Jean-Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse ( Meilhan, 6 September 1760 – Meilhan, 10 September 1829) was a French sailor, admiral and hero of the

French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...

Career

Lacrosse joined the Navy in 1779 as a Garde marine. He rose to enseign in 1782, to lieutenant in 1786, and to

capitaine de vaisseau Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain. Equivalent ranks worldwide includ ...

in 1792. He was military governor of

Saint Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindian ...

in 1792 to 1793. In 1795, he was sent to

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...

and

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...

to crush revolts. On his return to France, Lacrosse was arrested. Freed, he was attached to the planned invasion of Ireland in late 1796, commanding the 74-gun '' Droits de l'Homme''. The invasion failed, and on her journey back, the '' Droits de l'Homme'' fought the

action of 13 January 1797 The action of 13 January 1797 (known by the French as the Naufrage du ''Droits de l'Homme''; "shipwreck r sinkingof the ''Droits de l'Homme''") was a minor naval battle fought between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the c ...

against two British frigates, the '' Indefatigable'' under

Sir Edward Pellew Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB (19 April 1757 – 23 January 1833) was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. His younger brother Is ...

and the ''

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''. Lacrosse was wounded and his ship was lost when she ran aground. Despite the loss of his ship, Lacrosse was made contre-amiral. In 1799, he was sent as ambassador to Spain and notably negotiated the forcible return of émigréssl to France, he was offered the Ministry of Marine, which he declined. In 1802,

First Consul The Consulate (french: Le Consulat) was the top-level Government of France from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 10 November 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire on 18 May 1804. By extension, the term ''The Con ...

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

made him general captain of Guadeloupe. On 1 November 1801, Lacrosse was captured by rebels, as he was leading a reconnaissance out of

Pointe-à-Pitre Pointe-à-Pitre (; gcf, label=Guadeloupean Creole, Pwentapit, , or simply , ) is the second largest (most populous) city of Guadeloupe after Les Abymes. Guadeloupe is an overseas region and Overseas department, department of France located in the ...

. Pelage, the leader of the rebels, brought him aboard a Danish ship. Lacrosse set out for

Dominica Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...

, where he joined the expedition led by General

Antoine Richepanse Antoine Richepanse (25 March 1770 – 3 September 1802) was a French general and colonial administrator. Richepanse was born in Metz as the son of an officer of the Conti-Dragoon Regiment. When the French Revolution started Richepanse distinguis ...

, and returned with it to Guadeloupe. When Richepanse died, Lacrosse took command and managed to crush the rebellion and to restore slavery. In Guadeloupe, Lacrosse sent the military to track down farmers, who were treated as rebels and summarily killed. Lacrosse sailed back to France aboard the frigate ''Didon''. He did not know that the

Peace of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it se ...

had ended and that hostilities had resumed with the British. Off Brest, he ran into twelve British ships of the line blockading the port. He managed to evade the blockading fleet and captured the corvette ''Laurier'' in the process. He reached Spain, left his prize in Santander and returned to France. Napoléon made him

préfet maritime A maritime prefect ( French: ''Préfet maritime'') is a servant of the French State who exercises authority over the sea in a particular region under French jurisdiction, known as a maritime arrondissement (''Arrondissement maritime''). His admini ...

and gave him command of the flotilla intended to ferry troops for an invasion of England. Lacrosse was made commander of the

Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

at the founding of the Order. When Admiral Bruix died in 1805, Lacrosse succeeded him as commander-in-chief of the navy. Lacrosse retired in 1815 and died in his hometown of Meilhan on 10 September 1829.

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lacrosse French Navy admirals 1760 births 1829 deaths French naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Republicanism in Saint Lucia Governors of French Saint Lucia

Career

See also

References