Louis-Toussaint Champion de Cicé facts for kids

Louis-Toussaint Champion de Cicé (born in Rennes on August 5, 1732 – died in Paris on January 28, 1792) was a brave officer in the French Navy. He fought in the American Revolutionary War, also known as the War of American Independence. For his service, he became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, a special group for officers who fought in that war.

Early Life and Family

Louis-Toussaint Champion de Cicé was born into a noble family in France. This meant his family had a high social rank and was well-known.

He had two important brothers:

• One brother was Jean-Baptiste-Marie Champion de Cicé [fr]. He became a Bishop of Troyes and later a Bishop of Auxerre. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the Christian church.
• His other brother was Jérôme Champion de Cicé [fr]. He became the Minister of Justice for France. He also helped write the famous Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document is very important because it states the basic rights that all people should have.

Naval Career

Louis-Toussaint Champion de Cicé began his journey in the Navy at a young age. He joined as a Garde-Marine on January 12, 1746. This was like being a cadet or a trainee officer.

As he gained more experience, he moved up in rank:

• On April 17, 1757, he was promoted to Lieutenant.
• Then, on March 24, 1772, he became a Captain.

In 1767, he married Jeanne-Geneviève-Henriette de Fusée de Voisenon.

Service in the American Revolutionary War

In 1778, Champion de Cicé played an important role in the French Navy. He served as the first officer on a large warship called the Zodiaque. This ship had 74 guns. It was part of a big fleet led by Admiral Orvilliers.

In 1780, he was given command of his own ship, the Solitaire. This ship had 64 guns. He joined a squadron led by Admiral Guichen.

He took part in several key battles during the American Revolutionary War:

• He fought in the Battle of Fort Royal on April 29, 1781.
• Later, he served under Admiral De Grasse. He was part of the important Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, 1781. This battle was crucial because it helped the American and French forces win the Siege of Yorktown.
• The Siege of Yorktown led to the surrender of British forces and was a major turning point in the war.

Later Promotions

After his brave service, Champion de Cicé continued to rise in the Navy.

• In 1782, he was promoted to Brigadier. This was a high military rank.
• On August 20, 1784, he became a Chef d'Escadre. This rank meant he was in charge of a squadron of ships.

Louis-Toussaint Champion de Cicé passed away in Paris on January 28, 1792.