Pierre-Henri Philibert
Pierre-Henri Philibert (Saint-Denis, Île Bourbon, 24 January 1774 — Paris, 31 october 1824) was a French Navy officer. Career. Philibert was born the family of a Navy civil servant. He joined the Navy in 1786. During the French Revolution, on 16 November 1793, Philibert was promoted to Ensign. He rose to Lieutenant in 1803, and served as aid to Rear-Admiral Magon on the 74-gun "Algésiras". He took part in the Battle of Trafalgar, distinguishing himself by recapturing "Algésiras" after the battle and sailing her back to Cádiz. By June 1809, Philibert was in command  of "Sapho", on which he voyaged to India. "Sapho" sailed from Bordeaux to Port-des-Barques between around 1 July. Philibert was promoted to Commander in 1811, after 26 April. From 7 October 1813, Philibert led a frigate division, comprising "Étoile" and "Sultane", under Abel Aubert du Petit-Thouars, to engage in commerce raiding. Philibert commanded the French forces at the Battle of Jobourg, where both frigates of his squadron were captured. Philibert was promoted to Captain (second class) in 1814. By 1815, Philibert was a Knight in the Legion of Honour and the Order of Saint Louis. At the  end of the Hundred Days, Philibert was in command of the frigate "Saale" and led a squadron comprising her and "Méduse", under Captain Ponée. A historic rumour has it that with Napoléon's armies in disarray, Ponée proposed to have ferry Napoléon to America on "Saale", while "Méduse" would have engaged HMS "Bellerophon" in a hopeless battle to prevent her from giving chase. Whether the plan was indeed ever formulated or not, it was never implemented, and Napoléon instead abdicated for the second time. From 14 April 1815 to 15 December, he conducted a mission to India on his frigate , by then renamed to "Amphitrite". In 1816, he was in command of a full division, comprising the fluyts "Licorne", under Lieutenant and later Commander Rouvroy de Saint-Simon, and "Éléphant", under Commander de Cheffontaines, in addition to "Amphitrite". By 1817, the Division further comprised the frigate "Cybèle", under Captain Achille de Kergariou; the storeships "Alouette", under Lieutenant Rigodit, and "Girouette", under Ensign Lemaarant de Kerdaniel; and the merchantman "Célestine" and "Louise". In 1818, the Division comprised "Cybèle", the fluyts "Normande" and "Rhône" and the storeship "Durance". In 1820, Philibert commander the Expédition d'Asie, with his flag on "Rhône" and later  on "Durance". His voyages are credited for bringing vanilla to La Réunion, creating the Bourbon vanilla cultivar. He was promoted to Officer on the Legion of Honour in 1821, and Captain (1st class) in 1822.