1776-December-01: The first ship belonging to Hortalez and Company, the Amphitrite, departed France for the United States with a cargo of uniforms, cannon, a…
1776-December-01: The first ship belonging to Hortalez and Company, the Amphitrite, departed France for the United States with a cargo of uniforms, cannon, and a regiment of Irish soldiers. To conceal the true destination of the vessel, the ship’s papers were drawn up to show that the entire consignment was intended for Governor D’Ennery in Saint-Domingue. This legal subterfuge allowed the French to reinforce the American cause under the guise of supplying their own colonial defenses. Beaumarchais maintained a dedicated agent named Carabas in the colony to oversee the arrival and forwarding of these critical supplies. This event marked the beginning of a massive logistical operation that funneled millions of livres worth of military aid through the Caribbean.