Étienne Eustache Bruix

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Étienne Eustache Bruix
French Naval Minister

Étienne Eustache Bruix (Fort-Dauphin, Saint-Domingue, 17 July 1759 – Paris, 18 March 1805) was a French Navy officer and admiral, and Minister of the Navy.

Life

Bruix was born to a family from Béarn. He started sailing as a volunteer on a slave ship commanded by captain Jean-François Landolphe.

Early career

In 1778, he joined the Navy as a

Garde-Marine (officer cadet).[1] He served on the frigates Fox and Concorde,[2] taking part in the Battle of Fort Royal on 29 April and 30 April 1781, in the Invasion of Tobago in May–June, in the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September, in the Battle of Saint Kitts on 25 January 1782, and in the Battle of the Saintes on 12 April 1782.[1] He was promoted to Ensign in November 1781.[2]

Bruix was given command of the 10-gun aviso Pivert, and tasked with surveying the coasts and harbours of Saint-Domingue.[2] He was aided in the task by Puységur.

Bruix was promoted to

major general).[2]

Appointment as Navy Minister

Eustache Bruix given command of a division under Admiral

Navy Minister
from 28 April 1798.

Upon taking office, he rushed to Brest to take personal command of a fleet that was about to sail for

Lord Keith. Despite his numerical superiority and the 28 Spanish ships of the line harboured in Cadiz, Bruix declined to attack and continued into the Mediterranean.[3]

Having made a detour to Toulon for repairs, Bruix received news that André Masséna was besieged in Genoa, and orders to assist him. He rerouted the fleet to the Gulf of Genoa to resupply the beleaguered army but was driven back by the weather. Meanwhile, Keith had followed him into the Mediterranean and gathered together the scattered British squadrons in the area at Menorca. Bruix abandoned his venture, eluded his pursuers and returned to the Atlantic. He made his junction with a Spanish squadron that attached to his fleet, and he returned to Brest.

After this expedition, known as the

peace of Amiens prevented the fleet from leaving port. He was promoted to Vice-amiral
from 13 March 1799.

Later career and death

Bruix was privy to the secret

Conseiller d'État
the following year.

War having broken out again, Napoléon conceived a plan for a new

invasion of England, and put Bruix in command of the flotilla based at Boulogne that would carry the invasion troops across the English Channel. Bruix undertook the work but in July 1804 refused to obey Napoleon's personal order to take the fleet out of harbour for a review, in the face of a developing storm. The furious Emperor reprimanded Bruix and came close to striking him. A subordinate carried out Napoleon's instruction but at the cost of 200 lives.[4]

Following this incident Bruix fell ill and had to return to Paris, where he died of tuberculosis, aged only 45.

Legacy

Boulevard de l'Amiral-Bruix in Paris is named in his honour.

Citations

  1. ^ a b Vergé-Franceschi (2002), p. 255.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Taillemite (2002), p. 77.
  3. ^ a b Taillemite (2002), p. 78.
  4. ISBN 0-7054-0621-0
    .

References

External links
Political offices
Preceded by
French Naval Minister

27 April 1798– 4 March 1799 		Succeeded by
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