, d'Estaing would not attack the British in the roadstead but set sail to attack Savannah. All his attempts, as well as those of the Americans, against the town were repulsed with heavy loss, and he was finally compelled to retire. Siege of SavannahThe siege consisted of a joint Franco-American attempt to retake Savannah from 16 September 1779 to 18 October 1779. On 9 October 1779, a major assault against the British siege works failed. During the attack, Polish Count Kazimierz Pułaski, fighting on the American side, was mortally wounded. With the failure of the joint American-French attack, the siege failed, and the British remained in control of coastal Georgia until they evacuated it in July 1782, close to the end of the war. Return to FranceHe returned to France in 1780, but he fell into disfavour at the court, and was strongly criticised by his subordinates. Three years later, however, he was placed at the head of the Franco-Spanish fleet assembled before Cádiz, but the peace was signed and no operations took place. From that time, his chief attention was devoted to politics. He was first made a grandee of Spain and, in 1787, he was elected to the Assembly of Notables. When the French Revolution broke out, he favoured the new ideas. In 1789, he was appointed to the National Guard at Versailles and, in 1792, he was chosen admiral by the National Assembly. Though in favour of national reform, he remained loyal to the royal family, and, in the trial of Marie Antoinette in 1793, bore testimony in her favour. On this account, and because of certain friendly letters which had passed between him and the queen, he was himself brought to trial, charged with being a reactionary. He was sent to the guillotine on 28 April 1794. Before his execution, he jabbed "After my head falls off, send it to the British, they will pay a good deal for it!" [2] In his moments of leisure, he wrote a poem, Le Rêve (1755), a tragedy Les Thermopyles (1789) and a book on the colonies.
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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 Seven Years War, spending time as a prisoner of war of the British. Following France's entry into the American War of Independence in 1778, he led a fleet to aid the American rebels, but participated in failed Franco-American attacks on Rhode Island and the Siege of Savannah. He returned to France in 1780. He was subsequently executed in the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.
BiographyHe was born at the Château de Ravel in Auvergne to Charles-François, the Marquis de Saillant and a lieutenant general, and Marie-Henriette Colbert de Maulevrier, a descendant of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. He entered the army as a colonel of infantry, and, in 1757, he accompanied count de Lally to the East Indies, with the rank of brigadier-general. In 1759, he was taken prisoner at the siege of Madras, but was released on parole. Before the ratification of his exchange, he entered the service of the French East Indian Company and, with two vessels, destroyed the British factories in Sumatra and the Persian Gulf. On his way back to France in 1760, he fell, accidentally, into the hands of the British. On the ground of having broken his parole, he was thrown into prison at Portsmouth but as the charge could not be substantiated, he was soon afterwards released. In 1763, he was named lieutenant-general in the French navy, and, in 1777, vice-admiral. American War of IndependenceMain page: Franco-American alliance
One year later, he left Toulon in command of a fleet of twelve ships of the line and fourteen frigates with the intention of assisting the American colonies against Great Britain. He sailed on 13 April, and, between the 11th and the 22nd of July, blockaded Lord Howe at Sandy Hook, the entrance to New York harbour, but did not venture to attack him, because his ships could not clear the bay's bar, although his force was superior numerically. NewportMain page: Battle of Rhode Island
In cooperation with the American generals, he planned an attack on Newport, Rhode Island, preparatory to which he compelled the British to destroy some war vessels that were in the harbor. Before the concerted attack could take place, he put to sea against the British fleet, under Admiral Howe, when owing to a violent storm, which arose suddenly and compelled the two fleets to separate before engaging in battle, many of his vessels were so shattered that he found it necessary to put into Boston for repairs. While being in Newport he was assisted by captain Caleb Gardner against the British forces. He then sailed for the West Indies on 4 November. After a feeble attempt to retake Santa Lucia from Admiral Barrington, he captured St Vincent and Grenada. On 6 July 1779, he fought the Battle of Grenada[1] against Admiral Byron, who retired to St Christopher. Though superior in force, d'Estaing would not attack the British in the roadstead but set sail to attack Savannah. All his attempts, as well as those of the Americans, against the town were repulsed with heavy loss, and he was finally compelled to retire. Siege of SavannahMain page: Siege of Savannah
