Édouard Thomas Burgues de Missiessy

Who was Édouard Thomas Burgues de Missiessy?

Édouard-Thomas de Burgues, comte de Missiessy was a French sailor.

Joining the navy at the age of 10, Missiessy was promoted to enseigne de vaisseau in 1777. During the American War of Independence, he served Admiral d'Estaing's fleet. Promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau in 1781, he commanded the cutter Le Pygmée and was captured by the British in 1782.

In 1789, the year of the outbreak of the French Revolution, Missiessy was a frigate commander in the Mediterranean. Promoted to capitaine de vaisseau in January 1792, he received the command of the ship Centaure in Admiral Truguet's squadron. In January 1793, he was promoted to contre-amiral. However, the Revolution was becoming more radical and Missiessy was arrested for being suspect and of noble birth in May 1793.

He took part in the expedition by Napoleon Bonaparte to keep Haiti.

Wrote Aperçu sur le Matériel de la Marine in 1829 et about its decision at Haïti.