TOUCHARD, Louis Charles (too-shar), naval officer, born in New Orleans in 1741; died at sea, 12 April, 1782. He received his education in Martinique, entered the marines in 1755, and took part in several campaigns in the Gulf of Mexico. As lieutenant he commanded in 1769 a scientific expedition to the South sea and determined the geographical position of points along the Patagoman coast, the Strait of Lemaire, and Tierra del Fuego. While attached to the station of Cayenne in 1772 he conducted hostilities against corsairs, who were then numerous in the Atlantic ocean between South America and Africa, and, being promoted commander in 1777, participated in the victory of Count d'Orvilliers off Ouessant, 27 July, 1778. He was sent afterward with two frigates to the West Indies, joined D'Estaing's naval force, and assisted in the attack on St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the capture of Granada. As captain he served under De Guichen, and in 1781 under De Vaudreuil. When De Grasse and Vaudreuil left for Yorktown he remained with the Marquis de Bouille, assisted in the capture of St. Eustatius, and ray-aged the English colonies of Bahama. When chased by a superior force he gave battle off Havana and escaped capture. Joining De Grasse again in 1782, he took command of the " Pluton," the sister ship of the "Ville de Paris," the admiral's flag-ship, and made strenuous efforts to relieve the admiral, when he was surrounded by superior forces. When he himself was attacked by two English men-of-war, he captured one, but was killed in the moment of victory. His vessel rejoined Vaudreuil's division, and he was buried with honors in Martinique.