Armand Blanquet du Chayla
Encyclopedia
Count Armand Blanquet du Chayla (1759 – 1826) was an officer in the French Navy
, most famous as second in command of the French fleet during its defeat at the Battle of the Nile
.
department in southeast France
. As a young naval officer, he distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War
, serving under Admiral d'Estaing
. He was captured in 1778, and released two years later. He served under Admiral de Grasse
aboard the Languedoc
and took part in the Battle of Martinique
.
Du Chayla also fought at the Battle of the Chesapeake
and at the Battle of St. Kitts
, and was wounded at the Battle of the Saintes
.
After the war, Du Chayla was promoted to Lieutenant de vaisseau, and later to capitaine de vaisseau, obtaining command of the Tonnant. During the French Revolutionary Wars
, he took part in the campaigns on the Italian coasts. In 1793, he was relieved from command because of his mobility, but was soon reinstated. He served as aide to the Minister of the Navy from 1795 to 1797, before being promoted to division commander in 1796, and to contre-amiral soon later.
, Chayla hoisted his flag aboard the Franklin as second in command of the fleet under Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers
during the campaign in Egypt
. Chayla fought gallantly during the battle and tried in vain to persuade Brueys to order the fleet to set sail. He was severely wounded in the French defeat, and he and the Franklin were both captured by the Royal Navy
.
After his return to France, Chayla was a fierce critic of the tactics of Villeneuve
, Decrès
and Ganteaume
, and resigned in 1803. He was later rehabilitated by Napoléon.
He was made a Count
and honorary vice-admiral by Louis XVIII of France
. Chayla died in Versailles on the 29th of April 1826.
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, most famous as second in command of the French fleet during its defeat at 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...
.
Early actions
Du Chayla was born in Marjevols in the LozèreLozère
Lozère , is a department in southeast France near the Massif Central, named after Mont Lozère.- History :Lozère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
department in southeast France
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...
. As a young naval officer, he distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, serving under Admiral d'Estaing
Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing
Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing was a French general, and admiral. He began his service as a soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, briefly spending time as a prisoner of war of the British during the Seven Years' War...
. He was captured in 1778, and released two years later. He served under Admiral de Grasse
François Joseph Paul de Grasse
Lieutenant Général des Armées Navales François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse was a French admiral. He is best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake, which led directly to the British surrender at Yorktown...
aboard the Languedoc
French ship Languedoc (1766)
The Languedoc was a ship of the line of the French Navy and flagship of Admiral d'Estaing. She was offered to King Louis XV by the Languedoc, as part of a national effort to rebuild the navy after the Seven Years' War. She was designed by the naval architect Joseph Coulomb.In 1776, France decided...
and took part in the Battle of Martinique
Battle of Martinique (1780)
The Battle of Martinique, also Combat de la Dominique, took place on April 17, 1780 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Origins:...
.
Du Chayla also fought at the Battle of the Chesapeake
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American War of Independence that took place near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 1781, between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas...
and at the Battle of St. Kitts
Battle of St. Kitts
The Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, was a naval battle that took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse.-Background:When Hood...
, and was wounded at the Battle of the Saintes
Battle of the Saintes
The Battle of the Saintes took place over 4 days, 9 April 1782 – 12 April 1782, during the American War of Independence, and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse forcing the French and Spanish to abandon a planned...
.
After the war, Du Chayla was promoted to Lieutenant de vaisseau, and later to capitaine de vaisseau, obtaining command of the Tonnant. During the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, he took part in the campaigns on the Italian coasts. In 1793, he was relieved from command because of his mobility, but was soon reinstated. He served as aide to the Minister of the Navy from 1795 to 1797, before being promoted to division commander in 1796, and to contre-amiral soon later.
Battle of the Nile, and aftermath
In 1798, as a rear admiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
, Chayla hoisted his flag aboard the Franklin as second in command of the fleet under Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers
François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers
Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, Comte de Brueys was the French commander in the Battle of the Nile, in which the French Revolutionary Navy was defeated by Royal Navy forces under Admiral Horatio Nelson. The British victory helped to ensure their naval supremacy throughout the...
during the campaign in Egypt
French Revolutionary Wars: Campaigns of 1798
1798 was a relatively quiet period in the French Revolutionary Wars. The major continental powers in the First coalition had made peace with France, leaving France dominant in Europe with only a slow naval war with Great Britain to worry about...
. Chayla fought gallantly during the battle and tried in vain to persuade Brueys to order the fleet to set sail. He was severely wounded in the French defeat, and he and the Franklin were both captured by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
After his return to France, Chayla was a fierce critic of the tactics of Villeneuve
Pierre-Charles Villeneuve
Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve was a French naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He was in command of the French and Spanish fleets defeated by Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar....
, Decrès
Denis Decrès
Denis Decrès, , was an officer of the French Navy and count, later duke of the First Empire.-Early career:...
and Ganteaume
Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume
Count Honoré Joseph Antoine Ganteaume was a French admiral.Ganteaume was born to a family of merchant sailors, and sailed on a dozen commercial cruises in his youth...
, and resigned in 1803. He was later rehabilitated by Napoléon.
He was made a Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
and honorary vice-admiral by Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
. Chayla died in Versailles on the 29th of April 1826.
External links
Netmarine- Armand Blanquet du Chayla by the german portal EPOCHE NAPOLEON