Hubert de Brienne de Conflans

Hubert de Brienne, count de Conflans born in Paris in 1690 wire of Henri Jacob marquis de Conflans and Marie of Bouchet, died in Paris on January 27th 1777 is a man of French war.

Youth and first weapons

Dice the fifteen years age it is made knight of the Ordre of Saint-Lazare. The following year it enters to the school of the Gardes of the Navy of Brest and is used during the War of succession of Spain under the orders of Duquesne-Guitton of 1708 to 1709 then as Duguay-Trouin in 1710 when it receives its baptism of fire by taking share with the catch of an English vessel then of a Portuguese tradind ship.

In 1712, it is named ensign of vessel and takes part in several operations against the pirates at sea of the Caribbean and on the Moroccan coasts. In 1721, it is sent on mission in Constantinople then in 1723 it crosses on the coasts of Domingue Saint and takes share with the repression of the disorders.

First commands and general governor of Domingue Saint

In 1727, it receives the rank of Lieutenant and carries out two campaigns in the Mediterranean. Then in 1731, it is used as a lieutenant of the guards of the Navy as Rochefort. The following year it is made knight of the Ordre of Saint Louis and of 1733 to 1734 a flotilla charged orders to dispatch vivres and ammunition in Cayenne and with the Martinique. This same year, it is named Captain, it is used again under the orders of Duguay Trouin then under the marquis d' Antin during the War of succession as Poland.

In 1741, it orders the school of the guards of the Navy of Brest where it had formerly begun its career. Lastly, it orders a vessel the Content and takes the English vessel Northumberland in 1744. On board vessel the Terrible it escorts convoys in the Atlantic and takes in 1746 the Severn . In 1747, it is named at the station of General governor of Saint-Domingue. Whereas it carries out the voyage which must lead it to its new function its vessel is attacked by the English it is wounded and captured. it is released only in 1748 with the treated of Aachen. It is then named Chef of squadron and provides its function until 1751. In 1752, it becomes general Lieutenant naval armies.

The seven year old war and the battle of the Cardinals

In 1756 it receives the rank of Vice-amiral Ponant. In 1758, the king Louis XV names it Marshal of France to reward it for his states of service.

In 1759, he sees himself entrusting the responsibility of protect the unloading in Scotland to invade England organized by Louis XV, Berryer and the marshal of Beautiful-Isle and named the Grand Intention of unloading. The command of the task force is entrusted to the duke of Pivot. The relationship between the two men is loins to be with the good shape and at most cordials. indeed, Conflans hardly supports the fact of being held with the variation by its superiors and informs the king whom it makes a point of avoiding the combat with the English squadron of the admiral Hawke. The preparations of the task force is gathered in the Golfe of Morbihan it is there that Conflans must begin its duty of escort. However, it must above all destroy the division of the commodore Duff which crosses in the zone. Finally, Hawke temporarily raised its blockade of Brest in order to avoid the storm. Conflans leaves Brest on November 14th.

The reverse currents make derive the marshal from his initial road and Conflans arrives for Belle Isle only the 20. Meanwhile Hawke to alert departure of Conflans got under way. November 20th, it is on an agitated sea that Conflans is for the division of Duff which flees, it gives the order to attack. However whereas the victory tightens the arms to him, the squadron of Hawke arrives for that of Conflans. Duff reverses its orders then whereas Conflans makes transfer edge. Hawke organizes its squadron in line of battle and lance the continuation. Conflans decides to engage in the Baie of Quiberon that the English know little, but in spite of that Hawke engages in its turn in bay. Hawke catches up with soon the French squadron and the combat engages 2 French vessels run and two others bring their house. Conflans goes to the help of its back keeps but the night puts soon fine at the combat.

During the night, Conflans wets its flagship, the Royal Sun , without the knowledge with some encablures of the English squadron. When the day rises it realizes of the danger which watches for it and made veil towards Croisic to fail it with another French ship the Héros . It burns then its ship after having made it evacuate.

Lawsuit and last years

Of return to Brest, Conflans will have to not only answer of the defeat but also of the fire of its flagship. Although its choice to begin in bay of Quiberon was criticized much it is about a wise choice but which counted without the audacity of Hawke. Its decision to only give up its ship remains obscure and was much to reproach to him. Moreover at the time of its lawsuit, Conflans overpowered without slackening its subordinates of which he had sung the praises at the time of his first report/ratio.

Disgrâcié, it spent its last years to Paris where it dies in 1777. Its station of vice admiral of the West will be entrusted to the prince de Bauffremont his subordinate with the Bataille of the Cardinals.

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