Sébastien Lespès
| Sébastien-Nicolas-Joachim Lespès | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 13 March 1828 Bayonne |
| Died | 24 August 1897 (aged 69) |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/branch | French Navy |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Battles/wars |
Crimean War Siege of Sebastopol Second Opium War Cochinchina campaign Sino-French War Keelung Campaign Battle of Tamsui |
Sébastien-Nicolas-Joachim Lespès (13 March 1828 – 24 August 1897) was a French admiral who played an important role in naval operations during the Sino-French War (August 1884–April 1885), as second-in-command of Admiral Amédée Courbet's Far East Squadron.
Sébastien Lespès was borne on 13 March 1828 at Bayonne (Basses-Pyrénées). He attended the École Navale, passing out as a midshipman (aspirant) on 1 August 1846. In 1850, after serving successively on the warships Inflexible, Friedland, Océan and Psyché with the French Squadron of Evolutions (escadre d'évolutions), he took part in the Senegal campaign aboard the brig Aigle. He received his promotion to enseigne de vaisseau during the course of this campaign, on 26 October 1850.
During the Crimean War (1854-6) he saw service aboard the warship Valmy in the Black Sea, and also distinguished himself ashore with the French naval batteries at the Siege of Sebastopol. He was promoted lieutenant de vaisseau on 2 December 1854, and was also decorated with the cross of a chevalier of the Legion of Honour.
He was posted to the Far East in 1857 and saw active service in the Second Opium War and the Cochinchina campaign, serving successively aboard the warships Audacieux, Némésis, Dordogne and Duchayla. He was present with Némésis at the attack on the Pei-ho forts and at the capture of Da Nang (September 1858), and with Duchayla at the capture of the Kien Chan forts during the Siege of Tourane (18 November 1859).
In April 1860 he was appointed to the command of the aviso Norzagaray and given the task of scouting the river routes of Cambodia.
He was promoted capitaine de frégate on 27 January 1864 and took part in the Iceland campaign, for two summers, as second officer of Pandore. He was then appointed by Commandant d'Ariès as chief of staff of the West Coast naval division (division navale du littoral ouest de la France).
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