Joseph de Cambis

Joseph, viscomte de Cambis[1] (20 September 1748 in Entrevaux – 25 October 1825[2][3]) was a French Navy officer and Rear-Admiral.

Career

Cambis was born to a noble family in Provence;[4] his father was the governor of the small town of Entrevaux. He joined the Navy as a garde marine in Toulon, and rose steadily in rank.[4] In 1776, he served on the Pléyade.[5] He took part in the War of American Independence in the squadron of Count d'Estaing.[4]

In the summer of 1791, with the rank of Major de vaisseau, he captained the frigate Galathée, ferrying civilian commissaries to Santo Domingo.[1] In the summer of 1792, with the rank of Captain,[6] he relieved Vice-Admiral de Girardin as chief of the Leeward Antilles station.[6] During the experiditon to Saint-Domingue in 1792, Cambis captained the Astrée, on which he escorted a convoy ferrying ammunitions and troops from Rochefort to Haiti.[6] Later that year, he transferred from Galathée to take command of the 74-gun Jupiter at the station of Santo Domingo,[4] where he had to repress a mutiny of his crew.[4]

In early 1793, with the rank of Rear-Admiral, he captained the 74-gun Éole, and he relieved Vice-Admiral Morard de Galles as chief of the Leeward Antilles station.[7]

He faced another mutiny in New York, where he was wounded.[4] Cambis was hated by the colonists of Haiti and by his own crew for upholding the abolition of Slavery and trying to protect Free men of colour.[8]

He returned to France in September 1793 on the frigate Surveillante, commanded by Captain Tréhouart-Beaulieu.[9] Upon arrival, he was arrested for his political opinions and kept prisoner until the Thermidorian Reaction.[4] He was kept unemployed during the French Directory, but returned as an inspector after the 18 Brumaire.[4] His attempts at organising the Navy were thwarted by the policies of the Consulate.[4]

Honours

Notes and references

Notes

    References
    1. Fonds Marine, vol.1, p. 29
    2. Les Maréchaux, Généraux & Amiraux 1789-1815. Archived 2013-03-27 at the Wayback Machine, lebivouac.com
    3. Généalogie des familles nobles, jean.gallian.free.fr
    4. Arnault, p. 46
    5. Lot 129 : MARINE. - [Joseph de CAMBIS]. Journal de la campagne …
    6. Fonds Marine, p. 34
    7. Fonds Marine, p. 53
    8. H-France review Vol. 8 William S. Cormak
    9. Fonds Marine, p. 54

    Bibliography
    • Arnault, Antoine-Vincent (1827). Biographie nouvelle des contemporains [1787-1820] (in French). 4.
    • Fonds Marine. Campagnes (opérations ; divisions et stations navales ; missions diverses). Inventaire de la sous-série Marine BB4. Tome premier : BB4 1 à 482 (1790-1826)
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