Battle of the Saintes
American War of Independence (Caribbean theater) · Les Saintes, West Indies
Summary
From 9 to 12 April 1782 off the Îles des Saintes in the Antilles, Admiral Rodney crushed De Grasse's French fleet. On 12 April Rodney broke the French line by piercing its center ('breakthrough maneuver') and captured or destroyed seven ships. De Grasse was taken prisoner; France lost control of the Antilles.
Historical context
In the American War of Independence, De Grasse had convoyed reinforcements to the Antilles after Yorktown. Rodney, with 36 ships, intercepted the 33-ship French fleet between Dominica and the Saintes. Both admirals sought decisive battle that would control the Caribbean.
Tactics
On 12 April a wind shift allowed Rodney to pierce the French line in two, a rare technique at the time. Isolated French ships were taken or sunk one by one. De Grasse's flagship Ville de Paris fought alone for hours before surrendering. French rout was total.
Consequences
France lost naval superiority in the Antilles and could no longer threaten British Jamaica. The Saintes partly compensated Yorktown for Britain. De Grasse remained prisoner three years. The battle influenced nineteenth-century naval tactics and line-breaking doctrine.