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The Battle of the Saintes (known to the French as the Battle of Dominica) took place over 4 days, 9 April - 12 April 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, and was a victory of a British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a French fleet under the Comte de Grasse. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica, is an Island nation in the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Admiral George Brydges Rodney 1st Baron Rodney, KB ( 13 February, 1719 &ndash May 24 1792) was a British François Joseph Paul marquis de Grasse Tilly comte de Grasse (1722 – January 14 1788 in Paris) was a French Admiral. The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica, is an Island nation in the Caribbean Sea. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 Admiral George Brydges Rodney 1st Baron Rodney, KB ( 13 February, 1719 &ndash May 24 1792) was a British This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. François Joseph Paul marquis de Grasse Tilly comte de Grasse (1722 – January 14 1788 in Paris) was a French Admiral.
The battle is named after the Saintes (or Saints), a group of islands between Guadeloupe and Dominica in the West Indies. The Îles des Saintes (literally "Islands of the Saints" also called simply Les Saintes, are a group of Islands within the French overseas department Guadeloupe is an island group or Archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at, with a land area of 1628 square kilometres (629 sq The Commonwealth of Dominica, commonly known as Dominica, is an Island nation in the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Interestingly, the French fleet defeated here by the Royal Navy was the same French fleet that had blockaded the British Army in at Yorktown, severing all hope of an evacuation for the vastly outnumbered troops trapped by a combined American-French army. The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington
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Origins
On April 7, 1782, the Comte de Grasse set out from Martinique with 35 ships of the line, including 2 50-gun ships and a large convoy of more than 100 cargo ships, to meet with a Spanish fleet consisting of 12 ships of the line and 15,000 troops to capture the British island of Jamaica. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Martinique is an Island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, having a land area of 1128 km² A ship-of-the-line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th century through the mid-19th century to take part in the the naval tactic known as the Line of battle Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. He was pursued by Rodney with 36 ships of the line. A ship-of-the-line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th century through the mid-19th century to take part in the the naval tactic known as the Line of battle
On 9 April 1782, De Grasse sent his convoy into Guadeloupe, escorted by his two fifty-gun ships. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1782 ( MDCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common There was an initial inconclusive clash during which the French got the better of the van division of the British fleet which had become separated from the centre and rear divisions. Two French ships of the line were damaged.
Battle
On 12 April, De Grasse bore up with his fleet to protect a dismasted ship that was being chased by four British ships as he made for Guadaloupe. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Rodney recalled his chasing ships and made the signal for line of battle. As the French line passed down the British line, a sudden shift of wind let Rodney’s flagship Formidable and several other ships, including the Duke and the Bedford, break through the French line, raking the ships as they did so. The resultant confusion in the French line and the severe damage to several of the French ships including De Grasse's flagship Ville de Paris, 104, led eventually to De Grasse’s surrender and the retreat of many of his ships in disorder. This action split the French battle line into two. A general chase ensued. In all, four French ships were captured and one, César, blew up after she was taken.
The British lost 243 killed and 816 wounded, and two captains out of 36 were killed. The French loss in killed and wounded has never been stated, but of captains alone, six were killed out of 30. It is estimated that the French loss may have been as much as 8,000. A total of of over 5,000 French soldiers and sailors were captured. The large number shows what a considerable force the French were willing to put ashore with the invasion of Jamaica. Of the Ville de Paris' crew, over 400 had been killed and more than 700 were wounded
Aftermath
The battle frustrated French and Spanish hopes of capturing Jamaica from the British. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. Rodney was created a peer with £2,000 a year settled on the title in perpetuity for this victory. The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system.
The battle has caused controversy ever since, for three reasons:
- Rodney’s failure to follow up the victory by a pursuit was much criticised. Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood said that the 20 French ships would have been captured had the commander-in-chief chased. For other related uses see Admiral Hood Samuel Hood 1st Viscount Hood ( 12 December 1724 &ndash 27 January On 17 April, Hood was sent in pursuit of the enemy. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. He promptly captured two of the line in the Mona Passage.
- The battle is famous for the tactic of "breaking the line", in which the British ships passed though a gap in the French line, engaging the enemy from leeward and throwing them into disorder. But there is considerable controversy about whether the tactic was intentional, and, if not, who was responsible for the idea (Rodney, his Captain-of-the-Fleet Sir Charles Douglas, or John Clerk of Eldin). Rear Admiral Sir Charles Douglas 1st Baronet of Carr (b 1727 &ndash d
- On the French side, de Grasse blamed his subordinates, Vaudreuil and Bougainville, for his defeat. Louis-Philippe Rigaud Marquis de Vaudreuil ( October 28, 1724 &ndash December 14, 1802) was second in command of the French Navy during Louis-Antoine comte de Bougainville ( November 12 1729 Paris - August 31 1811 Paris) was a French navigator and military
Ships involved
BritainAgamemnon (64)- Capt. Benjamin Caldwell | FranceArdent (64) - (formerly British - captured) |
References
- Douglas, General Howard, Naval Evolutions: A Memoir (1830)
- Fullom, S. James Saumarez 1st Baron de Saumarez or Sausmarez GCB ( 11 March 1757 &ndash 9 October 1836) was an Admiral of the British Admiral Sir William Cornwallis, GCB ( 10 February 1744 - 5 July 1819) was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Five ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Torbay, after Torbay on the southwest English coast Career The Ardent was first commissioned in October 1774 under Captain Sir George Douglas. Louis-Antoine comte de Bougainville ( November 12 1729 Paris - August 31 1811 Paris) was a French navigator and military The legend The incident gave rise to the legend first reported to the National Convention, that the ship sank with her crew who chose to go down with the ship rather than Pluton was a 74-gun French Ship of the line built at Rochefort. The Triomphant was a Ship of the line of the French Navy. Built in Toulon in 1778 she was launched in 1779 Jean François de Galaup comte de La Pérouse (23 August 1741&ndash1788? was a French Navy officer and Explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania. François Joseph Paul marquis de Grasse Tilly comte de Grasse (1722 – January 14 1788 in Paris) was a French Admiral. W. , Life of General Sir Howard Douglas, Bart. (1865)
- Mahan, A. T. , Major Operations of the Navies in the War of Independence (1913)
- Mahan, A. T. , Types of Naval Officers, Drawn from the History of the British Navy (1901)
- Mundy, Major-General, The Life and Correspondence of the Late Admiral Lord Rodney (1830)
- Playfair, John. “On the Naval Tactics of the Late John Clerk, Esq. of Eldin. ” The Works of John Playfair, Vol. III (1822)
- “Rodney’s Battle of 12th April, 1782: A Statement of Some Important Facts, Supported by Authentic Documents, Relating to the Operation of Breaking the Enemy’s Line, as Practiced for the First Time in the Celebrated Battle of 12th April, 1782. ” Quarterly Review, vol. XLII, no. LXXXIII, January & March, 1830
- Trew, Peter, Rodney and the Breaking of the Line (2006)
See also
American war 1775–1778 Before France entered the conflict in 1778 the naval war consisted of many small operationsDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic