Jacques de Saint-Cricq (1781–1819) was a French sailor who took part in theBaudin expedition to Australia, leaving fromLe Havre on 19 October 1800. Anenseigne de vaisseau on boardNaturaliste,[1] theCap Saint-Cricq was named after him.
After a council of war on 18 March 1812, by a majority of six against two, he was declared to blame for disobeying his commander's orders whilst commanding the frigateClorinde, though not whilst in the presence of the enemy. He was condemned to have his sword broken, declared unworthy to serve, condemned unanimously to three years in prison and ejection from theLégion d'honneur. In the imperial decree of 30 March 1815[2] it was stated that this sentence was for not having taken part in the second engagement in whichLa Renommée surrendered and for having abandoned this frigate by a poor and irresolute manoeuvre. He was promoted back up to Capitaine de Vaisseau and to the rank which he had occupied in the navy lists, by ordnance of 21 April 1814, but on 30 March 1815 during theHundred Days Bonaparte accepted his naval ministerDenis Decrès's suggestion and issued an imperial decree[2] which annulled the 1814 ordnance and confirmed the court martial's sentence.