Jean Henri Joseph Dupotet (17 December 1777, in Chaugey – 9 January 1852, in Paris) was a French navy commander known for the Battle of Trafalgar.

Career

Dupotet was born the first son of a 10-sibling family. He joined the Navy as a sailor at age 16. From May 1795, he served aboard the 32-gun ''Alceste''. Dupotent distinguished himself on 7 August 1795, when the squadron of ''Alceste'' attacked and captured the 74-gun HMS ''Berwick''. He was promoted to midshipman 3rd class and transferred to the ''Unité''. On 20 April 1796, ''Unité'' was captured at

Annaba Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...

by HMS ''Inconstant'', and Dupottet was taken prisoner. Returned to France, he was promoted to ensign on 3 March 1798. He took part in the Cruise of Bruix, and served on the ''Argonaute'' for a campaign at the

Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean Sea North Atlantic Ocean , co ...

. Upon his return, he was promoted to lieutenant, and served as second in command aboard the ''Redoutable'', taking part in the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (1 ...

. Released after the battle, he was promoted to

frigate captain Frigate captain is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries. Corvette captain lies one level below frigate captain. It is usually equivalent to the Commonwealth/US Navy rank of commander. Countries using this rank include Argentin ...

and served as an aid to

Denis Decrès Denis Decrès (18 June 1761 – 7 December 1820) was an officer of the French Navy and count, later duke of the First Empire. Early career Decrès was born in Châteauvillain, Haute-Marne on 18 June 1761 and joined the Navy at the age of 18, ...

. In 1807, he commanded the ''Charlemagne'' and Flushing harbour. In 1809, he took command of the 44-gun ''Niémen'', bound for Bordeaux, only to run into a British frigate squadron blockading Brest. In the resulting Action of 6 April 1809, ''Niémen'' was captured and Dupotet taken prisoner again. Dupotet remained a prisoner for 5 years before returning to France at the

Bourbon restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to: France under the House of Bourbon: * Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815) Spain under the Spanish Bourbons: * Ab ...

. In July 1815, he was given command of the ''Flore''. He subsequently commanded the ''Gloire'' and the ''Jeanne d'Arc'', flagship of the Caribbean squadron. From 1830 and 1834, by then a rear-admiral, Dupotet was governor of Martinique. In 1839, he commanded the

French blockade of the Río de la Plata The French blockade of the Río de la Plata was a two-year-long naval blockade imposed by July Monarchy, France on the Argentine Confederation ruled by Juan Manuel de Rosas. It closed Buenos Aires to naval commerce. It was imposed in 1838 to sup ...

, and negotiated with

Juan Manuel de Rosas Juan Manuel José Domingo Ortiz de Rosas (30 March 1793 – 14 March 1877), nicknamed "Restorer of the Laws", was an Argentine politician and army officer who ruled Buenos Aires Province and briefly the Argentine Confederation. Although ...

the next year. He is mentioned in the correspondence of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

. Dupotet was promoted to vice-admiral in 1841, and served as general inspector of the harbours of the Atlantic from 1844. He retired in 1845 and died seven years later. He is buried in

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figure ...

(39th Division, 9th rank, M, 31).DUPOTET Jean Henri Joseph (1777-1852)
, Association des Amis et Passionnés du Père-Lachaise

References

External links

Le Vice-Amiral Jean-Henry Dupotet, un illustre Châtillonnais.
Conference by Jenry Camus. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dupotet, Jean 1777 births 1852 deaths French Navy admirals