Charles-Henri Bertin

Bertin was born in Louisbourg, Île-Royale (modern Cape Breton), in 1752 to Louis Bertin, a surgeon, and Marie-Anne Bertrand. Following France's loss of Louisbourg to the English, the Bertin family removed to Rochefort, France.{{cite web |url=http://www.krausehouse.ca/krause/FortressOfLouisbourgResearchWeb/Search/HF21_1.html |title=Surgery and Surgeons in Île Royale |last=Hoad |first=Linda M. |date=1972 |website= |publisher=Parks Canada |access-date=12 November 2018 |quote= }}

As an adult, Bertin served as a senior civil servant in the Ministry of the Navy, which was charged with overseeing mercantile shipping, naval operations, and overseas colonies. Around 1792, Bertin served as a commissaire-ordonnateur for French naval forces in the Mediterranean, notably in 1793 aboard the Tonnant.{{cite book|last=Mortimer-Ternaux|first=Louis|title=Histoire de la Terreur: 1792–1794|trans-title=History of the Terror: 1792–1794|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BtIfAAAAMAAJ|volume=6|year=1867|publisher=Michel Lévy Frères|location=Paris, France|language=French|access-date=12 November 2018|pages=438–439}} By 1798, he had risen to the chief civilian officer for the Port of Bordeaux,{{cite book|title=Biographie d'Hommes Vivants|trans-title=Biography of Living Men|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Aro5AAAAcAAJ|volume=AB–BY|year=1816|publisher=Chez L.G. Michaud, Imprimeur-Libraire|location=Paris, France|language=French|access-date=12 November 2018|page=321}} before being transferred on July 12, 1798, to the Port of Toulon.

Bertin next served as the first maritime prefect for Le Havre from July 1800 to May 1801.{{cite journal|url=http://provence-historique.mmsh.univ-aix.fr/Pdf/PH-1971-21-083_01.pdf|first=Marie-Odile|last=Woytt|title=De l'Ordonnateur au Préfet maritime ou l'Administrateur du port de Toulon de 1789 à 1800|trans-title=From the Ordonnateur to the Maritime Prefect or the Administrator of the Port of Toulon from 1789 to 1800|date=1971|journal=Provence Historique|issue=83|volume=21|pages=3–37|language=French|access-date=12 November 2018}} At the port, he focused on construction of the bassin de la Barre, a system of locks to ease movement between the outer harbor and the bassin des Capucins, employing some 250 diggers and 60 stonecutters to complete the work.{{cite web|url=http://havrencartes.canalblog.com/archives/2017/03/16/35054477.html|date=16 March 2017|title=Le bassin de la Barre|website=Il était un Havre|first=Gerard|last=Hatton|language=French}}{{cite book|title=Journal Helvétique No. 17|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MAo7AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA343|accessdate=12 November 2018|year=1801|publisher=Henri Vincent|language=French|page=343}} In September 1801, Bertin was promoted to counselor of the state for the navy, and was replaced as maritime prefect by Bourdon de Vatry.{{cite book|title=Journal politique de Mannheim: 1801, 180–362|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3jZDAAAAcAAJ|accessdate=12 November 2018|year=1801|language=French}}

File:Cascade du jardin botanique de Saint-Pierre, à la Martinique.jpg

In 1802, with the signing of the Treaty of Amiens, Martinique and St. Lucia were restored to France after six years of British control. Bertin, in May 1802, was named the first colonial prefect of the colony, arriving in Martinique on 18 Messidor X (July 7, 1802). Bertin shared control of the island with Rear Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse as captain general and Le sieur Lefessier-Grandpré as grand judge.{{cite book|last=Hartkopf Schloss|first=Rebecca|title=Sweet Liberty: The Final Days of Slavery in Martinique|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kKtAHRdy-wgC|accessdate=12 November 2018|year=2012|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|isbn=978-0-8122-0356-1|pages=17–20}} Bertin reported that the inhabitants of Martinique were happy to be once again under French rule, as he moved to establish hospitals and barracks and to refurbish military batteries and fortifications. Bertin also stressed the need to resume trade with Metropolitan France.{{cite book|title=Journal de Paris|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pRVLPRrsA3MC&pg=PA2221|accessdate=12 November 2018|publisher=Journal de Paris|language=French|page=2221}} In February 1803, Bertin ordered work to begin on the creation of the Jardin colonial des Plantes de Saint-Pierre.{{cite book|title=Le magasin pittoresque|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EI1EAAAAcAAJ|accessdate=12 November 2018|year=1870|language=French}}

In 1803, France once again declared war on England. Bertin sought support for the island from the United States by opening the ports of Martinique to neutral ships,{{cite book|last=Cobbett|first=William|title=Cobbett's Political Register: From July to December 1803|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WuMzAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA28|accessdate=13 November 2018|volume=IV|year=1803|publisher=Cox & Baylis|location=London, England|page=438|chapter=Decree of the Government of Martinique, and St. Lucia, concerning the Duties of Import and Export}} but this proved ineffective in the face of the British maritime blockade.

In 1804, Bertin was replaced by Pierre-Clément de Laussat, who had lost his position as colonial prefect of Louisiana following the sale of the territory to the United States. Bertin retired to France and to private life.

{{ill|Bertin Square|fr|Place Bertin|vertical-align=sup}} in Saint-Pierre bears his name.

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Category:1752 births

Category:1822 deaths

Category:French governors of Martinique