Claude-Jean Martin (14 March 1752 in

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

– 6 June 1827 in Toulon) was a French Navy officer

Biography

Born to a family of sailors, Martin joined the French Royal Navy in 1767. he served in the Mediterranean against Barbary pirates. He later served as a pilot aboard the ''Fantasque'', taking part in the campaigns of Admiral d'Estaing in the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. He later received command of a coastguard sloop, and received an honour sword after fighting a British privateer on 6 October 1780. Promoted to lieutenant in January 1792, Martin served on ''Junon'' before taking command of the corvette ''Rossignol'' in 1796. In June, he was promoted to commander, and successively captained the frigates ''Fauvette'' and ''Sérieuse''. On ''Sérieuse'', Martin took part in the

Battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...

, where he stood against the much stronger HMS ''Orion''. ''Sérieuse'' was reduced to a sinking wreck and foundered, while Martin was rescued by the British and taken prisoner to Gibraltar. Released in December 1798, Martin was tasked with teaching duties. In 1801, he took command of the ''Indivisible''. In 1803, he captained the ''Swiftsure''. In 1808 and 1809, he commanded the frigate ''Incorruptible''. Martin retired in 1813 after having served ashore.

Sources and references

* ''Dictionnaire des capitaines de vaisseau de Napoléon'', Danielle & Bernard Quintin, SPM, 2003, {{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Claude-Jean French Navy officers 1827 deaths 1752 births