Aristide Aubert Du Petit Thouars (31 August 1760 in Boumais – 2 August 1798 in Abukir; often written Dupetit-Thouars) was a French naval officer, and a hero of the Battle of Aboukir, where he died.
He was born on August 31, 1760, in the castle of Boumais, near Saumur.
He studied at the Collège Royal de La Flèche, and entered the French Navy in 1778.
He participated that same year in the Battle of Ouessant.
In Brazil, he was imprisoned by the Portuguese, but released in 1793.
After that he lived for three years in the United States.
Back in France, he was reintegrated (he had become destitute as an aristocrat), and was promoted to Captain, commander of the Tonnant at the Battle of the Nile, where he died on August 2, 1798.
During the battle, he forced HMS Majestic to break off combat, with 50 killed, including Captain Westcott, and 143 wounded.
After having lost both legs and an arm, he continued to command from a bucket filled with wheat, until he died.His last order was allegedly to nail the flag of the Tonnant to her mizzen-mast and never to surrender the ship.
The Tonnant was eventually captured by the British.