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Drawn portrait of François Joseph Paul de Grasse

François Joseph Paul de Grasse

The American Revolution wasn't just about thirteen rebellious colonies; it was a world war.

A Noble Birth

François Joseph Paul de Grasse was born on September 13, 1722, in southeastern France. The child of nobility, he held the title comte, French for count.

As a young man, de Grasse joined the Knights of Malta and served on galleys in the Mediterranean, fighting against the Turks. At just 17, he joined the French navy and served in the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years’ War. He rose through the ranks and became an admiral during the Revolutionary War.

An illustrated map showing the British and French sugar island colonies with a battle marker at Guadeloupe and then one at Martinique and three boats.

Sailing Into Action

Rising through the ranks, Admiral de Grasse was uniquely positioned to engage valuable claims that fell vulnerable during the American Revolution: the British and French sugar island colonies in the Caribbean. De Grasse commanded a squadron that took part in the capture of the British colony of Grenada and an inconclusive battle off Martinique.

An illustrated map showing de Grasse and several ships moving north.

In 1781, de Grasse was promoted and given command of a fleet of 23 warships. He captured the island of Tobago, then received orders to sail for the North American coast to support the combined Franco-American army under General George Washington and the comte de Rochambeau.

Painting "Surrender of Lord Cornwallis" by John Trumbull

Victory at Yorktown

Rochambeau believed in harnessing the power of French naval forces against British General Charles Cornwallis's army in Virginia. De Grasse agreed and sailed his fleet for the Chesapeake Bay. On September 5, 1781, de Grasse's fleet blocked a British squadron from coming to the aid of Cornwallis, leaving the British force cut off from Royal Navy assistance. The American and French armies arrived soon after, beginning the climactic siege of Yorktown. The rest is history.

Image Credit: "Surrender of Lord Cornwallis" by John Trumbull is on display in the Rotunda of the US Capitol.

An illustrated map showing de Grasse the ships and battle markers at to St. Eustatius then St. Kitts.

The British Strike Back

While the victory at marked the end of major fighting on the mainland, the war continued at sea after Cornwallis’ surrender to Patriots in October 1781. De Grasse's fleet won two more victories, capturing the islands of St. Eustatius and St. Kitts.

But in April 1782 de Grasse suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of the Saintes. The British crippled his flagship, Ville de Paris, and captured de Grasse, who found himself a prisoner of war for the second time in his military career.

The British victory at the Battle of the Saintes halted French momentum, and improved the British position at the peace negotiations in 1783.

After the war, de Grasse blamed his subordinates for the defeat at the Battle of the Saintes. The official investigation cleared them of any wrongdoing and, instead, put an end to de Grasse's military career. He died in Paris in January 1788.

Themes of the period
Modern-day Legacy

Washington-Rouchambeau Revolutionary Route National History Trail

This historic trail retraces the Continental Army and allied French forces journeys from New York and Rhode Island to Yorktown, and how this contributed to British surrender in 1781. The route's in­tent is to preserve and campsites, surviving roads, buildings, and other features.

Map of the Washington-Rouchambeau Revolutionary Route National History Trail
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