Joseph Jacques François de Martelly Chautard facts for kids
Joseph Jacques François de Martelly Chautard was a French Navy officer. He was born in Toulon, France, in 1734 and passed away in Ollioules in 1810. He played an important part in the American Revolutionary War, which helped America gain its independence.
Contents
Martelly-Chautard came from a family in Toulon. He joined the French Navy as a young officer trainee, called a Garde-Marine, in 1750. This was the start of his long career at sea.
Rising Through the Ranks
Martelly-Chautard quickly moved up in the Navy.
- In 1755, he became an Ensign.
- In 1756, he was made an artillery sub-lieutenant, helping to manage cannons on ships.
- By 1760, he was promoted to lieutenant.
- In 1764, he became a Lieutenant de Vaisseau, a higher rank for naval officers.
- In 1767, he was put in charge of a group that trained gunners, who were sailors skilled in using ship cannons.
First Commands and Awards
In 1770, Martelly-Chautard was given command of the ship Etna. This was a special type of ship called a bomb ship, used for attacking land targets. He took part in a mission against Tunis, a city in North Africa. For his bravery there, he received the Order of Saint Louis in 1771, a special award for military service. In 1773, he commanded another ship called Éclair.
In 1774, Martelly-Chautard married Albertine Thierry de Ville d'Avray.
Service in the American Revolutionary War
In 1777, Martelly-Chautard commanded the frigate Pléïade for a mission to Algiers. Later that year, on April 4, 1777, he was promoted to Capitaine de Vaisseau, a very important rank in the Navy.
Commanding the Experiment
He was then given command of the 50-gun ship Experiment. In May 1780, he sailed from Marseille, leading 33 merchant ships (trading vessels) safely to Saint-Pierre in Martinique. After arriving, he joined a group of warships led by Bouillé.
Key Battles and Missions
Martelly-Chautard took part in the Invasion of Tobago in June 1781. This was an important battle where French forces captured the island of Tobago. After this, he sailed north to join other French ships near the James River and York River in America. Their job was to keep communication lines open between different French forces during the war.
The Battle of the Saintes
On December 14, 1781, Martelly-Chautard was promoted again to command the 74-gun ship Palmier. He also became the commanding officer of the naval station at Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). He then fought in the famous Battle of the Saintes on April 12, 1782.
After the War
On its way back to France, the ship Palmier was lost in a big storm in October 1782. Martelly-Chautard faced a military trial, called a court-martial, but he was found innocent. In 1784, he became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, a group for officers who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He retired from the Navy in October 1784 as a Brigadier, a senior military rank.
Later Life and Public Service
During the French Revolution, a major time of change in France, Martelly-Chautard became the President of the Toulon district. He held this position until 1792. He then went to Paris as a representative to the National Legislative Assembly, which was a part of the French government. He also served in the Garde nationale, a citizen militia, from 1792 to 1793.
In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte, who was then the First Consul of France, appointed Martelly-Chautard as the Mayor of Toulon. He served as Mayor for several years. From 1802 to 1806, he was also a General Council member for the Var department, helping to manage local government.
