DUQUESNE (Abraham). - Lot 108

DUQUESNE (Abraham). 1610–1688. The great organizer of the Navy under Louis XIV. Letter to Marshal de Noailles. From La Baye de Rozes, June 7, 1678. 3 pages on a double-leaf folio sheet; restoration to the inner margin. Letter written in the midst of war off the Spanish coast. Duquesne had received the dispatch announcing the capture of Puigcerda, news of which he had learned from a Spanish prisoner upon his return from Barcelona; (…) he assured us that the town had surrendered and that four hundred Spanish cavalrymen, thoroughly exhausted, had returned from their camp at Girona to rest and recover. The capture of this town gave us great joy, given its importance and the vigorous defense it put up (…). Along with the dispatch from his correspondent, he had just received one from Mr. de Beaulieu, his lieutenant, inviting him to go to Collioure to meet with the marshal and discuss the next steps in the operations. However, the naval commander does not wish to stray far from the squadron over which he commands, especially since he expects to encounter 18 Dutch ships; he proposes to meet him in Catalonia. (…) Since it is your intention to come with the army to Lempourda, when I am notified of this, if it pleases you, signal with smoke and a white flag to that old stone fortress called Empouria, which is not far from the shore (…) I will send word there to ask where you wish me to go, having been informed by those at Empouria of the signal and the location where you will be (…). There is a spot where we used to go ashore at the mouth of a small river that flows near the village of St. Pierre, where we could take the opportunity to take on water, which all our ships will greatly need by the end of this month (…). I take the liberty of suggesting this to you so that arrangements may be made there if possible; especially since, according to the dispatch I received yesterday from the Court—as you will learn from the copies of two letters from the King to Mr. de La Brossardière, commander of the galley squadron (…), you will see that we are to expect the said galleys in a few days. He also proposes two other meeting points: at Fort de la Trinité or at the cape marking the tip of the gulf, which provides good water (…). I shall await your orders regarding everything that can be done for the service (…). Charavay Collection 120662