Battle of Sadras facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Sadras |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
 Hindostan or India, from the best authorities, author unknown |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 Great Britain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Pierre Suffren |
 Edward Hughes |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 11 ships of the line | 9 ships of the line | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 30 killed 100 wounded |
32 killed 83 wounded |
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The Battle of Sadras was an important naval battle. It happened on February 17, 1782, near a place called Kalpakkam in India. It was the first of five big sea fights between the British Navy, led by Admiral Edward Hughes, and the French Navy, led by Admiral Pierre Suffren. This battle was part of a bigger war called the Anglo-French War.
Even though neither side won clearly, the British ships were damaged more. After the battle, the French ships were able to safely land their soldiers at Porto Novo. This helped the French in their plans.
Contents
Why This Battle Happened
War Spreads to India
France joined the American Revolutionary War in 1778. This meant France was now fighting against Britain. Later, in 1780, Britain also declared war on the Dutch Republic. This happened because the Dutch kept trading with France and America.
When news of these wars reached India, things changed quickly. The British took control of most French and Dutch areas there. This also led to another conflict called the Second Anglo-Mysore War.
French Help Arrives
The French admiral, Bailli de Suffren, was sent to help the French colonies in India. He left France in March 1781 with a fleet of warships and transport ships. These ships carried important supplies and soldiers.
On his way, Suffren had a small, unexpected fight with a British fleet. This happened at Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands. Later, he dropped off more soldiers at the Cape of Good Hope. This was to help the Dutch defend their colonies.
Suffren then sailed to the Île de France, which is now Mauritius. He arrived there in December. He added more ships to his fleet at Port Louis.
New Commander, New Plans
Suffren's fleet then sailed towards India. They were carrying almost 3,000 soldiers. The original commander, Thomas d'Orves, sadly passed away in February 1782. This happened just before they reached India. So, Admiral Suffren took command of the fleet again.
Suffren first planned to surprise the British at Madras. But on February 15, 1782, he saw Hughes's British fleet already there. So, Suffren changed his plan. He turned his ships south.
His new goal was to land his soldiers at Porto Novo. From there, they would march along the coast. They hoped to take back French and Dutch areas along the way. Admiral Hughes saw Suffren's move and quickly followed him.
The Battle Begins
Admiral Suffren had a tough job. He had to protect his transport ships from Hughes's fleet. He knew Hughes wanted to stop his soldiers from landing. Suffren sent one small ship to guard the transports. He sent another to watch the British fleet. He then tried to lure Hughes away.
But during the night, Hughes managed to sail between Suffren's warships and the transport ships. On the morning of February 17, the signal for battle was raised. Suffren chased Hughes to force a fight.
Ships in Action
The fleets started fighting around 3:30 PM. Some of Suffren's ships were not in the correct battle formation. Only five French ships joined the fight at first. Later, two more joined in. But four other French ships did not follow orders and stayed back.
Suffren led his ships in Héros. He first exchanged fire with the British ship Exeter. Then, he focused his attack on Hughes's main ship, Superb. The battle lasted for more than three hours.
The Exeter was badly damaged. It was almost sunk. But for some reason, two French ships were called away. This stopped them from sinking the Exeter. The Superb also took a lot of damage. The fighting stopped when night came.
After the Battle
After the battle, Suffren gathered his captains. He told off those who had not joined the fight. Then, he followed his troop convoy to Porto Novo. The French army successfully landed there.
Suffren then met with Hyder Ali, a powerful ruler from Mysore. They planned their next moves together. After repairing his ships, Suffren went looking for Hughes again. The French and Mysorean forces captured Cuddalore on April 4. This town was just north of Porto Novo. Hughes sailed to Trincomalee to make repairs to his own ships.
Images for kids
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Hindostan or India, from the best authorities, author unknown
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French Admiral the Bailli de Suffren
