Pierre Jean Van Stabel
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Pierre Jean Van Stabel (Dunkirk, 1744 — Dunkirk, 30 March 1797) was a French naval officer and admiral, famous for his role in the Bataille du 13 prairial an 2.
Van Stabel was born to a family of sailors and started a career on privateers and merchantmen. A ship-owner gave him his first command in 1769.
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[edit] American Revolutionary War
In 1778, the French Navy, entangled in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, recruited personnel from the merchant navy. Vanstabel enroled and was given the rank of lieutenant de frégate. Specialised in convoy escort, Van Stabel took command of the privateer Dunkerquoise, and later of the Rohan-Soubise.
On 23 January 1782, at Demerara, the Rohan-Soubise fough against the 16-gun HMS Rodney. Van Stabel had his throat pierced by two bullets; he survived the wound, returned to his station and captured the British ship; the wound would compromise his health for the rest of his life. The prowess earned him recognition by Louis XVI personally, and he was awards an honour sword.
He later commanded the privateer Robecq.
[edit] French Revolution
In 1790, Van Stabel was enseigne de vaisseau. In January 1793, he rose directly to capitaine de vaisseau and was awarded command of the Tigre. In the following months, he captured a 17-ship British convoy and was promoted to contre-amiral.
Van Stabel was given command of a squadron comprising 6 74-guns, 3 frigate and 3 corvettes, and tasked with escorting a 127-ship convoy from Chesapeake to France. The pursuit of the convoy of the Royal Navy was the focus of the Atlantic campaign of May 1794 which culminated with the Bataille du 13 prairial an 2. The convoy eventually reached Brest unharmed on 13 June, without losing any ship, and actually enlarged by a number of prizes.
In Winter 1794-1795, Van Stabel took part in the Croisière du Grand Hiver, under Villaret Joyeuse. Later in 1795, he escorted another convoy to Ostend.
In 1795, he was given command of the naval forces in the North Sea, but his poor health forced him to resign. He died in Dunkirk on 30 March 1797.
[edit] References
- Gardiner, Robert (2001 [1996]). "The Glorious First of June", Fleet Battle and Blockade. Caxton Editions. ISBN 0-84067-363-X.
- Bordonove, Georges (1974). Les marins de l’an II. Robert Laffont.
- Six, Georges (1934). Dictionnaire biographique des généraux et amiraux de la Révolution et de l’Empire. Paris: Georges Saffroy éditeur.
