Battle of St. Kitts

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The Battle of St Kitts, also known as the Battle of Frigate Bay, took place on 25 and 26 January 1782 during the American Revolutionary War between a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and a larger French fleet under the Comte de Grasse.

When Hood returned to the West Indies in late 1781 after the Battle of the Chesapeake, he was for a time in independent command owing to Rodney's absence in England. The French Admiral, the Comte de Grasse, attacked the British islands of St Kitts and Nevis with a much superior force to the squadron under Hood's command. The attempt Hood made in January 1782 to save them from capture, with 22 ships to 29, was not successful, but the series of bold movements by which he first turned the French out of their anchorage at the Basse Terre of St Kitts, and then beat off the attacks of the enemy, were the most brilliant things done by any British admiral during the war.

Hood, with an inferior force first drove De Grasse from his anchorage at Basseterre, anchored there himself and then repulsed De Grasse's repeated attacks the following. But despite outmanoeuvering De Grasse, Hood was unable to save the island from surrendering to the French.

Battle of Saint Kitts, 1782, as described by an observer in a French engraving titled "Attaque de Brimstomhill".

[edit] See also

• Naval operations in the American Revolutionary War