Éléonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil
Encyclopedia
Éléonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil (Cherbourg, 6 January 1767 - Octeville, 11 March 1824) was a French
Navy officer and captain.
In August 1789, Soleil joined up as a volunteer aboard on the Brillant. He returned to commerce again in 1790.
On 1st April 1793, Soleil joined the Navy as a midshipman first class, serving on Brillant again. In February 1794, he was promoted to ensign, and served on the Généreux
from March.
Soleil was promoted to lieutenant in December 1794, and to commander in March 1796, serving as second captain on Généreux. In July 1796, he was appointed on the Formidable
.
In May 1798, Soleil received command of the frigate Diane
. He took part in the Battle of the Nile
, managing to escape to Malta. In August 1800, as the Siege of Malta
approached its conclusion and Malta was about to fall to the British, he was ordered back to France. Diane was however intercepted by the British blockade and captured by HMS Success, HMS Northumberland
and HMS Genereux
.
Back to France, Soleil was court-martialled for the loss of his frigate, as systematic in such cases, and found innocent of the capture. He was then briefly appointed to the Union
before taking command of the frigate Volontaire
.
Soleil was promoted to captain in September 1803 and appointed to the frigate Hermione. In May 1804, he took command of the 74-gun Lion
in Allemand's expedition of 1805
.
In September 1806, Soleil was given command of a 5-frigate and 2-corvette squadron in the Atlantic, with his flag on the Gloire
. The squadron was bound for Martinique, with a 1600-man Army unit, along with ammunition and other military furniture. On 25 September 1806, four ships of the line under Sir Samuel Hood met and intercepted them, leading to the Action of 25 September 1806
. Four of the frigates were captured, and Soleil was taken prisoner by Captain William Lukin
of HMS Mars
.
Soleil was exchanged in September 1807. He was given command of the 74-gun Pultusk, and in 1809, of the Anversois.
From 1814, Soleil served in Cherbourg harbour. He retired in January 1816.
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 and captain.
Biography
Born to the family of a surgeon, Soleil started sailing on a merchantman in 1783. In 1785, he served in the French Royal Navy on a fluyt, before returning to merchant shipping.In August 1789, Soleil joined up as a volunteer aboard on the Brillant. He returned to commerce again in 1790.
On 1st April 1793, Soleil joined the Navy as a midshipman first class, serving on Brillant again. In February 1794, he was promoted to ensign, and served on the Généreux
French ship Généreux (1785)
The Généreux was a French Téméraire class ship of the line.She was launched in 1785 at Rochefort. With the Guillaume Tell, she was one of only two ships to escape the British attack at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798....
from March.
Soleil was promoted to lieutenant in December 1794, and to commander in March 1796, serving as second captain on Généreux. In July 1796, he was appointed on the Formidable
French ship Formidable (1795)
Formidable was an 80-gun Tonnant class ship of the line of the French navy, laid down as Figuires and renamed in 1795. She was launched at Toulon in 1795. She participated in the Battle of Algeciras, the Battle of Cape Finisterre and several other actions before the British captured her at the...
.
In May 1798, Soleil received command of the frigate Diane
French frigate Diane (1796)
The Diane was a 38-gun frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Battle of the Nile, managing to escape to Malta with the Justice....
. He took part in the Battle of the Nile
Battle of the Nile
The Battle of the Nile was a major naval battle fought between British and French fleets at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt from 1–3 August 1798...
, managing to escape to Malta. In August 1800, as the Siege of Malta
Siege of Malta (1798–1800)
The Siege of Malta was a two-year siege and blockade of the French garrison in Valletta, the largest city and main port on the Mediterranean island of Malta between 1798 and 1800. Valletta had been captured by a French expeditionary force during the Mediterranean campaign of 1798, and garrisoned...
approached its conclusion and Malta was about to fall to the British, he was ordered back to France. Diane was however intercepted by the British blockade and captured by HMS Success, HMS Northumberland
HMS Northumberland (1798)
HMS Northumberland was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at the yards of Barnard, Deptford and launched on 2 February 1798....
and HMS Genereux
French ship Généreux (1785)
The Généreux was a French Téméraire class ship of the line.She was launched in 1785 at Rochefort. With the Guillaume Tell, she was one of only two ships to escape the British attack at the Battle of the Nile in August 1798....
.
Back to France, Soleil was court-martialled for the loss of his frigate, as systematic in such cases, and found innocent of the capture. He was then briefly appointed to the Union
French ship Union (1799)
The Union was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy. She was renamed Diomède in 1803. She was wrecked and burnt at the Battle of San Domingo....
before taking command of the frigate Volontaire
French frigate Volontaire (1796)
The Volontaire was a 44-gun Virginie class frigate of the French Navy.She took part in the Atlantic campaign of 1806, and was captured by HMS Diadem in March 1806. She was brought into Royal Navy service as HMS Volontaire....
.
Soleil was promoted to captain in September 1803 and appointed to the frigate Hermione. In May 1804, he took command of the 74-gun Lion
French ship Lion (1803)
The Lion was a Téméraire-class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805 under Captain Eleonore-Jean-Nicolas Soleil....
in Allemand's expedition of 1805
Allemand's expedition of 1805
Allemand's expedition of 1805, often referred to as the Escadre invisible in French sources, was an important French naval expedition during the Napoleonic Wars, which formed a major diversion to the ongoing Trafalgar campaign in the Atlantic Ocean...
.
In September 1806, Soleil was given command of a 5-frigate and 2-corvette squadron in the Atlantic, with his flag on the Gloire
French frigate Gloire (1803)
Gloire was a 44-gun frigate of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805. On 18 July, she captured and burnt a Prussian cutter to maintain the secrecy of the movements of the fleet, in spite of the neutrality of Prussia at the time...
. The squadron was bound for Martinique, with a 1600-man Army unit, along with ammunition and other military furniture. On 25 September 1806, four ships of the line under Sir Samuel Hood met and intercepted them, leading to the Action of 25 September 1806
Action of 25 September 1806
The Action of 25 September 1806 was a naval battle fought during the Napoleonic Wars off the French Biscay port of Rochefort. A French convoy of five frigates and two corvettes, sailing to the French West Indies with supplies and reinforcements, was intercepted by a British squadron of six ships of...
. Four of the frigates were captured, and Soleil was taken prisoner by Captain William Lukin
William Lukin
Vice-Admiral William Lukin, later William Lukin Windham was a Royal Navy officer who rose to the rank of Vice Admiral and served with great distinction through the Napoleonic Wars. Eventually he inherited the house and estates of William Windham.-Early life:William Lukin was born in the village of...
of HMS Mars
HMS Mars (1794)
HMS Mars was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 25 October 1794 at Deptford Dockyard.-Career:In the early part of the French Revolutionary Wars she was assigned to the Channel Fleet. In 1797 under Captain Alexander Hood she was prominent in the Spithead mutiny...
.
Soleil was exchanged in September 1807. He was given command of the 74-gun Pultusk, and in 1809, of the Anversois.
From 1814, Soleil served in Cherbourg harbour. He retired in January 1816.
Sources and references
- Dictionnaire des capitaines de vaisseau de Napoléon, Danielle & Bernard Quintin, SPM, 2003, ISBN 2-901952-42-9