Jean - François Tartu Jean - François Tartu ( Recouvrance , 11 October 1751 – " Uranie " , off Gascogne , 24 October 1793 ) was a French Navy officer , and hero of the French Revolution . Tartu took part in the American War of Independence as a non - commissioned officer , taking part in several significant battles in the fleet of Admiral d ' Estaing . After the end of the war , he worked at the fnaval foundry of Indret . At the French Revolution , Tartu became a minor political figure ; he assured the interim direction of the foundry , and at the outbreak of the war with Britain , obtained command of the frigate " Uranie " . He was killed in action on 24 October 1793 while disabling HMS " Thames " . Tartu was hailed as a hero , and " Uranie " was renamed " Tartu " in his honour . Career . Tartu was born to a family of fishers . He joined the French Royal Navy in 1766 as a sailor , at the age of 15 , raising to master gunner . Service on " Fortunée " . After enlisting in the French Royal Navy , Tartu was appointed as master gunner on the frigate " Fortunée " , under Bernard de Marigny . On " Fortunée " , he took part in the Battle of Ushant . In 1779 sailed to Fort Royal to take part in a squadron under Lamotte - Picquet in the fleet of Admiral d ' Estaing . On the background of the naval operations in the American Revolutionary War , " Fortunée " took part in the French operations on the Caribbean theater of the American Revolutionary War , notably in the Capture of Grenada . In December 1779 , " Fortunée " sailed in consort with the 32 - gun " Blanche " , under La Galissonière , and the 20 - gun corvette " Ellis " , under Captain Fonteneau , to ferry troops that had fought in the Siege of Savannah back to various French colonies of the Caribbean . On 21 December , between 15 and 18 miles off Guadeloupe , the frigate squadron met a British four - ship division under Rear - Admiral Parker , comprising the 74 - gun HMS " Suffolk " , " Magnificent " , HMS " Vengeance " and the 64 - gun " Stirling Castle " , sent by Rear - Admiral Rowley to intercept it . As the British squadron flew the French flag , the frigates continued on their route and approached until the ships hoisted British colours and gave chase ; a running battle ensued and in the course of the next hours , the frigates were overhauled by the 74 - guns and struck their colours , " Fortunée " surrendering after a two - hour cannonade , surrounded by two ships . Tartu was taken prisoner with the crew of " Fortunée " . Service under Marigny . After being exchanged , Tartu served on " Sphinx " , again under Marigny . He took part in the Battle of Martinique on 17 April 1780 , where he was wounded . Returned to France , Tartu was appointed to the " Vaillant " , again under Marigny , on which he took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake . He transferred to . and on to " César " . On " César " , Tartu took part in the Battle of the Saintes . Marigny was mortally wounded , and entrusted Tartu with jewelry before dying . " César " blew up , throwing Tartu overboard ; he was rescued by the British , who seized the jewelry . Naval foundry of Indret . Tartu was released at the Peace of Paris ; he returned to Brest and married . Upon his return , Tartu worked at the naval foundry of Indret . In 1786 , he was promoted to " sous - lieutenant de vaisseau " , and appointed controller the next year . Despite the money bestowed by these promotions , Tartu lived in relative poverty due to his 7 - child family . In March 1791 , he was made a Knight in the Order of Saint - Louis . Political activities during the French Revolution . After the outbreak of the French Revolution , the director of the foundry emigrated and was replaced by a militant Republican . Tartu was elected substitute deputy to the National Convention for Loire - Inférieure ; he never served at the Convention in this capacity , but in early 1793 , he accompanied représentant en mission Fouché to Paimboeuf . Tartu went on to serve as interim dorector for the foundry of Indret . Tartu was promoted to Captain in January 1793 . After France declared war to Britain on 1 February 1793 , Tartu requested command of a warship . On 13 March , he was appointed to command the 40 - gun frigate " Uranie " , then under commissioning in Rochefort . Service on " Uranie " . In June , Tartu returned to Indret to dispose of rusted cannonball from Rochefort in the foundry and to recruit crewmembers . " Uranie " departed Rochefort in August , and engaged in commerce raiding . On 25 August , Tartu observed the Ancien Régime custom of firing salvoes for Saint Louis Day . After completing her patrol , " Uranie " returned to Rochefort . " Uranie " departed for another patrol in the Bay of Biscay on 24 September , in a frigate squadron under Captain Allemand consisting of the frigates " Carmagnole " , " Résolue " , " Sémillante " and " Uranie " with the brig - corvette " Espiègle " . " Uranie " captured two Spanish brigs , which were scuttled , a wheat merchantmen from Genoa and a British merchantman . On 22 October , the squadron sighted the 16 - gun Spanish brig " Alcoudia " and Allemand detached " Uranie " to capture her . " Uranie " also captured the liner " Quiros " . On 24 October , " Uranie " met with the 32 - gun HMS " Thames " . In the ensuing Action of 24 October 1793 , " Uranie " engaged in an artillery duel rather than attempting a boarding , as she lacked 60 of her sailors , despatched in prize crews over three captured ships , and was burdened with over 260 prisoners . In the artillery duel , " Thames " lost most of her rigging and suffered heavy damaged to her port batteries . As she manoeuvered to train her intact starboard batteries on " Uranie " , one of her cannonballs swept " Uranie " ' s quarterdeck , killing two and severing Tartu ' s leg under the knee . The first officer of " Uranie " , Lieutenant Wuibert , immediately rushed to take command as Tartu was brought below decks ; soon afterwards , a dying Tartu instructed the lieutenant to break the engagement , as the drifting " Thames " was still heading towards the British blockade . " Uranie " suffered 4 killed and 7 wounded . " Thames " was captured the next day by " Carmagnole " , under Captain Allemand . Legacy . Tartu was hailed as a hero , and " Uranie " was renamed after him . His widow was awarded a pension by the National Convention , which furtermore passed a resolution that the crew of " Uranie " had bien mérité de la Patrie . Tartu ' s 10 - year old son was aboard " Uranie " and took part in the Action of 24 October 1793 as a boy ; contemporary propaganda has it that on his death bed , Tartu told him Two destroyers were later named in his honour ( a " Vauquelin " class and a T 53 ) .