MISSIESSY, Edouard Thomas Burgues, Comte de (mis-see-see), French naval officer, born in Forcalquier, Provence. in October, 1754; died in Toulon in February, 1832. He entered the navy in 1769, became a lieutenant in 1778, and served during the whole of the war of American independence. He became rear-admiral in 1794, and in 1805 was given the command of the squadron that assembled at Rochefort. He was to co-operate in the great expedition of Napoleon against the English fleet, and was ordered to sail for the West Indies to await there the arrival of Villeneuve, and with him to clear the Atlantic of English ships. Missiessy sailed on 11 May, and, eluding the pursuit of a superior English fleet, arrived on 20 June off Fort de France. After landing troops and taking supplies at Guadeloupe, he sailed for Dominique, and bombarded Les Roseaux, on which he levied an enormous contribution in July, 1805. He also took Nevis, St. Christopher, St. Lucia, and in Santo Domingo forced Dessalines to raise the siege of Cape Francais, but, not receiving any tidings of Villeneuve, he returned to France, thus causing the ruin of the whole plan. Napoleon in his "Memorial" has bitterly reproached Missiessy for this breach of faith, although in 1809 he promoted him to vice-admiral. Missiessy defended Antwerp in 1814, and in the same year was maritime governor of Toulon. He wrote technical works on the navy, and "Ma justification: Pourquoi je n'ai pas attendu Villeneuve aux Antilles" (Paris, 1828).