AMERICAN WAR (1779 - 1783). Letter written from BREST (Finis - Lot 255

AMERICAN WAR (1779 - 1783). Letter written from BREST (Finistère) on May 28, 1779, addressed to Hilarion Paul de PUGET, Marquis de BARBENTANE, at the Palais-Royal. Handwritten news, unsigned, announcing the departure of LA FAYETTE's expedition for New England. 2 pages in-4°: "the Naval Army commanded by Admiral d'ORVILLIERS is fully formed in harbor. All that is missing to complete it are the two Vaisseaux de Toulon which are expected at any moment. It will be made up of 30 Vaisseaux de Ligne, 23 from the Port of Brest, 3 from Rochefort and 4 from Toulon, 9 frigates, 2 Galiotes à Bombes, six Bristols and around 150 Bâtiments de Transport chartered by the King in the Ports of Saint-Malo, le Havre and others. This army is due to depart shortly. Its destination is unknown. It has six months of food in kind, including two months of fresh food, and in addition two months of food in money distributed in each vessel to realize them in case of relaunch. Monsieur d'Orvilliers is due to go aboard his Vaisseau "La Bretagne" next Monday, and will never leave. The repairs carried out on the three Rochefort vessels, which consisted in blowing them down to about a foot from the first battery and reducing the height of the mast, have made them fit to serve their purpose. They are going well, retaining their rank of 74 Vessel, except that their first battery carries only 24 instead of 36. A few days ago, a fleet of around 270 vessels arrived here from Bordeaux, loaded with food and other supplies for this port. We have taken most of the sailors from this fleet, which we need to complete the Wing's crews; we will do the same for the fleet expected from Nantes. In addition, three or four thousand troops have been requested to make up for this. Letters received from Lorient inform us that the three Vaisseaux, "Le Duc de Duras", "Le Broglie" and the "Fitz-James" (former vessels of the Compagnie des Indes) armed with 64 and some transport vessels have left this port for New England with Mr de LA FAYETTE, 600 infantry troops, 18 artillery and 50 dragoons. The Nantes Fleet is currently entering the harbor with two Frégates escorting it. At the same time, several Frégates and Corvettes are returning, having left last night on a false warning that this Fleet was blocked in Audierne Bay by English Vessels. The Port's Food Director and two of his clerks are leaving the day after tomorrow to go to Saint-Malo to supply 50 transport vessels with food, and then to other ports.