ABSTRACT
Estaing’s early career was wholly military: between 1745 and 1763 he rose to lieutenant-général. He distinguished himself in India, especially at Arcot, but was wounded and captured during the assault on Madras. He was paroled to the île de France (Mauritius), but broke his parole, and mounted an expedition to attack the British trading stations in the Persian Gulf, and on Sumatra. While returning to France he was again captured, and imprisoned at Portsmouth, but, again, gentlemanly conventions applied and he was released.
