Vice-Admiral Louis-René Madelaine Le Vassor, comte de Latouche-Tréville (; 3 June 1745 – 19 August 1804) was a French Navy officer and politician who served in the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Born into an aristocratic family of naval officers, Latouche enlisted in the French navy at the age of 13. He rose to become a competent frigate captain, engaging in several actions during the American Revolutionary War.
During the French Revolution, Latouche, a Freemason and aide to Phillipe Égalité, took progressive positions as a deputy in the Estates General and later in the National Constituent Assembly. His aristocratic status nevertheless made him a target during the Reign of Terror, and he was imprisoned and only freed from prison by the Thermidorian Reaction.
Returning to the Navy after a long period of unemployment, Latouche took command of the Flottille de Boulogne, where he repelled several raids on Boulogne led by Horatio Nelson. He then served in the Saint-Domingue expedition, which irrevocably compromised his health. After his return, he took command of the French fleet in Toulon, reorganising it into a potent tool again, but he succumbed to a relapse of illness before he had a chance to use it. Under his successor Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, the fleet he had refurbished was annihilated at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Career
Latouche was born in Rochefort-sur-mer, Charente-Maritime. His father, Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche, had been the governor of Martinique, until the Invasion of 1762, and chief of the naval forces of Rochefort. His uncle, Charles-Auguste Levassor de La Touche-Tréville, served as a rear-admiral, commanding the light squadron of the France-Spanish fleet under Orvilliers in 1780. and took part in his first action, in 1759 aboard the 64-gun Dragon, taking part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay.
After the Treaty of Paris in 1763, Latouche took part in training campaigns under his uncle Latouche-Tréville and Admiral d'Estaing, he resigned from the Navy and enlisted in the Army. who commanded at Saint-Domingue.
In 1772, Navy Minister Boynes acceded to repeated requests from Latouche's family, Latouche corresponded with Captain Cook on exploration plans in 1775 and 1776.
Service on Hermione and the American War of Independence
thumb|left|upright|Latouche-Tréville as represented in Guérin's 1845 Marins Illustres
In May 1777, he was promoted to lieutenant and was given command of the 20-gun corvette Rossignol, The next day, another 18-gun British privateer attacked and Latouche captured her too, using the same ruse. Latouche then returned to Rochefort with his two prizes and numerous prisoners. Latouche carried General Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette as a passenger on a transatlantic voyage from France to Boston. His opponent, Captain James Hawker, later accused him of fleeing the scene, to which Latouche replied "In my poor state, I could not pursue you. Why then did you not continue the fight?"
On 16 March, Latouche-Tréville participated in the Battle of Cape Henry, which took place at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. This action has led to a commonly repeated, but erroneous, report that Latouche-Tréville engaged in a "battle against the Chesapeake (March 1781)". On 13 April 1781, Latouche's father, Louis-Charles Le Vassor de La Touche, died in Paris. Latouche inherited his peerage, and thereafter was styled "Comte de Latouche". They did however capture the 14-gun escort, Jack, and three merchantmen, which they brought to Boston. and equipment to America, leading a two-frigate squadron comprising Aigle and Gloire, under Captain de Vallongue. Latouche then tacked into the Delaware River, as , , and the prize Sophie, led by Captain G.K. Elphinston in , gave chase. Latouche landed his passengers and treasure with launches from the frigates. Despite the measures to disable Aigle, the British were able to recover her and took her into service as HMS Aigle.
Admiral Vaudreuil wrote to the Minister of the Navy Castrie:
Latouche was taken as a prisoner to New York, and transferred from there to England. He remained a prisoner until the Treaty of Paris in 1783. In 1784 he succeeded Bruni d'Entrecasteaux as vice-director of the Harbours and Arsenals, holding the position until 1787, when he became Chancellor to the Duke of Orléans. Latouche then departed, but had to double back to Naples to repair due to gale-force winds, eventually making his rendezvous with Truguet on 8 February 1793. at the height of the Reign of Terror, he was arrested as a "suspect" on orders of the Committee of Public Safety, He spent one year in La Force Prison, Latouche was rehabilitated under the Directoire and had his rank reinstated in December 1795, It was not until 1799 that he returned to active duty. The ploy helped to disguise the true goal of the French military, which was massing armies in Boulogne for an invasion of Austria. Soon after his arrival, on 4 August and 15 August 1801, Latouche-Tréville repelled raids on Boulogne that Admiral Horatio Nelson launched to destroy the Flottille. comprising six ships of the line, six frigates and two corvettes.
With Villaret's departure in April 1802, Latouche stayed in Saint-Domingue with four ships of the line, nine frigates and five corvettes. The French situation grew even more desperate after Britain declared on France in May 1803, as Willaumez had to return to France to repair his frigate which was damaged in the action of 28 June 1803, and the British navy implemented a blockade of Saint-Domingue. At the time, the squadron counted only seven ships of the line and four frigates, and discipline was much weakened; Furthermore, the entire squadron regularly scrambled to support other French warships whenever superior British forces ventured into Toulon harbour, preventing them from conducting useful reconnaissance of French activities in the area. However, he constantly refused to transfer ashore, stating "An admiral is only too glad when he can die under the flag of his ship."
Legacy
right|upright|thumb|LATOUCHE [[Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe|inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe (left column, 10th from top)]]
Latouche-Tréville was buried in Toulon graveyard. In 1810, a seven-metre-high pyramidal mausoleum was built at the Sémaphore de la Croix des Signaux, at Cape Cépet, from where Latouche-Tréville had observed the British in his last year. On 14 October 1902, military authorities decided to move the mausoleum to the military graveyard of Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer; the body was transferred on 29 April 1903.
French writers and historians have often compared Latouche-Tréville to Nelson, partly because the two admirals opposed each other during the raids on Boulogne and partly because, had it not been for his death, he would have opposed Nelson in the Trafalgar campaign. The name Latouche was inscribed on the north face of the Arc de Triomphe in his honour.
Three ships of the French Navy have been named Latouche-Tréville in his honour: the steam aviso Latouche-Tréville in 1860; the armoured cruiser Latouche-Tréville in 1892; and the F70-type destroyer Latouche-Tréville, presently in commission.