The siege consisted of a joint Franco-American attempt to retake Savannah from 16 September 1779 to 18 October 1779. On 9 October 1779, a major assault against the British siege works failed. During the attack, Polish Count Kazimierz Pułaski, fighting on the American side, was mortally wounded. With the failure of the joint American-French attack, the siege failed, and the British remained in control of coastal Georgia until they evacuated it in July 1782, close to the end of the war. Return to FranceHe returned to France in 1780, but he fell into disfavour at the court, and was strongly criticised by his subordinates. Three years later, however, he was placed at the head of the Franco-Spanish fleet assembled before Cádiz, but the peace was signed and no operations took place. From that time, his chief attention was devoted to politics. He was first made a grandee of Spain and, in 1787, he was elected to the Assembly of Notables. When the French Revolution broke out, he favoured the new ideas. In 1789, he was appointed to the National Guard at Versailles and, in 1792, he was chosen admiral by the National Assembly. Though in favour of national reform, he remained loyal to the royal family, and, in the trial of Marie Antoinette in 1793, bore testimony in her favour. On this account, and because of certain friendly letters which had passed between him and the queen, he was himself brought to trial, charged with being a reactionary. He was sent to the guillotine on 28 April 1794. Before his execution, he jabbed "After my head falls off, send it to the British, they will pay a good deal for it!" [2] In his moments of leisure, he wrote a poem, Le Rêve (1755), a tragedy Les Thermopyles (1789) and a book on the colonies.
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CHARLES HECTOR ESTAING, COMTE D' (1729-1794), French admiral, was born at the château of Ruvel, Auvergne, in 1729. He entered the army as a colonel of infantry, and in 1 757 he accompanied count de Lally to the East Indies, with the rank of brigadier-general. In 5759 he was made prisoner at the siege of Madras, but was released on parole. Before the ratification of his exchange he obtained command of some vessels, and conducted various naval attacks against the English; and having, on his return to France in 1760, fallen accidentally into their hands, he was, on the ground of having broken his parole, thrown into prison at Portsmouth, but as the charge could not be properly substantiated he was soon afterwards released. In 1763 he was named lieutenant-general in the navy, and in 1777 viceadmiral; and in 1778 he obtained the command of a fleet intended to assist the United States against Great Britain. He sailed on the 13th of April, and between the 11th and the 22nd of July, blockaded Howe at Sandy Hook, but did not venture to attack him, though greatly superior in force. In concert with the American generals, he planned an attack on Newport, preparatory to which he compelled the British to destroy some war vessels that were in the harbour; but before the concerted attack could take place, he put to sea against the English fleet, under Lord Howe, when owing to a violent storm, which arose suddenly and compelled the two fleets to separate before engaging in battle, many of his vessels were so shattered that he found it necessary to put into Boston for repairs. He then sailed for the West Indies on the 4th of November. After a feeble attempt to retake Santa Lucia from Admiral Barrington, he captured St Vincent and Grenada. On the 6th of July 1779 he fought a drawn battle with Admiral John Byron, who retired to St Christopher. Though superior in force, D'Estaing would not attack the English in the roadstead, but set sail to attack Savannah. All his attempts, as well as those of the Americans, against the town were repulsed with heavy loss, and he was finally compelled to retire. He returned to France in 1780. He was in command of the combined fleet before Cadiz when the peace was signed in 1783; but from that time his chief attention was devoted to politics. In 1787 he was elected to the assembly of the notables; in 1789 he was appointed commandant of the national guard; and in 1792 he was chosen admiral by the National Assembly. Though in favour of national reform he continued to cherish a strong feeling of loyalty to the royal family, and on the trial of Marie Antoinette in 1793 bore testimony in her favour. On this account, and because of certain friendly letters which had passed between him and the queen, he was himself brought to trial, and was executed on the 28th of April 1794.
See Marins et soldats francais en Amerique, by the Viscomte de Noailles (1903); Beatson, Naval and Military Memoirs of Great Britain, vol. v.
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