The
Battle of the Saintes (known to the French as the Battle of
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
) took place over 4 days, 9 April 1782 – 12 April 1782, during the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
, and was a victory of a
BritishThe Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801...
fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney over a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
fleet under the Comte de Grasse.
The battle is named after the
SaintesThe Îles des Saintes , also called simply Les Saintes, are a group of islands within the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. They are located about 15 km southwest of Guadeloupe at and as such belong to the Lesser Antilles. Their land area is 12.8 km² The Îles des Saintes (literally,...
(or Saints), a group of islands between
GuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the eastern Caribbean Sea at , with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres . It is an overseas department of France. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe is also one of the twenty-six regions of France and an integral part of the Republic...
and
DominicaDominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an...
in the West Indies. The French fleet defeated here by the Royal Navy was the same French fleet that had blockaded the British Army in at
YorktownThe Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by General Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by General Lord Cornwallis...
, severing all hope of an evacuation for the vastly outnumbered troops trapped by a combined American-French army.
Origins
On April 7 1782, the Comte de Grasse set out from
MartiniqueMartinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . It is an overseas department of France. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of...
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
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. He was pursued by Rodney with 36 ships of the line.
On 9 April 1782, De Grasse sent his convoy into Guadeloupe, escorted by his two fifty-gun ships. 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. Rodney recalled his chasing ships and made the signal for
line of battleIn naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line, end-to-end. Its origins are traditionally ascribed to the navy of the Commonwealth of England, especially to General at Sea Robert Blake who wrote the Sailing and Fighting Instructions of 1653...
. 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 ParisThe Ville de Paris was a large three-decker French ship of the line that became famous as the flagship of the Comte de Grasse during the American War of Independence....
, 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 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 hopes of capturing
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
from the British. Rodney was created a
peerThe Peerage is a system of titles in the United Kingdom, which represents the upper ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system. The term is used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titles, and individually to refer to a specific title...
with £2,000 a year settled on the title in perpetuity for this victory. Hood was elevated to the peerage as well.
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
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He is amongst those credited with developing the concept of breaking the line which became an important part of naval tactics during the age...
said that the 20 French ships would have been captured had the commander-in-chief chased. On 17 April, Hood was sent in pursuit of the enemy. He promptly captured two of the line in the Mona Passage.
- The battle is famous for the innovative 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 so, who was responsible for the idea (Rodney, his Captain-of-the-Fleet Sir Charles Douglas, or John Clerk of Eldin).
- On the French side, de Grasse blamed his subordinates, Vaudreuil
Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil was second in command of the French Navy during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:...
and BougainvilleLouis-Antoine, comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer.- Early career :Bougainville was born in Paris, the son of a notary, on either 11 or 12 November 1729. In early life, he studied law, but soon abandoned the profession, and in 1753 entered the army in the corps of musketeers...
, for his defeat.
Britain
AgamemnonHMS Agamemnon was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She saw service in the American Revolutionary, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and fought in many of the major naval battles of those conflicts...
(64)- Capt.
Benjamin CaldwellAdmiral Sir Benjamin Caldwell, GCB was a senior and highly experienced British Royal Navy officer of the eighteenth century whose many victories and achievements were overshadowed by his acrimonious departure from the Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars after highly publicised disputes with...
AjaxHMS Ajax was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 23 December 1767 at Portsmouth Dockyard. She was designed by William Bateley, and was the only ship built to her draught....
(74) - Capt. N. Charrington
AlcideHMS Alcide was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 30 July 1779 at Deptford Dockyard.She fought at the battles of Cape St Vincent and Martinique in 1780, and the battles of St. Kitts and the Saintes in 1782....
(74) - Capt. Charles Thompson
AlfredHMS Alfred was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 October 1778 at Chatham.She fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780.Alfred was broken up in 1814....
(74) - Capt. W. Bayne
AnsonHMS Anson was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Plymouth on 4 September 1781 by Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire....
(64) - Capt. William Blair
AmericaHMS America was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 August 1777 at Deptford.On 5 September 1781, she took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake, and in 1795 she was part of the British fleet at the Battle of Muizenberg....
(64) - Capt. S. Thompson
ArrogantHMS Arrogant was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 22 January 1761 at Harwich. She was the first of the Arrogant class ships of the line, designed by Sir Thomas Slade....
(74) - Capt. S. Cornish
BarfleurHMS Barfleur was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Thomas Slade on the lines of the 100-gun ship Royal William, and launched at Chatham Dockyard on 30 July 1768, at a cost of £49,222. In about 1780, she had another eight guns added to her quarterdeck, making...
(90) - Flagship of
Sir Samuel HoodSamuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood was a British Admiral known particularly for his service in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He is amongst those credited with developing the concept of breaking the line which became an important part of naval tactics during the age...
