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Ship's Journal: Folio (ca. 32 x 21 cm or 12 ½ x 8 ¼ in). [1 ? t.p., 56] pp. Black and brown ink on creamy watermarked laid paper. Paper slightly age-toned, occasional creases, tears and losses on extremities, but overall a very good manuscript. With five original manuscripts from Folio (ca. 32 x 21 or 12 ½ x 8 ¼ in) to 16mo (ca. 16 x 10 cm or 6 ¼ x 4 in). Brown ink on creamy watermarked laid paper, in all 18 pp. Paper slightly aged-toned, occasional creases, tears and losses on extremities, but overall very good manuscripts. A historically significant archive of original manuscripts and period copies relating to French naval and land engagements on the east coast of India and the Cape Verde Islands between 1781 and 1783, led by Vice-Admiral Pierre André de Suffren (1729-1788) as part of the 1778-1783 Anglo-French War. The Anglo-French War (also called the War of 1778 or the Bourbon War) was a conflict fought between Britain and France in several theatres, including in the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean. Parts of the war were also fought in North America, as France backed American independence. Between 1782 and 1783, the East Indies (Indian Ocean) saw combat as Suffren fought a series of naval battles against British Admiral Sir Edward Hughes (ca. 1720-1794), in order to cut Britian off from its Indian resources. Fighting stopped in 1783, shortly after the Battle of Cuddalore, when France and Britian signed a peace treaty. Both countries returned nearly all territories acquired during the war, however, the high costs of the war for France would ultimately lead to the French Revolution (1789-1799). Pierre André de Suffren was a French naval officer. He began his career in 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and was made a lieutenant during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). After leading a division as part of France's participation in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), he was appointed leader of a squadron in 1781 and sent to the Indian Ocean under Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves (1727-1782). After the death of d'Orves, Suffren took command of the fleet. After the war, a fourth vice-admiral position in the French Navy was created especially for Suffren. He died shortly before being sent to command the Brest squadron once more in 1788. The largest document in the archive is a 56-page period manuscript copy of an excerpt of the journal of the Annibal, a French naval ship launched in 1778. In 1781, after participating in the West Indies theatre of the American Revolutionary War, it was sent to the East Indies as part of the squadron led by Suffren. Annibal departed Brest (France) captained by Achille de Trémignon (1732-1781). The logs are dated between 22 May 1781 and 29 May 1784, as it departed and returned to Brest, respectively. The journal covers several battles from the East Indies theatre of the Anglo-French War (1778-1783), including the Battle of Porto Praya (Cape Verde Islands, 16 April 1781), where the ship's captain Trémignon was killed and a series of battles fought between the French fleet led by Suffren and a British fleet led by Admiral Sir Edward Hughes (ca.1720-1794): the battles of Sadras (17 February 1782), Providein (12 April 1782), Negapatam (6 July 1782),) and Cuddalore (20 June 1783), as well as the capture and subsequent naval battle of Trincomalee (25-30 August & 3 September 1782). The descriptions of the battles include the manoeuvres conducted and signals sent between ships. The journal also covers other notable events. They include Annibal's departure from Brest as part of a 5-ship squadron; the ship's stay at the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) between 20 June and 3 September 1871, where the sick and wounded (from the battle of Porto Praya) were disembarked; its stopover on the Isle of France (now Mauritius) between 26 November and 6 December 1871; the fusion of Suffren's squadron with that of Admiral Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves, who took command and d.
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