Overview
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Introduction
editBaron Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin, a rear admiral of the French navy, was born in Honfleur, in the French départment of Calvados, on October 13, 1768 and died in Paris on April 23, 1839.
Biography
editAt age 17, Hamelin embarqued on a trade ship belonging to his uncle as a young marine leaning the trade of sailing. In April of 1786, he was a member of the crew the ship L'Asie of the merchant marine which was destined for the coast of Angola on a ten-month campaign. He then proceeded to Cherbourg on board the Triton as a helmsman. In July of 1788, Hamelin returned to Honfleur, where he embarqued as a midshipman on the ship La Jeune Mina and went on several campaigns on other vessels. In 1792, he quit commercial sailing, joined the marines, and was a quartermaster aboard the vessel l'Entreprenant in August of 1792, which was a part of a naval division under the orders of rear admiral Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville. This division, joined together with the squadron of admiral Laurent Jean François Truguet, participated in operations against Oneglia, Caligliari, and Nice.
In August of 1793, as a result of consideration that he solicited and obtained from admiral Trogoff, Hamelin was named midshipman of the frigate la Proserpine, with which he took over the Hollandic frigate la Vigilante and part of the convoy she was escorting.
Named lieutenant in August of 1795, he brought the weaponry of la Minerve to Toulon, and participated in combat against this frigate March 7, 1795. With the continuation of this fighting, the English vessel the Berwich was captured. During the combat of October 7, 1795, rear-admiral Richery seized the vessel the Critic and approximately thirty commercial ships.
November 21, 1796, Hamelin was named commander and crewed la Révolution as second-in-command. Aboard this ship, he led the Ireland Campaign. After la Révolution, Hamelin was first-in-command on the ship la Fraternité, which he left after three months in order to take over the command la Précieuse, under the orders of admiral Eustache Bruix. He then embarqued as a second-in-command on the vessel le Formidable.
As a captain, Hamelin went on a scientific exploration aboard the ship le Naturaliste along with captain Nicolas Baudin on le Géographe. During this campaign, from October 1, 1800 to June 23, 1803, he explored the southern seas. This voyage had a political goal from the French government; they intended to establish a port in the southern seas before the British. Hamelin and Baudin, along with their crews, allowed for the cartography of the coastlines of Australia and New Guinea.
The first Consul, to whom he was introduced upon his return, recieved him hospitably and appointed him captain in September of 1803. He then spent his time overseeing the weaponry of the large fleet intended for the descent in England. The first Consul attached greatest importance to the prompt and sure meeting of all the ships of the mission. Captain Hamelin was trusted to lead the squadron successively to the meeting-point, and with this perilous mission earned the reputation of bravery and honour.
In July of 1806, after the disarming of the fleet, Hamelin accepted the order to take command of the frigate la Vénus from Le Havre. He set sail for Mauritius and seized four ships along the way. In March of 1809, la Vénus entered the port of Napoleon. April 26, after orders of the general captain of Mauritius to leave, he sailed off, having under his orders la Vénus, the frigate la Manche, the brig l'Entreprenant and the schooner la Créole. He visited Madagascar, where he delivered Foulpointe. Besieged by the natives, he moved on the Bay of Bengal, entered Saint-Georges channel, seized several English ships, sunk a great number of boats sent out by the English, and seized Tappanouti, an English business. On November 18, 1809, while on a return voyage to Mauritius, captured three large ships of the British East India Trading Company. As the English targetted retaliatory attacks on the island, he seized several more ships, most notably the English frigate the Ceylon. After a long battle, he was unfortunately overcome by the strong forces of the English navy.
Upon returning to France in February of 1811, he was presented to the Emperor who congratulated him. He was named commander of Legion-in Honneur, created a baron of Empire, raised to the rank of rear-admiral and named commander of a division of the squadron under the orders of the admiral Édouard Jacques Burgues de Missiessy. In April of 1818, he accepted the order to go to Toulon to hold the position of general major of the navy, a post that he occupied until May 18, 1822. Around this time, he had been appointed senior officer of Legion-in Honneur early in 1823.
In 1832, baron Hamelin was appointed as inspection generaral of marine crews, and in 1833 he was named director of marine cartography. [[ [After this, he was voluntarily dismissed due to age and health problems, and he died in Paris April 23, 1839 from old age and heart problems.]]]--203.129.58.104 05:31, 5 August 2006 (UTC)
Sources
edit- "Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin", in C. Mullié, [[:s:fr:Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850 (Mullié)|Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, XIXe siècle] (in French)