Jean-Baptiste Perrée
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Perrée was a French
contre-amiral. He was born in Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
in Picardy
.
Perrée was midshipman in 1793, and was promoted to acting lieutenant de vaisseau in May 1793, taking command of Proserpine
and raiding commerce, capturing 63 prizes. His rank was confirmed in late 1793. In September 1795, as a captain de vaisseau, he commanded a 4-frigate and 2-corvette squadron, with his flag on Minerve
, taking 54 prizes and 2 British corvettes.
In March 1796, he took command of the brand-new Diane
, with which he raided Tunis, re-taking one frigate and two corvettes captured by the British, and making 600 prisoners.
Perrée served in Egypt, captaining the Mercure
. He fought far inside the Nile, earning a sabre of honour from Bonaparte and the title of contre-amiral. In November 1798, he set his mark of the Alceste
to lead a 3-frigate squadron (comprising also Junon and Courageuse), first cruising off Saint-Jean d'Acre, and then ferrying cannons, ammunitions, food and wounded between France and Egypt. On 18 June 1799, off Toulon, the squadron met a 30-sail British fleet, under Lord Keith, and was captured. He was later exchanged.
Premier Consul Napoleon Bonaparte put his hands in the project to relieve the besieged French garrison in Valletta
, Malta
and appointed Perrée to the command. The squadron sailed from Toulon-sur-Mer on February 6, 1800 comprising Généreux
, one of the two escapers from the Battle of the Nile
, the frigate Badine, the corvettes Sans Pareille and Fauvette, and the fluyt Ville de Marseille, with 3,000 men, arms, food and ammunition on board. The expedition ended in disaster - at the Battle of the Malta Convoy
on the morning of February 18, English ships gave chase to the small French squadron off Lampedusa
island, at 1.30 p.m. Généreux soon struck her colours and contre-amiral Perrée was killed at the start of the action.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
contre-amiral. He was born in Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme is a commune in the Somme department. The village is a popular tourist destination because of its medieval character and ramparts, Gothic church and long waterside boardwalk.-Geography:...
in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
.
Perrée was midshipman in 1793, and was promoted to acting lieutenant de vaisseau in May 1793, taking command of Proserpine
HMS Amelia (1796)
Proserpine was a 38-gun Hébé-class frigate of the French Navy captured by on 13 June 1796. The Admiralty commissioned Prosperine into the Royal Navy as the fifth rate, HMS Amelia...
and raiding commerce, capturing 63 prizes. His rank was confirmed in late 1793. In September 1795, as a captain de vaisseau, he commanded a 4-frigate and 2-corvette squadron, with his flag on Minerve
French frigate Minerve (1794)
The Minerve was a 40-gun frigate of the French Navy. She was captured twice by the British and recaptured once by the French. She therefore served under four names:*Minerve, 1794–1795*HMS Minerve, 1795–1803*Canonnière, 1803–1810...
, taking 54 prizes and 2 British corvettes.
In March 1796, he took command of the brand-new 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....
, with which he raided Tunis, re-taking one frigate and two corvettes captured by the British, and making 600 prisoners.
Perrée served in Egypt, captaining the Mercure
French ship Mercure (1783)
The Mercure was a 74-gun Séduisant-class ship of the line of the French Navy.She took part in the Battle of the Nile under Captain Cambon. She fought against HMS Majestic and was captured by HMS Alexander. Damaged beyond repair and aground, she was burnt.-See also:*List of ships captured in the...
. He fought far inside the Nile, earning a sabre of honour from Bonaparte and the title of contre-amiral. In November 1798, he set his mark of the Alceste
French frigate Alceste (1780)
The Alceste was a Magicienne class frigate of the French Navy, launched in 1780, seized by the British at the Siege of Toulon and transefered to the Kingdom of Sardinia, retaken by the French a year later, and eventually captured by the Royal Navy at the Action of 18 June 1799.At the outbreak of...
to lead a 3-frigate squadron (comprising also Junon and Courageuse), first cruising off Saint-Jean d'Acre, and then ferrying cannons, ammunitions, food and wounded between France and Egypt. On 18 June 1799, off Toulon, the squadron met a 30-sail British fleet, under Lord Keith, and was captured. He was later exchanged.
Premier Consul Napoleon Bonaparte put his hands in the project to relieve the besieged French garrison in Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and appointed Perrée to the command. The squadron sailed from Toulon-sur-Mer on February 6, 1800 comprising 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....
, one of the two escapers from 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...
, the frigate Badine, the corvettes Sans Pareille and Fauvette, and the fluyt Ville de Marseille, with 3,000 men, arms, food and ammunition on board. The expedition ended in disaster - at the Battle of the Malta Convoy
Battle of the Malta Convoy (1800)
The Battle of the Malta Convoy was a naval engagement of the French Revolutionary Wars fought on 18 February 1800 during the Siege of Malta. The French garrison at the city of Valletta in Malta had been under siege for eighteen months, blockaded on the landward side by a combined force of British,...
on the morning of February 18, English ships gave chase to the small French squadron off Lampedusa
Lampedusa
Lampedusa is the largest island of the Italian Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The comune of Lampedusa e Linosa is part of the Sicilian province of Agrigento which also includes the smaller islands of Linosa and Lampione. It is the southernmost part of Italy. Tunisia, which is about ...
island, at 1.30 p.m. Généreux soon struck her colours and contre-amiral Perrée was killed at the start of the action.