Guillaume Marcellin Proteau
Guillaume Marcellin Proteau (2 May 1772 – 21 September 1837) was a French naval officer and later army general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Service. Proteau was born on the island of Groix in Morbihan in 1772 and joined the French Navy after the French Revolution in 1793. In December 1796 he served with the fleet which participated in the Expédition d'Irlande, a failed attempt to invade the Kingdom of Ireland with an army led by Lazare Hoche as Lieutenant on a ship named "l'Aigle", and was made a prisoner at Bantry. Proteau was named capitaine  de frégate on 24 September 1799, and on 7 January 1801, he was given command of the frigate "Indienne". He was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau on 24 September 1803 and remained in command of "Indienne". He was made chevalier of the Legion of Honour on 4 February 1804, and was advanced to officier of the order on 14 June 1804. In February 1809, "Indienne" was with the fleet which sailed from Brest and became trapped in the Basque Roads. On 12 April 1809, the fleet was attacked by British fireships at the Battle of the Basque Roads, and "Indienne