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Notes
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The chief aspiration of the French in the West Indies in 1782, the end of the War of American Independence, was the capture of Jamaica. Sailing from Fort Royal, Martinique, their fleet under the Comte de Grasse was engaged by the British West Indies Fleet under Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney off the group of islets to the north called the Saints (Les Saintes) on 12 April. Rodney's victory proved a counterbalance to the loss of the British colonies in America, allowing Britain to secure superiority over the French in the Caribbean at the ensuing Treaty of Versailles which ended the war in 1783. As the opposing battle lines engaged on opposing parallel courses, a slight change of wind enabled Rodney to sail through the French line and throw it into disorder – the first (albeit fortuitous) use of the tactic of 'breaking the line' – and the action soon became a general chase.
The picture correctly shows Rodney's fleet flying red ensigns, despite his being an admiral of the white squadron (as shown by the St George's flag at the main of 'Formidable'). This was the result of his order to fly red to avoid confusion with the white Bourbon ensigns of the enemy. The fact that he and Hood also fly red at the fore is probably for the same reason, in Hood's case for the additional one that although second-in-command he shared the same nominal rank (rear-admiral of the blue) with the third-in-command, Francis Drake, in the 70-gun 'Princesa'.
Title
The Battle of the Saints, 12 April 1782
Date
1782
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 121.92 x W 185.42 cm
Accession number
BHC0441
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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