Léonard-Bernard Motard
Encyclopedia
Léonard-Bernard Motard was a French
naval officer and eventually contre-amiral.
Motard enlisted in the French Navy in 1786. He was promoted to ensign in 1791, to lieutenant in 1793, and to capitaine de frégate in 1797. He then served in Brueys
's general staff.
Motard helped organise the naval component of the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt, and took part in the Battle of the Nile
aboard the flagship Orient
. He evacuated her before she exploded, but sustained severe injuries and was taken prisoner by the British.
After he was released, Motard served as staff officer to Ganteaume
, taking part in operations in Saint Domingue.
Promoted to capitaine the vaisseau in 1803, he took command of the 32-gun Sémillante
, in Linois' squadron. He took part in the Battle of Pulo Aura
on 14 February 1804.
On 8 June 1806, Sémillante captured he East Indiamen Acteon, Warren Hastings and Active. On 11 November, the encountered HMS Sceptre
and HMS Cornwallis
; battle broke out on 13, but the British ships had to retreat.
Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, Sémillante fought a running battle with HMS Terpsichore
, and escaped to Île de France
. Motard sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to France.
In December 1809, Motard was elevated to commander of the Legion of Honour. In November 1810, he was made a baron of Empire. From 4 January 1811, he headed the École spéciale de Marine in Toulon.
He retired with the rank of contre-amiral in 1814.
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...
naval officer and eventually contre-amiral.
Motard enlisted in the French Navy in 1786. He was promoted to ensign in 1791, to lieutenant in 1793, and to capitaine de frégate in 1797. He then served in Brueys
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...
's general staff.
Motard helped organise the naval component of the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt, and took part in 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...
aboard the flagship Orient
French ship Orient (1791)
The Dauphin-Royal was an Océan class 118-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.During the French Revolution, she was renamed Sans-Culotte in September 1792, and eventually Orient in May 1795....
. He evacuated her before she exploded, but sustained severe injuries and was taken prisoner by the British.
After he was released, Motard served as staff officer to 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...
, taking part in operations in Saint Domingue.
Promoted to capitaine the vaisseau in 1803, he took command of the 32-gun Sémillante
French frigate Sémillante (1792)
The Sémillante was a 32-gun frigate of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She was involved in a number of multi-vessel actions against the Royal Navy, particularly in the Indian Ocean. She captured a number of East Indiamen before the she became so damaged that the French disarmed her and...
, in Linois' squadron. He took part in the Battle of Pulo Aura
Battle of Pulo Aura
The Battle of Pulo Aura was a minor naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, fought on 14 February 1804, in which a large squadron of Honourable East India Company East Indiamen, powerful and well armed merchant ships, intimidated, drove off and chased a powerful French naval squadron...
on 14 February 1804.
On 8 June 1806, Sémillante captured he East Indiamen Acteon, Warren Hastings and Active. On 11 November, the encountered HMS Sceptre
HMS Sceptre (1802)
HMS Sceptre was a 74-gun third rate of the Royal Navy, built by Dudman of Deptford after a design by Sir William Rule, and launched in December 1802 at Deptford. She served in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 before being broken up in 1821....
and HMS Cornwallis
HMS Cornwallis (1801)
HMS Cornwallis was a Royal Navy 54-gun fourth rate. Jemsatjee Bomanjee built the Marquis Cornwallis of teak for the East India Company. The Company sold her to the Royal Navy in 1801 shortly after she returned from an expedition against the Mahe Islands...
; battle broke out on 13, but the British ships had to retreat.
Between 15 March and 18 March 1808, Sémillante fought a running battle with HMS Terpsichore
HMS Terpsichore (1785)
HMS Terpsichore was a 32-gun Amazon-class fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built during the last years of the American War of Independence, but did not see action until the French Revolutionary Wars...
, and escaped to Île de France
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. Motard sustained life-threatening injuries and returned to France.
In December 1809, Motard was elevated to commander of the Legion of Honour. In November 1810, he was made a baron of Empire. From 4 January 1811, he headed the École spéciale de Marine in Toulon.
He retired with the rank of contre-amiral in 1814.
Sources and references
- Les personnalités du monde maritime, Ville de Honfleur
- Konteradmiral Leonard-Bernard Motard