Charles Gabriel Morel d'Escures (3 January 1751, Alençon

Alençon

Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:...

 – 13 July 1786, Baie des Français, Lituya, Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

) was a French navigator and explorer and a member of the La Pérouse

Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse

Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...

 expedition (1 August 1785 to 13 July 1786) and of the Académie de Marine

Académie de Marine

The Royal Naval Academy of France was founded at Brest by a ruling of 31 July 1752 by Antoine Louis de Rouillé, comte de Jouy, Secretary of State for the Navy...

.

Life

Training at the Ecole royale de Marine (1773-1775), he fought in several campaigns from 1776 to 1783 and held his last command on the la Dorade (decommissioned in 1783).

Lieutenant de vaisseau from 14 April 1781, he received the ordre de Saint-Louis on 1 June 1783. On 13 May 1785, the comte d'Hector chose Morel d'Escures, to oversee the works on and arming of the Portefaix (later the Boussole), and would embark on that ship as ensign

Ensign (rank)

Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....

. He died trying to negotiate the passage of the bay of Lituya.