Battle of Saint Kitts

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The Battle of Saint Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, was a naval battle fought on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse.

Background

When Hood returned to the West Indies in late 1781 after the Battle of the Chesapeake, he was for a time in independent command owing to Admiral George Rodney's absence in England. The French admiral, the Comte de Grasse, attacked the British islands of St Kitts and Nevis with 7,000 troops and 50 warships, including the 110-gun Ville de Paris. He started by besieging the British fortress on Brimstone Hill on 11 January 1782. Hoping to salvage the situation, Hood made for St Kitts by departing Antigua on 22 January with 22 ships of the line, compared to de Grasse's 36.[1]

Action

The British fleet on 24 January consisted of 22 sail of the line, and was close off the southeast end of Nevis. They ran into and captured the French 16-gun cutter Espion, which carried a large amount of ammunition for the besieging French forces at Brimstone Hill.

At daybreak on 25 January, the French fleet was discovered having stood to the southward of Basseterre, consisting of a 110-gun ship, 28 two-decked ships, and two frigates. Hood stood towards the French fleet with the apparent intention of bringing on action, and effectively drew the French fleet off the land. As soon as Hood effected this maneuver, he was aided by a favorable change in wind and was able to guide his fleet within the anchorage of Basseterre, which the French admiral had just quit. Hood ordered his fleet in an L-formation and then ordered his fleet to lay anchor. De Grasse made three distinct attacks upon the British fleet on 26 January but was repulsed.[2]

The Pluton, commanded by D'Albert de Rions, led the French line, "receiving the crashing broadside of ship after ship until the splintered planking flew from her off side and her rigging hung in a tangled mass." Chauvent goes on to describe the battle as "...a sulphurous hell, with cannon vomiting forth flame and death." The entire battle lasted from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm, with the major action in the afternoon.[1]

File:Bataille de Saint Kitts janvier 1782.jpg
Repulse of the French in Frigate Bay, St Kitts, 26 January 1782, oil on canvas by Thomas Maynard

Aftermath

Script error: No such module "labelled list hatnote". Damage on both sides was heavy, though the French suffered higher casualties. However, Hood was unable to stop the French and could only observe the land action. After the successful French siege of Brimstone Hill fortress, St Kitts and Nevis surrendered on 12 February.[1]

Hood left on the 14th and joined forces with the recently arrived Admiral George Rodney.

Order of battle

Britain

Admiral Sir Samuel Hood's fleet[3][4]
Ship Rate Guns Commander Casualties Notes
Killed Wounded Total
Van
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain Charles Inglis
0
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0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Charles Thompson
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
4
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
6
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain Anthony James Pye Molloy
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
HMS Torbay Third rate 74 Captain John Lewis Gidoin
0
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0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 70 Rear-Admiral Francis Samuel Drake
Captain Charles Knatchbull
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
4
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
6
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Flagship of van
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Second rate 98 Captain James Williams
1
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
3
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
4
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Nicholas Charrington
1
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
13
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Centre
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain George Wilkinson
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
3
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
3
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain John Knight
3
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
7
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
10
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Charles Saxton
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Second rate 98 Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood
Captain Alexander Hood
9
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24
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
33
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Flagship of centre
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Francis Reynolds
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
4
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain Lord Cranstoun
5
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
7
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain John Nicholson Inglefield
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain William Bayne
2
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20
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Rear
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Henry Edwyn Stanhope
8
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
29
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
37
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain Lord Robert Manners
5
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
11
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
16
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Commodore Edmund Affleck
Captain Thomas Graves
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
15
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
17
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		Flagship of Rear
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain William Cornwallis
1
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
13
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain Andrew Barclay
18
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
36
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
54
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 74 Captain George Bowen
7
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
23
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
30
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Third rate 64 Captain Samuel Thompson
1
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17
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
18
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Attached frigates
Van
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 20 Captain George Wilson
0
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0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Centre
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain John Stanhope
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain Hugh Cloberry Christian
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain Edmund Dod
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 20 Captain Thomas West
1
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		To repeat signals
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Fifth rate 32 Captain Henry Harvey
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain John M’Laurin
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Rear
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain John Norton
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
0
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Sixth rate 28 Captain Charles Everitt
0
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0
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0
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Total recorded casualties: 72 killed, 244 wounded

France

Admiral de Grasse's fleet Template:Sfnp
Division Ship Guns Commander Casualties Notes
Killed Wounded Total
Souverain 74 Glandevès du Castellet
Hercule 74 Chadeau de la Clocheterie
Languedoc 80 Arros d'Argelos
Duc de Bourgogne 80 Champmartin
Barras de Saint-Laurent (Lieutenant General)
Marseillais 74 Castellane Majastre
Jason 64 Couète de Villages
Magnanime 74 Le Bègue de Germiny
Zélé 74 Gras-Préville
Éveillé 64 Le Gardeur de Tilly
Saint-Esprit 80 Chabert-Cogolin
Sceptre 74 Vaudreuil
Ville de Paris 104 De Grasse (Lieutenant General)
Cresp de Saint-Césaire (Flag captain)
César 74 Coriolis d'Espinouse
Northumberland 74 Bricqueville
Diadème 74 Monteclerc
Glorieux 74 Pérusse des Cars
Citoyen 74 De Thy
Scipion 74 Dassas
Ardent 64 Bernard de Marigny
Neptune 74 Renaud d'Aleins
Auguste 80 Bougainville (Chef d'Escadre)
Castellan (flag captain)
Bourgogne 74 Charritte
Pluton 74 Albert de Rions
Caton 64 Framond
Sagittaire 50 Montluc de la Bourdonnaye
Experiment 50 Médine

Citations

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  1. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  3. ↑ Isaac Schomberg Naval Chronology, pp. 396–7
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".

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References

External links

Template:Authority control

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