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Royaume de France | |||
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French squadron, Charles - Henri Hector d'EstaingFrench Naval Sailor Service 1759-1793 | |||
Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
Name : Le Languedoc (90)
1766-1799 French 90 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line 1794 Renamed "Antifédéraliste" 1795 Renamed "Victoire" | Fleet Flagship | ||
Name : Le Tonnant (80)
1743-1780 French 80 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Jacques-Melchior de Barras de Saint-Laurent (1st Comte Barras de Saint-Laurent)French Naval Sailor Service 1734-1792 | ||
Name : Le César (74)
1768-1782 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | |||
Name : Le Zélé (74)
1763-1806 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line 1805 Renamed "Reserve" | Jacques-Melchior de Barras de Saint-Laurent (1st Comte Barras de Saint-Laurent)French Naval Sailor Service 1734-1792 | ||
Name : L'Hector (74)
1755-1782 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | |||
Name : Le Guerrier (74)
1753-1798 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Louis Antoine Bougainville (Comte de Bougainville)French Naval Sailor Service 1770-1802 | ||
Name : Le Marseillais (74)
1766-1794 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line 1794 Renamed "Vengeur du Peuple" | |||
Name : Le Protecteur (74)
1760-1790 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | |||
Name : Le Vaillant (64)
1755-1783 French 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Joseph Bernard de Chabert-Cogolin (Marquis de Chabert et Cogolin)French Naval Sailor Service 1739-1803 | ||
Name : Le Provence (64)
1763-1786 French 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | |||
Name : Le Fantasque (64)
1758-1784 French 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Pierre-Andre de Suffren de Saint TropezFrench Naval Sailor Service 1743-1788 | ||
Name : Le Sagittaire (50)
1761-1790 French 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | François Hector d'Albert (Chevalier )French Naval Sailor Service 1743-1789 | ||
Name : L'Engageante (32)
1766-1794 French 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate | |||
Name : L'Alcmene (32)
1774-1779 French 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate | Pierre Ruffo de Bonneval (Comte Ruffo de Bonneval)French Naval Sailor Service 1755-1787 | ||
Name : L'Aimable (32)
1776-1782 French 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate | |||
Name : La Chimère (30)
1757-1783 French 30 Gun 5th Rate Frigate | |||
Great Britain | |||
British squadron, The Hon. Samuel BarringtonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1794 | |||
Ship Name | Commander | Notes | |
Name : Prince of Wales (74)
1765-1783 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Benjamin HillBritish Naval Sailor Service 1750-1783 | Fleet Flagship | |
Name : Boyne (68)
1766-1783 British 68 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Herbert SawyerBritish Naval Sailor Service 1747-1794 | ||
Name : Saint Albans (64)
1764-1814 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Richard OnslowBritish Naval Sailor Service 1758-1805 | ||
Name : Nonsuch (64)
1774-1802 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line | Samuel ReeveBritish Naval Sailor Service 1746-1799 | ||
Name : Preston (50)
1757-1815 British 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | Samuel UpplebyBritish Naval Sailor Service 1747-1764 | ||
Name : Isis (50)
1774-1810 British 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | John RaynorBritish Naval Sailor Service 1746-1780 | ||
Name : Centurion (50)
1774-1824 British 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line | Richard BrathwaiteBritish Naval Sailor Service 1742-1801 | ||
Name : Venus (36)
1758-1828 British 36 Gun 5th Rate Frigate 1807 Renamed "Heroine" | James FergusonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1742-1793 | ||
Name : Aurora (28)
1777-1814 British 28 Gun 6th Rate Frigate | James CummingBritish Naval Sailor Service 1751-1805 | ||
Name : Ariadne (20)
1776-1814 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship | Thomas PringleBritish Naval Sailor Service 1760-1801 | ||
Name : Carcass (14)
1759-1784 British 14 Gun Unrated Bomb Vessel | Edward EdwardsBritish Naval Sailor Privateer Service 1746-1814 | ||
The night was passed by the soldiers in strengthening their positions, and by the Rear-Admiral in rectifying his order to meet the expected attack. The transports, between fifty and sixty in number, were warped inside the ships of war, and the latter were most carefully disposed across the mouth of the bay. At the northern (windward) end was placed the Isis, 50, Captain John Rayner, well under the point to prevent anything from passing round her; but for further security she was supported by three frigates; the Venus, 36, Captain William Peere Williams, the Ariadne, 20, Captain Thomas Pringle, and the Aurora, 28, Captain James Gumming, anchored abreast of the interval between her and the shore. From the Isis the line extended to the southward, inclining slightly outward; the Prince of Wales, 74, Barrington's flagship, taking the southern flank, as the most exposed position. Between her and the Isis were five other ships, the Boyne, 70, Nonsuch, 64, St. Allans, 64, Preston, 50, and Centurion, 50. The works left by the French at the north and south points of the bay may have been used to support the flanks, but Barrington in his report does not say so.
D'Estaing had twelve ships of the line, and was able to land, two days after this, 7,000 troops. With such a superiority it is evident that, had he arrived twenty-four hours sooner, the British would have been stopped in the midst of their operation. To gain time, Harrington had sought to prevent intelligence reaching Fort Royal, less than fifty miles distant, by sending cruisers in advance of his squadron, to cover the approaches to St. Lucia; but, despite his care, d'Estaing had the news on the 14th. He sailed at once, and, as has been said, was off St. Lucia that evening. At daybreak of the 10th he stood in for the Cardnage; but when he came within range, a lively cannonade told him that the enemy were already in possession. He decided therefore to attack the squadron, and at 11.30 the French passed along it from north to south, firing, but without effect. A second attempt was made in the afternoon, directed upon the lee flank, but it was equally unavailing. The British had three men killed; the French loss is not given, but is said to have been slight. It is stated that the sea breeze did not penetrate far enough into the bay, that day, to admit closing.