Édouard Bouët-Willaumez
Louis Édouard Bouët-Willaumez (24 April 1808 – 9 September 1871) was a French admiral.
Biography
He was born Louis Édouard Bouët, the son of a businessman (and mayor of
In 1829 he was promoted to ship's ensign, and served in the Morea expedition. In 1830 he was part of the blockade and capture of Algiers, followed by the blockade of Antwerp. Made Lieutenant in 1834, he was attached to the naval post at La Plata, from where he was sent to Senegal. In 1836 took command of the steamship L'Africain, with which he traveled 200 miles inland, up to the Félou Falls (les Chutes de Félou) in upper Senegal. He was the only Westerner to return alive, the others having succumbed to disease.
In 1838 Bouët took command of the brig La Malouine, which charted a trade route along the African coast. Along the way he punished a native tribe that had plundered three trading ships, and signed a commercial treaty with the king of Gabon in 1839. In July 1840 he carried out a reconnaissance of the bay of Mogador and established a plan of attack.
Promoted to
In 1845 he was adopted by his uncle,
In 1848 he became commander of the Naval Division of the African Coast, on the frigate Pénélope (a frigate of the 3rd rank carrying 30 pounder cannons, it was laid down in 1830 and launched in 1840 and struck from lists in 1864).
In 1853, promoted to
In 1859, during the
Promoted to vice admiral in 1860, he served as Maritime Prefect of
During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, he was named to command a squadron intended to attack the north German coasts, but French defeats on land put an end to these plans.
He died in 1871.
Writings
- Commerce et traite des noirs aux côtes occidentales d'Afrique. Paris 1848)
- Campagnes aux côtes occidentales d'Afrique. Paris (1850)
- La Flotte francaise et les colonies en 1852. Paris (1855)
- Batailles de terre et de mer. Paris (1855)
- Tactique supplémentaire à l'usage d'une flotte cuirassée. Paris (1864)
References
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2018) ) |
- ^ Boudriot, Jean (1993). The history of the French frigate 1650-1850. Jean Boudriot Publications.
Sources and external links
- Amiral Bouet-Willaumez (in French)