Vice-Admiral Louis-René Madelaine Le Vassor, comte de Latouche-Tréville (; 3 June 1745 – 19 August 1804) was a French Navy officer and politician who served in the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.Levot, p. 296Levot, p.295 Born into an aristocratic family of naval officers, Latouche enlisted in the French navy at the age of 13. He rose to become a competent frigate captain, engaging in several actions during the American Revolutionary War.
During the French Revolution, Latouche, a Freemason and aide to Phillipe Égalité, took progressive positions as a deputy in the Estates General and later in the National Constituent Assembly. His aristocratic status nevertheless made him a target during the Reign of Terror, and he was imprisoned and only freed from prison by the Thermidorian Reaction.
Returning to the Navy after a long period of unemployment, Latouche took command of the Flottille de Boulogne, where he repelled several raids on Boulogne led by Horatio Nelson. He then served in the Saint-Domingue expedition, which irrevocably compromised his health. After his return, he took command of the French fleet in Toulon, reorganising it into a potent tool again, but he succumbed to a relapse of illness before he had a chance to use it. Under his successor Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, the fleet he had refurbished was annihilated at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Career Latouche was born in Rochefort-sur-mer, Charente-Maritime. His father, Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche, had been the governor of Martinique, until the Invasion of 1762, and chief of the naval forces of Rochefort.Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.429 His uncle, Charles-Auguste Levassor de La Touche-Tréville,Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.426 served as a rear-admiral, commanding the light squadron of the France-Spanish fleet under Orvilliers in 1780.
Early career At the age of 13, Latouche joined the Gardes de la Marine, and took part in numerous naval actions during the Seven Years' War. He started sailing on the Hardi, ferrying troops to Canada in 1758,Granier, p.232 and took part in his first action, in 1759 aboard the 64-gun Dragon, which was under his uncle's command,Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.428 taking part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay. He also served on the pram Louise and harassed the British squadron blockading Île-d'Aix in October 1760, still under his uncle. In 1762 he served on the 74-gun Intrépide and on Tonnant. In the summer of that year, Latouche was detached to command two gunboats with which he attacked two British ships, one 60-gun and one 74-gun, waging a two-hour battle.Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.430
After the Treaty of Paris in 1763, Latouche took part in training campaigns under his uncle Latouche-Tréville and Admiral d'Estaing, serving on the ships Garonne in 1763, and Hardi and Bricole in 1765.
In September 1768, aged 23, he was promoted to ensign. Perhaps under pressure from his family, who hoped for quicker promotions, or because the reform of the Navy forced him to retire,Hennequin, p.107 he resigned from the Navy and enlisted in the Army. He became an aide to Governor-General d'Ennery, newly appointed governor of Martinique, who obtained a commission as a cavalry captain for him. In 1771, he transferred as captain to the Régiment de La Rochefoucauld-Dragons, a dragoon regiment, and became aide-de-camp to Governor General Valière,Hennequin, p.108 who commanded at Saint-Domingue.Granier, p.233
In 1772, Navy Minister Boynes acceded to repeated requests from Latouche's family, and he was reinstated in the Navy as "capitaine de brûlot". Latouche was appointed to command the fluyt Courtier. In 1774, Latouche put forward a proposition to the Ministry Navy for an exploratory expedition to circumnavigate Australia to see whether New Holland and New South Wales were separated by a channel; the plan was rejected, as the Ministry preferred using Île de France as the forward base for such an operation.Day, pp.129-130 Latouche corresponded with Captain Cook on exploration plans in 1775 and 1776.Lynn, p.272
Service on Hermione and the American War of Independence
In May 1777, he was promoted to lieutenant and was given command of the 20-gun corvette Rossignol, which escorted convoys and ferried messages. He captured two British privateers and three merchantmen. His prizes saw him appointed Knight of the Order of Saint-Louis. He was appointed commander of the 26-gun frigate Hermione.
On 28 May 1779, Hermione spotted a British privateer, which she lured into a trap by feigning fleeing in the night. In order to induce a tiring chase, Latouche let his ship's beacon be glimpsed intermittently, before doubling back to attack his opponent in the morning. The privateer was the 18-gun Diffidence, of Falmouth.Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.431 The next day, another 18-gun British privateer attacked and Latouche captured her too, using the same ruse.Guérin (p.431) indicates that her name signified Resolution of the Ladies of London, possibly meaning Ladies' Resolution of London. Latouche then returned to Rochefort with his two prizes and numerous prisoners.
From 21 March to 28 April 1780,Roche, p.241 Latouche carried General Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette as a passenger on a transatlantic voyage from France to Boston. Then, joining the fleet under Rear-Admiral Destouches, and under orders from Barras and Ternay, he directed the building of several artillery batteries for the defence of Rhode Island.
