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Battle of Grenada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Battle of Grenada took place on July 6, 1779 during the American War of Independence in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.
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During the early part of 1779 the naval forces in the West Indies were mainly employed in watching one another. But in June, when the British Admiral Byron went to Antigua to guard the trade convoy on its way home, his opponent, the Comte d'Estaing first captured St Vincent, and then on the 4th of July Grenada. Byron sailed in hopes of saving the island, but arrived too late. A short action was fought off Grenada on the 6th of July.
The French fleet, under Admiral Comte d'Estaing, consisted of 25 ships of the line and several frigates. The British fleet, under Vice-Admiral John Byron, had 21 ships of the line and 1 frigate. The French were anchored off Georgetown on the south-west of the island, and the English approached during the night. D’Estaing weighed at 4 A.M. and Byron chased. The British ships attacked in utter disorder and confusion. Fame, Lion and two other ships got separated from the main body, and were very badly mauled. Lion was forced to run downwind to Jamaica to avoid capture. The French lost no ships and eventually hauled off. The British lost 183 killed and 346 wounded. Fame lost 4 killed and 9 wounded. The French lost 190 killed and 759 wounded. =[
The war now died down in the West Indies. Byron returned home in August. D'Estaing, after co-operating unsuccessfully with the Americans in an attack on Savannah in September also returned to Europe.