A new lecture from Dr. Robert Selig which explores the life of Jean-Baptiste Dupleix de Cadignan (1738-1824) when he joined the French army’s Régiment de Bourgogne-Infanterie as a lieutenant shortly before turning sixteen in 1754. On that same day, he started a diary, which later contributed to his extensive two-volume journal preserved by the Society of the Cincinnati. The journal covers his journey to Louisbourg, Canada, his times as a prisoner of war, his engagements in various campaigns from Corsica to modern-day Haiti, and his role during the final years of the American Revolution. Dupleix de Cadignan’s records provide a combined insight into naval and siege warfare from a singular perspective, emphasizing the essential contributions of the French forces during the American Revolution. Historian Robert A. Selig, Ph.D., delves into Dupleix de Cadignan’s notable military journey and examines the backdrop and outcomes of French military endeavors preceding the French Revolution.
