Jean-François du Cheyron du Pavillon

Jean-François du Cheyron du Pavillon
Born	29 September 1730 Périgueux, France
Died	14 April 1782
Service / branch	French Navy
Rank	captain
Battles / wars	War of American Independence Battle of Ushant Battle of the Saintes
Relations	Pierre-Joseph du Cheyron de Saint-Vincent

Jean-François du Cheyron du Pavillon (29 September 1730, in Périgueux – 14 April 1782 off Îles des Saintes)^[1][2] was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence. He commanded the 80-gun Triomphant at the Battle of the Saintes, and died of wound two days after the battle.

Cheyron was born to a noble family, and brother to Pierre-Joseph du Cheyron de Saint-Vincent. He started his military career as a sub-lieutenant in the Régiment de Normandie en 1745, and rose to Lieutenant. In 1748, he changed his career and joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine. He was promoted to Ensign in 1754. He served under Admiral de Conflans, notably on Intrépide off Saint-Domingue in 1760, and later on Guerrier and Tonnant. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1762.^[1]

From 1766 to 1775, Cheyron worked on naval tactics and signals, and he was made a Knight in the Order of Saint Louis in 1771. On 25 March 1773, he presented a memorandum to the Court, titled Mémoire sur la tactique navale — Signaux de nuit et pour le temps de brume pour l'escadre du Roi. The report was favourably received by the Commission. ^[1] He is considered one of the principal creators of naval communications before the era of radio. ^[3]

In 1775, he was brigade chief of the Gardes-Marine in Rochefort, and became major of the training squadron (escadre d'évolution) in 1776.^[1]

In 1777, he was promoted to Captain. In July 1778, Cheyron was appointed to Orvilliers' squadron, and he applied his techniques during the Battle of Ushant.^[1]

From 1779 to 1780, he served as Major in the French-Spanish fleet. Given command of the 80-gun Triomphant, he was Vaudreuil's flag captain at the Battle of the Saintes on 12 April 1782. He was mortally wounded and died on April 14.^[1]

Citations

References

• Contenson, Ludovic (1934). La Société des Cincinnati de France et la guerre d'Amérique (1778-1783). Paris: éditions Auguste Picard. OCLC 7842336.
• Levot, Prosper (1866). Les Gloires Maritimes de la France. Notices Biographiques Sur Les Plus Célèbres Marins, Découvreurs, Astronomes, Ingénieurs, Hydrographes, Médecins, Administrateurs, Etc (in French). Bertrand.
• Morison, Eliot Samuel (1959). John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography. United States Naval Institute Press. OCLC 19740190.