Louis-Antoine-Cyprien Infernet
Encyclopedia
Louis-Antoine-Cyprien Infernet (1757–1815) was a French Navy officer, famous for his behaviour at the Battle of Trafalgar
.
Infernet was born in Nice
, a relative of André Masséna
.
After a career as a privateer
, Infernet joined the Navy, rising to the rank of captain. He was awarded the Legion of Honour on 15 pluviôse
an XII (5 February 1804). He rose to Officer of the Legion of Honour on 25 prairial
(14 June 1804).
Infernet captained the Intrépide, a Spanish-built 74-gun, at the Battle of Trafalgar
. She was part of Dumanoir
's six-ship vanguard squadron; Nelson
's plan left these ships downwind and away from the fight, and Dumanoir hesitated in answering Villeneuve
's calls to engage. Eventually, Infernet ordered his ship turned into the battle and engaged the HMS Leviathan
and Africa
, soon rejoined by Agamemnon
, Ajax
, Orion
and Conqueror
. Pressed to surrender, Infernet answered in Nice dialect:
By then, Intrépide had lost all her masts, half her crew, and was down of the water. Infernet was allowed to fire the last shot of the battle, 20 minutes after the end of the fighting, and was taken prisoner. Intrépide was scuttled the next day to avoid recaptured by Cosmao
's squadron.
Infernet was taken to England and quickly exchanged. Along with captain Lucas
, he was presented to Napoleon at Saint-Cloud
. Napoleon stated
After the Bourbon Restauration, Infernet was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis on 18 August 1814.
He died in Toulon on 15 May 1815.
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
.
Infernet was born in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, a relative of André Masséna
André Masséna
André Masséna 1st Duc de Rivoli, 1st Prince d'Essling was a French military commander during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars....
.
After a career as a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, Infernet joined the Navy, rising to the rank of captain. He was awarded the Legion of Honour on 15 pluviôse
Pluviôse
Pluviôse was the fifth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word pluviosus, which means rainy....
an XII (5 February 1804). He rose to Officer of the Legion of Honour on 25 prairial
Prairial
Prairial was the ninth month in the French Republican Calendar. This month was named after the French word prairie, which means meadow. It was the name given to several ships....
(14 June 1804).
Infernet captained the Intrépide, a Spanish-built 74-gun, at the Battle of Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. She was part of Dumanoir
Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley
Vice-Admiral Count Pierre-Etienne-René-Marie Dumanoir Le Pelley was a French Navy officer, best known for commanding the vanguard of the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar.- Early career :...
's six-ship vanguard squadron; Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
's plan left these ships downwind and away from the fight, and Dumanoir hesitated in answering 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....
's calls to engage. Eventually, Infernet ordered his ship turned into the battle and engaged the HMS Leviathan
HMS Leviathan (1790)
HMS Leviathan was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 9 October 1790. At the Battle of Trafalgar under Henry William Bayntun, she was near the front of the windward column led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard his flagship, , and captured the Spanish ship San Augustin.In...
and Africa
HMS Africa (1781)
HMS Africa was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched by Barnard at Deptford on 11 April 1781.-American War of Independence:...
, soon rejoined by Agamemnon
HMS Agamemnon (1781)
HMS Agamemnon was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She saw service in the American Revolutionary, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and fought in many of the major naval battles of those conflicts...
, Ajax
HMS Ajax (1798)
HMS Ajax was an Ajax class 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was built by John Randall & Co of Rotherhithe and launched on the Thames on 3 March 1798...
, Orion
HMS Orion (1787)
HMS Orion was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 1 June 1787 to the design of the , by William Bately...
and Conqueror
HMS Conqueror (1801)
HMS Conqueror was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 23 November 1801 at Harwich. She was designed by Sir John Henslow as part of the Middling class of 74s, and was the only ship built to her draught...
. Pressed to surrender, Infernet answered in Nice dialect:
By then, Intrépide had lost all her masts, half her crew, and was down of the water. Infernet was allowed to fire the last shot of the battle, 20 minutes after the end of the fighting, and was taken prisoner. Intrépide was scuttled the next day to avoid recaptured by Cosmao
Julien Cosmao
Julien Marie Cosmao-Kerjulien was a French Navy officer, admiral, and hero of the Battle of Trafalgar.- Early career :...
's squadron.
Infernet was taken to England and quickly exchanged. Along with captain Lucas
Jean Jacques Etienne Lucas
Jean Jacques Étienne Lucas was a French Navy officer, famous for his role in the Battle of Trafalgar.-Career:Born in Marennes, he joined the French Navy at the age of 15. From 1779 to 1782 he sailed on the Hermione...
, he was presented to Napoleon at Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
. Napoleon stated
After the Bourbon Restauration, Infernet was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis on 18 August 1814.
He died in Toulon on 15 May 1815.
Source and references
- Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852