Jean Jacques Étienne Lucas

Jean Jacques Etienne Lucas (b. 28 April, 1764, in Marennes; d. 29 May 1819, Brest, France) was a French Navy officer and hero of the Battle of Trafalgar. He participated in the American Revolutionary War as a member of the French "Marine Nationale".

The Battle of Trafalgar

His role in the Battle of Trafalgar, however, is how he is primarily remembered in history. By 1805, Lucas was a "capitaine de vaisseau", the French title for captain. He commanded the French ship of the line "Redoutable".

During the Trafalgar conflict (21 October 1805), the "Redoutable" was located just off the port side of the "Bucentaure", the command ship of Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve. As a result of this positioning, Lucas and his crew found themselves between the two columns of British ships commanded by Admiral Nelson and in the heat of battle from very early on in the conflict. They engaged HMS "Victory", Nelson's ship, and through use of heavy artillery they came astern of HMS "Victory" and sought to board her.

The conflict aboard the "Victory" was bloody, costing both sides many lives and ultimately resulting in stalement. Admiral Nelson himself was mortally wounded by a musket shot fired from atop one of the masts of the "Redoutable", but before the boarding was successful, HMS "Temeraire" intervened and opened fire on the "Redoutable" starboard side, resulting in the deaths of over two hundred French marines.

At 2:30 p.m., the "Redoutable" surrendered to "HMS Temeraire" after having lost 522 men out of their total 643. Of this number, 300 were killed and 222 were wounded. Lucas himself was injured, and the ship had suffered damage which had led to the hold taking on several feet of water. The masts had been broken and there was substantial damage to the rest of the ship, including the artillery.

HMS "Swiftsure" sent a party to take Lucas and two other officers off the ship into captivity the following morning. The "Redoutable", however, was still taking on water, and despite the efforts of rescue boats sent over the course of the day, only 119 marines were saved before the ship sank with the dead and wounded still on board.

After Trafalgar

Upon his release from captivity and return to France, Lucas was personally awarded the gold cross of the "Légion d'honneur" by Napoleon in recognition of his ship's service.

External links

* [http://www.napoleon.org/en/reading_room/articles/files/lucas_report.asp Captain Lucas's report concerning the loss of the vessel "Redoutable" at the Battle of Trafalgar]
* [http://www.wtj.com/archives/lucas_01.htm The "Redoutable" at Trafalgar]