1835-1873

French naval officer and explorer who graduated from the Ecole Navale and then went to China, where he took part in the 1860 Anglo-French Pa-li-chau victory. Transferred to Cochin China, Garnier was to become the first officer and later the commander of the Mekong River exploration (1866 to 1868). His life ended while defending Hanoi's citadel against an attack by the Pavillons Noirs rebels. Garnier's military feats and scientific achievements served as a catalyst for the French penetration into Indochina.