Pierre René Marie de Vaugiraud de Rosnay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre René Marie de Vaugiraud de Rosnay
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| Born | 27 December 1741  Les Sables-d'Olonne |
| Died | 13 March 1819 (aged 77) Paris |
| Resting place | Père Lachaise Cemetery |
| Occupation | Colonial administrator, naval officer |
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| Rank | vice admiral |
Pierre René Marie de Vaugiraud de Rosnay (born in Les Sables-d'Olonne on December 27, 1741 – died in Paris on March 13, 1819) was an important officer in the French Navy. He fought in the American Revolutionary War, which helped the United States become independent. For his service, he became a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Later, he strongly supported the French monarchy and opposed the French Revolution.
Pierre de Vaugiraud was born into a noble family. His brother, Marie Joseph Pierre de Vaugiraud, later became a bishop.
Pierre joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine (a naval cadet) on December 12, 1755. This was during the Seven Years' War, a big conflict involving many European countries. In 1756, he served on the ship Éveillé in the Caribbean. He helped capture a British ship called HMS Greenwich.
After that, he moved to the ship Orient. He took part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on November 20, 1759. He was promoted to Lieutenant on October 1, 1773.
Fighting for American Independence
Vaugiraud served on the ship Couronne during the Battle of Ushant on July 27, 1778. He briefly commanded a frigate called Fox. Then, he became the second-in-command for Admiral Orvilliers' squadron on the ship Bretagne.
He was promoted to Captain on April 4, 1780. He then became the chief of staff for Admiral De Grasse's squadron. He served on De Grasse's main ship, the Ville de Paris.
As part of this squadron, he fought in several key battles:
- The Battle of Fort Royal on April 30, 1781.
- The Invasion of Tobago on May 30, 1781.
On July 22, 1781, a French ship called Intrépide caught fire while anchored. Vaugiraud bravely managed to get the burning ship sailed away from the others. He helped run it aground and evacuate everyone before it exploded.
He also took part in:
- The Battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, 1781. This battle was important for the Siege of Yorktown, which led to the American victory.
- The Battle of Saint Kitts on January 25, 1782.
- The Battle of the Saintes on April 12, 1782, where he was wounded.
In 1785, he served on the frigate Railleuse. In 1788, he was given command of the frigate Gracieuse.
French Revolution and Later Life
In 1791, during the French Revolution, Vaugiraud disagreed with the changes happening in France. He left the country and became an émigré, meaning he moved away from his home country. He joined the Army of Condé, a group that wanted to bring back the monarchy in France.
He participated in the Battle of Quibéron in 1795. After this, he retired and moved to England.
When the monarchy was restored in France (known as the Bourbon Restoration), Vaugiraud was promoted to Vice-Admiral on June 13, 1814. He was then appointed Governor of the Windward Islands, a group of islands in the Caribbean. During the period known as the Hundred Days, when Napoleon briefly returned to power, Vaugiraud worked to stop Napoleon's supporters in the islands. However, he was later called back to Paris because his way of governing was seen as too strict.
