Jean-Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Raymond de Lacrosse (Meilhan
, 5 September 1761 – Meilhan, 10 September 1829) was a French
sailor and admiral, hero of the French Revolutionary Wars
.
Raymond de Lacrosse joined the Navy in 1779 as a Garde marine. He rose to enseign in 1782, to lieutenant in 1786, and to capitaine de vaisseau in 1792.
In 1795, he was sent to Martinique
and Guadeloupe
to crush slave revolts. Back in France, Lacrosse was arrested.
Freed, he was attached to the planned invasion of Ireland in late 1796, commanding the 74-gun Droits de l'Homme. The invasion failed, and on her journey back, the Droits de l'Homme fought the Action of 13 January 1797
against two English frigates, the Indefatigable
under Sir Edward Pellew
and the Amazon
. Lacrosse was wounded and his ship was lost when she ran aground.
Despite the loss of his ship, Lacrosse was made contre-amiral. In 1799, he was sent as ambassador to Spain, and notably negotiated the forcible return of émigré
s to France, he was offered the Ministry of Marine, which he declined.
In 1802, the First Consul Bonaparte
made him General captain of Guadeloupe. On November 1, 1801, Lacrosse was captured by rebels, as he was leading a reconnaissance out of Pointe-à-Pitre
. Pelage, the leader of the rebels, brought him aboard a Danish ship. Lacrosse set out for Dominica
, where he joined the expedition led by General Richepanse, and returned with it to Guadeloupe. When Richepanse died, Lacrosse took command and managed to crush the rebellion.
Lacrosse sailed back to France aboard the frigate Didon. Lacrosse did not know that the Peace of Amiens
had ended and hostilities had resumed with the British. Off Brest, he ran into twelve British ships of the line blockading the port. He managed to evade the blockading fleet, capturing the corvette Laurier in the process. He reached Spain, left his prize in Santander, and returned to France.
Napoléon made him préfet maritime
and gave him command of the flotilla intended to ferry troops for an invasion of England. Lacrosse was made commander of the Légion d'Honneur
at the founding of the Order. When Admiral Bruix
died in 1805, Lacrosse succeeded him as commander-in-chief of the navy.
Lacrosse retired in 1815 and died in his hometown of Meilhan on the 10 September 1829.
Meilhan
Meilhan is the name or part of the name of the following communes in France:* Meilhan, Gers, in the Gers department* Meilhan, Landes, in the Landes department* Meilhan-sur-Garonne, in the Lot-et-Garonne department...
, 5 September 1761 – Meilhan, 10 September 1829) was a French
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...
sailor and admiral, hero of 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...
.
Raymond de Lacrosse joined the Navy in 1779 as a Garde marine. He rose to enseign in 1782, to lieutenant in 1786, and to capitaine de vaisseau in 1792.
In 1795, he was sent to Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
and Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
to crush slave revolts. Back in France, Lacrosse was arrested.
Freed, he was attached to the planned invasion of Ireland in late 1796, commanding the 74-gun Droits de l'Homme. The invasion failed, and on her journey back, the Droits de l'Homme fought the Action of 13 January 1797
Action of 13 January 1797
The Action of 13 January 1797 was a small naval battle fought between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the coast of Brittany during the French Revolutionary Wars. During the action the frigates successfully outmanoeuvred the much larger French vessel and drove it on shore in...
against two English frigates, the Indefatigable
HMS Indefatigable (1784)
HMS Indefatigable was one of the Ardent class 64-gun third-rate ships-of-the-line designed by Sir Thomas Slade in 1761 for the Royal Navy. She had a long career under several distinguished commanders, serving throughout the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars...
under Sir Edward Pellew
Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary, and the Napoleonic Wars...
and the Amazon
HMS Amazon (1795)
HMS Amazon, was a 36-gun frigate, built at Rotherhithe by Wells & Co. in 1795 to a design by Sir William Rule. She was the first of a class of four frigates....
. Lacrosse was wounded and his ship was lost when she ran aground.
Despite the loss of his ship, Lacrosse was made contre-amiral. In 1799, he was sent as ambassador to Spain, and notably negotiated the forcible return of émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
s to France, he was offered the Ministry of Marine, which he declined.
In 1802, the First Consul Bonaparte
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
made him General captain of Guadeloupe. On November 1, 1801, Lacrosse was captured by rebels, as he was leading a reconnaissance out of Pointe-à-Pitre
Pointe-à-Pitre
Pointe-à-Pitre is the largest city of Guadeloupe, an overseas région and département of France located in the Lesser Antilles, of which it is a sous-préfecture, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Pointe-à-Pitre....
. Pelage, the leader of the rebels, brought him aboard a Danish ship. Lacrosse set out for Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
, where he joined the expedition led by General Richepanse, and returned with it to Guadeloupe. When Richepanse died, Lacrosse took command and managed to crush the rebellion.
Lacrosse sailed back to France aboard the frigate Didon. Lacrosse did not know that the Peace of Amiens
Treaty of Amiens
The Treaty of Amiens temporarily ended hostilities between the French Republic and the United Kingdom during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was signed in the city of Amiens on 25 March 1802 , by Joseph Bonaparte and the Marquess Cornwallis as a "Definitive Treaty of Peace"...
had ended and hostilities had resumed with the British. Off Brest, he ran into twelve British ships of the line blockading the port. He managed to evade the blockading fleet, capturing the corvette Laurier in the process. He reached Spain, left his prize in Santander, and returned to France.
Napoléon made him préfet maritime
Préfet Maritime
The Préfet Maritime is a servant of the French State who exercises authority over the sea in one particular region . As a civil servant, he reports to the Prime Minister...
and gave him command of the flotilla intended to ferry troops for an invasion of England. Lacrosse was made commander of the Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
at the founding of the Order. When Admiral Bruix
Étienne Eustache Bruix
Étienne Eustache Bruix was a French sailor.-Life:From a distinguished family originating from Béarn, he embarked as a volunteer on a slaving vessel commanded by captain Jean-François Landolphe...
died in 1805, Lacrosse succeeded him as commander-in-chief of the navy.
Lacrosse retired in 1815 and died in his hometown of Meilhan on the 10 September 1829.