MenuAdmiral Maxime-Julien Emeriaud de Beauverger
Born: October 20, 1762
Place of Birth: Carhaix, Finistère, France
Died: February 2, 1845
Place of Death: Toulon, France
Arc de Triomphe: EMERIAU on the south pillar
Pronunciation:
Volunteering to join the navy in 1776, Maxine-Julien Emeriaud de Beauverger went on to serve under the Count d'Orvilliers on the ship Intépide during the Battle of Ushant in 1778. Taking part with the French in the American Revolutionary War, he served at the action of Grenada and then the the combat of July 6, 1779. Emeriaud next took part in the Siege of Savannah where he was wounded and then he was again wounded on March 20, 1780. He next served at the combat before Fort-de-France and then in May of 1781 he was promoted to lieutenant of frigate. Emeriaud was serving on Triomphant under Vaudreuil when he was wounded in the kidneys and stomach, and he went on to fight at the combats of April 9th and April 12th, 1782. After the conclusion of the war, Emeriaud served for a time with merchant ships and he was promoted to sous-lieutenant of vessel in May of 1786. He was recognized with the Order of Cincinnatus in 1787.
After the onset of the Revolution, Emeriaud joined the crew of the frigate Fine and they were sent to Martinique and Saint-Domingue in 1790. They continued to serve in that area and Emeriaud received a promotion to lieutenant of vessel in 1792. The following year he was given command of the corvette Cerf and he transported the victims of the fire of Cap Français to New England in the United States. Next Emeriaud took command of the frigate Embuscade and he campaigned against French enemies off the coasts of the United States under Admiral Vanstabel. In 1794 he returned to France with a convoy of merchant ships and he was promoted to captain of vessel in December of 1794. In 1795 Emeriaud began serving under Admiral Martin, and in 1796 he took command of the ship Jemappes. That December he served on the unsuccessful expedition to Ireland.
In 1798 Emeriaud took command of the vessel Spartiate to take part in the expedition to Egypt under Admiral Brueys. His ship was the first to enter the port of Malta when the French fleet stopped and captured that island. Once in Egypt, Emeriaud took part in the Battle of the Nile where he was wounded by two shots and taken prisoner. The British released him at Alexandria and later that year he set out to return to France.
In July of 1802 Emeriaud was promoted to rear admiral and then in November he took command of Indomptable and a squadron of ships sent to Saint-Domingue. The next year he commanded the right wing of the flotilla at Ostend and then in December he took command of a naval division at Lorient. Emeriaud next rejoined Admiral Villeneuve at Rochefort but he was then replaced in his command. He was named the maritime prefect of Toulon, a position he would hold until 1811.
In 1810 Emeriaud was named a Count of the Empire and in March of 1811 he was given command of the Mediterranean squadron at Toulon in place of Admiral Allemand. He was promoted to vice admiral in August of 1811 and awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Réunion in 1813. A British fleet arrived outside of Toulon in 1813 and blockaded Emeriaud's ships from leaving the port. After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, Emeriaud was awarded by the Bourbons with the Grand Crond Cordon of the Legion of Honor and being named a Knight of Saint Louis. When Napoleon returned from exile to resume power in 1815 for the Hundred Days, Emeriaud was named a Peer of France but he did not sit in the position. Emeriaud retired from the navy in July of 1816.
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Updated January 2017
© Nathan D. Jensen