Battle of Fort Royal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Fort Royal |
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| Part of the Anglo-French War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Samuel Hood | François Joseph Paul de Grasse | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 18 ships of the line | 24 ships of the line | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 39 killed 162 wounded |
Reports vary | ||||||
The Battle of Fort Royal was a big naval battle that happened near Fort Royal, Martinique. This island is in the West Indies. The battle took place on April 29, 1781, during the Anglo-French War. It was fought between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.
After about four hours of fighting, the British ships, led by Admiral Samuel Hood, pulled back. The French Admiral de Grasse chased them a little bit. But then he made sure the French supply ships (called a convoy) got safely to port. This battle was a win for the French.
Contents
What Led to the Battle?
French Fleet Arrives
In March 1781, a large French fleet, or group of warships, set sail from Brest. This fleet was under the command of Admiral Grasse. Most of these ships were heading to the West Indies. Out of 26 large warships called ships of the line, one went to North America. Five others, led by Suffren, were going to India. The remaining twenty ships arrived near Martinique on April 28.
British Blockade
Admiral Grasse sent a small, fast boat to Martinique on April 26. This boat was to tell Bouillé that Grasse's fleet was coming. Before sailing to the western side of the island, Grasse sent someone ashore. This person was to get news and orders for Albert de Saint-Hippolyte. He commanded four French ships that the British had been blocking at Fort Royal for 50 days.
The British fleet, with 17 ships, was led by Admiral Samuel Hood. Hood had orders from Admiral George Brydges Rodney to keep blocking the port. Hood thought this was a bad position if another enemy fleet showed up. Even though Hood's fleet had fewer ships and less firepower, his ships had special copper bottoms. This meant they needed less repair. Also, he didn't have to protect any supply ships. This allowed him to focus only on the blockade.
How the Battle Unfolded
Fleets Prepare for Action
On the morning of April 29, Admiral Grasse ordered his fleet to get ready for battle. He sailed towards Fort Royal. The supply ships stayed close to the coast. The warships formed a battle line. Around 8:00 AM, the French saw Hood's British fleet coming towards them. Grasse had an advantage because the wind was blowing from the East-North-East. This gave him the better position, known as the weather gage. Around 9:20 AM, a British ship, the Prince William, joined Hood's fleet. It was a 64-gun ship that had been at St. Lucia.
The Fight Begins
Both fleets tried to get into the best positions. However, Hood's position meant he couldn't stop Grasse from bringing his supply ships into the harbor. Soon, Grasse's fleet met up with the four French ships that had been blocked in the harbor. Around 11:00 AM, the front part of Grasse's fleet started firing. But the shots were from far away and didn't do any damage. Then, the four ships from Fort-Royal joined Grasse's main fleet.
By 12:30 PM, the two fleets were lined up. But Grasse didn't use his wind advantage to get closer to Hood. He didn't want to risk his supply ships. For the next hour, the fleets fired cannons at each other from a distance. The damage was not very serious. However, some British ships like Centaur, Russell, and Intrepid needed repairs. The Centaur lost its captain and 10 other sailors, with 26 wounded. The French ships mostly had light damage to their sails and ropes.
French Convoy Reaches Safety
From 2:00 PM onwards, the French supply ships moved safely between the coast and Grasse's warships. They arrived safely at Martinique.
Hood eventually sailed away towards Saint Lucia. On April 30, Grasse was free to chase the British fleet. He bothered the British for a couple of days, but Hood refused to fight a full battle. During the chase, the French ships sailed at different speeds. This caused Grasse's fleet to spread out. By May 1, Grasse only had 11 ships with him and was losing sight of the others. He then returned to Fort-Royal, arriving on May 6.
What Happened Next
Hood sent Russell, which had a hole below the water, to St. Eustatius for repairs. It also carried news of the battle to Admiral Rodney. Hood spent the next day trying to get the wind advantage, but it didn't work. He then sailed north. He met Rodney on May 11 between St. Kitts and Antigua. Rodney had left Saint Eustatius on May 5. The number of French sailors killed or wounded in the battle is not exactly known. Some reports say as few as 74, while others say more than 250.
Ships in the Battle
French Fleet
The French fleet was divided into squadrons and divisions. Here are some of the main ships:
- Admiral de Grasse's Fleet:
- Blue-and-White Squadron (under Bougainville):
- Languedoc (80 guns)
- Citoyen (74 guns)
- Glorieux (74 guns)
- Auguste (80 guns) - This was the main ship for Bougainville.
- Souverain (74 guns)
- Diadème (74 guns)
- White Squadron (under Grasse):
- Zélé (74 guns)
- Scipion (74 guns)
- Northumberland (74 guns)
- Ville de Paris (104 guns) - This was Admiral Grasse's main ship.
- Sceptre (74 guns)
- Hector (74 guns)
- Magnanime (74 guns)
- Blue Squadron (under Chabert):
- Bourgogne (74 guns)
- Vaillant (64 guns)
- Marseillais (74 guns)
- César (74 guns)
- Saint-Esprit (80 guns) - This was Chabert's main ship.
- Hercule (74 guns)
- Pluton (74 guns)
- Blue-and-White Squadron (under Bougainville):
- Saint-Hippolyte's Division (the ships that were blocked in Fort Royal):
- Victoire (74 guns) - This was Saint-Hippolyte's main ship.
- Caton (64 guns)
- Réfléchi (64 guns)
- Solitaire (64 guns)
British Fleet
The British fleet was led by Admiral Samuel Hood. Here are some of the ships in his fleet:
- Alfred (74 guns)
- Belliqueux (64 guns)
- Alcide (74 guns)
- Invincible (74 guns)
- Monarch (74 guns)
- Barfleur (90 guns) - This was Admiral Hood's main ship.
- Terrible (74 guns)
- Princessa (70 guns)
- Ajax (74 guns)
- Resolution (74 guns)
- Montagu (74 guns)
- Gibraltar (80 guns)
- Centaur (74 guns)
- Prince William (64 guns)
- Torbay (74 guns)
- Intrepid (64 guns)
- Shrewsbury (74 guns)
Images for kids
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A painting showing the Battle of Fort Royal.
