Battle of Sadras
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Sadras was the first of five largely indecisive naval battles fought between a British
fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes
and French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the east coast of India during the American War of Independence. The battle, which was fought on 17 February 1782 near present-day Kalpakkam
, was tactically indecisive, but the British fleet suffered the most damage, and the troop transports that Suffren was protecting were able to land their troops at Porto Novo
.
in 1778, and Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic
in late 1780,when the Dutch refused to stop trading with the French and the Americans. The British had rapidly gained control over most French and Dutch outposts in India when news of these events reached India, spawning the Second Anglo-Mysore War
in the process.
The French admiral the Bailli de Suffren was dispatched on a mission to provide military assistance to French colonies in India
, leading a fleet of five ships of the line, seven transports, and a corvette to escort the transports from Brest
in March 1781. After a happenstance battle
with a British fleet at Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands in April, and a stop at the Dutch-controlled Cape of Good Hope
in October, where he left troops to assist the Dutch in defense of that colony and added some ships to his fleet, he sailed on to Île de France
, arriving at Port Louis in December.
There the fleet, further enlarged by ships available there, sailed for India under the command of the elderly Admiral D'Estienne D'Orves, accompanying transports carrying nearly 3,000 men under the command of the Comte du Chemin. D'Orves died in February 1782, shortly before the fleet arrived off the Indian coast, and Suffren once again took command.
Suffren first sailed for Madras, hoping to surprise the British stronghold there. When he found the fleet of Sir Edward Hughes
anchored there on 15 February 1782, he turned south with the intent of landing troops at Porto Novo, from where they could march up the coast, recapturing French and Dutch holdings on the way. Hughes raised anchor and sailed after Suffren.
When the fleets closed for action around 15:30, some of Suffren's ships had not properly formed the line of battle, and only five of the French ships engaged at first, and of the remaining six, only two joined the action later, with the other four apparently violating Suffren's orders and hanging back. Suffren, leading in Héros, exchanged a broadside with Exeter before targeting Hughes' flagship Superb. The battle lasted for over three hours, with Exeter taking the worst damage. She was very nearly sunk, but two French ships were recalled (for reasons unknown) before they could finish her off. Superb also suffered significant damage. The battle came to end with the onset of night.
ruler Hyder Ali
to plan strategy. After making repairs, Suffren set off to find Hughes again. The French and Mysorean forces captured Cuddalore
, just north of Porto Novo, on 4 April.
Hughes sailed for Trincomalee
, where he made repairs.
, 74, Orient, 74, Ajax, 64, Artésien, 64, Brillant, 64, Sévère, 64, Sphinx, 64, Vengeur, 64, Flamand, 50, and Hannibal, 50,
The ships involved were:
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes
Edward Hughes (admiral)
Sir Edward Hughes RN was an admiral of the British Royal Navy.Hughes joined the Royal Navy in 1735, and four years later, was present at the capture of Portobelo, Panama. In 1740, he was promoted to lieutenant and served in the Cartagena expedition of 1741, and at the indecisive Battle of Toulon...
and French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the east coast of India during the American War of Independence. The battle, which was fought on 17 February 1782 near present-day Kalpakkam
Kalpakkam
Kalpakkam is a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, situated on the Coromandel Coast 70 kilometres south of Chennai. A conglomerate of two villages and a DAE township, it is about 55 km from Thiruvanmiyur....
, was tactically indecisive, but the British fleet suffered the most damage, and the troop transports that Suffren was protecting were able to land their troops at Porto Novo
Parangipettai
Parangipettai , historically called Porto Novo, is a panchayat town in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Parangipettai is situated on the north bank of the mouth of the Vellar river at a distance of 30 km from Cuddalore. From Chennai, Parangipettai can be reached through...
.
Background
France had entered the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in 1778, and Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
in late 1780,when the Dutch refused to stop trading with the French and the Americans. The British had rapidly gained control over most French and Dutch outposts in India when news of these events reached India, spawning the Second Anglo-Mysore War
Second Anglo-Mysore War
The Second Anglo-Mysore War was a conflict in Mughal India between the Sultanate of Mysore and the British East India Company. At the time, Mysore was a key French ally in India, and the Franco-British conflict raging on account of the American Revolutionary War helped spark Anglo-Mysorean...
in the process.
The French admiral the Bailli de Suffren was dispatched on a mission to provide military assistance to French colonies in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, leading a fleet of five ships of the line, seven transports, and a corvette to escort the transports from Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in March 1781. After a happenstance battle
Battle of Porto Praya
The Battle of Porto Praya was a naval battle which took place during the American Revolutionary War on 16 April 1781 between a British squadron under Commodore George Johnstone and a French squadron under the Bailli de Suffren....
with a British fleet at Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands in April, and a stop at the Dutch-controlled Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
in October, where he left troops to assist the Dutch in defense of that colony and added some ships to his fleet, he sailed on to Île de France
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, arriving at Port Louis in December.
There the fleet, further enlarged by ships available there, sailed for India under the command of the elderly Admiral D'Estienne D'Orves, accompanying transports carrying nearly 3,000 men under the command of the Comte du Chemin. D'Orves died in February 1782, shortly before the fleet arrived off the Indian coast, and Suffren once again took command.
