Jean-François Tartu
| Jean-François Tartu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 October 1751 Recouvrance |
| Died | 24 October 1793 (aged 42) Uranie, off Gascogne |
| Allegiance |
 France
|
| Years of service | 1766 — 1793 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands held | Uranie |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Bien mérité de la Patrie Three ships named in his honour |
Jean-François Tartu (Recouvrance, 11 October 1751 – Uranie, off Gascogne, 24 October 1793) was a French Navy officer, and hero of the French Revolution.
Tartu took part in the American War of Independence as a non-commissioned officer, taking part in several significant battles in the fleet of Admiral d'Estaing. After the end of the war, he worked at the fnaval foundry of Indret.
At the French Revolution, Tartu became a minor political figure; he assured the interim direction of the foundry, and at the outbreak of the war with Britain, obtained command of the frigate Uranie. He was killed in action on 24 October 1793 while disabling HMS Thames. Tartu was hailed as a hero, and Uranie was renamed Tartu in his honour.
Tartu was born to a family of fishers. He joined the French Royal Navy in 1766 as a sailor, at the age of 15, raising to master gunner.
After enlisting in the French Royal Navy, Tartu was appointed as master gunner on the frigate Fortunée, under Bernard de Marigny. On Fortunée, he took part in the Battle of Ushant.
In 1779 sailed to Fort Royal to take part in a squadron under Lamotte-Picquet in the fleet of Admiral d'Estaing. On the background of the naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, Fortunée took part in the French operations on the Anglo-French War, notably in the Capture of Grenada.
In December 1779, Fortunée sailed in consort with the 32-gun Blanche, under La Galissonière, and the 20-gun corvette Ellis, under Captain Fonteneau, to ferry troops that had fought in the Siege of Savannah back to various French colonies of the Caribbean. On 21 December, between 15 and 18 miles off Guadeloupe, the frigate squadron met a British four-ship division under Rear-Admiral Parker, comprising the 74-gun HMS Suffolk, Magnificent, HMS Vengeance and the 64-gun Stirling Castle, sent by Rear-Admiral Rowley to intercept it. As the British squadron flew the French flag, the frigates continued on their route and approached until the ships hoisted British colours and gave chase; a running battle ensued and in the course of the next hours, the frigates were overhauled by the 74-guns and struck their colours, Fortunée surrendering after a two-hour cannonade, surrounded by two ships. Tartu was taken prisoner with the crew of Fortunée.
...
Wikipedia