Battle of the Saintes

The Battle of the Saintes started on the 12th April 1782 and took place over 4 days in the West Indies between Dominica and Guadeloupe.

The Royal Navy, under the command of Sir George Rodney with 36 ships of the line defeated a French fleet of 33 ships under the command of the Comte De Grasse.

Summary:

De Grasse reversed his course to protect a dismasted ship that was being chased by four British ships as he made for Guadaloupe. The change of course and a sudden shift of wind left gaps in the French line and Rodney's flagship Formidable and several other ships, including the Duke and the Bedford, broke through, 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, led eventually to De Grasse's surrender and the retreat of many of his ships in disorder. Four French ships were captured and one, César, blew up after she was taken.

The British lost 243 killed, including 2 capytains, and 816 wounded. The French loss in killed and wounded has never been stated, but of captains alone, six were killed.. 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.

Novels based around this battle.

	Ships	Guns	Captain	Ships fate
	British Fleet - Van
	Marlborough	74	Taylor Penny
	Arrogant	74	Samuel Cornish
	Alcide	74	Charles Thompson
	Nonsuch	74	William Truscott
	Conqueror	74	George Balfour
	Princesse	70	Flag - Rear-Admiral Sir F. Samuel Drake Cptn. - Charles Knatchbull
	Prince George	98	James Williams
	Torbay	74	John Gidoin
	Anson	64	William Blair (Killed in Action)
	Fame	74	Robert Barber
	Russell	74	James Saumarez
	British Fleet - Centre
	America	64	Samuel Thompson
	Hercules	74	Henry Savage
	Prothée	64	Charles Buckner
	Resolution	74	Lord Robert Manners
	Agamemnon	64	Benjamin Caldwell
	Duke	98	Alan Gardner
	Formidable	98	Flag - Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney Cptn. of the Fleet - Sir Charles Douglas Cptn. - John Symonds
	Namur	90	Charles Inglis
	St Albans	64	William Cornwallis
	Canada	74	Thomas Dumaresq
	Repulse	64	N. Charrington
	Ajax	74	Robert Fanshawe
	Bedford	74	Flag - Commodore Thomas Graves Cptn. - Sir Edmund Affleck
	British Fleet - Rear
	Prince William	64	George Wilkinson
	Magnificent	74	Robert Linzee
	Centaur	74	John Nicholson Inglefield
	Belliqueux	64	Alexander Sutherland
	Warrior	74	James Wallace
	Monarch	74	Francis Reynolds
	Barfleur	90	Flag - Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood Cptn. - John Knight
	Valiant	74	G. S. Goodall
	Yarmouth	64	A. Parry
	Montagu	74	George Bowen
	Alfred	74	W. Bayne
	Royal Oak	74	Thomas Burnett
	French Fleet - Blue (Third) Squadron
	Hercule	74	Chadeau de la Clocheterie
	Souverain	74	de Glandevez
	Palmier	74	de Martelly-Chautard
	Northumberland	74	de Saint Cézaire (Killed in Action)
	Neptune	74	Renaud d'Aleins
	Auguste	80	Flag - Rear-Admiral Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville Cptn - Castellan
	Ardent	64	de Gouzillon	Captured
	Scipion	74	de Chavel
	Brave	74	d'Amblimont
	Citoyen	74	d'Ethy
	French Fleet - White (First) Squadron
	Hector	74	de la Vicomte	Captured
	César	74	de Marigny	Captured & burnt
	Dauphin Royal	70	de Roquefeuil-Montperoux
	Languedoc	80	d'Arros d'Argelos
	Ville de Paris	104	Flag - Admiral François Joseph Paul, Marquis de Grasse Tilly, Comte de Grasse Cptn. - Lavilleon de Vaugirauld	Captured
	Couronne	80	Mithon de Genouilly
	Eveillé	64	le Gardeur de Tilly
	Sceptre	74	de Vaudreuil
	Glorieux	74	d'Escars	Captured
	French Fleet - Blue (Second) Squadron
	Diadème	74	de Monteclerc
	Destin	74	Dumaitz de Goimpy
	Magnanime	74	le Begue
	Refléchi	64	de Medine
	Conquérant	74	de la Grandiere
	Magnifique	74	Macarthy Macteigne
	Triomphant	80	Flag - Vice-Admiral Louis-Philippe Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil du Pavillon
	Bourgogne	74	de Charitte
	Duc de Bourgogne	80	Coriolis d'Espinouse De Champ-martin
	Marseillais	74	de Castellane Majastre
	Pluton	74	d'Albert de Rions
	French Fleet - Also Present
	Richemond (frigate)		Montemart