Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez

Infobox Military Person
name=Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez


caption=Portrant by Pierre-Louis Delaval
born=7 August 1763
died=17 May 1845
placeofbirth=Belle-Île-en-Mer
placeofdeath=Suresnes
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|France France
branch=French navy
serviceyears=
rank=vice-amiral
unit=
commands=
battles=
awards=
relations=
laterwork=pair de France

Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez (Belle-Île, 7 August 1763 - Suresnes 17 May 1845) was a French sailor and admiral of the First French Empire.

Born to a family of Army officers, Willaumez joined the navy at 14. In 1782, he served as pilot aboard the "Amazone" under La Pérouse.

In 1789, he was Ensign abord the "Recherche" under Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. After d'Encastreau died, the expedition sailed for Indonesia, where they learned of the French Revolution. Dutch authorities seized the ships, and the pro-revolutionary sailors were imprisonned, Willaumez among them.

Willaumez enventually reached Ile de France, which was blockaded by British ships HMS "Centurion" and HMS "Diomede". Two frigates, the 32-gun "Prudente" and 40-gun "Cybèle", attempted to break the blockade, with Willaumez volunteer to be second on the "Prudente". The British sustained such damage that they were forced to stop the blockade to repair.

Willaumez was promoted to "capitaine de vaisseau" and given command of a small ship on which he returned to France with tokens from the expedition of d'Entrecasteaux. He then took part in the Indian Ocean campaign led by Admiral Sercey aboard the "Régénérée". Upon his return, Willaumez was promoted to commodore.

Put in charge of the Southern bases of Saint-Domingue, Willaumez, aboard the frigate "Poursuivante" was intercepted by British ships of the line, but managed to outmanoeuver them and break free. He has the "Poursuivante" repaired in Baltimore and set sail, evading the British blockade again, and was promoted to contre-amiral by Napoléon.

Fro 1807, Willaumez commanded the squadron from Brest. In 1809, he attempted a sortie to Lorient and Rochefort to unite the fleets, but ended up being blockaded in Rochefort.

Honours

* pair de France in 1837
* His name is inscribed on the 22th column of the Southern pillar of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.