Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves

Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves
Born1727
Died9 February 1782
Allegiance Kingdom of France
Service / branch French Navy
RankChef d'escadre
Battles / warsAnglo-French War
RelationsEstienne Family

Jean-Baptiste Barthélémy Thomas, comte d'Orves[1] (1727 — Orient, off Madras,[Note 1] 9 February 1782[2] ) was a French Navy officer, who rose to have flag officer rank.[Note 2]

Biography

Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves was born to the Estienne Family, a noble house of Provence.

During the Anglo-French War, on 27 July 1778, Estienne d'Orves took part in the Battle of Ushant as captain of the 74-gun Actif.[4][5]

In late 1778, Estienne d'Orves was in command of the 80-gun Orient. On 28 December he departed Brest to reinforce the French colony of Isle de France.[Note 3][6] When François-Jean-Baptiste l'Ollivier de Tronjoli, commander of the French forces in the Indian Ocean, was recalled to France, he transferred command to Estienne d'Orves.[7]

Estienne d'Orves led his squadron off the Coromandel Coast, with little effect.[8][9] In April 1781, his health deteriorating, Estienne d'Orves gave command of the division to Tromelin, and that of Orient to First Officer Bolle.[10] Suffren arrived at Isle de France with reinforcements on 25 October 1781, and Estienne d'Orves decided to mount a raid against British interests in India.[9]

On 7 December 1781, Estienne d'Orves departed Isle de France with 11 ships, 3 frigates and 3 corvettes, intending to attack Trincomalee. However, he changed his mind and decided to attack Madras instead.[11] However, in the following days, his failing health deteriorated to the point where he was not fit for duty, and he delegated command to Suffren.[12] He died on 9 February 1782, a few days before the Battle of Sadras.[2]

Assessment

Charles Cunat compares d'Orves to Tronjoli in that they both failed to seize the initiative against the British,[8] and contrasts them to Suffren's skill.[2] Admiral Rémi Monaque called d'Orves a "rather mediocre admiral".[13]

Sources and references

Notes

  1. ^ Present-day Chennai
  2. ^ D'Estienne d'Orves had the rank of Captain, but was given the authority of a "Brigadier of the Naval Armies" (rear-Admiral) commanding the Isle de France division.[3]
  3. ^ The present-day Mauritius

References

  1. ^ Henrat, Philippe (22 November 2015). "BOUDIN de TROMELIN Bernard Marie". Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Cunat, p.103
  3. ^ Cunat, p.84
  4. ^ Roche (2005), p. 19-20.
  5. ^ Troude (1867), p. 7.
  6. ^ Cunat, p.73
  7. ^ Cunat, p.83
  8. ^ a b Cunat, p.85
  9. ^ a b Cunat, p.94
  10. ^ Cunat, p.87
  11. ^ Cunat, p.98
  12. ^ Cunat, p.100
  13. ^ Monaque, 2017, p. 88

Bibliography