Victor Olivier de Puymanel (1768 in Carpentras – 1799 in Malacca), Nguyễn Văn Tín (阮文信) or Ông TínÔng Tín means Mr. Tín in Vietnamese. in Vietnamese,East Asian Cultural Studies - Page 204 by Yunesuko Higashi Ajia Bunka Kenkyū Sentā (Tokyo, Japan) - East Asia - 1962: "Among those who participated in his venture, there were De Forcant (surnamed Le Văn Lang in Vietnamese), Olivier de Puymanel (Ong Tin), Philippe Vannier..." was a French construction officer and a French Navy volunteer and adventurer who had an important role in Vietnam in the 18th century. He played a key role in the modernization of the army of Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (the future Emperor Gia Long).Mantienne, p.153

Olivier de Puymanel was second-class volunteer on board the French warship Dryade. In 1788 he deserted his ship while in Pulo Condor.Mantienne, p.150 He soon entered into the service of the Vietnamese prince Nguyễn Phúc Ánh at the instigation of Pigneau de Behaine, who was setting up a force of French volunteers to help the latter regain the throne.The Vietnamese Response to French Intervention, 1862-1874 by Mark W. McLeod, p.11

Olivier de Puymanel supervised the construction of the Citadel of Saigon, according to the design of the French engineer in Vietnam Théodore Lebrun.Mantienne, p.151

He also trained Vietnamese troops in the modern use of artillery, and implemented European infantry methods in the Vietnamese army of Nguyễn Phúc Ánh. In 1792, Olivier de Puymanel was commanding an army of 600 men who had been trained with European techniques.

Puymanel built a fortress in Duyên Khanh, near Nha Trang, where he defended the city against Tây Sơn forces, together with Pigneau de Behaine and Prince Cảnh. In 1795, Puymanel engineered the campaign to take Nha Trang.Viet Nam: Borderless Histories - Page 204 by Nhung Tuyet Tran, Anthony Reid

Puymanel is said to have help organize train the men of Nguyen's army,Colonialism By Melvin Eugene Page, Penny M. Sonnenburg, p.723 while Dayot was in charge of the Navy.European warfare, 1660-1815 by Jeremy Black p.24: "Puymanel was responsible for the army, Jean Marie Dayot for the navy." The results of these French efforts at the modernization of Vietnamese forces were attested by John Crawfurd, who visited Huế in 1822:

Olivier de Puymanel also worked on the cartography of the Vietnamese coast, together with Jean-Marie Dayot, another French officer in the service of Nguyễn Phúc Ánh.

Pigneau de Behaine and Puymanel seem to have disliked each other, and Pigneau was rather unimpressed with Puymanel's drinking habits and reliance on Saigon prostitutes.Viet Nam: Borderless Histories - Page 204-205 by Nhung Tuyet Tran, Anthony Reid

See also

France-Vietnam relations

Notes

References Mantienne, Frédéric 1999 Monseigneur Pigneau de Béhaine, Editions Eglises d'Asie, 128 Rue du Bac, Paris,