François-Aymar de Monteil

{{short description|French Navy officer of the War of American Independence}}

{{Infobox military person|birth_place=Dauphiné, France|birth_date=1725 |death_place=Galluis, France|death_date=10 September 1787|branch=French Navy|battles=

|rank=Lieutenant général des armées navales}}

François-Aymar de Monteil (Dauphiné, 1725 — Galluis, 10 September 1787){{sfnp|Taillemite|1982|p=239}} was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence, earning membership in the Society of the Cincinnati.{{Cite web|title=France in the American Revolution|url=https://www.societyofthecincinnati.org/pdf/downloads/exhibition_France.pdf|website=www.societyofthecincinnati.org|access-date=2 May 2021|archive-date=2 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502062857/https://www.societyofthecincinnati.org/pdf/downloads/exhibition_France.pdf|url-status=dead}} He was also a member and director of the Académie de Marine.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}{{sfnp|Vergé-Franceschi|2002|p=995}}

Biography

Monteil joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine in 1741.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=649}} He took part in the Battle of Cape Sicié on 22 February 1744, and was promoted to Ensign in 1746.{{sfnp|Vergé-Franceschi|2002|p=995}} That year, he served on the 24-gun frigate Volage, on which he was in combat against the 70-gun HMS Stirling Castle on 15 April. Volage was captured, but Oriflamme retook her the day after. {{sfnp|Taillemite|1982|p=239}}{{sfnp|Roche|2005|loc=volume 1|p=473}} In 1747, he served on the frigate Flore on convoy duty. Flore fought and captured a British ship during the mission.{{sfnp|Taillemite|1982|p=239}}

In 1755, Monteil was given command of the 12-gun corvette Anémone at Cayenne. He was promoted to Lieutenant the year after,{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}} and served as Major for the squadron under admiral d'Aché, on Zodiaque, taking part in the Battle of Cuddalore on 29 April 1758 and in the Battle of Negapatam on 3 August.{{sfnp|Taillemite|1982|p=239}}

Monteil was given command of the frigate Sylphide, and took part in the Battle of Pondicherry on 10 September 1759.{{sfnp|Rouxel|2020|p=}} On 30 mars 1759,{{sfnp|Rouxel|2020|p=}} he was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis for his conduct in the battle.{{sfnp|Doneaud Du Plan|1878|p=43}}

In 1762, Monteil was promoted to Captain, and given command of the 64-gun Éveillé in Newfoundland.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}} On 13 April 1771, Monteil departed Port-Louis, commanding the ship Actionnaire bound for Isle de France (Mauritius).{{sfnp|Doneaud Du Plan|1878|p=55}} In 1774, Monteil captained Zéphir.{{sfnp|Doneaud Du Plan|1878|p=10}}

In 1776, he captained the 32-gun frigate Renommée, part of the Escadre d'évolution under Du Chaffault.{{sfnp|Roche|2005|loc=volume 1|p=377}}{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=607}} On 20 April 1776, she touched a reef while departing Brest, and Monteil was unable to immediately refloat Renommée. {{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=82}} Du Chaffault defended Monteil, writing to the Navy Minister that "only those who command ships run the risk of losing them".{{sfnp|Roche|2005|loc=volume 1|p=377}}{{refn|Il n'y a que ceux qui commandent les vaisseaux qui soient dans le cas de les perdre{{sfnp|Roche|2005|loc=volume 1|p=377}}{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=82}}|group=Note}}

In 1778, Monteil commanded the 74-gun Conquérant, part of the Third division in the Blue squadron of the fleet under Orvilliers.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=618}} He took part in the Battle of Ushant on 27 July 1778, where he was wounded.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}

Monteil was promoted to Chef d'Escadre in 1779.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}} In 1780, he was given command of the squadron of the Caribbean, comprising five 74-gun ships, four 64-gun ships and 6 smaller units, with his flag on the 74-gun Palmier,{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=343}} although he remained largely idle.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=345}} He took part in the Siege of Pensacola in May 1781.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}{{sfnp|Troude|1867|p=103}} He then returned at Cap-Français, arriving on 10 July.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=396}}

On 17 July 1781,{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=347}} transferred to command of the Blue squadron (rear) in De Grasse's fleet, with his flag on the 80-gun Languedoc.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=407}} Before his squadron departed, an accidental fire destroyed the 74-gun Intrépide, which exploded.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=396}} Monteil took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake on 5 September 1781.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}

On 25 November 1782, he became an Ordinary member of the Académie de Marine.{{sfnp|Doneaud Du Plan|1878|p=14}} Monteil was promoted to Lieutenant général des armées navales on 8 February 1783.{{sfnp|Contenson|1934|p=649}}{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=664}}

Notes

Citations

References

{{cite book |last1=Contenson |first1=Ludovic |authorlink1=Ludovic de Contenson|title=La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778-1783) |date=1934 |publisher=éditions Auguste Picard |location=Paris|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65709399|oclc=7842336}}
{{cite book|last=Doneaud Du Plan|first=Alfred |authorlink=Alfred Doneaud Du Plan |year=1878 |title=Histoire de l'Académie de marine |publisher=Berger-Levrault |location=Paris |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65484612 |language=french }}
{{cite book |last=Lacour-Gayet |first=Georges|authorlink=Georges Lacour-Gayet|title=La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI |date=1910 |publisher=Honoré Champion |location=Paris |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1181278.texteImage|pages=431–434}}
{{cite book|first=Jean-Michel|last=Roche|year=2005|title=Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours|isbn=978-2-9525917-0-6|oclc=165892922|publisher=Group Retozel-Maury Millau|volume=1|pages=372–373}}
{{cite book|last=Taillemite|first=Étienne|authorlink=Étienne Taillemite|year=1982 |title=Dictionnaire des Marins français |publisher=Éditions maritimes et d'Outre-Mer |location=Paris| isbn=9782707000316 }}
{{Cite book|first=Onésime-Joachim|last=Troude|authorlink=Onésime-Joachim Troude|year=1867|publisher=Challamel ainé|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6541320m|title=Batailles navales de la France|language=French|volume=2}}
{{cite book|last=Vergé-Franceschi|first=Michel|authorlink=Michel Vergé-Franceschi|year=2002 |title=Dictionnaire d'Histoire maritime |publisher=Robert Laffont |location=Paris| isbn=2-221-08751-8 }}

External links

{{cite web |last1=Rouxel |first1=Jean-Christophe |title= François Aymar baron de MONTEIL |url=http://ecole.nav.traditions.free.fr/officiers_aymardemonteil_francois.htm |website=Parcours de Vie dans la Royale |accessdate=17 May 2020 | year=2020 }}

Category:1725 births

Category:1787 deaths

Category:French Navy officers

Category:French military personnel of the American Revolutionary War

Category:French military personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession

Category:French military personnel of the Seven Years' War