French capture of Grenada 1779
Encyclopedia
The Capture of Grenada was an amphibious expedition
on July 2 of 1779 by French
forces of the Comte D'Estaing
against the British
defenders of Grenada, as part of the American Revolutionary War
.
, and then led his 2,500-man army ashore. The British under Governor Macartney adopted a defensive posture, entrenching atop the Hospital Hill strong point with several hundred men and field artillery. The French advanced in three columns under Édouard Dillon while d'Estaing's ships bombarded the position. About 11:00 p.m. the assault columns came into contact with the British defenders, driving them off Hospital Hill in confusion; by next morning the heights were in French hands. On 4 July Macartney sued for peace.
had left Saint Kitts on 3 July with 21 ships of the line to recapture Saint Vincent from the French. En route he was informed that Grenada was also under attack and sailed to its rescue. Not realizing that d'Estaing had been forewarned, Byron made the signal for a general chase once he sighted the French fleet assembling off Georgetown at sunup of 6 July, believing he had caught them unprepared. The lead English ships opened fire on the French vanguard at 7:30 a.m. yet were badly mauled. Barrington's vice-flag Prince of Wales, Captain Sawyer's Boyne, Gardner's Sultan, Collingwood's Grafton, Edwards's Cornwall, Cornwallis's Lion, and Fanshaw's Monmouth received the brunt of the concentrated French fire.
Byron regrouped his scattered fleet, and by 9:00 a.m. he proceeded to Georgetown's harbor but again was surprised when the batteries hoisted French flags and opened fire. Reversing course, the British again engaged d'Estaing’s fleet as they left, breaking off the action and standing back out to sea by noon. The British suffered 183 killed and 346 wounded, the French 190 dead and 759 injured; but only a single vessel changed hands—a British transport bearing 150 soldiers.
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
on July 2 of 1779 by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
forces of the Comte D'Estaing
Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing
Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing was a French general, and admiral. He began his service as a soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, briefly spending time as a prisoner of war of the British during the Seven Years' War...
against the British
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...
defenders of Grenada, as part of the American Revolutionary War
American 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...
.
French capture
Off Beauséjour Point, D'Estaing anchored his fleet near the Grenadan capital, St. George'sSt. George's, Grenada
St. George's, population 89,018 , with an agglomeration of 4,500 people , is the capital of Grenada, . The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbor....
, and then led his 2,500-man army ashore. The British under Governor Macartney adopted a defensive posture, entrenching atop the Hospital Hill strong point with several hundred men and field artillery. The French advanced in three columns under Édouard Dillon while d'Estaing's ships bombarded the position. About 11:00 p.m. the assault columns came into contact with the British defenders, driving them off Hospital Hill in confusion; by next morning the heights were in French hands. On 4 July Macartney sued for peace.
Naval engagement
During the night of 5–6 July the French admiral learnt of the approach of a large British fleet. Admiral John ByronJohn Byron
Vice Admiral The Hon. John Byron, RN was a Royal Navy officer. He was known as Foul-weather Jack because of his frequent bad luck with weather.-Early career:...
had left Saint Kitts on 3 July with 21 ships of the line to recapture Saint Vincent from the French. En route he was informed that Grenada was also under attack and sailed to its rescue. Not realizing that d'Estaing had been forewarned, Byron made the signal for a general chase once he sighted the French fleet assembling off Georgetown at sunup of 6 July, believing he had caught them unprepared. The lead English ships opened fire on the French vanguard at 7:30 a.m. yet were badly mauled. Barrington's vice-flag Prince of Wales, Captain Sawyer's Boyne, Gardner's Sultan, Collingwood's Grafton, Edwards's Cornwall, Cornwallis's Lion, and Fanshaw's Monmouth received the brunt of the concentrated French fire.
Byron regrouped his scattered fleet, and by 9:00 a.m. he proceeded to Georgetown's harbor but again was surprised when the batteries hoisted French flags and opened fire. Reversing course, the British again engaged d'Estaing’s fleet as they left, breaking off the action and standing back out to sea by noon. The British suffered 183 killed and 346 wounded, the French 190 dead and 759 injured; but only a single vessel changed hands—a British transport bearing 150 soldiers.