Charles-René de Gras-Préville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles-René de Gras-Préville
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| Born | 1732 Tarascon |
| Died | 11 December 1793 (aged 60–61) Lyon |
| Occupation | Officer of the French Navy |
| Rank | brigadier des armées navales |
Charles-René de Gras-Préville was an important officer in the French Navy. He was born in Tarascon in 1732 and passed away in Lyon on December 11, 1793. He played a role in the American Revolutionary War, which was when the American colonies fought for their independence from Great Britain. For his service, he became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, a group for officers who fought in that war.
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Charles-René de Gras-Préville came from a noble family in Tarascon, France. He was the uncle of another naval officer, René Louis Dominique de Gras-Préville.
He began his journey in the Navy quite young, joining as a "Garde de l'Étendard" in 1746. This was an early rank for someone learning to be a naval officer. He steadily moved up the ranks. In 1754, he became an Ensign, and by January 15, 1762, he was promoted to Lieutenant.
Rising Through the Ranks
On April 4, 1777, Gras-Préville was promoted to Captain. This was a significant achievement, even though he hadn't commanded many ships before.
In July 1778, he took command of the French frigate Engageante. A frigate is a type of warship. On July 6, 1778, his ship captured a British privateer frigate named Rose. A privateer was a privately owned ship that was allowed to attack enemy ships during wartime. The Rose fought hard but was so damaged that it had to be sunk after its capture.
After this, Gras-Préville was given the task of finding new volunteers for the Navy in the Caribbean. In February, the Engageante sailed from Toulon, France, to America. It arrived in late March but had to stay in quarantine, meaning no one could leave the ship for a while to prevent the spread of diseases.
In April 1779, he escorted a group of merchant ships, called a convoy, from Martinique back to France. He successfully defended the convoy against British attacks. For his bravery and skill, he was awarded a pension of 800 livres, which was a good amount of money at the time.
Major Commands and Battles
On June 12, 1779, Gras-Préville was given command of a very large warship, the 80-gun ship Triomphant. A "gun" refers to a cannon, so an 80-gun ship was very powerful.
Battle of Martinique
He captained the Triomphant during the Battle of Martinique on April 17, 1780. In this battle, he served as the "flag captain" for Admiral Sade. A flag captain commands the ship that carries the admiral's flag. The Triomphant was part of the "van" (the front) of the French fleet, which was led by Admiral Guichen.
Gras-Préville also participated in other naval actions on May 15 and May 19, 1780. After these battles, he sailed the Triomphant back to France.
Service with Admiral De Grasse
In 1781, he commanded another powerful ship, the 74-gun ship Zélé. This ship was part of the "White squadron" (the center section) of the fleet commanded by the famous Admiral De Grasse.
He took part in the Invasion of Tobago in May 1781. This was a military operation to capture the island of Tobago. He also fought in the very important Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, 1781. This battle was crucial because it prevented the British Navy from helping their army during the Siege of Yorktown, which led to an American victory in the Revolutionary War.
Collision at Sea
During the night of April 11 to 12, 1782, an accident occurred. The Zélé collided with another French ship, the Ville de Paris. The Zélé was damaged and had to be towed to Martinique for repairs.
Later Life and French Revolution
Gras-Préville officially retired from the Navy on October 1, 1786. However, his story didn't end there. During the French Revolution, a major period of social and political change in France, he joined the Royalist army. The Royalists were people who supported the King and the old system of government.
He took part in the Siege of Lyon on August 8, 1793. During this conflict, he was captured by the Republican forces, who were against the King. Sadly, he died on December 11, 1793, in Lyon.
Images for kids
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A portrait of Charles-René de Gras-Préville.
