Comte De Grasse (DD 974) - Naval Cruise Book

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u COMTE DE GRASSE (1 722 - 1 788 FRANCOIS JOSEPH PAUL DE GRASSE WAS A FRENCH ADMI- RAL WHOSE TACTICAL SUCCESS AT THE BATTLE OF THE VIR- GINIA CAPES IN 1781 MADE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE AMERICAN VICTORY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. BY IN- HERITANCE, HE WAS MARQUIS DE GRASSETILLY AND COMTE DE GRASSE. BORN CHATEAU DU BAR, NEAR GRASSE, ON SEP- TEMBER 13, 1 722, HE ENTERED THE NA VY IN 1 738 AND SER VED WITH DISTINCTION THROUGHOUT THE WAR OF AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION (1740-1748), IN WHICH HE WAS WOUNDED. AND THE SEVEN YEARS WAR (1756-1763). DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, DE GRASSE SERVED IN THE WEST INDIES AGAINST THE BRITISH AND, IN 1781, HIS FLEET OF 20 SHIPS OF THE LINE ESCORTED ABOUT 200 MERCHANT SHIPS TO CAP FRANCOIS, HAITI THERE HE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON TO COOPERATE IN THE YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN. ON AUGUST 30, 1781, HE ARRIVED INSIDE THE CHESAPEAKE CAPES WITH 28 SHIPS AND 3,300 TROOPS. MEAN- WHILE, ADMIRAL THOMAS GRA VES WITH 19 SHIPS HAD SAILED FROM NEW YORK TO RESCUE GENERAL CORNWALLIS ' ARMY, WHICH HAD RETREATED TO YORKTOWN FROM NORTH CAR- OLINA ON SEPTEMBER 3. DE GRASSE ENGAGED GRAVES FOR TWO HOURS OFF THE ENTRANCE TO CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN- FLICTING SUCH HEAVY CASUALTIES AND DAMAGES. THAT THE BRITISH WERE FORCED TO RETURN TO NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 14, WASHINGTON BEGAN THE SIEGE THAT FORCED CORNWALLIS TO SURRENDER ABOUT 8,000 MEN ON OCTOBER 19, A DECISIVE VICTORY MADE POSSIBLE BY DE GRASSES AID. 4 SYMBOLISM OF SHIPS CREST THE WAVY BARS ALLUDING TO THE WATERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BA Y AND THE PILE FL UER Y SIMULA TING THE PROW OF A FRENCH SHIP BEARING THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE FRENCH ADMIRAL FRANCOIS J PAUL COMTE DE GRASSE, SYMBOLIZE THA T GREAT NA VAL VICTOR Y OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION WHICH HELPED FORCE THE SUR- RENDER OF CORNWALLIS, AFFECTING THE ISSUE OF THE WAR AND THE SHAPING OF AMERICAN DESTINY. THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE CHIEF WITH THE TWO STARS, TORCH AND EMBATTLED PARTITION LINE ALLUDE TO THE NA- TIONAL COLORS AND THE TWO HUNDRED YEARS SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REPUBLIC. THE EMBOWED ARM IN ARMOR GRASPING A TRIDENT, AN ATTRIBUTE OF POSEIDON, GOD OF THE SEAS, SYMBOLIZES THE AWESOME FIGHTING POWER OF THE MODERN DESTROYER.