BRAGELONGNE (Christophe-Bernard de). Lot n° 46

Journal de la navigation d'une escadre françoise, partie du port de Dunkerque aux ordres du capitaine Thurot, le 15 octobre 1759, avec plusieurs détachements des Gardes François & Suisses, & de différents autres corps. Bruxelles, et se trouve à Paris, Vente, 1778, in-12, faux-title, marbled fawn basane, smooth spine with long box decorated with grotesques, cherry title page, simple gilt fillet on the edges, red edges (period binding). Covers trimmed, corners damaged. Last edition of this relation, which first appeared in 1762, then was reprinted in 1772, according to the copies reported in the CCF. It documents the adventures of this French squadron intended to operate a diversionary landing in Ireland at the heart of the Seven Years' War: written by the Marquis de Bragelongne, major general (the first name is not certain, and was borne by a relative of the Marquis), it tells how the six ships set sail from Dunkirk, with on board, four companies of grenadiers, five pickets of French guards, four pickets of Swiss guards, five pickets of the Artois regiment, four pickets of the Burgundy regiment, three pickets of the Cambis regiment, and lastly, four pickets of the regiment of foreign volunteers. Nothing went well: there was disagreement among the officers, supplies were difficult; the landing took place on February 21-26, 1760 in the small town of Carrickfergus (County Antrim), whose garrison was captured by Bragelongne. But the occupation was short-lived: the English fleet of Commodore Eliot surprised the squadron near the Copeland Islands, and the battle cost François Thurot his life (February 28, 1760, off Man). Polak, 1185 (knows only the 1778 edition). Only four copies of the title in the CCF (Sainte-Geneviève, Troyes, Chalon and Avignon), only two of this edition.