GUICHEN, LUC URBAIN DE BOUEXIC, COMTE DE (1712-179o), French admiral, was born at Fougeres on June 21, 1712, and entered the navy in 173o. When France had become the ally of the Americans in the War of Independence, he hoisted his flag as rear-admiral in the Channel fleet, and was present at the battle of Ushant (July 27, 1779). In March of the following year he was sent to the West Indies to fight Rodney. In the action to leeward of Martinique (April 17), Guichen narrowly escaped disaster. He gave no further opportunity of bringing him to close action, and brought his fleet back to Brest for repairs. In Decem ber 1781 Guichen was sent to the West Indies with stores and reinforcements. On the 12th Admiral Kempenfelt, who had been sent out by the British Government to intercept him, sighted the French admiral in the Bay of Biscay through a temporary clear ance in a fog, and attacked the transports, twenty of which were captured and the rest put to flight. Guichen died on Jan. 13, 17 90. See vicomte de Noailles, Marins et soldats francais en Amerique (1903) ; and E. Chevalier, Histoire de la marine francaise pendant la guerre de l'independence americaine (1877).