Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars
Encyclopedia
Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars (Boumais, 31 August 1760 - Abukir, 2 August 1798; often written Dupetit-Thouars) was a French naval officer, and a hero of the Battle of Aboukir
, where he died.
He was born on August 31, 1760, in the castle of Boumais, near Saumur
. He studied at the Collège Royal de La Flèche, and entered the French Navy
in 1778. He participated that same year to the Battle of Ouessant. In 1790, he participated to the conquest of Saint-Louis du Sénégal.
He then served in the Antilles
, under Guichen
against Rodney
on the 80-gun Couronne. He was at the Battle of the Saintes
.
He was promoted to Lieutenant (Lieutenant de Vaisseau) in 1792. He left that year on board the 12-gun brig Diligent, in search of Jean-François de La Pérouse
. In Brazil, he was imprisoned by the Portuguese, but released in 1793. After that he lived for three years in the United States.
Back in France, he was reintegrated (he had been destituted as an aristocrat), and was promoted to Captain, commander of the Tonnant at the Battle of the Nile
, where he died on August 2, 1798. During the battle, he forced HMS Majestic
to break off combat with 50 killed, including Captain Westcott
, and 143 wounded. After having lost both legs and an arm, he continued to command from a bucket filled with wheat, until he died.
His last order was allegedly to nail the flag of the Tonnant to her mizzen-mast and never to surrender the ship. The Tonnant was eventually captured by the British.
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...
, where he died.
He was born on August 31, 1760, in the castle of Boumais, near Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
. He studied at the Collège Royal de La Flèche, and entered the French Navy
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...
in 1778. He participated that same year to the Battle of Ouessant. In 1790, he participated to the conquest of Saint-Louis du Sénégal.
He then served in the Antilles
Antilles
The Antilles islands form the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north and west, including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the...
, under Guichen
Guichen
Guichen is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of the region of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Guichen are called Guichenais.-See also:*Luc Urbain de Bouexic, comte de Guichen...
against Rodney
Rodney
-Surnames:* Caesar Rodney , lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware* Caesar A. Rodney , lawyer and U.S. Senator from Delaware* Caleb Rodney , merchant and Governor of Delaware...
on the 80-gun Couronne. He was 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...
.
He was promoted to Lieutenant (Lieutenant de Vaisseau) in 1792. He left that year on board the 12-gun brig Diligent, in search of Jean-François de La Pérouse
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
. In Brazil, he was imprisoned by the Portuguese, but released in 1793. After that he lived for three years in the United States.
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...
, where he died on August 2, 1798. During the battle, he forced HMS Majestic
HMS Majestic (1785)
HMS Majestic was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line launched on 11 December 1785 at Deptford. She fought at the Battle of the Nile, where she engaged the French ships Tonnant and Heureux, helping to force their surrenders...
to break off combat with 50 killed, including Captain Westcott
George Blagdon Westcott
George Blagdon Westcott was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served during the American Revolutionary and the French Revolutionary Wars, eventually rising to the rank of Captain...
, and 143 wounded. After having lost both legs and an arm, he continued to command from a bucket filled with wheat, until he died.
His last order was allegedly to nail the flag of the Tonnant to her mizzen-mast and never to surrender the ship. The Tonnant was eventually captured by the British.
Family
- His older brother, Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit-ThouarsLouis-Marie Aubert du Petit-ThouarsLouis-Marie Aubert du Petit-Thouars was an eminent French botanist.-Introduction:He was from an aristocrat family of the region of Anjou, where he grew up in the castle of Boumois, near Saumur...
, was a famous botanist. - His nephew, Abel Aubert Dupetit ThouarsAbel Aubert Dupetit ThouarsAbel Aubert Dupetit Thouars was a French naval officer important in France's anexation of French Polynesia.He was born at the castle of La Fessardière, near Saumur. His uncle Aristide Aubert Dupetit-Thouars was of the heroes of the Battle of the Nile...
, was a Navy captain who took possession of TahitiTahitiTahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
for France. - His descendant, Abel Nicolas Bergasse Dupetit-Thouars participated to the Boshin WarBoshin WarThe was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Honours
- Six ships of the French NavyFrench NavyThe 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...
were named in his honour. See French ship Dupetit-ThouarsFrench ship Dupetit-ThouarsSix ships of the French navy have borne the name Dupetit-Thouars in honour of Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars, hero of the Battle of the Nile:* A bomb longboat...
- The Borough of Dushore, Pennsylvania, United States; was named in his honour; it was originally known as DuThouars.