Overview of the Battle of the Saints

Overview of the Battle of the Saints

This is an overview of the Battle of the Saints to acquaint readers with events which led up to the battle and factual statements of really happened.

Daniel Scotland

Daniel Scotland - The Brain

British English

At the end of the American Revolution in 1782, French Admiral, The Compte Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse gathered his fleet of battleships and proceeded to meeting up with the Spanish fleet for an invasion on the British-held island of Jamaica. De Grasse had trounced the British fleet under Admiral Graves in the Battle of the Capes seven months previously and had gained recognition in America. Inspired by the victory, De Grasse set off from the coast of Virginia on November 4^th 1781 and set sail for the Caribbean. By January 1782, de Grasse’s fleet had begun seizing British possessions and within three months had left the British with only; Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbados. On April 8 1782, de Grasse departed from Martinique with his entire fleet, thirty-three ships of the line. The intention was to rendezvous with twelve Spanish ships of the line and fifteen thousand troops for an attack on the British colony Jamaica. During de Grasse’s preparation time at Fort Royal, British Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney arrived in the Caribbean from England and immediately took over British military operations in the Caribbean. With him, he brought thirty-six ships of the lines to combat the French’s plan. Scouts on Pigeon Island, St. Lucian kept Admiral Rodney informed on French operations and he ventured after them following their departure. On April 12^th, the two fleets commenced close quarter broadside fire on parallel opposite courses near Les Iles des Saintes. Compte de Grasse ordered a reverse course command but some ships disobeyed that command and a sudden change in wind caused gaps to form in the French’s battle line. Admiral Rodney used the opportunity to utilize a new tactic. He turned his ship ninety degrees and sailed through the broken French line of battle, splitting the French line into four segments. As a result, the guns of the British ships were brought to bear on the French with little risk of return fire. De Grasse could not reform his battle line and after days of battle, Ville de Paris, de Grasse’s 130-gun flagship hauled down her flag. The French were soundly beaten and the invasion fleet was decimated. The French ships were either sunk or captured and more than six thousand men perished. The British treated de Grass as an honoured guest and he was released as a paroled prisoner of war. Compte de Grasse was not tried in France but the ones who disobeyed orders were brought before the court. De Grasse was blamed for the defeat and became a public scapegoat. Admiral Rodney was honoured and a marble status of him was erected in Kingston’s Spanish Town Square.