After he had completed the batteries, Latouche was allowed to cruise off Long Island and intercept shipping to New York City. He quickly captured two prizes, before spotting four sails on 7 June 1780: these were the frigate HMS Iris and three smaller warships. In the ensuing action of 7 June 1780, Latouche was himself shot in the arm by a musket ball, and Hermione suffered ten deaths and 37 wounded.Troude, vol.2, p.80.In his biography of Latouche-Tréville, Hennequin (vol.2, p.108) gives a figure of 37 killed and 53 wounded. The figure of ten killed and 37 wounded comes from a lettre of Latouche-Tréville himself to his opponent, Captain James Hawker, quoted by Troude (vol.2, p.80). His opponent, Captain James Hawker, later accused him of fleeing the scene, to which Latouche replied "In my poor state, I could not pursue you. Why then did you not continue the fight?""Délabré comme je l'étais, je ne pouvais vous poursuivre. Pourquoi dès lors n'avez-vous pas continué le combat?" Quoted in Levot, p.295
On 16 March, Latouche-Tréville participated in the Battle of Cape Henry, which took place at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.Taillemite, p.310 This action has led to a commonly repeated, but erroneous, report that Latouche-Tréville engaged in a "battle against the Chesapeake (March 1781)". On 13 April 1781, Latouche's father, Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche, died in Paris. Latouche inherited his peerage, and thereafter was styled "Comte de Latouche".
He then continued cruising off the coast of North America as part of a squadron under the command of Admiral Lapérouse, whose flagship was Astrée.
On 21 July, the two frigates encountered a British convoy off the coast of Nova Scotia. In the resulting naval battle of Louisbourg, Astrée and Hermione forced HMS Charlestown to strike her colours, but failed to board her, allowing her to flee during the night.Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.433 They did however capture the 14-gun escort, Jack, and three merchantmen, which they brought to Boston.
Service on Aigle After returning to France, Latouche was promoted to captain on 20 June 1781. In 1782, he was tasked with ferrying officials, large sums of moneyHennequin, p.109Hennequin (p.109) gives a figure of "three millions in gold", without specifying the currency unit; probably French livres. Three million livres amounted to the worth of six 74-gun ships of the line, for instance. and equipment to America, leading a two-frigate squadron comprising Aigle and Gloire, under Captain de Vallongue.
Latouche assumed command of the frigate Aigle which, along with the Gloire, ferried funds and equipment for the fleet of Admiral de Vaudreuil. On 5 September 1782, the squadron encountered the lone 74-gun HMS Hector: in the ensuing two-day battle, the two frigates heavily damaged the Hector, and only failed to captured her when a British squadron appeared on the horizon. Latouche retreated, and Hector foundered a few days later.
Capture
The frigates continued on their journey when, on 12 September, they spotted a British squadron, comprising two ships of the line with a frigate, two corvettes and a brig-sloop. Latouche captured the brig, .Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.435 Latouche then tacked into the Delaware River, as , , and the prize Sophie, led by Captain G.K. Elphinston in , gave chase. Latouche landed his passengers and treasure with launches from the frigates. He then attempted to escape his much stronger opponents by sailing over the banks at the mouth of the Delaware River, but Aigle ran aground; Gloire also touched bottom, but she managed to free herself and reach the channel. Latouche attempted to free Aigle, but with the retreating tide, she became not only more and more firmly beached, but also fell on her side, rendering her battery unserviceable. Seeing his ship lost, Latouche had her the masts chopped off and her hull pierced; he then evacuated her crew; staying behind with only a few men, Latouche fired a few shots from his stern chasers before striking his colours. Despite the measures to disable Aigle, the British were able to recover her and took her into service as HMS Aigle.
Admiral Vaudreuil wrote to the Minister of the Navy Castrie:
Latouche was taken as a prisoner to New York, and transferred from there to England.Guérin, Les Marins illustres, p.436 He remained a prisoner until the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Service in France during the Revolution Upon Latouche's return in France, he was appointed to direct Rochefort harbour. He was also tasked with drawing a map of Oléron, which was published in the first volume of Hydrographie française.Hennequin, p.110Latouche-Tréville was not, however, the author of two treatises, one on political economy and the other on agriculture; the author of those works was probably Jacques Antoine Creuzé-Latouche. See Levot, p.298. In 1784 he succeeded Bruni d'Entrecasteaux as vice-director of the Harbours and Arsenals, holding the position until 1787, when he became Chancellor to the Duke of Orléans. Meanwhile, he had also served as an inspector for the gunnery school of the Naval Academy, and co-authored the Naval Code for 1786. In July 1786, he sailed a corvette from Honfleur to Le Havre, ferrying King Louis XVI.
His uncle, Charles-Auguste Levassor de La Touche-Tréville, died in 1788 and bequeathed him his name; henceforth, Latouche added "Tréville" to his name, becoming the "comte de Latouche-Tréville".
At the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, Latouche-Tréville was elected deputy of the Nobility for the bailiwick of Montargis; he went on to sit at the National Constituent Assembly and held this position until it adjourned on 10 October 1791. Latouche took a liberal posture and was among the first nobles to join forces with the Third Estate. In September 1791, after king Louis XVI approved the new constitution, the National Constituent Assembly disbanded, and Latouche-Tréville resumed his naval activities.