Hippolyte de Sade de Vaudronne facts for kids
Hippolyte-Augustin de Sade de Vaudronne was a brave officer in the French Navy. He was born on October 3, 1710, in a town called Tarascon in France. He passed away on September 18, 1780, while at sea near Cadiz, Spain, aboard the French ship Triomphant. He played a part in the American Revolutionary War, which was a big conflict where the American colonies fought for their independence.
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Hippolyte-Augustin de Sade de Vaudronne came from a noble family. He was the uncle of Louis de Sade.
He began his journey in the Navy in April 1730, joining as a young officer cadet, known as a Garde-Marine. He worked hard and was promoted to Ensign in April 1738.
Adventures at Sea
Commanding the Frigate Rose
In 1757, Sade was given an important mission. He commanded a 30-gun warship called the frigate Rose and sailed to Algiers. The next year, he took Rose to Malta and then to Toulon.
On March 4, 1758, his ship Rose successfully captured a British privateer ship named Tiger. Privateers were like armed merchant ships that could attack enemy vessels.
Later that year, on July 30, Rose met a larger British warship, the 32-gun HMS Thames. During the battle, Sade made a tough decision to prevent his ship from being captured by the British. He ran Rose aground (onto the shore) and set her on fire. This made sure the British couldn't take control of his ship. Luckily, Sade and his crew were rescued by another French ship, the Triton.
Leading the Hippopotame
In 1760, Sade became the captain of a larger ship, the 54-gun Hippopotame. He sailed this ship on a long journey in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea from June 1760 to January 1761. He was part of a group of ships led by Admiral Rochemore.
He then went on another expedition in the Mediterranean from May to December 1762, this time with a squadron led by Admiral Bompar.
The Engageante and Bourgogne
In 1770, Sade was put in charge of the frigate Engageante. He sailed to Malta and sent back reports about a major naval battle called the Battle of Chesma.
A few years later, in 1773, he commanded the 74-gun ship Bourgogne. His first officer on this ship was La Poype-Vertrieux.
Role in the American Revolutionary War
Reinforcing the Spanish Fleet
In early 1780, Sade was given a very important command. He led a group of six ships and five frigates. Their mission was to help the Spanish fleet, which was blocking the port of Gibraltar.
However, on January 2, a strong storm hit the fleet. Several ships were damaged and had to go back to port for repairs. This allowed a British admiral, Rodney, to attack Spanish ships on January 8, 1780. Rodney also attacked a smaller Spanish fleet in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on January 16.
Battle of Martinique
In 1780, Sade was promoted to a high rank called Chef d'Escadre. He commanded the White-and-Blue squadron, which was the front part of Admiral Guichen's fleet. His main ship was the 80-gun Triomphant, and Gras-Préville was his flag captain.
He fought bravely in this role at the Battle of Martinique on April 17, 1780.
Later Life and Death
Hippolyte-Augustin de Sade de Vaudronne died aboard his ship Triomphant near Cadiz, Spain, on September 18, 1780. He was 69 years old.
