[2 letters attempting to secure promised payments for the booty of the captured English frigate HMS Liverpool by the French privateer Le Grand Décidé, one addressed to Auguste-Anne de Bergevin, Commissaire principal de Marine in Bordeaux, and the other to the brothers Amédée & Eugene Larrieu in Bordeaux, who sold the booty].

[AUTOGRAPH - MARITIME - PIRACY]. PLEUC or PLEVE?, Jacques René.

Published by Bordeaux,, 1820

About this Item

Two letters by Jacques René Pleuc (or possibly Pleve), officer of the infamous French 18-gun privateer Le Grand Décidé which had been operating out of Bordeaux since 1799 under its captain Duchesne Lasalle for its owner Pierre Leleu. With the capture of the English frigate Liverpool off the coast of Brittany near Brest in 1799, Jacques René was made Capitaine de Prise giving him responsibility for the captured ship. In the first letter, he writes to Auguste-Anne Bergevin (1753-1831) the relevant authority at Bordeaux, complaining that Leleu has still not paid the promised share of the proceeds from the sale of the booty, which was carried out by the brothers Amédée and (Joseph?) Eugène Larrieu in Bordeaux. The second letter is addressed to the Larrieu brothers, still trying to secure payment, referring to the earlier letter and naming the ship and the amount of money (5000 francs), not noted in the first letter.The first letter somewhat tattered at the head with the loss of parts of 3 or 4 words and both were formerly folded for sending. Both are in good condition. A fascinating primary source providing a window into the logistics and finance of a privateering venture. Two signed autograph letters in dark brown ink on paper (1 laid, watermarked B Dumas; 1 wove, with no watermark). Pages: [2], [2 blank]; [2], [2 blank] pp. Seller Inventory # G62G5001U79O

Bibliographic Details

Title: [2 letters attempting to secure promised ...

Publisher: Bordeaux,

Publication Date: 1820