Battle of San Domingo
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The naval Battle of San Domingo was fought on 6 February 1806 near Santo Domingo, off the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, when a British squadron under Vice-Admiral Duckworth defeated a smaller French squadron under Rear-Admiral Leissegues.
The French squadron of five ships of the line had escaped the British blockade of Brest late the previous year and been chased to the West Indies by Duckworth.
The French ships, not quite ready to sail, and with part of their crews ashore (including Rear-Admiral Leissegues), weighed anchor after seeing the British ships approach. The British ships moved to cut them off and cross their "T". After forming line of battle, the British ships caught up and, after a tough fight lasting two hours, captured three of the French ships, while Imperial 130 and then Diomede 74 went aground and were wrecked, and then burnt about 2 days later. The three smaller French ships then escaped and weren't pursued. Agamemnon lagged behind for much of the battle, and the smaller British ships weren't involved.
Jupiter was taken into the Royal Navy and renamed Maida, while Brave sank on her way back to England. The British suffered 74 killed and 264 wounded, the French suffered perhaps 1510 casualties.
Ships involved:
[edit] Britain (John Duckworth)
Windward line
Superb 74 (flag) - 6 killed, 56 wounded
Northumberland 74 - Damaged, 21 killed, 79 wounded
Spencer 74 - Damaged, 18 killed, 50 wounded
Agamemnon 64 - 1 killed, 13 wounded
Lee line (Canopus was abeam of Spencer)
Canopus 80 (Captain Francis William Austen) - 8 killed, 22 wounded
Donegal 74 - Damaged, 12 killed, 33 wounded
Atlas 74 - Damaged, 8 killed, 11 wounded
Line to windward
Acasta 40 (frigate)
Magicienne 36 (frigate)
Kingfisher 16 (ship-sloop)
Epervier 14 (brig)
[edit] France (Leissegues)
Line of battle
Alexandre 80 (Captain Pierre-Elie Garreau) - Captured
Imperial 130 (flag, captain Julien-Gabriel Bigot) - Wrecked, burnt
Diomede 74 - Wrecked, burnt
Jupiter 74 - Captured
Brave 74 - Captured
Inshore line
Felicite (frigate)
Cornelie (frigate)
Diligente (ship-corvette)
