Jean-Baptiste de Glandevès du Castellet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Baptiste de Glandevès du Castellet
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| Born | 7 September 1728  Val-de-Chalvagne |
| Died | 1803 (aged 74–75) |
Jean-Baptiste de Glandevès du Castellet (born November 7, 1728, in Castellet-Saint-Cassien, France – died 1803) was an important officer in the French Navy. He served during the American Revolutionary War, which is also known as the War of American Independence.
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Jean-Baptiste was born into a noble family. His parents were Marie Hiéronyme de Bruny and Charles François de Glandevès du Castellet.
He started his naval career in July 1741 as a Garde-Marine. This was a rank for young officers in training. His first ship was the Solide, which had 64 cannons. On this ship, he took part in the Battle of Cape Sicié in February 1744.
In 1746, he served on the ship Trident. After that, he moved to the ship Argonaute. He joined the Duc d'Anville expedition, which was a large French naval operation.
Rising Through the Ranks
Jean-Baptiste was promoted to Lieutenant in 1756. That same year, during the Seven Years' War, he served on the 64-gun ship Achille. This ship was part of a fleet led by Admiral La Galissonière.
He fought in the Battle of Minorca in May 1756. Later, he was wounded while on the 80-gun ship Océan during the Battle of Lagos in August 1759.
In 1772, Glandevès was promoted to Captain. Two years later, in 1774, he was given command of the frigate Atalante. In 1777, he moved to the 64-gun ship Lion. After that, he was put in charge of the 74-gun ship Souverain.
Service in the American Revolutionary War
While commanding the Souverain, Glandevès took part in several important battles during the American Revolutionary War.
- He fought in the Battle of Martinique in April 1780.
- He was also at the Battle of the Chesapeake in September 1781. This battle was very important because it helped the Americans win the war.
- His last major battle was the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782.
In 1782, he was promoted to Brigadier. Then, in August 1784, he became a Chef d'escadre, which is a high-ranking naval officer.
From 1790 to 1791, he was the officer in charge of the Navy at Toulon, a major French port. During this time, there was a lot of unrest due to the French Revolution. He faced difficulties from angry crowds. In 1792, he was promoted to Contre-amiral, which is similar to a Rear Admiral.
Honors and Recognition
Glandevès received several honors for his service. He was a Commander in the Order of Saint Louis, which was a special award for French military officers. He was also a Knight of the Order of Malta.
Legacy and Reputation
Ségur, a famous French writer, mentioned Glandevès in his book Mémoires. Ségur described him as "An officer respectable because of his age, his skills and bravery. his sophisticated intelligence, his gentle piety, and his calm and kindly character made him like equally from his superiors, his equals and his subordinates."
This means that Glandevès was respected by everyone. People admired his age, his abilities, and his courage. They also liked his intelligence, his kind nature, and his calm personality. He was well-liked by those above him, his fellow officers, and the sailors who served under him.
