Come and ask, answer or inform.
Great Britain - George Johnston (1730-1787) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| British warships | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : Romney (50) | Roddam Home (d.1801) | Fleet Flagship | |
| Name : Hero (74) | James Hawker (c.1731-1787) | ||
| Name : Monmouth (64) | James Alms (1728-1791) | ||
| Name : Isis (50) | Evelyn Sutton | ||
| Name : Jupiter (50) | Thomas Pasley (1734-1808) | ||
| Name : Diana (32) | Sir William Chaloner Burnaby (2nd Baronet Burnaby of Broughton Hall) (1746-1794) | ||
| Name : Jason (28) | James Pigot (d.1822) | ||
| Name : Active (32) | Thomas Mackenzie (1753-1813) | ||
| Name : Apollo (32) | |||
| Name : Lark (16) | Philip D'Auvergne (1754-1816) | ||
| Name : Terror (8) | Charles Wood (c.1732-1782), John Wickey (1750-1833) | ||
| Name : Infernal (8) | Henry d'Esterre Darby | ||
| British East-Indiamen | |||
13 Vessels in total: Asia, Chapman, Essex, Fortitude, Hastings, Hinchinbrook, Latham, Locko, Lord North, Osterley, Queen, Southampton., Valentine | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : Asia | Robert Maw | ||
| Name : Chapman | Thomas Walker | ||
| Name : Fortitude | Charles Gregorie | Captured but retaken by her crew | |
| Name : Osterley (26) | |||
| Name : Locko (26) | |||
| Store ships | |||
8 storeships were supposed to be present | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Armed transports | |||
7 armed cruisers and 4 transports | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : Raikes (10) | Norris Thompson | ||
Royaume de France - Pierre-Andre de Suffren (1725/26-1788) | |||
| Ship in advance | |||
The Artesien was first assigned to Vice-Admiral d'Estaing fleet, planed to sail to West Indies. She then being lately assigned to Suffren's squadron. This is the reason why she was obliged to call in cabo verde islands in order to replenish her water store. The Artesien was the one who discovered the british fleet anchored in porto Praya and advised le Bailli de Suffen of it. | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : L'Artesien (64) | Cardaillacy (d.1781), Pas de Beaulieu | CO Cardaillacy killed in the beginning | |
| French battle line, Pierre-Andre de Suffren (1725/26-1788) | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : L'Annibal (74) | de Trémignon (d.1781)† | CO Killed | |
| Name : Le Héros (74) | Fleet Flagship | ||
| Name : Le Vengeur (64) | |||
| Name : Le Sphinx (64) | |||
| Group of 3 French frigates | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : La Bellone (32) | Presence in this battle to be confirmed | ||
| Name : La Fine (32) | Presence in this battle to be confirmed | ||
| Name : La Cleopatre (32) | Presence in this battle to be confirmed | ||
| Convoyed Vessels | |||
7 merchantmen, 1 Swedish chartered vessel and initially 4 small vessels bound for Senegal. | |||
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
| Name : La Fortune (16) | |||
The Battle of Porto Praya was a naval battle that 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.
Both squadrons were en route to the Cape of Good Hope, the British to take it from the Dutch, the French aiming to help defend it and French possessions in the Indian Ocean. The British convoy and its escorting squadron had anchored at Porto Praya (now Praia) in the Cape Verde Islands to take on water, when the French squadron arrived and attacked them at anchor.
Due to the unexpected nature of the encounter, neither fleet was prepared to do battle, and in the inconclusive battle the French fleet sustained more damage than the British, though no ships were lost. Johnstone tried to pursue the French, but was forced to call it off in order to repair the damage his ships had taken.
The French gained a strategic victory, because Suffren beat Johnstone to the Cape and reinforced the Dutch garrison before continuing on his journey to the Ile de France (now Mauritius).