In 1723, aged fifteen, he joined the colony's infantry regiment and quickly rose to the rank of Lieutenant.
He later took part in action near Santo Domingo and the Antilles and was rewarded with a promotion to rear admiral in 1764.
Although the weather and crew sickness played a part, he was censured for not making better use of the forces under his command.
The admiral encouraged his grandson, Hugues Duroy de Chaumareys, to enter Naval service.
He did not live to witness the court-martial, disgrace and label of "incompetent and complacent" that was triggered by the sinking of the frigate French frigate Méduse (1810) and loss of circa 150 lives, plus the notoriety of the painting by Théodore Géricault of the shipwreck scene The Raft of the Medusa which hangs in the Louvre.