Louis Edouard Bouët-Willaumez
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Louis Edouard Bouët-Willaumez (24 April 1808–9 September 1871) was a French admiral.
He was born Louis Edouard Bouët, the son of a businessman (and mayor of Lambezeller) in Maison-Lafitte, near Paris. Having joined the French Navy, in 1824 he embarked on a five-year voyage, first in the Mediterranean (where he saw action at the Battle of Navarin in 1827) and then in the Indian Ocean.
In 1829 he was promoted to ship's Ensign, and served in the Morée expedition. In 1830 he was part of the blockade and capture of Algiers, followed by the blockade of Antwerp. Made Lieutenant in 1834, he was attached to the naval post at La Plata, from where he was sent to Senegal. In 1836 took command of the steamship L'Africain, with which he travelled 200 miles inland, up to the waterfall at Felou (les Chutes de Felou) in upper Senegal. He was the only Westerner to return alive, the others having succumbed to disease.
In 1838 Bouët took command of the brig La Malouine, which charted a trade route along the African coast. Along the way he punished a native tribe that had plundered three trading ships, and signed a commercial treaty with the king of Gabon in 1839. In July 1840 he carried out surveillance of the bay of Mogador and established a plan of attack.
Promoted to Lieutenant commander in 1840, on Le Misus, he took command of the Foreign Division of Africa from 1841 to 1842, when he was named provisional governor of Senegal. In 1843, Bouët began a period of expansion when he captured the port of St Louis and allowed privately owned trading companies (mainly from Bordeaux) to handle the administration of the town; he also sent a new mission to Bambuk, and signed a commercial treaty with the ruler of Bondu. On 15 August 1844 he was attached to the expedition commanded by the Prince de Joinville, which took Mogador using the information that had been collected by Bouët. His reward was to take the trophies back to France, together with a promotion to Captain.
In 1845 he was adopted by his uncle, Vice-Admiral Willaumez, whose name he took, and married the daughter of Admiral Lemorant — two events that opened a numer of doors for him. In that same year, as Bouët-Willaumez, he took command of the steamship Le Caraïbe à Lorient as Admiral Montagniac de Rocque's Flag captain, and served as Commander of the Naval Division of the Western Coasts of Africa. He served as chief of staff of a squadron of twenty-six cruisers.
In 1848 he became commander of the Naval Division of the African Coast, on the frigate Pénélope. During this period he restored French sovereignty over Guinea, and was named Commander of the Légion d'honneur for courage shown during a bayonet-charge on land against rebellious tribes. He also took part in a diplomatic mission to negotiate the end of trade with England.
In 1853, promoted to Rear Admiral, he was named chief of staff of the Mediterranean squadron, under Admiral Hamelin.
In these functions it takes part in all the naval operations of the Crimea (bombardment of Odessa, unloading with Old Fort, attacks of Sébastopol). Comm Order of the Bath. In 1856, it is named ordering as a head the fleet of Raising on Pomone . In 1859, named in the council of work, it takes part in the war in Italy as commander the fleet of seat of the Adriatic. After these operations, it is named Member of the Commission of defense of coasts and that joined together to put in state defenses of Nice and Villefranche. Military GO Ordre of Savoy.
Vice admiral in 1860. Maritime prefect of Cherbourg, it takes in 1861 the post of maritime Prefect of Toulon. Grand Cross Order of ST Maurice and Lazare, Grand Cross Ordre of Magpie IX, Grand Cross Military Order of St Lazarus (Lebanon). In 1864, he is a commander as a head of the squadron of Méditerrannée, on the Town of Paris , then Solférino . In 1865, it is named Senator. Military decoration in 1867, GC LH in 1868.
In 1870, it is named ordering cuirrassée squadron of the North with which it prepares forwarding on the coasts of the Baltic, which will not finally take place.
Died in 1871.
[edit] Writings
- Commerce et raite des noirs aux côtes occidentales d'Afrique. Paris 1848)
- Campagnes aux côtes occidentales d'Afrique. Paris (1850)
- La flotte francaise et les colonies en 1852. Paris (1855)
- Batailles de terre et de mer. Paris (1855)
- Tactiques supplémentaire à l'usage d'une flotte cuirassée. Paris (1864)
[edit] Sources and external links
- Amiral Bouet-Willaumez (in French)
