Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin Baron, French admiral, East India privateer. Date of Birth: 13.10.1768 Country: France

1. Early Life and Naval Career
2. Promotion and Service
3. Return from Expedition and Promotion
4. War with Austria and Privateering
5. Capture of British Frigates
6. Admiral and Honors
7. Spanish Expedition and Retirement
8. Legacy

Early Life and Naval Career

Born on October 13, 1768, in Honfleur, France, Baron Félix Deluger de La Rive, known as Félix Deluger de La Rive de Gaylemard, joined the royal navy as a volunteer in 1785. He sailed off the western coast of Africa. By 1792, he had become a helmsman and participated in campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea, including battles at Nice and Cagliari.

Promotion and Service

Gaylemard passed the officer's exam in August 1794. Serving in Admiral Villaret de Joyeuse's squadron, he fought in numerous battles against the English and Dutch. He was wounded during the boarding of the English ship of the line "Bervick" on March 7, 1795. His bravery in capturing the "Cenceur" and destroying a merchant convoy of 30 vessels earned him a promotion to lieutenant on October 7, 1795.

Elevated to captain of the second class on November 21, 1796, Gaylemard commanded the frigate "La Revolution" and participated in the Irish Expedition of 1797. In 1800, he joined Captain Bodin's expedition to explore South Australia. Upon Bodin's death, Gaylemard assumed his position.

Return from Expedition and Promotion

Upon his return to France in 1803, Gaylemard was promoted to captain of the first class. The success of his expedition caught Napoleon's attention, who appointed him to command the gunboat detachment of the Boulogne flotilla.

War with Austria and Privateering

The 1805 war with Austria disrupted plans for an invasion of England. Gaylemard was assigned command of the newly built frigate "Venus" in Le Havre. He sailed to Mauritius in the East Indies, where he began privateering operations and became a formidable threat to British commercial shipping.

Capture of British Frigates

In 1810, Gaylemard led a force of three frigates and a brig to capture the British frigate "Iphigenia" at Grand Port. A month later, he attacked the British 40-gun frigate "Ceylon" near Port Napoleon. After a brief battle, he captured it but was forced to retreat after being attacked by three enemy ships.

Admiral and Honors

Upon his return to France in February 1811, Gaylemard was promoted to rear admiral, awarded the title of Baron, and decorated with the Legion of Honor. He was appointed commander of the Scheldt estuary squadron. During the War of the Sixth Coalition, he defended the Belgian and French coasts.

In 1814, Gaylemard received the Brest squadron. He remained in service after the restoration of Louis XVIII and was appointed chief of staff to the commander of the Toulon squadron. He became a Grand Commander of the Legion of Honor in 1823.

Spanish Expedition and Retirement

During the French expedition to Spain in 1823, Gaylemard commanded a squadron at Cadiz. However, his health prevented him from actively participating in the war. In his later years, he held administrative posts in the Navy Ministry, including the head of the marine cartography service. He died on April 23, 1839, in Paris. His name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Legacy

Gaylemard's nephew, Ferdinand Alphonse Gaylemard, also served as an admiral in the French Navy and held the position of Minister of the Navy under Napoleon III.