- Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière
-
Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière (also written "Christy-Pallière"; Dinan, 1755 - Toulon, 1829) was a French Navy officer.
Born to a captain of the French East India Company, Christy-Pallière started sailing in 1773, as an apprentice on an East Indiaman. He was ensign in 1774 and cruised to China, and to India in 1776-1777.
In 1778, Christy-Pallière joined the Royal Navy, serving as a lieutenant aboard the Surveillante. He took part in the Battle of Ushant.
From February 1779, Christy-Pallière served as an ensign on the Sévère, in Suffren's squadron. In 1782, he served aboard the Orient; the ship ran aground as he was on duty and upon his return to France, in 1784, he was expelled from the Navy, in spite of his captain having been on the bridge at the time of the incident.
In 1793, Christy-Pallière was reintegrated in the Navy and promoted to captain. He took command of the Sans Pareil, and later of the Scévola.
In January 1794, as a nobleman, Christy-Pallière was relieved of duty, but reintegrated in November. He took command of a frigate division, and later captained the ship Convention.
In 1799, he was general adjudant of the Océan, supervising the general staff Admiral Bruix during the expedition of 1799.
He then went on to command the Tyrannicide, which was renamed Desaix in 1801. On 3 July, Desaix captured HMS Speedy, captained by Lord Cochrane; brought aboard, Cochrane handed over his sword, which Christy-Pallière refused in recognition of Cochrane's achievements.
Christy-Pallière took part in the ensuing Battle of Algeciras Bay.
In 1803, Christy-Pallière was put in charge of the military harbour of Brest. From 1805 to 1815, he commanded the harbour of Toulon. He also periodically relieved the préfet maritime, Jean-Marthe-Adrien l'Hermite, who was often too ill to serve.
Christy-Pallière was retired on 31 December 1815, reintegrated in March 1816, and retired again at the Bourbon Restoration, with the honorary rank of contre-amiral.
He died in Toulon in 1829.
Honours
- Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Knight in the Order of Saint Louis
Sources and references
- Quintin (Danielle et Bernard): Dictionnaire des capitaines de vaisseau de Napoléon, S.P.M., Paris 2003
- Hubert Granier: Marins de France au combat (1715–1789)
- This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.
Categories:- 1755 births
- 1829 deaths
- People from Dinan
- French Navy officers
- Order of Saint Louis recipients
- French naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.