Suffren first sailed for Madras, hoping to surprise the British stronghold there. When he found the fleet of Sir Edward Hughes
Edward Hughes (admiral)
Sir Edward Hughes RN was an admiral of the British Royal Navy.Hughes joined the Royal Navy in 1735, and four years later, was present at the capture of Portobelo, Panama. In 1740, he was promoted to lieutenant and served in the Cartagena expedition of 1741, and at the indecisive Battle of Toulon...
anchored there on 15 February 1782, he turned south with the intent of landing troops at Porto Novo, from where they could march up the coast, recapturing French and Dutch holdings on the way. Hughes raised anchor and sailed after Suffren.
Battle
Suffren was hampered by the need to protect the troop convoys from Hughes, whose goal he presumed was to prevent the troops from landing. Detaching one corvette to protect the convoy and detailing another to watch the British fleet, he attempted to draw Hughes away. However, under cover of night Hughes managed to slip between Suffren's squadron and the convoys. The signal was raised on the morning of 17 February, and Suffren gave chase to force battle.Aftermath
Suffren summoned his captains for council and chastised those that had chosen to stay out of the battle before following the troop convoy to Porto Novo. There the French army was landed, and Suffren met with MysoreanKingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
ruler Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
to plan strategy. After making repairs, Suffren set off to find Hughes again. The French and Mysorean forces captured Cuddalore
Cuddalore
Cuddalore is a fast growing industrial city and headquarter of Cuddalore district in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. Located south of Pondicherry on the coast of Bay of Bengal, Cuddalore has a large number of industries which employ a great deal of the city's population.Cuddalore is known...
, just north of Porto Novo, on 4 April.
Hughes sailed for Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
, where he made repairs.
Britain
, 74, , 74, , 70, , 70, , 64, , 64, , 64, , 64, and , 50.France
Héros, 74, AnnibalFrench ship Annibal
Six ships of the French navy have born the name Annibal in honour of Hannibal:* Annibal , an unbuilt ship of the line * Annibal , a 74 gun ship of the line, lead ship of Annibal class ship of the line...
, 74, Orient, 74, Ajax, 64, Artésien, 64, Brillant, 64, Sévère, 64, Sphinx, 64, Vengeur, 64, Flamand, 50, and Hannibal, 50,
The ships involved were:
| British (Hughes) | Sadras Battle of Sadras The Battle of Sadras was the first of five largely indecisive naval battles fought between a British fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the east coast of India during the American War of Independence... 17 Feb 1782 |
Providien Battle of Providien The Battle of Providien was the second in a series of naval battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren near India during the American Revolutionary War... 12 Apr 1782 |
Negapatam Battle of Negapatam (1782) The Battle of Negapatam was the third in the series of battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India during the American Revolutionary War... 6 Jul 1782 |
Trincomalee Battle of Trincomalee The Battle of Trincomalee was the fourth in the series of battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India during the American Revolutionary War... 3 Sep 1782 |
Cuddalore Battle of Cuddalore (1783) The Battle of Cuddalore was a battle between a British fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a slightly smaller French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India near Cuddalore during the American Revolutionary War, which in 1780 had sparked the Second Mysore War in India... 20 Jun 1783 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , 74 | X (flag) | X (flag) | X (flag) | X | X (flag) |
| 74 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 68 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 50 | X | X | X | X | X |
| 24 | |||||
| 74 | X | X | X | ||
| 64 | X? | X | X | X | |
| 64 | X | X | |||
| 80 | X | ||||
| 74 | X | ||||
| 74 | X | ||||
| 64 | X | ||||
| 64 | X | ||||
| 50 | X | ||||
| 22 | |||||
| French (Suffren) | Sadras Battle of Sadras The Battle of Sadras was the first of five largely indecisive naval battles fought between a British fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the east coast of India during the American War of Independence... 17 Feb 1782 |
Providien Battle of Providien The Battle of Providien was the second in a series of naval battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren near India during the American Revolutionary War... 12 Apr 1782 |
Negapatam Battle of Negapatam (1782) The Battle of Negapatam was the third in the series of battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India during the American Revolutionary War... 6 Jul 1782 |
Trincomalee Battle of Trincomalee The Battle of Trincomalee was the fourth in the series of battles fought between a British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India during the American Revolutionary War... 3 Sep 1782 |
Cuddalore Battle of Cuddalore (1783) The Battle of Cuddalore was a battle between a British fleet under Admiral Sir Edward Hughes and a slightly smaller French fleet under the Bailli de Suffren off the coast of India near Cuddalore during the American Revolutionary War, which in 1780 had sparked the Second Mysore War in India... 20 Jun 1783 |
| Heroes 74 | X | X | X (flag) | X (flag) | X |
| Annibal 74 | X | X | X | X | X |
| Orient 74 | X | X | X | X | |
| Ajax 64 | X | X | X | X | |
| Artisien 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| Brillant 64 | X | X | X | X | |
| Severe 64 | X? | X | X | X | X |
| Sphinx 64 | X | X | X | X | X |
| Vengeur 64 | X? | X | X | X | X |
| Flamand 50 | X | X | X | X | X |
| Hannibal 50 | X? | X | X | X | X |
| Fendant 74 | X | ||||
| Pourvoyante 40 | X | ||||
| Fine (Fier) 40 | X | X | |||
| Bellone 40 | X | ||||
| Subtile 24 | X | ||||
| Cleopatre 36 | X | ||||
| ? (fireship) | X |