Scope and Content Note
The papers of Charles Henri, comte d’Estaing, span the years 1778-2006, with the bulk of the material dating from 1778 to 1779, primarily relating to d’Estaing’s participation in the American Revolutionary War.
A handwritten notebook chronicles d’Estaing’s naval involvement in the American Revolutionary War in 1779, including the Siege of Savannah, Georgia, with General Benjamin Lincoln in September 1779. Two letters written by d’Estaing to George Washington, on September 5 and November 8, 1778, describe relations between America and France, military tactics and the defense of Boston, Massachusetts, British military strategy, and the preparedness and strength of the American and French naval forces. The collection also includes an illustrated document, circa 1778, which pictures a key to American naval signal flags, as well as two color photographs, taken in 2006, of unidentified portraits of d’Estaing.