Louis Léon Jacob

Louis Léon Jacob (1768 - 1854) was a French admiral.

He was born at Tonnay, Charente, was educated at Rochefort, and volunteered from a clerkship in the marine bureau to the navy (1784). He was promoted to ensign in 1793, Commanded the "Ça Ira" in her brave fight against a superior English force (1795), and was taken prisoner. After his release he distinguished himself (1798) against Sir John Warren's fleet and was again captured but soon exchanged. He took part in the campaign in Santo Domingo in 1801, was commandant at Granville (1805) , helping Piémontaise in Saint-Servan, capturing two brigs Teaser et Plumper near Chaussey, and after at Naples (1806), and shared in the battle of Sables d'Olonne. He was made a rear admiral in 1812 and in 1814 defended Rochefort.

He retired on the Restoration, reentered active service in 1820, was Governor of Guadeloupe from 1823 to 1826, prepared the expedition against Morocco and Algiers (1827), served on the Admiralty Board until 1834, when he became Minister of Marine, and was aide-de-camp to Louis Philippe until 1848. He introduced in 1805 a system of semaphores which was long used in the French navy.

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