Edouard Bouët-Willaumez

The count Louis Edouard Bouët-Willaumez (1808 - 1871) is a Naval officer and Explorateur French.

A sailor of the colonies

Born on April 24th, 1808 with Brest, this wire of trader is at the same time the nephew and the adoptive son of the admiral Willaumez. Its marriage in 1845 with the girl of the vice-admiral Marant, vice-president of the Council of Admiralty, consolidates the supports which support its career.

Left the naval college of Angouleme in 1824, it embarks like Aspirant and takes part in the Bataille of Navarin and the Expédition of Morée. Named Sign of vessel in 1829, it attends the Prise of Algiers.

Promoted Lieutenant in 1834, it is sent to the Senegal where it leads naval explorations by going up the river on the sloop to vapor the African and while coasting on the coast of Africa on the Inhabitant of Saint Malo . It represses the milked négrière and concludes from the commercial treaties and of protection with coastal chiefs of the Golfe of Guinea, in particular with the kings of the Gabon in 1839,1841 and 1843. Lieutenant commander in 1840, it exerts the functions of governor of Senegal of 1840 to 1843, period during which it extends the sovereignty of France by opening counters of trade to Assinie and Grand Bassan.

In 1844, it belongs to the forwarding directed by the Prince de Joinville which seizes Mogador. It is promoted Captain in reward of its active role in this success.

Embarked on board the frigate Pénélope as commander of the fourteen buildings of the naval division of the Western coasts of Africa of 1848 to 1850, it has the role of fighting actively against the draft and of restoring French sovereignty on risen coastal points, where it restores the French trade. It signs a treaty with the king of the Dahomey in 1851.

Admiral and strategist

Become chief of staff of the squadron of the admiral Hamelin in 1853 and promoted Rear-admiral on December 2nd 1854, it takes part in the naval operations of the Crimean War and organizes with a great effectiveness the unloading close to Sébastopol.

In 1856, it orders the Flotte of Raising. In 1859, it contributes marginally to the countryside of Italy to the head of the fleet of seat of the Adriatique.

Raised with the row of Vice-admiral on July 9th 1860, it exerts the functions of Maritime police chief to Cherbourg in 1860 then with Toulon of 1861 to 1864. It orders then the squadron of the the Mediterranean, on board of which it transports the emperor Napoleon III come to carry out in 1865 an official visit in Algérie.

It is named Senator in 1865.

In the commissions of study and the authorities décisionnaires of the navy, it shows an imaginative tactician and works for the modernization of the naval tool. Influential and appreciated of the Emperor, it promotes the generalization of the steamers and the use of Cuirassé S with spur S. It recommends the reorganization of the fleets in divisions, the evolution of the tactics of naval action for the armoured fleets, and the improvement of the means of defense of the coasts and the ports. He encourages the abandonment of the war buildings with hull out of wooden, technologically exceeded, for the metal ships. Theorist of the naval power, he is for this reason a precursor of the theses of the admiral Mahan.

At the time of the Franco-German War of 1870, it is indicated with the head of the squadron intended to carry out an operation combined in the Baltique whose it had worked out the plans since 1868. But the fast failure of terrestrial military operations makes give up the preparations of this forwarding. It is the last episode of the career of this large sailor. He dies on September 9th, 1871 with Houses-Laffitte, of the continuations of a disease of the liver contracted in Senegal.

With Abidjan (Ivory Coast), the commune of the city which shelters the port was named Port-Bouët in its homage. To Libreville (Gabon), a district of the city bears also its name (Mount-Bouët).

Principal decorations

Commander 10/6/1849
  • Large officer Large 6/12/1856
  • Cross 12/30/1868 Large Cross of the Order of the Bath (GB) 1861
  • Large holy officer of the orders Maurice and holy Lazare (Italy) 1861
  • Commander of 1e class of the Military Order of Savoy (Italy)
  • Large cross about Magpie IX (St Sits).

    Publications

    The admiral Bouët-Willaumez is the author of several studies concerning the draft, navigations on the coasts of Africa, the naval history and the tactics of the war to the sea:
    • Chart of the Western coast of Africa drawn up for the intelligence of cruisings to establish in front of the hearths of draft (1845)
    • nautical Description of the coasts of Western Africa lain between Senegal and Ecuador (1846)
    • Trade and milked blacks at the Western coasts of Africa (1848)
    • Countryside at the Western coasts of Africa (1850)
    • French Colonies in 1852 (1852)
    • the French Fleet in 1852 (1852)
    • Parallel history of the principal battles of ground and sea (1853)
    • Battles of ground and sea, jusques and including the battle of Alma (1855)
    • Tactical additional with the use of an armoured fleet (1865)
    • Questions and answers about our naval forces (1871)

    Sources

    • Biographical note in the maritime Dictionary of history directed by Michel Rod-Franceschi (Books, 2002)
    • Vice-admiral Maurice Dupont: the admiral Willaumez (Tallandier, 1987)

    External bonds

    • Biography and photography of the admiral Bouët-Willaumez
    • " Bouët-Willaumez, a Pre-Mahanien français" by Etienne Taillemite
    • Report/ratio of the captain Bouët-Willaumez on his '' Campagne at the Western coasts of Africa '' in the '' Nouvelles Annals of the Navy and the Colonies '' (1850)

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