, Capt. John Knight
BedfordHMS Bedford was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 27 October 1775 at Woolwich.In 1780, Bedford fought at the Battle of Cape St Vincent....
(74) - Commodore Edmund Affleck, Capt. T. Graves
BelliqueuxHMS Belliqueux was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 June 1780 at Blackwall. She was named after the French ship captured in 1758....
(64) - Capt. A. Sutherland
(74)- Capt. William Cornwallis
CentaurCentaure was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, launched in 1757.She was captured at the Battle of Lagos by the Royal Navy on 18 August 1759, and commissioned as the third rate HMS Centaur....
(74) - Capt. J. Inglefield
ConquerorHMS Conqueror was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 October 1773 at Plymouth.She was broken up in 1794....
(74) - George Balfour
DukeHMS Duke was a 98-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 18 October 1777 at Plymouth.Duke was employed on harbour service from 1799, and was broken up in 1843....
(98) - Capt. Alan Gardner
FameHMS Fame was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford on 1 January 1759. She was designed by William Bateley, and was the only ship ever built to her draught....
(74) - Capt. Robert Barbor
(98) - Flagship of
Admiral RodneyAdmiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer.- Early career :He was born in Walton-on-Thames, though the family seat was Rodney Stoke, Somerset...
, Capt. Sir Charles Douglas
HerculesHMS Hercules was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 15 March 1759 at Deptford Dockyard.She was sold out of the service in 1784....
(74) - Capt. H. Savage
Magnificent (74) - Capt. Robert Linzee
MarlboroughHMS Marlborough was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 26 August 1767 at Deptford. She was one of the Ramillies class built to update the Navy and replace ships lost following the Seven Years' War. She was first commissioned in 1771 under Captain Richard Bickerton...
(74) - Capt. T. Penny
MonarchHMS Monarch was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 20 July 1765 at Deptford Dockyard.Monarch had a very active career, fighting in her first battle in 1778 at the First Battle of Ushant and her second under Admiral Rodney at Cape St. Vincent in 1780. She fought in...
(74) - Capt. F. Reynolds
MontaguHMS Montagu, sometimes spelled Montague, was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 August 1779 at Chatham Dockyard....
(74) - Capt. George Bowen
Namur (90) - Capt. R. Fanshawe
NonsuchHMS Nonsuch was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 17 December 1774 at Plymouth.In July 1780 Nonsuch destroyed the corvette Hussard and on 14 July captured the 26-gun frigate Belle Poule of the Loire....
(64) - Capt. W. Truscott
(98) - Capt. J. Williams
Prince William (64) - Capt. G. Wilkinson
Princessa (70) - 3rd flag of Admiral Samuel Drake, Capt. C. Knatchbull
Prothée (64) - Capt. C. Buckner
RepulseHMS Repulse was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 November 1780 at East Cowes, on the Isle of Wight....
(64) - Capt. T. Dumaresq
ResolutionHMS Resolution was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 12 April 1770 at Deptford Dockyard.She participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780, the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781, and the Battle of the Saintes in 1782.Resolution was broken up in 1813....
(74) - Capt. Lord Robert Manners
Royal OakHMS Royal Oak was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 13 November 1769 at Plymouth.She fought at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781....
(74) - Capt. T. Burnett
RussellHMS Russell was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 November 1764 at Deptford.In 1782, she was commanded by Captain James Saumarez at the Battle of the Saintes. In 1794 she was part of Admiral Howe's fleet at the Glorious First of June, and in the following year...
(74) - Capt.
James SaumarezJames Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez , GCB was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.-Early life:...
St AlbansHMS St Albans was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 12 September 1764 at Blackwall.From 1803, she was used as a floating battery, and was broken up in 1814....
(64) -
William CornwallisAdmiral Sir William Cornwallis, GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
TorbayFive ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Torbay, after Torbay on the southwest English coast.* HMS Torbay, an 80-gun second rate launched in 1693, rebuilt in 1719 and broken up in 1749....
(74) - Capt. J.L. Gidoin
WarriorHMS Warrior was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 18 October 1781 at Portsmouth.In 1801, she was part of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker's reserve squadron at the Battle of Copenhagen, and so did not participate in the battle...
(74) - Captain Sir J. Wallace
Yarmouth (64) - Capt. A. Parrey
ValiantHMS Valiant was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 10 August 1759 at Chatham Dockyard.In 1799 she was placed on harbour service, and was eventually broken up in 1826....
(74) - Capt. G.S. Goodall
France
ArdentHMS Ardent was a 64-gun, Third Rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was built by contract by Hugh Blaydes at Hull according to the plans of Sir Thomas Slade, and launched on 13 August 1764 as the first ship of the...
(64) - (formerly British - captured)
AugusteThe Auguste was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In 1781 and 1782, she took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, under Admiral de Grasse. She fought at the Battle of the Chesapeake under captain Bougainville....
