Louis Augustin de Monteclerc facts for kids
Louis Augustin de Monteclerc (born in La Rongère, Maine, in 1727 – died 25 March 1784) was a brave officer in the French Navy. He played a part in the War of American Independence, a big conflict where the American colonies fought for their freedom from Great Britain.
Contents
Monteclerc began his journey in the navy in 1743. He joined as a Garde-Marine, which was a special training position for young officers. It was like a cadet program for future naval leaders.
In 1757, Monteclerc was promoted to Lieutenant. This meant he was now a more experienced officer. He served on a ship called the Éveillé. This was during the Seven Years' War, another major conflict involving many European countries. His ship was part of a group led by Admiral Conflans.
Becoming a Captain
Monteclerc continued to rise through the ranks. In 1772, he became a Captain, a very important position. By 1777, he was in charge of the 64-gun ship Bizarre. A "64-gun" ship meant it had 64 cannons! The Navy Minister, Sartine, chose Bizarre to be one of the few ships always ready to sail at a moment's notice.
In 1779, Captain Monteclerc led a special mission. He commanded a group of ships, including the 64-gun Solitaire and two smaller, faster ships called frigates, Inconstante and Surveillante. Their job was to find and stop "privateers." Privateers were like private ships that were allowed to attack enemy merchant ships. Monteclerc's group returned to France with 400 prisoners. Later that year, Solitaire joined a larger group of ships led by Admiral Orvilliers.
Leading Ship Construction
Towards the end of 1779, Monteclerc took on a new role. He became the vice-Director of naval constructions in Brest, a major French port. This meant he helped oversee the building of new ships. By January 1780, he was promoted to Director. Even with this important job, he still commanded ships. In 1780, he led the 74-gun ship Hector on a voyage that lasted several months.
Major Battles and Retirement
In 1781, Monteclerc was promoted again, this time to Brigadier. Later that year, he was given command of another powerful 74-gun ship, the Diadème. This ship was part of a squadron led by the famous Admiral De Grasse.
Monteclerc was involved in two very important naval battles during the War of American Independence:
- The Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781. In this battle, he was wounded, but his bravery helped the French.
- The Battle of the Saintes on 12 April 1782.
After these battles, there was an investigation into what happened. Monteclerc was found to be innocent of any wrongdoing. He then served under another commander, Vaudreuil, before he retired from the navy in 1783.
