Pierre-Marie Le Bozec
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Marie Le Bozec was a French
Navy officer.
on the 80-gun Deux Frères
, captained by his father.
From 1787 and 1789, he served as second captain on the Comte Esterhazy and the Colombe, and on the Deux Frères again.
In early 1794, Le Bozec was awarded command of the brand new 24-gun corvette Républicaine. After a number of patrols in the Channel, he joined up with Lhermitte
's squadron, bound for Norway. It comprised the frigates Seine
, under Lhermitte, and Galathée, under Labutte.
The squadron found itself blocked by cold and damage in a Norwegian harbour during the entire winter of 1794 - 1795, sustaining over 250 dead from illness out of a total complement of 880. In spring, Seine and Galathée returned to France, leaving Républicaine to care for the untransportable sick. They eventually were rescued by the corvette Subtile.
In the summer and autumn of 1795, Républicaine and Subtile sailed together in a number of short patrols. Le Bozec sustained an injury in a battle against a British frigate.
In March 1796, Le Bozec was promoted to commander and set sail for a patrol off the coasts of Africa and Brazil, capturing 76 prizes. In July 1799, he met the 38-gun HMS Tamar and, after losing all his masts, had to strike his colours.
Le Bozec was exchanged after a few months. In 1801, he was appointed to the 44-gun Clorinde
and took part in the campaigns at Santo Domingo under Latouche Tréville
.
In March 1803, Le Bozec was promoted to captain and supervised the station of Santo Domingo. He was taken prisoner when the island fell.
.
From 1810, he captained the Friedland
, in Anvers. From March 1811 to March 1812, he was appointed to Marengo. After this task, he was tasked with the commissioning of the frigate Étoile
.
In 1813, was given command of a frigate squadron comprising Aréthuse
, Illyrienne and Alcyon, with this flag on Aréthuse. After two patrols, Le Bozec was informed of the abdication of Napoleon and the end of the War of the Sixth Coalition
. He consequently freed 11 prizes captured in the preceding weeks.
In 1817, he commanded a frigate squadron comprising Flore
, Coquette and Églantine, with his flag on Flore, in a cruise to the Caribbean and Guyana.
Le Bozec was then Major general of the harbour of Cherbourg, before retiring in 1822. He was made an honorary contre-amiral.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Navy officer.
Youth
Le Bozec was born to a family of sailors, and started sailing in 1780 on a merchantman. From 1782, he took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary WarNaval operations in the American Revolutionary War
The naval operations of the American Revolutionary War , divide themselves naturally into two periods...
on the 80-gun Deux Frères
French ship Deux Frères
The Deux Frères was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She was offered to King Louis XVI by his two brothers.On 29 September 1792, she was renamed Juste. She took part in the Bataille du 13 prairial an 2, where she was captured....
, captained by his father.
From 1787 and 1789, he served as second captain on the Comte Esterhazy and the Colombe, and on the Deux Frères again.
First Republic
Le Bozec was promoted to ensign in 1792. The following year, he was given command of the corvette Vaillante, tasked with escort duties in the English Channel. He was involved in a fight with a British corvette, driving her away. He was promoted to lieutenant the same year.In early 1794, Le Bozec was awarded command of the brand new 24-gun corvette Républicaine. After a number of patrols in the Channel, he joined up with Lhermitte
Jean-Marthe-Adrien l'Hermite
Jean-Marthe-Adrien L'Hermitte was a French sea captain and rear admiral, notable for his involvement in the Glorious First of June and various other campaigns.- Early career :L'Hermitte was born to the family of a...
's squadron, bound for Norway. It comprised the frigates Seine
HMS Seine (1798)
Seine was a 38-gun Seine-class French frigate that the Royal Navy captured in 1798 and commissioned as the fifth rate HMS Seine. On 20 August 1800, Seine captured the French ship Vengeance in a single ship action that would win for her crew the Naval General Service Medal...
, under Lhermitte, and Galathée, under Labutte.
The squadron found itself blocked by cold and damage in a Norwegian harbour during the entire winter of 1794 - 1795, sustaining over 250 dead from illness out of a total complement of 880. In spring, Seine and Galathée returned to France, leaving Républicaine to care for the untransportable sick. They eventually were rescued by the corvette Subtile.
In the summer and autumn of 1795, Républicaine and Subtile sailed together in a number of short patrols. Le Bozec sustained an injury in a battle against a British frigate.
In March 1796, Le Bozec was promoted to commander and set sail for a patrol off the coasts of Africa and Brazil, capturing 76 prizes. In July 1799, he met the 38-gun HMS Tamar and, after losing all his masts, had to strike his colours.
Le Bozec was exchanged after a few months. In 1801, he was appointed to the 44-gun Clorinde
French frigate Clorinde (1801)
The Clorinde was a 44-gun Uranie class frigate of the French Navy.She was laid down as Havraise in 1796, and was renamed to Clorinde before her commissioning in Nantes. In 1801, she was under Emmanuel Halgan....
and took part in the campaigns at Santo Domingo under Latouche Tréville
Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville
Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville was a French admiral and a hero of the American Revolutionary War and of the Napoleonic wars.-Early life:...
.
In March 1803, Le Bozec was promoted to captain and supervised the station of Santo Domingo. He was taken prisoner when the island fell.
First Empire
Le Bozed was released on parole in the middle of the year 1804, under the promess not to sail for 6 years. Upon his return to France, he was thus tasked with inspection duries between the Seine River and LorientLorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
.
From 1810, he captained the Friedland
French ship Friedland (1810)
The Friedland was an 80-gun Bucentaure-class 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, designed by Sané.Her launching was attended by Napoleon and his wife, Marie Louise...
, in Anvers. From March 1811 to March 1812, he was appointed to Marengo. After this task, he was tasked with the commissioning of the frigate Étoile
French frigate Étoile (1813)
The Étoile was a 44-gun of the French Navy.She sailed with the Sultane as a commerce raider. On 24 January 1814, the French squadron met with the frigates HMS Astra and HMS Creole....
.
In 1813, was given command of a frigate squadron comprising Aréthuse
French frigate Aréthuse (1812)
The French frigate Aréthuse was a 46-gun 18-pounder frigate of the French Navy. She served during the Napoleonic Wars, took part in the conquest of Algeria and ended her days as a coal depot in Brest.-Cruise off West Africa, 1812-1813:...
, Illyrienne and Alcyon, with this flag on Aréthuse. After two patrols, Le Bozec was informed of the abdication of Napoleon and the end of the War of the Sixth Coalition
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
. He consequently freed 11 prizes captured in the preceding weeks.
Bourbon restoration
On 18 August 1814, Le Bozec was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis. In March 1815, he was appointed to Le Havre. The next year, he was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau de première classe.In 1817, he commanded a frigate squadron comprising Flore
French frigate Hortense (1803)
The Hortense was a 40-gun Hortense Class frigate of the French Navy.In January 1805, she was sent to observe British movements off Toulon, along with Incorruptible. On 4 February, they attacked a convoy, destroying 7 ships...
, Coquette and Églantine, with his flag on Flore, in a cruise to the Caribbean and Guyana.
Le Bozec was then Major general of the harbour of Cherbourg, before retiring in 1822. He was made an honorary contre-amiral.
Sources and references
- A propos d'un illustre bréhatin : le contre-amiral Le Bozec par Yves De Sagazan – Les Carnets du Goëlo n°1 (1985), bulletin de la Société d'études historiques et archéologique du Goëlo
- Dictionnaire des capitaines de vaisseau de Napoléon par Danièle et Bernard Quintin, S.P.M. Paris 2003