(80) -
BougainvilleLouis-Antoine, comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer.- Early career :Bougainville was born in Paris, the son of a notary, on either 11 or 12 November 1729. In early life, he studied law, but soon abandoned the profession, and in 1753 entered the army in the corps of musketeers...
BourgogneThe Duc de Bourgogne was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.She was commissioned in 1772, and served in the squadron of the Mediterranean, with a refit in 1775, and another in 1778....
(74)
Brave (74)
César{| |}The César was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.She took part in the American war of Independence under Captain de Raimondis. On 16 August 1778, she fought against HMS Iris....
(74) - (captured, but burnt)
Citoyen (74)
ConquérantThe Conquérant was a Citoyen class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.She took part in the Battle of the Nile, where she was captured by HMS Audacious. She was subsequently recommissioned in the Royal Navy.- External links :*...
(74)
CouronneThe Couronne was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In 1792, she was renamed Ça Ira.On 13 March 1795, under Captain Coudé, she was part of a French squadron of 13 ships, under contre-amiral Martin. Off Alassio the French met a 15-ship English fleet under Lord Hotham...
(80) - Mithon de Genouilly
Dauphin Royal (70)
Destin (74)
DiadèmeThe Diadème was the lead ship of the Diadème class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.On 17 March 1757, along with the 64-gun Éveillé, she captured HMS Greenwich off Saint-Domingue....
(74)
Duc de BourgogneThe Duc de Bourgogne was a 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.She was refitted twice, in and 1761 and 1779, having har hull copered....
(80)
Éveillé (64)
GlorieuxThe French ship Glorieux was a second rate 74 gun ship in the French Navy. Built by Clairin Deslauriers at Rochefort and launched on 10 August 1756, she was rebuilt in 1777....
(74) - (captured)
Hector{| |}The Hector was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class .She took part in the American War of Independence, capturing HMS Thunder and HMS Senegal in 1788....
(74) - (captured)
Hercule (74)
LanguedocThe Languedoc was a ship of the line of the French Navy and flagship of Admiral d'Estaing.She was offered to King Louis XV by the Languedoc, as part of a national effort to rebuild the navy after the Seven Years' War. She was designed by the naval architect Joseph Coulomb.In 1776, France decided to...
(80)
MagnanimeThe Magnanime was a 74-gun of the French Navy, lead ship of her classShe took part in the American War of Independence in De Grasse's squadron, most notably in the Battle of the Saintes, where she trailed with Zélée, in the Battle of St...
(74)
Magnifique (74)
MarseillaisThe Vengeur du Peuple was a 74 gun ship of the line of the French Navy launched in 1762.Originally offered by the city of Marseille, and named the Marseillois , she saw action during the American War of Independence...
(74)
NeptuneThe Neptune was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.Under Latouche Tréville, she catpured a 30-gun British privateer named Hercules on 28 October 1778.In 1782, she was part of de Grasse's squadron...
(74)
NorthumberlandThe Northumberland was a 74-gun Annibal class ship of the line of the French Navy.She took part in the Battle of the Saintes under captain Saint Cézaire, who was killed in the action. In 1782, she captured the 14-gun sloop HMS Allegiance....
(74)
Palmier (74)
PlutonPluton was a of Scipion class 74-gun French ship of the line built at Rochefort.She fought in a series of battles during the American War of Independence, including the battles of Martinique , Fort Royal , Chesapeake , St. Kitts, , and the Saintes .She was renamed Dugommier in 1797 and seems to...
(74)
Réfléchi (64)
Richemond (frigate) - Montemart
SceptreThe Sceptre was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In 1781 and 1782, she took part in the Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, under Admiral de Grasse. She fought at the Battle of the Chesapeake and at the Battle of the Saintes...
(74)
ScipionThe Scipion was a French warship of the 18th century, lead ship of her class.Scipion took part in the American War of Independence, notably sailing at the rear of the French squadron at the Battle of the Chesapeake....
(74)
SouverainThe Souverain was a 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, lead ship of her class.She took part in the Battle of the Chesapeake, in 1781. In 1792, she was renamed Peuple Souverain ....
(74)
TriomphantThe Triomphant was an 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.Laid down in Toulon in March 1778 by the designer-constructeur Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb, she was launched on 31 March 1779 and completed in June 1779. She took part in the three battles at Guichen in 1780 and served in the American...
(80) - Vaudreuil
Ville de ParisThe Ville de Paris was a large three-decker French ship of the line that became famous as the flagship of the Comte de Grasse during the American War of Independence....
(104) - flagship of
Amiral de GrasseFrançois-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse François-Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse (13 September 1722, Bar-sur-Loup (Alpes-Maritimes) – 11 January 1788, Tilly (Yvelines) was a French admiral.-...
(captured)