Pierre-Édouard Plucket

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Pierre-Édouard Plucket (Dunkirk, 11 October 1759 — Dunkirk, 4 September 1845;[1] sometimes written "Plucket"[2][3] and even "Tulki",[4]) was a French Navy officer and privateer.

Career

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Plucket started sailing on a privateer in 1778; he was taken prisoner in England after the British HMS Amphitrite captured his ship,[5] and was exchanged after several escape attempts.[4] Promoted to officer, he took command of a merchantman and was almost wrecked in Ireland in July 1791; rescued, he took several soldiers hostage to avoid paying salvage fees and escaped, returning his captives on fishing ships encountered en route.[6]

After the War of the First Coalition broke out, Plucket took command of the privateer brig Sans-Culotte nantais, with fourteen 4-pounder guns. In March, he captured two Dutch and six British ships.[7]

Plucket then transferred on the 18-gun brig Patriote de Brest, property of the State. On 15 May, he battled a 26-gun British corvette for one hour, before the ships parted. On the 24th, he engaged a 20-gun East Indiaman,[8] trying unsuccessfully to board her before a British frigate drove him away.[9] On 1 June, Patriote sprang a leak, forcing Plucket to jettison all but two of his guns, and make a hasty return to Brest; chased by British 28-gun corvette on the 6th, he fought a three-hour running battle before reaching the safety of Île de Batz. Patriote then returned to Brest by way of Morlaix, taking passage with a convoy escorted by two corvettes.[10] The population gave the wounded Plucket a triumphal reception and the nickname of "second Jean Bart".[10]

Plucket then joined the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant. He served on the 74-guns Tigre and Jemmapes, taking part in the Atlantic campaign of May 1794.[11]

On 5 October 1795,[a] he took command of the corvette Jalouse. HMS Vestal, under the command of Captain Charles White, captured Jalouse at about 5a.m. on 13 May near Elsinor after a chase of about nine hours and running about 84 hours. Plucket was taken prisoner but escaped, disguised as a physician, and returned to Amsterdam and from there to France. The court-martial reviewing the loss of Jalouse acquitted him.[12]

Plucket then took command of the privateer Résolu, chartered to ferry troops to Ireland. He took four prizes but had to abandon two of them to escape a frigate and a cutter.[13] He eventually returned to Calais after 78 days, having captured 19 ships.[14]

Plucket then returned to the Navy as second-in-command of the frigate Poursuivante, under Castaignier. He later took temporary command of Poursuivante, before passing it to Lhermitte.[14]

Unable to garner financial gain from his prizes, he retired and eventually returned to Dunkirk.

Honours

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Legacy

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  • A street in Dunkirk has born his name since 30 October 1958.[16]

Notes

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  1. ^ Gallois says on 13 May (Gallois, vol.1, p. 293).

Citations

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  1. ^ Archives départementales du Nord, état-civil numérisé de Dunkerque, décès 1844-1845, acte de décès N°457 de l'année 1845, vue 447 de la numérisation.
  2. ^ Rouvier
  3. ^ Gallois
  4. ^ a b Gallois, vol.1, p.285
  5. ^ Amédée Gréhan : La France maritime (Paris 1853), Pages 218-222.
  6. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.286
  7. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.287
  8. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.288.
  9. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.289.
  10. ^ a b Gallois, vol.1, p.291
  11. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.292
  12. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.299
  13. ^ Gallois, vol.1, p.300
  14. ^ a b Gallois, vol.1, p.301
  15. ^ "Ministère de la culture - Base Léonore".
  16. ^ http://www.ville-dunkerque.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/demarches_accueil/Liste_des_noms_des_rues_par_quartiers.pdf [bare URL PDF]

References

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