How to Pronounce Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte
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Nov 01, 1720 Rennes, Brittany, France Died on 10 Jun 1791 (aged 70)
French admiral
ScorpioToussaint Guillaume Picquet De La Motte - Place of Birth, Date of Birth, Age, Wiki, Facts, Net Worth, Birthday, Biography and Family
Toussaint Guillaume Picquet De La Motte, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Family, Facts, Age, Net Worth, Biography and More in FamedBorn.com
About Toussaint Guillaume Picquet De La Motte
- Count Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte (born 1 November 1720 in Rennes; died 10 June 1791 in Brest) was a French admiral. Aged fifteen, he joined the navy as a midshipman and served in Morocco, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean Islands and in India.
- Noted for his strategic skills, he was called to Paris in 1775 to help the Secretary of State prepare the order to reorganise the Navy.
- In 1778, as a Squadron Commander, he took part in the Battle of Ouessant on the Saint-Esprit, and then cruised the English seas.
- During one month, he captured thirteen ships. During the American Revolutionary War, Picquet de la Motte distinguished himself as a member of Admiral d'Estaing's squadron in Martinique, during the Battle of Grenada, and the Siege of Savannah. On 18 December 1779, he attacked a British squadron under the command of Admiral Hyde Parker that was attempting to blockade a French convoy; such was the success of his "Combat de la Martinique", that Hyde Parker sent him a letter of congratulation: The conduct of your Excellency in the affair of the 18th of this month fully justifies the reputation which you enjoy among us, and I assure you that I could not witness without envy the skill you showed on that occasion.
- Our enmity is transient, depending upon our masters; but your merit has stamped upon my heart the greatest admiration for yourself. In 1781, as commander of a nine-vessel squadron that included three frigates, Picquet de la Motte intercepted the fleet of Admiral Rodney en route from St.
- Eustatius which the British had captured in February 1781.
- Picquet de la Motte captured 26 British ships, along with Rodney's plunder in the amount of 5 million sterling.
- Soon afterwards he was promoted to Lieutenant General of the Naval Armies. Picquet de la Motte died in 1791, after fifty-two years of service.
- Four vessels of the French Navy have been named in his honour, the most recent being the first-rank frigate Lamotte-Picquet.
- There is a street in the 7th arrondissement of Paris named after him, l'Avenue de la Motte-Picquet.
- The Paris metro station La Motte-Picquet – Grenelle is located on the avenue, on the border of the 7th and 15th arrondissements of Paris.
