Jean Baptiste Christy de La Pallière
Jean Baptiste Christy de La Pallière (6 May 1719, in Saint-Malo – 8 September 1787, in Inzinzac-Lochrist)[1][2] was a French Navy officer. He notably he captained the 74-gun Orient at the Battle of Sadras on 17 February 1782, [3] at the Battle of Providien on 12 April 1782, [4] at the Battle of Negapatam on 6 July 1782, [5] and at the Battle of Trincomalee from 25 August to 3 September 1782. [6]
Biography[edit]
Christy de La Pallière started sailing with the French East India Company in 1732, under his cousin Mahé de La Bourdonnais.[1] During the War of the Austrian Succession, he commanded a 40-gun armed East Indiaman in a squadron under Guy François de Kersaint. He took part in the first French expedition to Cochinchina. By 1756, he had risen to the rank of Commander.[1]
In 1778, at the outbreak of the Anglo-French War, he was promoted to Captain for a mission to the Indian Ocean, and appointed to the 64-gun Sévère.[7] On 27 March 1779, Sévère departed with the transports Hercule and Trois-Amis. The squadron called the Cape in late June, and departed for the last leg of the journey on 13 July, arriving at Port-Louis on 9 August 1779, after a scurvy-plagued voyage.[7]
After Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves died, on 9 February 1782, Suffren promoted La Pallière to the command of his ship, the 74-gun Orient.[8] La Pallière captained her at the Battle of Sadras on 17 February 1782, [3] at the Battle of Providien on 12 April 1782, [4] and at the Battle of Negapatam on 6 July 1782, [5] and at the Battle of Trincomalee from 25 August to 3 September 1782. [6]
On 8 September 1782, Orient ran aground at Pointe de Sale, near Trincomalee, and she became a total loss.[9] La Pallière was incapacitated by an attack of gout and had left his son, Ensign Jean Anne Christy de La Pallière, in charge. Ensign La Pallière was dismissed from the Navy,[10] although he was later reinstated, retiring in July 1816 with the honorary rank of contre-amiral.
Notes[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b c "Jean François Edmond CHRISTY DE LA PALLIÈRE". Parcours de vie dans la Royale. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- ^ Roussel & Forrer (2019), p. 121.
- ^ a b Cunat (1852), p. 111.
- ^ a b Cunat (1852), p. 128.
- ^ a b Cunat (1852), p. 169.
- ^ a b Cunat (1852), p. 217.
- ^ a b Cunat (1852), p. 73.
- ^ Cunat (1852), p. 104.
- ^ Roche (2005), p. 335.
- ^ Cunat (1852), p. 380.
References[edit]
- Cunat, Charles (1852). Histoire du Bailli de Suffren. Rennes: A. Marteville et Lefas. pp. 447.
- Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours. Vol. 1. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
- Roussel, Claude-Youenn; Forrer, Claude (2019). Tromeling et Suffren, un conflit entre marins. Kronos. ISBN 978-2-917232-88-0.