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PROPERTY OF THE LATE COMTE LOUIS DE CHASTELLUX
YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN – Manuscript, "Réflexions Sur L'attaque de Newyork ." n.p., c. July 1781.
Details
YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN – Manuscript, "Réflexions Sur L'attaque de Newyork ." n.p., c. July 1781.
In French, 12 leaves (pages numbered 1-18, 27-32, with two additional pages unpaginated) 308 x 195mm, stabbed and sewn with green ribbon, blindstamped "ARCHIVES DE CHASTELLUX" at top top right, manuscript corrections and annotations throughout, (many of which are accomplished on paper pasted over the original text, several pages removed, partly disbound).
An analysis of the strategic situation around New York City in 1781. A detailed, albeit incomplete, report, which methodically considers a number of potential attacks against the British garrison in New York City, including references to features shown on the manuscript map offered in Lot 8 of this sale. According to the outline that appears on the final two pages, the complete report considered the consequences of attacks against Manhattan Island, as well as Long Island, Paulus Hood, Staten Island, and Sandy Hook. Of these plans, the journal still includes the majority of the commentary on a projected attack upon the British fortifications at King's Bridge across Spuyten Duyvil Creek – strategically the most vulnerable part of Manhattan Island as the Royal Navy could not be brought to bear against a Franco-American move there. However, the dense thicket of fortifications at the northern end of the island more than compensated for that deficiency.
Based on the incompleteness of the report and the numerous corrections, this manuscript probably constituted a working draft of the report. Although the conclusion is no longer present, it can be inferred that the analysis conceded that a general attack on the island held great potential for disaster. Rather, Washington and Rochambeau viewed operations against the city as a means to relieve pressure on Lafayette, who was then parrying Cornwallis in Virginia. Of course when news arrived that a large French fleet had arrived at Chesapeake Bay the American and French commanders switched tack and began the long march south to Virginia, where they trapped Cornwallis at Yorktown – forcing his surrender on 19 October 1781. Provenance: François-Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux (1734 -1788) – by descent to the consignor.
In French, 12 leaves (pages numbered 1-18, 27-32, with two additional pages unpaginated) 308 x 195mm, stabbed and sewn with green ribbon, blindstamped "ARCHIVES DE CHASTELLUX" at top top right, manuscript corrections and annotations throughout, (many of which are accomplished on paper pasted over the original text, several pages removed, partly disbound).
An analysis of the strategic situation around New York City in 1781. A detailed, albeit incomplete, report, which methodically considers a number of potential attacks against the British garrison in New York City, including references to features shown on the manuscript map offered in Lot 8 of this sale. According to the outline that appears on the final two pages, the complete report considered the consequences of attacks against Manhattan Island, as well as Long Island, Paulus Hood, Staten Island, and Sandy Hook. Of these plans, the journal still includes the majority of the commentary on a projected attack upon the British fortifications at King's Bridge across Spuyten Duyvil Creek – strategically the most vulnerable part of Manhattan Island as the Royal Navy could not be brought to bear against a Franco-American move there. However, the dense thicket of fortifications at the northern end of the island more than compensated for that deficiency.
Based on the incompleteness of the report and the numerous corrections, this manuscript probably constituted a working draft of the report. Although the conclusion is no longer present, it can be inferred that the analysis conceded that a general attack on the island held great potential for disaster. Rather, Washington and Rochambeau viewed operations against the city as a means to relieve pressure on Lafayette, who was then parrying Cornwallis in Virginia. Of course when news arrived that a large French fleet had arrived at Chesapeake Bay the American and French commanders switched tack and began the long march south to Virginia, where they trapped Cornwallis at Yorktown – forcing his surrender on 19 October 1781. Provenance: François-Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux (1734 -1788) – by descent to the consignor.