[Donatien de ROCHAMBEAU (1755-1813) general]. 9 letters addressed to him, mostly L.A.S., 1801-1803; 25 pages in-4, 2 addresses. Personal correspondence of General de Rochambeau, before his departure for Saint-Domingue and after his arrival in the colony. Son of Marshal de Rochambeau, the victor of Yorktown, Donatien had served during the American Revolutionary War. At the end of 1801, he was appointed second-in-command to General Leclerc for the expedition to Saint-Domingue. After Leclerc's death from yellow fever in November 1802, Rochambeau became captain-general of the colony. Defeated by Dessalines' troops on November 18, 1803, he left Saint-Domingue and was taken prisoner by the British. The letters concern various subjects: delivery of embroidered handkerchiefs ordered in Italy, recommendations for an interpreter who was to go to the Cape, a mass celebrated at Vérettes near Saint-Marc, a complaint from a landlady, sending Guyton de Morveau's work on how to disinfect the air during epidemics, mistrust of a secretary who seems to have sided with the rebels, recommendations for a Creole woman from Artibonite who is to go to the colony, a dispute over a supposed Moyse estate, a visit to his father's house in Vendôme by a friend, etc. The period covered by this correspondence extends from 20 Vendémiaire X (12 October 1801) to 6 Germinal XI (27 March 1803). Let us quote some extracts. Antoine Adamini, merchant in Genoa: "you must go to St Domingue. If you knew some merchants who would load goods for Genoa, you would oblige me a lot to send them to my house"... Mrs. Tully: "I send you a letter from Mad. Bonaparte for General Leclerc as we agreed to have Tilden take the position of interpreter at the Cape"... Vidaud (parish priest in Saint-Domingue): "I went to Vérettes last Saturday and I officiated there yesterday, Sunday, I had few farmers at my mass, in spite of that I preached to them and they all promised me to bring back their comrades as much as it would be in their power; according to what several told me, it seems that very few risk going over to our side."... Castellane de Berghes, landowner: "Since the return of order and justice, it is this hope that has determined me to make this great journey. I have come to claim the handing over of my house located in the plain of Limonade"... Bernard Martin des Pallières, colonist in Saint-Domingue and member of the Legislative Body: "Madame de Frédilly who will hand you the present is a Creole from Artibonite raised in France. She used to enjoy a brilliant existence, her position is changed like ours, in spite of that she would not have needed to go to St Domingue without the desire she has to see her brother again"... Charles René Magon de Médine: "I went to Rochambeau where the duty of gratitude called me to speak about you with the marshal and Mesdames Rochambeau, the good that you had said about me made me receive the welcome that one would have made to a son"... Etc.