Ives Clapier adjutant
-------- Collinson captain of marines
Francois Etienne Laurent D'Aubry commander of marines
Paul Elie DeBonnechose officer, Lux. Legion
Hubert Jasint Denis surgeon general, Lux.
Eustache Morel Disque officer, Lux. Corps
Jean Francois Richard Dupin officer, Lux. Corps
M. de Lalain 2nd Lieutenant
Pierre Daniel de Montardat captain
Jean Le Sieur Morzette assistant surgeon
Jean Francois Richard officer, Lux. Corps
Antoine Augustin Dufaquet, Chevalier des Varennes captain, Lux. Corps
M. de Vaumagueroux 2nd Lieutenant, Lux. Corps
Joseph Anujot de Voniagnerour officer, Lux. Corps
The overall commander of that portion of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" stationed on board the frigate South Carolina was Francois Etienne Laurent D'Aubry. The nature of this unit, the "Volontaires du Luxembourg", was cited in an earlier post this month (02/02/15). This unit was one of the few that demonstrated a past, age-old connection with an earlier age in that the unit was effectively and privately-owned unit. In this case, privately-owned by the Chevalier du Luxembourg. The system of patronage, still in existence in the French army, would have been much stronger in a unit owned by a single individual. Thus, it si almost certain that Senior Captain Francois Etienne Laurent D'Aubry owed his command position to the good graces of the Chevalier du Luxembourg. It may be that the three junior captains also owed their ranks and positions to the Chevalier du Luxembourg well.
(Note: According to Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 34, there were three captains with the most senior being Francois Etienne Laurent D'Aubry. But, the three French company commanders have been identified and D'Aubry's name does not appear among this group. Thus, it would seem to indicate that each of the three junior captains commanded a specific company of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" while D'Aubry, the senior French captain on board the frigate, was the overall contingent commander on board the frigate South Carolina.)
As a brief refresher, the three company commanders of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" on board the frigate South Carolina are as follows:
--------- Collinson Captain, commanding the 1st Company
Antoine Augustin Dufaquet, Chevalier des Varennes Captain, commanding the 2nd Company
Eustache Morel Disque Captain, commanding the 3rd Company
(Note: Again, as a repeat of earlier information, Captain -------- Collinson would appear to be Irish from his last name. This is a distinct possibility with so many disaffected Irish through out Europe, actively engaged in warfare against the British Isles. He is also the only officer listed for the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" that we do not know his full name, only his last name which appears here.)
There appears one other French officer listed simply as "captain". This is Pierre Daniel de Montardat. There is no indication in what capacity he served in relation to the other four captains on board the frigate South Carolina. No further information is given for him.
Two of the listed officers are given the rank of 2nd Lieutenant - M. de Lalain and M. de Vaumagueroux. A bit more information is known about these two men in comparison to the solitary captain mentioned above. Both of them left the frigate South Carolina between November 2-24, 1781, while she was moored in St. Croix, Tenerife, Canary Islands. But, they left for different reasons. According to Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 186 n. 21, M. de Lalain was deemed too sick to make the passage to the Americas and was discharged from the ships company or, like some of the others crewmen on board the frigate South Carolina, was left behind (abandoned) in the military hospital located there. It is entirely another case with the other 2nd Lieutenant, M. de Vaumagueroux. He, along with the Chevalier des Varennes, for reasons unstated in Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, chose to leave the ship's company, apparently voluntarily.
There are four other French officers listed simply as "officer, Lux. Legion" or "officer, Lux. Corps". These are listed in alphabetical order and are as follows:
Paul Elie DeBonnechose
Jean Francois Richard Dupin
Jean Francois Richard
Joseph Anujot de Voniagnerour
(Note: One wonders if the second and third individuals listed here might be the same person with the last name accidentally deleted in the later citation.)
The functions and ranks of these few men are completely conjectural. They may have been lieutenants, assisting their superior officers in commanding and controlling their respective companies. The may well have been staff officers who functioned more in administrative roles within the "Volontaires du Luxembourg". They may have been assigned to the 3rd Company of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" which had no rank above that of soldat (private) for the ninety men who made up that company. Again, no further information on either these men or their function or "position" on board the frigate South Carolina are given.
There is a single adjutant listed - Ives Clapier. The adjutant was basically an administrative officer who served on a regimental level. This individual was probably assigned to serve as the adjutant even though the strength of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" was below that of a full strength regiment.
There is also the medical staff of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg". According to Dr. Lewis's work, Neptune's Militia, page 34, this consisted of three men - one surgeon and two assistants. Yet, the section of this work entitled, "Appendix: Crew and Marines of the South Carolina" , there are only listed the surgeon and one of his assistants. They are listed alphabetically as follows:
Hubert Jasint Denis surgeon general
Jean Le Sieur Morzette assistant surgeon
There is no indication as to how these men interfaced, if indeed they did, with the surgeon assigned to the frigate South Carolina - James O'Fallon (or Fallon). O'Fallon had several assistants to aid him in his duties on board the frigate. So, there may have been interaction between these two different surgical staffs in meeting the medical needs of the frigate in general. Or, they may have operated within their own spheres of concern - the two above mentioned men meeting the needs of the "Volontaires du Luxembourg" while O'Fallon and his assistants met those of the frigate South Carolina at large.