Key Facts
- Dates
- 9–12 April 1782
- French ships of the line captured
- 4 (including flagship)
- French ships destroyed
- 1
- Notable prisoner taken
- Comte de Grasse, French commander
- Tactic credited
- Breaking the line (attributed to Rodney)
Strategic Narrative Overview
On 9 April 1782, British Admiral Sir George Rodney intercepted de Grasse's fleet near the Îles des Saintes, between Guadeloupe and Dominica. Over four days of engagement, Rodney employed an aggressive tactic of breaking through the French line of battle, disrupting their formation and allowing British ships to rake enemy vessels from close range. The French fleet was scattered and unable to mount a coordinated defense.
01 / The Origins
During the American Revolutionary War, France allied with the American colonists against Britain, providing naval and military support that proved decisive at Yorktown in 1781. Emboldened by this success, France and Spain planned a major combined invasion of Jamaica, a strategically vital British possession in the Caribbean. The French fleet under the Comte de Grasse was tasked with escorting troops and securing Caribbean waters ahead of the invasion.
03 / The Outcome
The battle ended in a decisive British victory. Four French ships of the line were captured, including de Grasse's flagship, and de Grasse himself was taken prisoner. The planned Franco-Spanish invasion of Jamaica was abandoned entirely. The outcome strengthened Britain's hand in subsequent peace negotiations to end the American Revolutionary War, partially offsetting earlier losses at Yorktown.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Comte de Grasse.
Side B
1 belligerent
Admiral Sir George Rodney.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.