May 20 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
As part of the Portsmouth 250th Lecture Series, join us for a compelling talk by Dr. Evan Wilson exploring the vital yet often misunderstood role of the French navy in the American Revolution.
Focusing on the Battle of Rhode Island, this lecture places French naval operations within the broader global strategy of the war. Dr. Wilson challenges popular interpretations—particularly those found in The American Revolution—and offers a reassessment of Charles-Henri d’Estaing. Rather than an ineffective or arrogant leader, d’Estaing emerges as an aggressive and capable, if headstrong, commander working under difficult conditions, including poor coordination, limited intelligence, and environmental challenges.
The failed 1778 campaign at Newport, Dr. Wilson argues, reflects these broader structural obstacles rather than personal shortcomings. More importantly, the talk highlights the global nature of French war aims during the American Revolution. France sought to weaken Britain and restore its international standing, with American independence as a secondary objective.
Ultimately, the French navy’s greatest contribution lay not in battlefield victories, but in enabling strategic success—most notably at Siege of Yorktown—by providing mobility, logistics, and crucial naval superiority at decisive moments.
About the Speaker
Dr. Evan Wilson is Associate Professor at the John B. Hattendorf Center for Maritime Historical Research. A specialist in eighteenth- through twentieth-century naval history, he is a recipient of the Sir Julian Corbett Prize in Modern Naval History and the author or editor of seven books, including Planning for War at Sea: 400 Years of Great Power Competition (with Paul Kennedy). His previous roles include positions at the National Maritime Museum (UK) and Yale University. He holds degrees from Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford.