[Aoust 1778, Languedoc, dans la Rade de Rhode Island]
du Lundy 10
Le Branle-Bat fait ont sattendois au jour voir Lescadre Engloise1 Entrer pour nous Combatre notre position netoit pas Belle dautant plus quil pouvet Etablir des Batteries sur Coneticut pour Battre notre Escadre2 au jour Lescadre Engloise etoit toujours à son mouillage nous avions Eut du Calure toutes La nuit, il seleva un petit-vent du nnE et Cette-meme partir se changer, Le General fit faire le signal à Lescadre de se preparer à appareille plusiers vaisseaux Levent Leur ancre d’Embosser le vents auguementant peuts à point du NNE aussitot que nous nous apercevue quil passait à Louest de la passe à 7 heures Le General3 fit faire signal à toute Lescadre d’apareiller, En Coupant Les Cable—Les uns apres les autres sans observer dordre de marche que Celui de defiler sur une Ligne Ce qui fut Executé à Linstant avec toute voile possible nous Essuyame Le triple de feu des Batterie de terre que nous navions Essuyes Les Entrent quoique nous Etions au Centre En sortant Lennemy avoit elevee dans Les 36 heures plusieurs Batterie ausitot que Lescadre Engloise Ent[endit] La Canonade depart et dautre elle apareillat fuyant a toute voile à 9 heure etant hors de La passe et le protecteur4 sortant au meme instant de Celle du ouest, Les vaisseau Ralier Le General fit faire le signal de chasser à toute voile nous avions tous nos Bateaux à la mer Les vents etoit foible à faire trois à 4 neuds ou plus nous Etions au moins à lors à trois lieue de Lescadre Engloise qui fuyait vent ariere a toute voile à 11 heures Le General fit fait signal d’Embarquer les Bateaux Le vent ayant meme un peu diminu Lescadre fuyoit sans ordre Cependant sur la meme Routte nous ne Les Gaignions que tres peux
Suite du Lundy 10
à trois heures de Lapres midy Le vent à frashit Continuions La chasse au Couché du soleille Les vaisseau Ennemy de Larrier nous Restoit Environt une lieue et demy Lisle de Blu island5 nous Restoit au nno 5d nord, nos fregatte etoit Resté dans La passe de Lest:6 nestant pas à Lieue de leur donner des ordres pour sortir—un Corsaire americain faisant Routte avec Lescadre Le General Le fit venir à Bord et ont Lui donnat des fanaux de signal pour quil fut de lavant de notre Escadre et quil Eut des feux pour marquer La Routte de Lennemy Lintention du General nestant pas de Les attaquer La nuit et de les trop aprocher joly frais toute La nuit Le Ciel Couvert par moment
[Translation]
[August 1778, Languedoc, in the Road of Rhode Island]
Monday 10
With the decks cleared for action, we expected at daylight to see the English squadron1 enter to engage us our position was not pretty, all the more in that they could establish batteries on Coneticut Island to fire on our squadron2 at daybreak the English squadron was still at its moorings we had had some heat throughout the night, a small wind arose from the NNE and this even started to change the General3 had the signal made for the squadron to prepare to weigh several ships raised their anchors to bring broadside on the wind increasing from the NNE as soon as we saw that it passed to the west of the pass, at 7 o’clock the General had the signal made for the whole squadron to set sails, by cutting the cable, one after another without observing the order of march other than that of defiling into the line this was executed instantly, with all sail possible we came under the triple fire of the land Batteries which we had not endured on entering although we were in the center on going out the enemy had erected in 36 hours several batteries as soon as the English squadron heard the cannonade on one part and the other it weighed anchor, fleeing with all sails set at 9 o’clock, being outside the passage and the Protecteur4 going out at the same instant from that of the west, the ships collected together the General had the signal made to chase with all sail we had all our boats in the sea The wind was weak, to make three to 4 knots or more we were at least three leagues from the English squadron, which fled before the wind with all sails set at 11 o’clock the General had the signal made to embark the boats the wind even having diminished a little the squadron fled without order but on the same route we gained on it only a little
Monday 10 continued
at three o’clock in the afternoon the wind freshened we continued the chase at sunset the Enemy’s rear ships lay about a league and a half from us the island of Blue Island5 lay to NNW 5 degrees north of us, our frigates had remained in the Eastern Passage:6 not being placed to give them orders to go out—an American privateer sailing with the squadron, the General had it come aboard and gave him signal lanterns for him to sail ahead of our squadron and use lights to mark the route of the enemy the General’s intention was not to attack them in the night or to come too close to them fresh gales through the night, the sky covered at times