Battle of the Saintes

12 April 1782, Between Dominica and Les Saintes, south of Guadeloupe

Decisive British victory

De Grasse sailed from Martinique to join the Spanish for an invasion of Jamaica, and Rodney caught him in the channel off the Saintes. As the two lines passed on opposite tacks a shift in the wind opened gaps in the French line, and Rodney's Formidable, then the Duke and Bedford, sailed through them, cutting the French fleet into three. Five ships were captured, among them the huge Ville de Paris with de Grasse himself; the César caught fire and blew up that night. A week later Hood took two more ships of the line in the Mona Passage. Jamaica was safe, and Britain could negotiate the peace from strength. Breaking the line became the model Nelson would follow.

Royal Navy

45 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
HMS Royal Oak	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Alfred Captain William Bayne killed	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Montagu	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Yarmouth	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Valiant	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Barfleur Hood's flagship; took de Grasse's surrender	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Monarch	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Warrior	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Belliqueux	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Centaur Took César	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Magnificent	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Prince William	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Bedford Affleck's flagship; also broke through the French line	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Ajax	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Repulse	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Canada Took Hector with Alcide	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS St Albans	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Namur	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Formidable Rodney's flagship; led the break through the line	Ship of the line Second rate, 90 guns	Survived
HMS Duke Broke through the French line	Ship of the line Second rate, 98 guns	Survived
HMS Agamemnon	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Resolution	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Prothee	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Hercules	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS America	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Russell Fought the Ville de Paris before her surrender	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Fame	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Anson Captain William Blair killed	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Torbay	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Prince George	Ship of the line Second rate, 98 guns	Survived
HMS Princessa Also known as Princesa As HMS Princessa, Drake's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
HMS Conqueror	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Nonsuch	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
HMS Alcide Took Hector with Canada	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Arrogant	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
HMS Marlborough	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Frigates, post ships and cutter Endymion, Flora, Alarm, Andromache, Sibyl, Triton, Champion, Eurydice and the cutter Alert.	9	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Frigates, post ships and cutter

Endymion, Flora, Alarm, Andromache, Sibyl, Triton, Champion, Eurydice and the cutter Alert.

French Navy

33 ships, 5 lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Hercule Captain Chadeau de la Clocheterie killed	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Neptune	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Souverain	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Palmier	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Northumberland Captain Antoine Cresp killed	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Auguste Bougainville's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Ardent Retaken by the Royal Navy	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Captured
Scipion	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Brave	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Citoyen	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Hector Taken by Canada and Alcide	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Captured
César Taken by Centaur; caught fire and blew up that night	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Captured
Dauphin Royal	Ship of the line Third rate, 70 guns	Survived
Languedoc	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Ville de Paris De Grasse was taken prisoner aboard her	Ship of the line First rate, 104 guns	Captured
Couronne	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Éveillé	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Sceptre	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Glorieux Dismasted between Duke and Formidable	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Captured
Diadème	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Destin	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Magnanime	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Réfléchi	Ship of the line Third rate, 64 guns	Survived
Conquérant	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Magnifique	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Triomphant Vaudreuil's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Bourgogne	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Duc de Bourgogne Espinouse's flagship	Ship of the line Third rate, 80 guns	Survived
Marseillais	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived
Pluton	Ship of the line Third rate, 74 guns	Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Ships of the line not in the battle Zélé, damaged in a collision with the Ville de Paris, and Jason and Caton, damaged earlier, had been sent away to Guadeloupe. Jason and Caton were caught in the Mona Passage a week later.	3	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Ships of the line not in the battle

Zélé, damaged in a collision with the Ville de Paris, and Jason and Caton, damaged earlier, had been sent away to Guadeloupe. Jason and Caton were caught in the Mona Passage a week later.

Map

De Grasse sails for Jamaica 8–12 April 1782
Rodney gives chase 8–12 April 1782