Louis-Charles-Auguste Delamarre de Lamellerie
Louis-Charles-Auguste Delamarre, vicomte de Lamellerie (Rouen, 1 May 1771 — Paris, 6 August 1840[1]) was a French Navy officer and captain.
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Career
Born to a family of low nobility, Lamellerie entered the French Royal Navy as a midshipman on 4 April 1787, serving on the gabare Écluse. He transferred on the frigate Capricieuse on 9 July 1788, and on Andromaque on 30 October, serving off Santo Domingo. There, he transferred on the 74-gun Fougueux on 1 November 1790, and later on the fluyt Dromadaire.[1]
On 29 October 1793, he was promoted to enseigne de vaisseau non entretenu,[note 1] he served on the corvette Assemblée nationale from October to November, on the 74-gun Mucius from November to December, on the brig Citoyen from December 1793 to September 1795, and the 74-gun Trajan in November 1795.[1]
Promoted to Lieutenant,[note 2] Lamellerie served on the Droits de l'Homme from November 1795 to November 1796. He then transferred on the frigate Bravoure.[1]
Promoted to Commander on 22 January 1799, he served on Indivisible before being appointed to captain the frigate Sirène on 22 July 1800.[1]
Promoted to Captain on 24 September 1803, Lamellerie took command of the frigate Hortense and was sent to observe British movements off Toulon, along with the 40-gun Incorruptible. On 4 February 1804, they attacked a convoy, destroying 7 ships. Three days later, they encountered the convoy escorted by the 20-gun sloop HMS Arrow and the 8-gun bomb vessel HMS Acheron; after a one-hour fight and in a sinking condition, Arrow struck her colours and foundered, while Acheron was destroyed. Lamellerie was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour the next day, and promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honour on 14 June.[1]
Hortense was then appointed to Villeneuve's fleet, and took part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre and in the Battle of Trafalgar.[1][2] After reaching Cadiz, Lamellerie was appointed to a frigate division, which he led in Lamellerie's expedition ferrying troops to Segenal and patrolling in the Atlantic and in the Caribbean.[1][3][4]
On 20 September 1810, Lamellerie took command of the Triomphant in Rochefort, which he captained until 26 July 1814.[1][5][6] At the peace, Lamellerie sailed to Plymouth to ferry prisoners of war back to Brest.[7]
After the Bourbon Restoration, Lamellerie awarded the Order of Saint-Louis on 18 August 1814, and was appointed to Aréthuse and task with retaking possession of Guadeloupe and ferry her new governor.[8] He was made a vicomte on 24 May 1818. On 30 December 1820, he took command of the frigate Jeanne d'Arc,[9] which he captained until 17 December 1822.[1] He relieved Admiral Halgan at the command of the squadron of the Levant.[9]
Lamellerie retired on 12 October 1828 with the rank of honorary Rear-Admiral. On the 30th, he was promoted to Commander of the Legion of Honour.[1]
Sources and references
Notes
- Similar in rank to Ensign, but without a full pay and without authority and uniform while off duty. The rank was obtained after a mere exam, rather than the competitive exam required for full ensign.
- first lieutenant de vaisseau auxiliaire on 27 November 1795 and lieutenant de vaisseau entretenu on 21 March 1796
References
- Quintin, pp. 111–112
- Fond Marine, p. 331
- Troude, vol.3, p. 454
- Fond Marine, p. 350
- Fond Marine, p. 434
- Fond Marine, p. 459
- Fond Marine, p. 489
- Fond Marine, p. 512
- Fond Marine, p. 553
Bibliography
- Quintin, Danielle et Bernard (2003). Dictionnaire des capitaines de Vaisseau de Napoléon. S.P.M. ISBN 2-901952-42-9.
- Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671 - 1870. p. 25. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.
- Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France. Vol. 3. Challamel ainé.
- Troude, Onésime-Joachim (1867). Batailles navales de la France. Vol. 4. Challamel ainé.
- Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome deuxième : BB4 1 à 482 (1790-1826)