The Major Operations of the Navies in the War of American Independence | Page 4

Cruise 141
The Action of May 15, 1780 142
That of May 19, 1780 144
The Results Indecisive 144
Contrary Personal Effect produced upon the two Admirals by the
encounters 145
De Guichen asks to be Relieved 145
Rodney's Chary Approval of his Subordinates in these two instances
145
Suspicion and Distrust rife in the British Navy at this period 146
Twelve Spanish Sail-of-the-Line, with Ten Thousand Troops, Arrive at
Guadeloupe 147
They refuse Coöperation with de Guichen in the Windward Islands 147
De Guichen Accompanies them to Haïti with his Fleet 147

He declines to Coöperate on the Continent with the Americans, and
sails for Europe 148
Rodney Arranges for the protection of the Homeward West India Trade,
and then proceeds to New York 149
Effect of his coming 150
The Year 1780 one of great Discouragement to Americans 151
Summary of the Operations in the Carolinas and Virginia, 1780, which
led to Lord Cornwallis's Surrender in 1781 151
Two Naval Actions sustained by Commodore Cornwallis against
superior French forces, 1780 153
The Year 1780 Uneventful in European seas 157
Capture of a great British Convoy 157
The Armed Neutrality of the Baltic Powers 158
The Accession of Holland to this followed by a Declaration of War by
Great Britain 158
The French Government withdraws all its Ships of War from before
Gibraltar 158
CHAPTER IX
NAVAL CAMPAIGN IN WEST INDIES IN 1781. CAPTURE OF ST.
EUSTATIUS BY RODNEY. DE GRASSE ARRIVES IN PLACE OF
DE GUICHEN. TOBAGO SURRENDERS TO DE GRASSE
Effects of the Great Hurricanes of 1780 in West Indies 159
Rodney's Diminished Force. Arrival of Sir Samuel Hood with
reinforcements 160

Rodney receives Orders to seize Dutch Possessions in Caribbean 160
Capture of St. Eustatius, St. Martin, and Saba 161
The large Booty and Defenceless state of St. Eustatius 161
Effect of these Conditions upon Rodney 161
Hood detached to cruise before Martinique 162
De Grasse arrives there with Twenty Ships-of-the-Line 163
Indecisive Action between de Grasse and Hood 164
Criticism of the two Commanders 166
Junction of Rodney and Hood 166
De Grasse attempts Santa Lucia, and Fails 167
He captures Tobago 168
He decides to take his Meet to the American Continent 168
CHAPTER X
NAVAL OPERATIONS PRECEDING AND DETERMINING THE
FALL OF YORKTOWN. CORNWALLIS SURRENDERS
1781
Summary of Land Operations in Virginia early in 1781 169
Portsmouth Occupied 170
A French Squadron from Newport, and a British from Gardiner's Bay,
proceed to the Scene 170
They meet off the Chesapeake 171

Action between Arbuthnot and des Touches, March 16, 1781 171
The Advantage rests with the French, but they return to Newport.
Arbuthnot enters the Chesapeake 174
Cornwallis reaches Petersburg, Virginia, May 20 175
Under the directions of Sir Henry Clinton he evacuates Portsmouth and
concentrates his forces at Yorktown, August 22 175
The French Fleet under de Grasse Anchors in the Chesapeake, August
30 176
British Naval Movements, in July and August, affecting conditions in
the Chesapeake 176
Admiral Graves, successor to Arbuthnot at New York, joined there by
Sir Samuel Hood, August 28 177
Washington and Rochambeau move upon Cornwallis 178
The British Fleet under Graves arrives off the Chesapeake 179
Action between de Grasse and Graves, September 5 179
Hood's Criticism of Graves's Conduct 181
The British, worsted, return to New York. De Grasse, reinforced,
re-enters the Chesapeake, September 11 184
Cornwallis Surrenders, October 19 184
De Grasse and Hood Return to West Indies 185
CHAPTER XI
NAVAL EVENTS OF 1781 IN EUROPE. DARBY'S RELIEF OF
GIBRALTAR, AND THE BATTLE OF THE DOGGER BANK

Leading Objects of the Belligerents in 1781 186
The Relief of Gibraltar by Admiral Darby 186
Capture of British Convoy with the spoils of St. Eustatius 188
The French and Spanish Fleet under Admiral de Cordova again enters
the English Channel 188
Darby in inferior Force shut up in Tor Bay 188
The Allies Decide not to attack him, but to turn their Efforts against
British Commerce 189
Minorca Lost by British 189
The Battle of the Dogger Bank, between British and Dutch Fleets 190
CHAPTER XII
THE FINAL NAVAL CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST INDIES. HOOD
AND DE GRASSE. RODNEY AND DE GRASSE. THE GREAT
BATTLE OF APRIL 12, 1782
Capture and Destruction near Ushant of a great French Convoy for the
West Indies opens the Naval Campaign of 1782 195
Attack upon the Island of St. Kitts by de Grasse and de Bouillé 197
Hood sails for its Relief from Barbados 197
His Plan of procedure 198
Balked by an Accident 199
He Succeeds in dislodging de Grasse and taking the Anchorage left by
the French 200
Unsuccessful Attempt by de Grasse to shake Hood's position 203

St. Kitts nevertheless compelled to Surrender owing to having
insufficient Land Force 205
Hood Extricates himself from de Grasse's Superior Force and Retires