Édouard Thomas Burgues de Missiessy

Vice-Admiral Édouard-Thomas de Burgues, comte de Missiessy (; 23 April 1756 – 24 March 1837) was a French Navy officer. He joined the navy in April 1766 as a volunteer aboard his father's ship and spent most of his early service in the Mediterranean, in the frigates of the Levant Fleet. When France entered the American Revolutionary War, Missiessy joined the 64-gun Vaillant in Admiral Charles Henri Hector, Count of Estaing's fleet, where he took part in the initial engagements off Newport, Saint Lucia and Grenada, and in September 1779, the failed siege of Savannah. Missiessy's first command came in 1782 when he was promoted to ship-of-the-line lieutenant on the cutter Le Pygmée. He was soon after captured by the British but later released in a prisoner exchange.

In 1789, the year of the outbreak of the French Revolution, Missiessy was a frigate captain in the Mediterranean. Promoted to ship-of-the-line captain in January 1792, he received the command of the ship Centaure in Vice-admiral Laurent Jean François Truguet's squadron. In January 1793, he was promoted to counter admiral. The Revolution became more radical and Missiessy was arrested on 21 May 1793 for being of noble birth. He was released and returned to duty on 30 June but when Toulon declared for the King, Missiessy fled to Italy. He did not return to France until 1795 and despite being acquitted by a court of enquiry, he was not given a ship and spent the next six years working ashore.

In 1804, Missiessy was appointed commander-in-chief of the Rochefort squadron with a key role in Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom. The Rochefort squadron was intended to rendezvous with Vice-admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve's fleet in the West Indies and draw British ships there, before racing back across the Atlantic and seizing control of the English Channel. The failure of this plan was blamed in part on Missiessy and he was dismissed from the navy. He was not employed again until February 1808 when he was made commander-in-chief of the defences at the Scheldt, foiling the British Walcheren Campaign that occurred between July and September 1809. Missiessy ceased active service on 17 September 1824 and was officially acknowledged as retired on 23 April 1832, when his name was entered on the retirement list. He died at Toulon on 24 March 1837, aged 80.

Early life and career

Édouard-Thomas de Burgues, comte de Missiessy was born on 23 April 1756, in Forcalquier, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. He joined the navy in April 1766, at the age of 10, as a volunteer aboard his father's ship, Altier. Most of his early service was spent in the Mediterranean, aboard the frigates of the Toulon Fleet. In April 1773, while a Garcon-Major on the Engageante, he embarked on a lengthy cruise to the Levant which lasted until January 1774. Another 9 month trip to the Levant took place between May 1774 and February 1775. Missiessy undertook a third cruise to the Levant between October 1775 and September 1776, this time as a Garde du Pavillon aboard the frigate Flore. Missiessy was promoted to enseigne de vaisseau in April 1777 and joined Sultane for an expedition to the Barbary Coast, where he helped prevent attacks on French shipping by corsairs. Briefly confined at Deal, Kent, he was exchanged and by September, was serving as second officer aboard the 64-gun Reflechi. In early February 1783, he joined the 74-gun Censeur, returning home in April. From May 1786, Missiessy commanded transport ships operating in the Baltic. Promoted to capitaine de vaisseau in January 1791, he received the command of the ship Centaure in Vice-admiral Laurent Jean François Truguet's squadron. In January 1793, he was promoted to counter admiral. However, the Revolution was becoming more radical and Missiessy was suspected of noble birth and opposing the new regime. He was sent ashore and arrested on 21 May 1793 but was released and returned to duty on 30 June. Aboard the five ships of the line, three frigates and two corvettes were 3,500 troops under Divisional-general Joseph Lagrange along with artillery pieces, small arms and supplies to reinforce the French garrisons in Martinique and Guadeloupe. The same wind that disrupted the British blockaders kept Missiessy's squadron pinned to the coast for five days and delayed their arrival in Martinique until 20 February.

The approach to Martinique was guarded by a British battery mounted on Diamond Rock, forcing enemy ships to make a long detour through unfavourable open sea with strong winds and currents. British control of the rock was a constant irritation for the French and Missiessy was keen to recapture it. However, he was unable to convince Lagrange or Governor Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse to attack the rock.

Later career

In February 1808, having been unemployed since his return from the West Indies, Missiessy was given command of the Scheldt squadron and successfully defended Antwerp from the British attacks that occurred between July and September 1809, part of the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign. Having already been promoted to vice admiral on 9 March, he was rewarded for his efforts with appointment to Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Coasts and made a Count of the Empire on 23 February 1811, the latter position coming with an annuity of 20,000 francs.

In August 1814, the restored French king, Louis XVIII awarded Missiessy the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. During the Hundred Days uprising, Missiessy avoided taking sides and was further rewarded following the Bourbon restoration in June 1815: He was Maritime Prefect of Toulon and was elevated to Commander-in-Chief there in January 1816, later serving on the Council of the Admiralty, and finally Commander-in-Chief of the navy.

Missiessy ceased active service on 17 September 1824. In June 1827, he was made a Knight Commander of the Holy Spirit and was officially acknowledged as retired on 23 April 1832, when his name was entered on the retirement list. He died at Toulon on 24 March 1837, aged 80.