René Lemarant de Kerdaniel

René Lemarant de Kerdaniel (Lorient, 10 August 1777 - Paris, 4 October 1862) was a French naval officer and admiral.

Born to the family of an administrator of the Navy, Lemarant joined the Navy as a boy in 1790, aged just 13. He sailed on the Rhône, which was wrecked on Toulinguet rock; the crew rescued only after twenty-seven hours. He then transferred on the frigate Réunion, and later on the fluyt Barbot, tasked to ferry troops to San Domingo.

Back to Lorient on 25 June 1793, Lemarant studied to be admitted as a naval student 2nd class. After passing the exam on 1 May 1794, he was appointed on the Montagne, flagship of Villaret de Joyeuse. On Montagne he took part in the Third Battle of Ushant, where he was promoted to student 1st class. He then transferred to the frigate Fraternité, under contre-amiral Joseph-Marie Nielly.

In 1796, Lemarant was appointed to command the lugger Surveillante, a captured British privateer.

On 7 July 1797, he was promoted to ensign, and transferred to Sirène. The frigate sailed to Cayenne, and on her journey back, she captured the Indiaman Calcutta. Lemarant was given command of the prize, but was chased by a British and captured. He was taken in captivity to England and spent four months on a hulk in Chatham, before being sent back to France on parole. The Peace of Amiens, freed him from the parole.

Lemarant was then appointed to command the corvette Berceau, bound for Martinique. In 1803, he carried the news that the War of the Third Coalition had broken out. He stayed in the Indian Ocean until August 1804, before returning to France, where he was notified of his promotion to Lieutenant on 26 October 1803.

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