Battle of Fort Royal

29 April 1781, Off Fort Royal, Martinique

French victory; the convoy got into Fort Royal

De Grasse came out from Brest with a large convoy and a fleet of more than twenty ships of the line. Hood had been posted to leeward of Martinique to stop him, and could not work up to windward in time. The French fleet kept him at long range for four hours while the convoy slipped into Fort Royal; several British ships were badly hit and Hood drew off. De Grasse went on to take Tobago, and in August sailed north to the Chesapeake.

Royal Navy

18 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
HMS Alfred	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Belliqueux	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Alcide	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Invincible	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Monarch	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Barfleur Hood's flagship	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Terrible	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Princessa Also known as Princesa	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
HMS Ajax	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Resolution	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Montagu	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Gibraltar Also known as Fénix As HMS Gibraltar, Drake's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
HMS Centaur	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Damaged
HMS Russell Holed below the waterline; sent to St Eustatius	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Damaged
HMS Prince William	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Torbay	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Intrepid	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Damaged
HMS Shrewsbury	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Damaged

French Navy

28 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Languedoc	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Citoyen	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Glorieux	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Auguste Bougainville's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Souverain	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Diadème	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Zélé	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Scipion	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Northumberland	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Ville de Paris De Grasse's flagship	Ship of the line First rate, 104 guns	Survived
Sceptre	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Hector	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Magnanime	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Bourgogne	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Vaillant	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Marseillais	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
César	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Saint-Esprit Chabert's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Hercule	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Pluton	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Victoire Saint-Hippolyte's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Caton	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Réfléchi	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates and cutters Médée, Diligente and Aigrette, and the cutters Pandour and Alerte.	5	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates and cutters

Médée, Diligente and Aigrette, and the cutters Pandour and Alerte.

Fleet Ledger

Battle of Fort Royal

Royal Navy

French Navy

Map