Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez
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| Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez | |
|---|---|
| 7 August 1763 – 17 May 1845 | |
.jpg/200px-Amiral_Philippe_willaumez_(1761-1841).jpg) Portrant by Pierre-Louis Delaval |
|
| Place of birth | Belle-Île-en-Mer |
| Place of death | Suresnes |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/branch | French navy |
| Rank | vice-amiral |
| Other work | pair de France |
Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez (Belle-Île, 7 August 1763 - Suresnes 17 May 1845) was a French sailor and admiral of the First French Empire.
Born to a family of Army officers, Willaumez joined the navy at 14. In 1782, he served as pilot aboard the Amazone under La Pérouse.
In 1789, he was Ensign abord the Recherche under Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. After d'Encastreau died, the expedition sailed for Indonesia, where they learned of the French Revolution. Dutch authorities seized the ships, and the pro-revolutionary sailors were imprisonned, Willaumez among them.
Willaumez enventually reached Ile de France, which was blockaded by British ships HMS Centurion and HMS Diomede. Two frigates, the 32-gun Prudente and 40-gun Cybèle, attempted to break the blockade, with Willaumez volunteer to be second on the Prudente. The British sustained such damage that they were forced to stop the blockade to repair.
Willaumez was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau and given command of a small ship on which he returned to France with tokens from the expedition of d'Entrecasteaux. He then took part in the Indian Ocean campaign led by Admiral Sercey aboard the Régénérée. Upon his return, Willaumez was promoted to commodore.
Put in charge of the Southern bases of Saint-Domingue, Willaumez, aboard the frigate Poursuivante was intercepted by British ships of the line, but managed to outmanoeuver them and break free. He has the Poursuivante repaired in Baltimore and set sail, evading the British blockade again, and was promoted to contre-amiral by Napoléon.
Fro 1807, Willaumez commanded the squadron from Brest. In 1809, he attempted a sortie to Lorient and Rochefort to unite the fleets, but ended up being blockaded in Rochefort.
[edit] Honours
- pair de France in 1837
- His name is inscribed on the 22th column of the Southern pillar of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
