Statue of Historic Figure: Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, Marquis de Castries - Castries, St. Lucia

Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix 

Marquis de Castries

Castries, St. Lucia

N 14° 00.601 W 060° 59.406

Short Description: 

A statue of Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, Marquis de Castries, is located in a small park in the downtown area of Castries, St. Lucia.

Long Description:

A life size bronze bust of the Marquis de Castries is placed on a 5' high rectangular base made of limestone blocks. The Marquis is depicted looking towards his left. He is wearing a military uniform with high collar shirt and sash. His shoulders and chest are surrounded by an elaborate cloak.

A marble plaque inset into the front of the base is inscribed:

CHARLES EUGENE GABRIEL

de la CROIX

MARQUIS de CASTRIES

1727 - 1800

DISTINGUISHED MINISTER FOR

THE FRENCH NAVY AND

COLONIES (1780-1787) AFTER

WHOM THE CITY OF CASTRIES

IS NAMED

Charles Eugène Gabriel de La Croix, the Marquis de Castries , was born in Paris on February 25, 1727 into a noble family. He had an illustrious military career. In May 1739, he joined King Infantry Regiment and became a lieutenant in 1742 and a colonel in the King Cavalry Regiment in 1744. He rose to the rank of brigadier general and commander of the cavalry in 1748. In 1756 , he commanded the expeditionary force in the Caribbean. Castries, the capital of the island of St. Lucia, is named after the Marquis. He then served King Louis XV in the Seven Years War (1756-1763) against the British.

He was appointed Secretary of State for the Navy in 1780 and served in that capacity until 1787. At the same time he held the position of Marshal of France. He was instrumental to the Continental Army's success during the American Revolution. He reorganized the French fleet, devised new maritime strategies, and employed Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse to help defeat the British in the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781. This led the way for the defeat of British General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1783.

During the French Revolution he emigrated to Switzerland and died in Wolfenbüttel, Germany on January 11, 1801.