Louis Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, marquis de Vaudreuil

Entered the navy as midshipman in 1740, and rose rapidly in the service, being promoted ensign in 1747 and captain in 1754. On 19 May, 1759, he fought a brilliant engagement with was made Knight of St. Louis. He was promoted post-captain, administered the government of the island La Desirade, in the West Indies, in 1765-'8, was made brigadier of the naval forces in 1773, and chef d'escadre early in 1777. He commanded a division under Count d'Orvilliers at the battle of Ouessant, 27 July, 1778, and in December, 1778, took charge at Brest of a squadron of two ships of the line, two frigates, and three corvettes.

After storming Fort St. Louis, in Senegal, and securing rich prizes on the African coast, he conveyed troops to Martinique and Santo Domingo, and, joining Count d'Estaing's army, participated in the capture of Grenada and in the attack on St. Lucia. He assisted also in the siege of Savannah in 1779, and assumed command of the fleet when the admiral led the French columns to the assault. Returning to Brest toward the close of the year, he escorted a convoy of troops to Santo Domingo in February, 1780, escaping by skilful maneuvering the superior fleet of Admiral Kempenfelt, and brought safely several prizes to Fort Royal, Martinique. Joining Count de Guichen's fleet, he commanded the first division at the engagements with the English in the channel of Dominica on 17 April and 15 and 19 May, 1780, which resulted in a victory for the French.

In July following he was given the grand cross of St. Louis and made governor of Santo Domingo, but he soon resigned, as he preferred active service at sea, and took command of a division in Count de Grasse's fleet, assisting in the engagement with Admiral Graves in Chesapeake Bay and in the siege of Yorktown.

At the battle in the channel of the Saintes Islands, 12 April, 1782, he escorted the convoy that was destined to attack Jamaica, but was unable to take part in the action. Count de Grasse attributing his capture to Vaudreuil, the latter was court-martialed at Lorient in March, 1784, but the finding of the court, 21 May, 1784, was that "Vaudreuil's conduct during all the circumstances of the battle deserved nothing but praise."

He was promoted lieutenant-general, 14 August, 1782, and in December following carried Rochambeau's army from Boston and Providence to Santo Domingo. He was elected to the states-general in 1789 by the nobility of Castelnaudary, served as a member on the naval committee of the assembly, and during the night of 5 to 6 October, 1789, forcing an entrance in the palace of Versailles with a few officers, protected the royal family from outrage and kept the mob at bay till the arrival of succor.

In 1791 he emigrated to London, but he returned to Paris in 1800, and was granted by Napoleon Bonaparte a pension on the retired list of the navy.