Charles-Auguste Levassor de La Touche-Tréville

Charles-Auguste Levassor de La Touche-Tréville was a French Navy officer.

Career

Levassor de La Touche-Tréville enlisted in the Navy in 1730, rising to Ensign in 1734 and to Lieutenant in 1748.[1]

On 11 March 1756, La Touche-Tréville commanded the 30-gun frigate Zéphir.[1] She sailed in consort with the 74-gun Prudent, under Chevalier d'Aubigny, and the 34-gun frigate Atalante, under Count du Chaffault. The division met the 74-gun HMS Warwick; in the ensuing chase and Action of 11 March 1756, Warwick was captured.[2]

On a journey from France to Martinique, La Touche-Tréville, while escorting a tenty-two sail convoy, captured two British merchantmen and a privateer. The convoy and the prizes safely reached Martinique.[2]

La Touche-Tréville He was promoted to Captain in 1757.[1] He commanded the 64-gun Dragon in Conflans' fleet and took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay.[3]

In October 1760, La Touche-Tréville commanded the pram Louise and harassed the British squadron blockading Île-d'Aix. His nephew Louis-René served aboard.[3]

In late 1760, La Touche-Tréville transferred on the 74-gun Intrépide. He proposed and executed himself a plan to free the mouth of Charente River from the British blockade by attacking it with prams. The success of the plan allowed the fleet to sail to Martinique, in a desperate attempt to relieve it, but it arrived after the Invasion of Martinique.[3]

La Touche-Tréville was promoted to chef d'escadre in 1776. In peacetime, he distinguished himself by elaborated training campaigns for the fleet.[3]

At the outbreak of the American War of Independence, La Touche-Tréville took command of the 74-gun Neptune which, in consort with Beausset's 74-gun Glorieux, captured the British privateer Hercules[note 1][4]

Promoted to Lieutenant Général des Armées navales, La Touche-Tréville was appointed to command the light squadron of the Franco-Spanish fleet in 1779, under Admirals Orvilliers and Córdova. Scouting in front of the combined fleet, his screen captured a British warship[note 2]

In 1780, La Touche-Tréville successfully evated detection by British squadrons and landed 6000 men at Rhodes Island.[4]

La Touche-Tréville replaced his brother Louis-Charles as commander of the naval forces of Rochefort.[4] He died in 1788.

Sources and references

Notes

  1. ↑ Guérin (p.429) writes her name as Hercule, probably translating her name into French.
  2. ↑ Guérin (p.429) names her as the 64-gun Junon; as no HMS Juno or HMS Junon mounted 64 guns in this period, this is probably a mistake.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.426
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.427
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.428
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.429

Bibliography

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