Battle of Grenada explained

Conflict:Battle of Grenada
Partof:the American Revolutionary War
Date:6 July 1779
Place:Off Grenada, Caribbean Sea
Coordinates:12.05°N -61.75°W
Result:French victory[1]
Commander1: Charles Henri Hector
Strength2:21 ships of the line
Strength1:25 ships of the line
Casualties2:183 killed,
346 wounded
Casualties1:173 killed
773 wounded

The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the American Revolutionary War in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy, just off the coast of Grenada. A British fleet led by Admiral John Byron (the grandfather of Lord Byron) had sailed in an attempt to relieve Grenada, which the French forces of the Comte D'Estaing had just captured.

Incorrectly believing he had numerical superiority, Byron ordered a general chase to attack the French as they left their anchorage at Grenada. Because of the disorganized attack and the French Navy's numerical superiority, Byron's fleet was badly mauled in the encounter, although no ships were lost on either side. Naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan described the battle as "the most disastrous... that the British Navy had encountered since Beachy Head, in 1690."[2]

Background

Following the entry of France into the American War of Independence as an American ally in early 1778, French Admiral the Comte D'Estaing arrived in the West Indies in early December 1778 in command of a fleet consisting of 12 ships of the line and a number of smaller vessels.[3] At about the same time, a British fleet under Admiral William Hotham also arrived, augmenting the fleet of Admiral Samuel Barrington.[4] The British then captured French-held St. Lucia, despite d'Estaing's attempt at relief. The British used St. Lucia to monitor the major French base at Martinique, where d'Estaing was headquartered.[5]

The British fleet was further reinforced in January 1779 by ten ships of the line under Admiral John Byron, who assumed command of the British Leeward Islands station.[6] Throughout the first half of 1779, both fleets received further reinforcements, after which the French fleet was slightly superior to that of the British.[7] Furthermore, Byron departed St. Lucia on 6 June in order to provide escort services to British merchant ships gathering at St. Kitts for a convoy to Europe, leaving d'Estaing free to act. D'Estaing and Governor Bouillé seized the opportunity to begin a series of operations against nearby British possessions.[8]

Their first target, the isle of Saint Vincent, fell on 18 June, and d'Estaing turned his attention to other islands. He had hoped to capture the key British possession, Barbados, but after making no progress against the prevailing easterly trade winds, he turned his attention instead to Grenada.[9] The French fleet arrived off Grenada on 2 July, and stormed its main defences beginning late on 3 July. Terms of capitulation were agreed on 4 July.[10] On the way, the French squadron met the 50-gun Fier Rodrigue, under Chevalier de Montault, a letter of marque belonging to Beaumarchais and escorting a convoy. They commandeered Fier Rodrigue, and she took a place in the French line of battle.

Admiral Byron had been alerted to the French action at Saint Vincent, and was sailing with a force to recapture it. When news arrived that the French were at Grenada, he immediately changed course to meet them.[10] The British fleet consisted of 21 ships of the line and 1 frigate. Because he was escorting troop transports and was short of frigates, three ships of the line were assigned duty to escort the transports. Admiral d'Estaing was warned on July 5 of Byron's approach, and promptly reembarked most of his troops. His fleet consisted of 25 ships of the line and a large number of frigates and smaller vessels.[11] Admiral Byron was unaware of d'Estaing's full strength, since during his absence d'Estaing had been reinforced by a squadron from Europe under Lamotte-Picquet.[8]

Battle

The French were anchored off St. George's Town on the southwest of the island, and the British approached during the night. D'Estaing weighed anchor at 4:00 am when the British fleet was spotted, ordering his ships to form a line of battle in order of speed (that is, without regard to the usual sailing order), heading roughly northward.[12] This masked the true strength of the French fleet as each ship left the cluster at the anchorage. Believing his force to be superior, Byron gave the order for general chase, approaching the anchorage from the northeast.[13]

When Byron finally became aware of the full French strength, he attempted to reform a battle line. As a result, the British attack was disordered and confused., and two other ships got separated from the main body and were very badly mauled. Lion was forced to run downwind to Jamaica to avoid capture. The French lost no ships and eventually hauled off. The British lost 183 killed and 346 wounded. Fame had four killed and nine wounded. The French lost 190 killed and 759 wounded.

Aftermath

D'Estaing returned to Grenada to make repairs while Byron made for St. Kitts to do the same. The French admiral failed to capitalise on his superior strength to launch further attacks in the West Indies. Byron returned home in August. D'Estaing, after co-operating unsuccessfully with the Americans in an attack on Savannah in September also returned to Europe.

The action was a stepping stone into a career in the Navy for Ganteaume, then 22, who served as an auxiliary officer on Fier Rodrigue, who eventually rose to Vice Admiral.

