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Auction: 18046 - The Brian Brookes Collection of Martinique
Lot: 2119

French Colonies - Martinique. The Brian Brookes Collection
Postal History
Fifth French Period (Sept. 1816 to date)
1816 (27 Dec.) entire letter from Le Comte de Vaugirard, Governor General of the French Antilles, at Fort Royal and addressed to "Monsieur L'Intendant de la Colonie" at St. Pierre showing, on reverse across join, circular "gouverneur-general/la martinique" cachet in black

Note: Le Comte Vaugirard was born in 1741. He was a top level Royalist who was appointed Governor of Martinique in 1814 by Louis XVIII. He landed at St. Pierre on 12th December 1814.

Towards the end of April 1815, the Comte was informed of the return of Napoleon to France and the flight of Louis XVIII to Belgium. He entered into negotiations with the Governor of Barbados and placed the island under British authority on 23rd May 1815. When news of the defeat at Waterloo was received in Martinique he led, with the help of the English fleet, an expedition to Guadeloupe where the Governor and troops remained faithful to Napoleon. He failed in this, but the Governor of Guadeloupe, Comte di Linios and the second in command, Baron Boyer de Pryrelan, were accused of insubordination towards their superior officxer, Comte de Vaugirard, and were summoned before the permant council of the First Military Division.

Two years later it was the turn of the Comte de Vaugirard to be accused of treason for having given Martinique to the English, and for having attacked Guadeloupe. He was recalled to France in 1817 and left Martinique in January 1818, and was replaced by Comte Donzelot.


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