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unusual facts about Ange René Armand, baron de Mackau


Louis Napoléon Lannes

On May 9, 1847, the Duke of Montebello replaced Admiral Baron de Mackau as Minister of Marine and Colonies in the Guizot ministry.


Ange René Armand, baron de Mackau

Descendant of an ancient family of Ireland who followed King James II to France and grandson of the deputy governess of the sisters of Louis XVI, Ange de Mackau was raised in the same institution as Jérôme Bonaparte, Napoleon's youngest brother, and entered the navy as a novice at 17.

On 26 May 1811, returning from a mission to Corsica, Abeille encountered HMS Alacrity off Bastia and attacked the larger brig without hesitation.

After nearly a year, he received orders permitting him the widest latitude and left Martinique with five vessels and the consul, arriving unexpected at Cartagena, forcing the Boca Chica, and placing himself in a position to capture the forts guarding the sole entrance to the port.

The next year, he returned to Toulon with every ship-of-the-line in his squadron unharmed and a great quantity of supplies drawn from Livorno and Genoa.


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