CHAPTER VII

THE NAVAL WAR IN EUROPEAN WATERS, 1779.

ALLIED FLEETS INVADE THE ENGLISH CHAN-

NEL. RODNEY DESTROYS TWO SPANISH SQUAD-

RONS AND RELIEVES GIBRALTAR

Spain declares War against Great Britain

Delays in Junction of French and Spanish Fleets

They enter the Channel. Alarm in England

Plans of the French Government

Their Change and Failure. The Allied Fleets return to Brest

Criticism of the British Ministry

Divergent views of France and Spain

Prominence given to Gibraltar, and the resulting Effect upon the

general War

121

Exhaustion of Supplies at Gibraltar

121

Rodney with the Channel Fleet Sails for its Relief, with ultimate

Destination to Leeward Islands Command

121

He Captures a large Spanish Convoy

122

And Destroys a Second Spanish Squadron of Eleven Sail-of-the-Line 123

Distinction of this Engagement

124

RODNEY AND DE GUICHEN'S NAVAL CAMPAIGN

IN WEST INDIES. DE GUICHEN RETURNS TO

EUROPE AND RODNEY GOES TO NEW YORK.

LORD CORNWALLIS IN THE CAROLINAS. TWO

NAVAL ACTIONS OF COMMODORE CORNWAL

LIS. RODNEY RETURNS TO WEST INDIES

1780

Rodney's Force upon arrival in West Indies

Action between British and French Squadrons prior to his arrival 129

Rodney and de Guichen put to sea

Action between them of April 17, 1780

Cause of Failure of Rodney's Attack

130

Contrary Personal Effect produced upon the two Admirals by the

encounters.

145

De Guichen asks to be Relieved

145

145

Rodney's Chary Approval of his Subordinates in these two instances

Suspicion and Distrust rife in the British Navy at this period. . 146

Twelve Spanish Sail-of-the-Line, with Ten Thousand Troops, Arrive

at Guadeloupe

147

They refuse Coöperation with de Guichen in the Windward Islands 147

De Guichen Accompanies them to Haïti with his Fleet

147

He declines to Coöperate on the Continent with the Americans, and

sails for Europe.

Rodney Arranges for the protection of the Homeward West India

Trade, and then proceeds to New York

The Year 1780 one of great Discouragement to Americans

Summary of the Operations in the Carolinas and Virginia, 1780,

which led to Lord Cornwallis's Surrender in 1781

Two Naval Actions sustained by Commodore Cornwallis against

superior French forces, 1780

148

149

The Accession of Holland to this followed by a Declaration of War

by Great Britain

The French Government withdraws all its Ships of War from before

Gibraltar

158

NAVAL CAMPAIGN IN WEST INDIES IN 1781. CAP-

TURE OF ST. EUSTATIUS BY RODNEY. DE

GRASSE ARRIVES IN PLACE OF DE GUICHEN.

TOBAGO SURRENDERS TO DE GRASSE

Effects of the Great Hurricanes of 1780 in West Indies

Rodney's Diminished Force.

Rodney receives Orders to seize Dutch Possessions in Caribbean

Capture of St. Eustatius, St. Martin, and Saba

The large Booty and Defenceless state of St. Eustatius
Effect of these Conditions upon Rodney

Hood detached to cruise before Martinique

De Grasse arrives there with Twenty Ships-of-the-Line
Indecisive Action between de Grasse and Hood

Criticism of the two Commanders

Junction of Rodney and Hood .

De Grasse attempts Santa Lucia, and Fails

He decides to take his Fleet to the American Continent

CHAPTER X

NAVAL OPERATIONS PRECEDING AND DETER-

MINING THE FALL OF YORKTOWN.

WALLIS SURRENDERS

CORN-

A French Squadron from Newport, and a British from Gardiner's

Bay, proceed to the Scene.

169

170

170

They meet off the Chesapeake

171

Action between Arbuthnot and des Touches, March 16, 1781

The Advantage rests with the French, but they return to Newport.

Arbuthnot enters the Chesapeake

171

174

Under the directions of Sir Henry Clinton he evacuates Portsmouth
and concentrates his forces at Yorktown, August 22 .

The French Fleet under de Grasse Anchors in the Chesapeake,

August 30

175

176

British Naval Movements, in July and August, affecting conditions

in the Chesapeake

Admiral Graves, successor to Arbuthnot at New York, joined there

by Sir Samuel Hood, August 28.

Washington and Rochambeau move upon Cornwallis

The British Fleet under Graves arrives off the Chesapeake

Action between de Grasse and Graves, September 5

Hood's Criticism of Graves's Conduct

The British, worsted, return to New York.

re-enters the Chesapeake, September 11

Cornwallis Surrenders, October 19

De Grasse and Hood Return to West Indies

185

CHAPTER XI

NAVAL EVENTS OF 1781 IN EUROPE. DARBY'S

RELIEF OF GIBRALTAR, AND THE BATTLE OF

THE DOGGER BANK

PAGE

Leading Objects of the Belligerents in 1781

186

The Relief of Gibraltar by Admiral Darby

186

Capture of British Convoy with the spoils of St. Eustatius

188

The French and Spanish Fleet under Admiral de Cordova again

enters the English Channel

188

Darby in inferior Force shut up in Tor Bay

188

The Allies Decide not to attack him, but to turn their Efforts against

British Commerce

189

Minorca Lost by British

189

The Battle of the Dogger Bank, between British and Dutch Fleets. 190

NAVAL CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST

INDIES. HOOD AND DE GRASSE. RODNEY

AND DE GRASSE. THE GREAT BATTLE OF

APRIL 12, 1782

Capture and Destruction near Ushant of a great French Convoy for

the West Indies opens the Naval Campaign of 1782 .

Attack upon the Island of St. Kitts by de Grasse and de Bouillé

Hood sails for its Relief from Barbados

His Plan of procedure

Balked by an Accident

He Succeeds in dislodging de Grasse and taking the Anchorage left

by the French

Unsuccessful Attempt by de Grasse to shake Hood's position

St. Kitts nevertheless compelled to Surrender owing to having insuffi-

cient Land Force

203

205

Hood Extricates himself from de Grasse's Superior Force and Retires 205

Rodney arrives from England and joins Hood .

Project of French and Spaniards against Jamaica

De Grasse sails from Martinique with his whole Fleet and a large

Convoy

It is favored by the Lagging of two Ships in the French Fleet, April 11 211

=

An Accident that night induces de Grasse to bear down, and en-

A Shift of Wind enables the British to Break the French Order in
three places

Consequences of this Movement

Resultant Advantages to the British.

PAGE

212

217

218

. 219

Practices of the opposing Navies in regard to the Aims of Firing

Consequences Illustrated in the Injuries received respectively.

Inadequate Use made by Rodney of the Advantage gained by his

Fleet

219

220

220

Hood's Criticisms

Hood's Opinion shared by Sir Charles Douglas, Rodney's Chief-of-

His Assumptions not accordant with the Facts

223

Actual Prolonged Dispersion of the French Fleet

224

Hood, Detached in Pursuit, Captures a small French Squadron

224

Rodney Superseded in Command before the news of the victory

reached England

225

226

The general War Approaches its End

CHAPTER XIII

HOWE AGAIN GOES AFLOAT. THE FINAL RELIEF

OF GIBRALTAR

The Allied Fleets in much superior force take Position in the Chops

of the Channel, but are successfully evaded by Howe

Estimate of Howe's Conduct, and of his Professional Character

232

French Eulogies

232