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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
intrepid soldier, loyal patriot and faithful child of the
Catholic Church—is known as one of the most im
posing and artistic in design which exist in the United
States.
Jean-Baptiste Henri Charles Hector, Count D’Estaing.
This distinguished French officer, who played the
principal part in the battle of Savannah—he being in
chief command was born in Auvergne, France, in
1729.
He distinguished himself in many brilliant exploits
in the wars with the English in the East Indies, and
after being captured and imprisoned on two occasions,
at length returned to France. In 1763, he was ap
pointed Lieutenant General in the French Navy, and
in 1778 he was sent to the United States to co-operate
with the colonists in their War of Independence.
He made a successful attack on the British West
Indies, wresting from the English the islands of St.
Vincent and Grenada, and seriously damaged the Eng
lish fleet. Fresh from this victory, he sailed with his
fleet to the coast of Georgia and joined forces with
General Lincoln in the effort to capture Savannah.
Count D’Estaing has been blamed for needless delay
in his attack upon the city, thus giving the British
sufficient time to fortify their works and repel the
attack of October 9, 1 779. However, we must not
forget that we can not know all the particulars which
guided his judgment, and after the lapse of well-nigh
a century and a half it is not for us in the present
day to judge.
He hazarded his life in our service, was wounded
twice in the engagement, and only abandoned the
siege and the attempt to take the city when he felt
convinced that another attempt would prove equally
fruitless. General Lincoln, in his letter to Congress
after the battle, says of Count D’Estaing: “He un
doubtedly has the interests of America at heart. This
he has evidenced# by coming over to our assistance,
by his constant attention during the siege, his under
taking to reduce the enemy by assault when he de
spaired of effecting it otherwise, and by bravely put
ting himself at the head of his troops and leading
them to the attack. In our service he has freely bled.
I feel much for him, for while he is suffering the
distress of painful wounds on a boisterous ocean, he
has to combat chagrin. I hope he will be consoled
by the assurance that although he has not succeeded
according to his wishes and those of America, we
regard with high approbation his intention to serve
us, and that his want of success will not lessen our
ideas of his merit. It is said that he was very hard
and severe with his men, but no more so with others
than he was with himself.
In appreciation of his services, the General Assem
bly of Georgia offered to him 20,000 acres of land,
with full rights of American citizenship.
He returned to France and fell into disfavor there
at first, but was afterwards elected to the Assembly
of Notables and appointed Commandant of the Na
tional Guard and chosen Admiral in 1 792.
When the French Revolution broke out Count
D’Estaing, with hundreds of other loyal Catholics, fa
vored the first reforms advocated; but when the Revo
lutionists began to drift to extremes and turned their
attacks against both Church and King, he remon
strated. He was a constant protector of the King,
Louis XVI., and a firm friend of the unfortunate
Queen, Marie Antoinette; he carried on a constant
correspondence with her during her imprisonment,
and also defended her in her trial in 1 793.
All these things coming to the knowledge of the
infuriated Revolutionists, D Estaing was himself im
prisoned and condemned to death. He was executed
April 28, 1794.
Such, in brief, is the story of the part that Cath
olics took in the history of Savannah during the Revo
lutionary War. As in other epochs of American
history, they did their part when called upon and if
not always successful, they at least showed their
loyalty and patriotism, and bravery in every crisis
where the cause of America has been involved.
If it be objected that “these were all foreigners,’’
let us remember that the heroes of the Revolution
Pulaski, D’Estaing, Kosciuszco, Rochambeau (all
Catholics), Lafayette, DeKalb together with Wash
ington, Warren, Wayne, Marion, Jasper and Greene—
gave their all in befriending America and they gave
it generously and willingly, to make our victory secure
it matters not whether they were of native birth, or
sympathizers from other lands. At least, we do not
find in our ranks any like the bitter anti-Catholic who
also played his part in the War of the Revolution
Benedict Arnold.
(Note: It should be remembered, also, that the
original charter of Georgia proscribed Catholics, and
this proscription was in force until the first constitu
tion was adopted in 1777. Ed. Bulletin.)
THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOL
OMEW.
(Continued from Page Seven)
power that we have helped to give them a false sense
of right. What had Catholics to do with the massacre
of St. Bartholomew? Of course, Catherine was a
Catholic, but what of that? Do we try to keep Protes
tants wearing sackcloth and ashes for Cromwell,
Clines, Dyer? If we have too much sense to blame
that on their religion we ought to have enough gump
tion to show them what sense is, when they try to
put St. Bartholomew on our religion. But didn't the
Pope approve the massacre, and sing a Te Deum and
have a medal struck, or something of the sort because
the Protestants had been wiped out? He did not.
But first, if he did, we would not have to be apolo
gizing even then. The Popes have done other things
we do not approve. They are only human. And
they are not the Church. Cannot people remember
that Judas was one of the Apostles, chosen by our
Blessed Lord Himself? Let them get our Lord to
apologize for Judas and we will begin to apologize
for the Popes who have done some outrageous thing.
Till then, we may very frankly condemn them for
their wickedness, and pass on. But in the case of
St. Bartholomew, the Pope was deceived into believing
that a secret plot against the entire royal family of
France had been frustrated, and for that he rejoiced.
When he learned the truth he condemned the thing,
and asked for the emissary who had brought him
the misleading news to be sent out of Rome at once.
Indeed, France had some difficulty i n preventing a
complete severance of diplomatic relations. You can
read the whole story in Parson's "Lies and Errors of
History,” published by the Ave Maria Publishing Com-
pany, Notre Dame, Indiana.