Léonard-Bernard Motard (

Honfleur Honfleur () is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. The people that inhabit Honf ...

, 27 July 1771 –

, 26 May 1852) was a French naval officer and eventually ''contre-amiral''. Motard enlisted in the French Navy in 1786. He was promoted to ensign in 1791, to lieutenant in 1793, and to ''capitaine de frégate'' in 1797. He then served in Brueys's general staff. Motard helped organise the naval component of the

Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt The French campaign in Egypt and Syria (1798–1801) was Napoleon Bonaparte's campaign in the Ottoman territories of Egypt and Syria, proclaimed to defend French trade interests, to establish scientific enterprise in the region. It was the pr ...

, and 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 ...

aboard the flagship ''Orient''. He evacuated her before she exploded, but sustained severe injuries and was taken prisoner by the British. After he was released, Motard served as staff officer to

Ganteaume Ganteaume is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Andy Ganteaume (1921–2016), Trinidadian cricketer *Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume (1755–1818), French Navy officer **Ganteaume's expeditions of 1801 Ganteaume's expedition ...

, taking part in operations in Saint Domingue. Promoted to ''capitaine the vaisseau'' in 1803, he took command of the 32-gun ''Sémillante'', in Linois' squadron. He took part in the Battle of Pulo Aura on 14 February 1804. On 8 June 1806, ''Sémillante'' captured the East Indiamen ''Acteon'', ''Warren Hastings'', and ''Active''. On 11 November, the encountered and ; an engagement developed on 13 November, from which the British retreated. Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, ''Sémillante'' fought a running battle with HMS ''Terpsichore'', and escaped to Île de France. Motard sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to France. In December 1809, Motard was elevated to commander of the Legion of Honour. In November 1810, he was made a baron of Empire. From 4 January 1811, he headed the ''École spéciale de Marine'' in Toulon. He retired with the rank of ''contre-amiral'' in 1814.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Motard 1771 births 1852 deaths People from Honfleur French Navy admirals French military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars French naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Napoleonic Wars prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom French prisoners of war in the Napoleonic Wars Commanders of the Legion of Honour