View source for Nicolas-Louis de Durfort

{{short description|French Navy officer of the War of American Independence}}
'''Nicolas-Louis de Durfort'''  was a French Navy officer. He served in the [[War of American Independence]].
== Biography ==
Durfort joined the Navy as a [[Garde-Marine]] on 23 March 1756.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=608}} He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 May 1763.
In 1772, he commanded the 20-gun xebec [[French ship séduisant (1762)|''Séduisant'']].{{sfnp|Archives nationales|2011|p=191}} In 1776, he was given command of the 18-gun corvette [[French corvette Flèche (1768)|''Flèche'']], part of the squadron under [[Louis Charles du Chaffault de Besné|Du Chaffault]].{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=608}}
Durfort was promoted to Captain on 4 April 1777,{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=608}} and commanded the 26-gun frigate [[French frigate Atalante (1768)|''Atalante'']], attached to the Eastern Mediterranean squadron.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=611}}{{sfnp|Archives nationales|2011|p=210}}{{sfnp|Archives nationales|2011|p=224}}
In 1780, he commanded the [[74-gun]] [[French ship Scipion (1778)|''Scipion'']]. {{sfnp|Archives nationales|2011|p=277}}
He commanded the 80-gun [[French ship Duc de Bourgogne (1751)|''Bourgogne'']] at the [[Battle of Cape Henry]] on 16 March 1781.{{sfnp|La Jonquière|1996|p=95}}
He was promoted to [[Chef de Division]] on 1 May 1786, and given command of the 7th Squadron.{{sfnp|Lacour-Gayet|1910|p=666}}
==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}
==References==
* {{cite book |last=Lacour-Gayet |first=Georges|authorlink=Georges Lacour-Gayet|title=La marine militaire de la France sous le règne de Louis XVI |date=1910 |publisher=Honoré Champion |location=Paris |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1181278}}
* {{Cite book|last=La Jonquière|first=Christian|title=Les Marins Français sous Louis XVI: Guerre d'Indépendance Américaine|language=French|publisher=Issy-les-Moulineaux Muller|year=1996|isbn=978-2-904255-12-0|oclc=243902833}}
*{{Cite book|first=Onésime-Joachim|last=Troude|authorlink=Onésime-Joachim Troude|year=1867|publisher=Challamel ainé|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6541320m|title=Batailles navales de la France|language=French|volume=2}}
==External links==
* {{cite web |url=http://www.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr/chan/chan/series/pdf/Marine-B4.pdf|author=Archives nationales|accessdate=29 April 2020|title=Fonds Marine, sous-série B/4: Campagnes, 1571-1785|year=2011}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durfort, Louis Nicolas}}
[[Category:French Navy officers]]
[[Category:French military personnel of the American Revolutionary War]]
[[Category:18th-century births]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
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