Documents relating to the French participation in the American Revolution

This collection consists of letters and documents related to France's participation in the American Revolution, French military efforts during this period, and the French presence in the Americas after the war. The collection is organized into four series. Materials are in French unless otherwise noted in the box and folder list.

Series I, Papers Relating to Du Coudray (1768-1778), contains letters and documents written by and about Philippe Charles Jean Baptiste Tronson du Coudray. These document the developing situation in the Americas, and generally concern the preparation of artillery, orders given to his men, and plans for Du Coudray's arrival in the Americas. Most of the letters are addressed to one or the other of Du Coudray's two close friends and adjutants, Mssrs. de Goy and [Bellecour?] Le Brun. Le Brun, like Du Coudray, was greatly interested in military engineering and had been a professor at the École des Mines at Verdun. After Du Coudray's death, he took it upon himself to petition Congress for payment to the family. One letter to an unidentified recipient, dated Oct. 6, [1774] (Box 1, folder 5), mentions an association with the duc de Chartres, later Louis Philippe Joseph, duc d'Orléans, the future Philippe Égalité.

Two letters from Du Coudray's brother, Tronson du Jardin, refer to his efforts to obtain the money due his late brother by the United States Congress. Le Brun was unable to achieve this because he was not a legal representative of Du Coudray. Another document, dated Oct. 29, 1778, summarizes the state of affairs following Du Coudray's death. Also included is one document from Congress detailing the status of compensation for French soldiers.

Series II, Mobilization of the French Fleet (1779-1782), illustrates the effort to prepare and strengthen French naval forces destined for America and the Caribbean. The letters and documents in this series discuss the gathering of naval forces in that area, French policy as regards those forces in the Americas, and contain orders from French officials to those in command of the naval forces. Several of the documents are written by or about the Chevalier de Monteil.

Series III, France in the Caribbean (1780-1793), consists of materials relating to the Franco-Spanish campaign in the West Indies, and to the French rule of the island of Santo Domingo after the Treaty of Paris. Documents include intelligence reports regarding naval activities in the West Indies, and other documents regarding the alliance between the French and Spanish fleets. Materials related to the establishment of French rule in Santo Domingo include documents regarding economic, political and social concerns, including discussion of the treatment of enslaved peoples.

Series IV, Other Papers (1781-1793), consists of material related to other aspects of French military, political and economic efforts during this period. Included are accounts of two naval confrontations between French and British forces outside the Caribbean area, as well as orders issued to the quartermaster of Rochambeau's army for his passage through France to raise supplies for the army. Also included are materials regarding the termination of hostilities, and evaluating France's gains and losses, as well as those of Spain and America. Twenty ship manifests document the repatriation of troops from three French regiments (Armagnac, Dillon and Auxerrois) from various points in the French West Indies to Lorient, France in 1783. Also included are materials illustrating the development of Franco-American commerce, including the establishment of a system of "paquebots" or packet-boats between France and the newly independent states.