Louis Guillaume de Parscau du Plessix facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis Guillaume de Parscau du Plessix
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Louis Guillaume de Parscau du Plessix (1725–1786) was a brave French Navy officer. He was born in Saint-Malo, France. He served during the American Revolutionary War, which helped the United States become independent. For his service, he joined the Society of the Cincinnati. This was a special group for officers who fought in the war.
Contents
Louis Guillaume de Parscau du Plessix was born into a family with a naval background. His father was also a navy officer. Louis joined the French Navy in 1743. He started as a Garde-Marine, which was a young officer in training.
Serving in the Seven Years' War
During the Seven Years' War, Parscau served on a ship called the Brillant. This ship had 64 guns. He served under a commander named Conflans. In 1756, Parscau was promoted to Lieutenant. This meant he was moving up in rank.
In 1762, Parscau had a son. His son's name was Hervé Louis Joseph Marie de Parscau du Plessix.
Rise to Captain
Parscau continued to advance in his naval career. In 1772, he was promoted to Captain. This was a very important rank.
In 1777, he commanded a 64-gun ship named the Roland. This ship was based in Brest, a major French naval port. The Navy Minister, Sartine, chose the Roland to be one of six ships always ready to sail at a moment's notice.
Flag Captain Duties
In 1779, Parscau became a flag captain. This meant he was the captain of the ship where a high-ranking admiral, like Orvilliers, had his flag. Parscau served on the Bretagne, a very large ship with 110 guns.
Fighting in the American Revolutionary War
In 1780, Parscau was given command of the Intrépide. This ship had 74 guns. He joined a squadron led by Admiral Guichen.
Key Battles and Incidents
Parscau took part in the Battle of Martinique on April 17, 1780. He also joined an expedition against British interests in Florida. He participated in the Siege of Pensacola in May 1781. During this siege, French and Spanish forces attacked a British fort.
Later, in July 1781, a sad accident happened. While the squadron was anchored, a barrel of rum on the Intrépide caught fire. The ship exploded. Admiral De Grasse wrote that Parscau was not at fault for the incident. He asked for Parscau to be given a new command.
Battle of the Chesapeake
Parscau was then given command of the Languedoc, an 80-gun ship. He fought in the important Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, 1781. In this battle, he was again a flag captain. He served under Monteil, who commanded the French rear (the back part of the fleet).
After the battle, Parscau sailed back to France. He carried important news about the battle's outcome.
Later Career and Promotions
In 1782, Parscau was promoted to Brigadier. This was another high rank in the navy. He commanded the 74-gun ship Guerrier. This ship was part of a fleet led by Admiral Córdova.
Parscau received his final promotion in 1784. He became a Chef d'Escadre. This was a very senior rank, similar to a rear admiral. Louis Guillaume de Parscau du Plessix passed away in 1786.
