Battle of Bantry Bay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Battle of Bantry Bay | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the Grand Alliance | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Combatants | |||||||
| France | England | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Château-Renault | Earl of Torrington | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 39 men-of-war | 19 ships of the line | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| No ships lost , 40 killed 93 wounded. | No ships lost , 96 killed 269 wounded | ||||||
| Theatres of the War of the Grand Alliance |
|---|
| Continental Europe – Ireland – North America |
| War of the Grand Alliance |
|---|
| Bantry Bay – Walcourt – Fleurus – Beachy Head – Staffarda – Cuneo – Leuze – Barfleur-La Hogue – 1st Namur – Steenkirk – Lagos – Landen – Marsaglia – Charleroi – Torroella – 2nd Namur – Barcelona |
[edit] The Battle
During the early phase of the War of the Grand Alliance, the French navy had achieved some success. On 6 May 1689, a French fleet of 39 men-of-war, commanded by Château-Renault, departed from Brest to ferry over supplies and French troops to assist King James II’s struggle in Ireland in his attempt to regain the English crown.
However, the presence of the English Admiral, Arthur Herbert (soon to be known as Lord Torrington), had made offloading at Kinsale impossible, therefore forcing Château-Renault on 10 May, to anchor his fleet in Bantry Bay.
The following morning, Herbert’s squadron of 19 ships of the line approached the French, but Château-Renault, enjoying the weather gauge, managed to drive Torrington out of the bay and into the open sea.[1]
The four-hour battle was somewhat inconclusive – little damage occurred to either fleet – but the French action had enabled the transports to unload their supplies.[2]
The French fleet returned to Brest on 18 May.
