Vincent-Joseph-Marie de Proisy de Brison facts for kids
Vincent-Joseph-Marie de Proisy de Brison was a French Navy officer who lived a long time ago. He was an important figure during the War of American Independence, which was a big conflict where the American colonies fought for their freedom. He passed away on 28 July 1779, in Brest.
Vincent de Proisy was born into a family with a history of serving in the navy. His parents were Jeanne-Marie-Françoise de Héron and Alphonse de Proisy. Vincent also had an older brother, La Salle Proisy, who was also a navy officer.
Vincent de Proisy joined the French Navy on 26 November 1745. He started as a Garde-Marine, which was like a young officer in training. It was an important first step for anyone wanting to become a naval leader.
Rising Through the Ranks
As he gained more experience, Proisy moved up in his career. On 17 April 1757, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. This meant he was now a more senior officer with more responsibilities. A few years later, on 19 March 1763, he received a special honor: he was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis. This was a prestigious award given to officers for their bravery and service.
Commanding Ships
Proisy became a ship commander in 1765. He was in charge of a ship called the Forte. This ship was a type of vessel known as a fluyt, which was mainly used for carrying cargo. The Forte transported wood from the Pyrenees mountains.
Later, in 1769, he commanded a different ship, the 12-gun corvette Écureuil. A corvette was a smaller, faster warship. He sailed the Écureuil between Saint-Domingue (which is now Haiti) and Brest, France. The next year, in 1770, he took the same ship to Guadeloupe, another French territory in the Caribbean.
Captain and Battle
On 24 March 1772, Vincent de Proisy was promoted again, this time to the rank of Captain. This was a very high position in the navy. In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, Captain Proisy commanded a large warship called the Actionnaire. This ship had 64 guns and was part of a big fleet led by Admiral Orvilliers.
Captain Proisy and the Actionnaire took part in a major naval battle called the Battle of Ushant. This battle happened on 27 July 1778, off the coast of France. It was a big fight between the French and British navies.
Captain Proisy retired from the Navy on 1 July 1779, after many years of dedicated service.
