General Pierre Quantin

Officer who served with the American Navy before volunteering to join the French army and who served as commander of Belle-Île-en-Mer from 1804-1811

By Nathan D. Jensen

Born: June 16, 1759

Place of Birth: Fervaques, Calvados, France

Died: February 7, 1824

Place of Death: Coutances, France

Arc de Triomphe: QUENTIN on the north pillar

The son of a surgeon, Pierre Quantin initially chose working with the merchant marine as a career in 1772. In 1777 he joined the American Navy and he served with them through the American Revolutionary War, finally leaving in 1783. Next in 1784 Quantin served as a dragoon in the militia of the island of Marie-Galante. In 1789 he quit and in January of 1792 he became a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of Volunteers of Calvados. Quantin's next promotion came in June of 1795 when he was promoted to chef de brigade and he began serving as interim chief of staff of the Army of the Coasts of Brest. In January of 1796 he was promoted to général de brigade and named commander of the département of Morbihan. That summer Quantin was assigned to the expedition to Ireland and he received a promotion to général de division. He next served at the expedition of Dunkirk and then was shipwrecked on November 10th. Quantin returned to activity in June of 1798 when he was named commander of the 9th military division and then the next month he was named commander of the 8th military division. In 1800 he served at Brest and in 1801 he served as commander of Belle-Île-en-Mer.

In 1802 Quantin was chosen to command the reinforcements sent to Saint-Domingue. After arriving there he took command of a division and in November he was named commander at Port-au-Prince after Watrin's death. The next month Quantin was placed in command of the département of Cibao at Fort-Dauphin and he requested to return to France. In 1803 he commanded the division of the north and in May he was authorized to return to France.

Back in France, Quantin was put at the disposition of the Minister of War. He was named a Commander of the Legion of Honor in June of 1804 and then in December he was named commander of Belle-Île-en-Mer, a position he would hold until he retired in 1811.

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Updated January 2021