Order of battle

French fleet

Admiral d'Estaing' fleet
width=8%; align= center rowspan=2 Divisionwidth=17%; align= center rowspan=2 Shipwidth=5%; align= center rowspan=2 Typewidth=25%; align= center rowspan=2 Commanderwidth=9%; align= center colspan=3 Casualtieswidth=36%; align= center rowspan=2 Notes
width=3%; align= center Killedwidth=3%; align= center Woundedwidth=3%; align= center Total
Escadre blanche et bleue (vanguard)
<--Third Division-->align= left Zéléalign= center 74align= left Captain Jacques-Melchior Saint-Laurent, Comte de Barrasalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Fantasquealign= center 64align= left Captain Pierre André de Suffrenalign= center 22align= center 43align= center 65align= left First officer Campredon killed.
<--First Division-->align= left Magnifiquealign= center 74align= left Captain François-Louis de Brachalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Tonnantalign= center 80align= left Lieutenant-General Pierre-Claude Haudeneau de Breugnon
Captain Bruyères-Chalabre		align= center align= center align= center align= left Division and Squadron flagship
Division information-->align= left Protecteuralign= center 74align= left Captain Étienne de Grasse-Limermontalign= center align= center align= center align= left
<--Second Division-->align= left Fieralign= center 74align= left Captain Jean-Baptiste Turpin du Breuilalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Provencealign= center 64align= left Captain Victor-Louis Desmichels de Champorcinalign= center align= center align= center align= left Joseph-François-Félix Garnier de Saint-Antonin assumed command
Escadre blanche (centre)
<--Third Division-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain Louis-Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuilalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Antoine de Thomassin de Peynieralign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Fier-Rodriguealign= center 50align= left Captain Montaultalign= center align= center align= center align= left
<--First Division-->align= left Hectoralign= center 74align= left Captain Pierre de Moriès-Castelletalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Languedocalign= center 80align= left Vice-Admiral Charles Henri Hector d'Estaing
Captain Henri-Louis de Boulainvilliers de Croy		align= center align= center align= center align= left Division, Squadron and Fleet flagship
Division information-->align= left Robustealign= center 74align= left Chef d'Escadre François Joseph Paul de Grassealign= center align= center align= center align= left
<--Second Division-->align= left Vaillantalign= center 64align= left Captain Joseph-Bernard de Chabert-Cogolinalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Sagittairealign= center 50align= left Captain François Hector d'Albert de Rionsalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Guerrieralign= center 74align= left Captain Louis Antoine de Bougainvillealign= center align= center align= center align= left
Escadre bleue (rear)
<--Third Division-->align= left Sphinxalign= center 64align= left Captain Claude-René Pâris de Soulangesalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Diadèmealign= center 74align= left Captain Charles Picot de Dampierrealign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 50align= left Captain Ferron de Quengoalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information--><--Second Division-->align= left Marseillaisalign= center 74align= left Captain Louis-Armand de La Poype de Vertrieuxalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Césaralign= center 74align= left Chef d'Escadre Jean-Joseph de Rafélis de Broves
Captain Jean-Baptiste de Moriès de Castellet		align= center align= center align= center align= left Division and Squadron flag
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Jean-Georges du Croiset de Retzalign= center align= center align= center align= left
<--Second Division-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Armand-François Cillart de Suvillealign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Annibalalign= center 74align= left Chef d'Escadre Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Mottealign= center 59align= center 90align= center 149align= left
Reconnaissance and signals
<--Second Division-->align= left Alcmènealign= center 26align= left Captain Pierre-René-Bénigne-Mériadec de Bonnevalalign= center align= center align= center align= left
Division information-->align= left Aimablealign= center 26align= left Captain Antoine-Stanislas de Curières de Castelnau Saint-Cosme Sainte-Eulaliealign= center align= center align= center align= left
Total losses: 173 killed, 773 wounded, 949 total

British fleet

Admiral Byron's fleet
width=17%; align= center rowspan=2 Shipwidth=5%; align= center rowspan=2 Gunswidth=25%; align= center rowspan=2 Commanderwidth=9%; align= center colspan=3 Casualtieswidth=36%; align= center rowspan=2 Notes
width=3%; align= center Killedwidth=3%; align= center Woundedwidth=3%; align= center Total
Van
align= left align= center 74align= left Rear-Admiral Joshua Rowley
Captain Hugh Cloberry Christian		align= center 7align= center 25align= center 32align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 70align= left Captain Herbert Sawyeralign= center 12align= center 30align= center 42align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain Thomas Fitzherbertalign= center 4align= center 12align= center 16align= left
align= left align= center 74align= left Vice-Admiral Samuel Barrington
Captain Benjamin Hill		align= center 26align= center 46align= center 72align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain John Elphinstonealign= center 8align= center 11align= center 19align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Anthony James Pye Molloyalign= center 3align= center 6align= center 9align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 60align= left Captain William Affleckalign= center 0align= center 4align= center 4align= left
Centre
align= left align= center 74align= left Captain John Butchartalign= center 4align= center 9align= center 13align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Walter Griffithalign= center 0align= center 0align= center 0align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain Alan Gardneralign= center 16align= center 39align= center 55align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 90align= left Vice-Admiral John Byron
Captain William Blair		align= center 3align= center 6align= center 9align= left Fleet flagship
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain George Bowyeralign= center 0align= center 2align= center 2align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Robert Carkettalign= center 2align= center 6align= center 8align= left
align= left align= center 74align= left Captain William Truscottalign= center 1align= center 2align= center 3align= left
Rear
align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Nathaniel Batemanalign= center 0align= center 0align= center 0align= left
align= left align= center 64align= left Captain William Cornwallisalign= center 21align= center 30align= center 51align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Sir Digby Dentalign= center 0align= center 0align= center 0align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker
Captain Harry Harmood		align= center 0align= center 0align= center 0align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain Timothy Edwardsalign= center 16align= center 27align= center 43align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 64align= left Captain Robert Fanshawealign= center 25align= center 28align= center 53align= left
Division information-->align= left align= center 74align= left Captain Thomas Collingwoodalign= center 35align= center 63align= center 98align= left
Reconnaissance and signals
align= left align= center 20align= left Captain Thomas Pringlealign= center 0align= center 0align= center 0align= left
Casualties: 183 killed, 346 wounded, 529 total

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. [#Castex|Castex (2004)]
  2. Mahan, pp. 438–439
  3. Mahan, pp. 429–431
  4. Mahan, p. 429
  5. Mahan, pp. 429–432
  6. Colomb, p. 388
  7. Colomb, pp. 388–389
  8. Colomb, p. 389
  9. Colomb, p. 390
  10. Colomb, p. 391
  11. Mahan, pp. 434–435
  12. Mahan, p. 435
  13. Mahan, pp. 435, 437

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