The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-30
WHAT THE FRENCHMEN DID
For US.
Events OF IFS Years Ago Recalled by the
Presence OF Admiral CampiOn's Ships.

New York, passed the spot where De Grasst
on September 80. 1881, dropped the anchors
of his twenty-elght sail of the line, thereby
sealing the fate of Lord CORVALLIS and assur-
Ing the independence of the United States,
As 1t energies from the Chesapeake and heads
up tho coast 1t will pass over the battlefield
where De Grasse met Admiral Graves with
the tardy reinforcement sent by clinton
from New York and drove him back defeated
and discounted. And II 1t reaches New York
on Sunday. April 20, its arrival will be on the
anniversary Of the initial victory gained
by De Grasse over the English fleet at Mar
Unique. which opened the glorious cam
paign Of 1881.
When the Count de Grasse arrived In the
West Indies In April Of that year he found
there an English fleet superior to his own,
under the command of the most distinguished
British Admiral Of his day. Sir George Bridges
Rodney, then in the flush OF his recent trl-
umph. the capture of the island OF st. Eus-
tatius, the headquarters of the American
privateers and blockade runners. which had
been to the American colonies what Nassau
afterward was to the Confederates.
In a letter to his wife describing the capture
Rodney declared:
This rock Of only six miles In length and three
In breadth has done England moro harm than all
the arms OF her potent enemies, and alone sup
ported the American rebellion.
The value Of the shipping taken and the
stores found on the island amounted to the
Immense sum of SIS. 900, 900, and so over
joyed was King George III. at its capture
that in the fulness OF his gratitude he pre-
sented the whole to its captors.
10 all appearances the fall of st. Eustatius
was a great blow to the American cause, but
In the end it resulted most advantag eously
to that cause. Thu British Admiral although
no knew that a formidable French feet was
expected in the West Indies, In his eagerness
to secure the fruits Of his victory remained
for three months at the island, busying him
self with the disposal of his booty. Part Of
1t was sold to buyers from the other islands:
the balance was shipped to England and on
the voyage fell into the hands of a French
squadron, which intercepted 1t In the British
Channel.
Instead Of going himself with his whole
force to meet the expected enemy, he sent
his second in command, Rear Admiral Hood
with eighteen ships Of the line. TO cruise of
Martinique and look out for the French feet.
Hoods station was at first to the windward
OF the island, but Rodney afterward ordered
him to go TO the leeward of 1t and blockade
Port Royal. where a French squadron was
lying.
Hood, who was one OF the ablest officers
of the British navy, protested against the
change and wrote his commander-in-ohief;
begin 10 be extremely impatient for the honor
OF being and acting Immediately under your nag,
as ! do not nnd myself pleasant in being TO lee
ward: for should an enemy's feet attempt TO get
into Martinique. and the commander Of II be In
clinod 10 avoid battle. nothing but a skirmish will
probably happen, which in Its consequences may
operate as a defeat to the British squadron, though
not q ship Is lost and the enemy suffer most.
He submitted:
Whether II would not be advisable TO sta
Nt-A H.. dat - a.. t.4u,A ,ka.. A. -h. 49,
would be abundhntly more favorable for eIectuslly
crushing any squadron OF the enemy coming 10
Martinique than by cruising before Port Royal.
Rodney ignored this protest and still dali
lied at st. Eustatius, and the result was that
Hoods forecast was fully verified.
On April % the Count de Grasse. with
twenty sail of the lire aud a numerous con-
voy, appeared OF Martinique. The French
feet passed around the southern extremity
of the island and on the next day headed for
Port ROYAL, keeping the convoy between it
and the island, so as to protect IL from attack
by the British. Upon the appearance OF this
fleet the French squadron in the harbor of
Port Royal came out to join it, thus giving
De Grasse twcnty-four ships against Hoods
eighteen.
The French Admiral, being to wlndward,
had the option of closing with his enemy,
but he contented himself with a partial en-
gagement. which. while It inflicted serious
injuries on several of Hoods ships, was In
tended only to insure the safety of his con-
voy. For this he has been criticised by some
naval writer's, but upon a full consid Grafton
his course seems TO have been the proper one.
lie was encountered by a large convoy which
carried not only commercial cargoes for the
French islands but the naval and military
stores upon which he depended for the ensuing
campaign and which might ave been at
tackled and destroyed by the British frigates
while the ships of the line were engaged in
the main fight. Having seen this convoy
safely anchored in the harbor, De Grasse
came out the next day to renew hostilities,
but Hood, with four OF his ships crippled,
was so inferior In strength that he wisely
declined the conflict and retired to Antigua,
where he was Joined by his tardy commander.
in-chief.
Rodney, after his junction with Hood, had
q force nearly equal in number and far SUI
perior in sailing ca pacity TO that of his enemy,
a. the British ships were copper b ottomed
while the French were not. The English
Admiral knew that his Government de-
pended entirely upon him to counteract the
plans of De Grasse, and he appears to have
been full of conf1d ence in his ability to do so.
On May 0 he wrote the Admiralty:
Their Lordships may rely upon It that the enemy
shall have nc. occasion to boast at the end of this
campaign.
Again on the goth day OF June:
| beg you will assure their Lordships that let
them 1.-THE enemy'S ficetl go where they will, | will
attend their motions and watch every opportunity
whereby | may attack them with advantage.
And on June 20 he wrote his wife:
In all probability the enemy when they leave
these seas will go TO America. Wherever they
10 will watch their motions and certainly attack
them II they give me a proper opportunity. The
fate of England may depend upon the event.
Yet Rodney never did find an opportunity
of attacking De Grasse. although at least on
two occasions the hostile fleets were in sight
of each other. The French Admiral was
allowed 10 pass unmolested from Martinique
to Santo Domingo, and there at Cape + rancois
tnow Cape I~laytienl he found a French SQUAD
ron of four ships under Monteil and a frigate
that had been sent by Washington and Roch-
ambeau apprising him of the desperate con-
dition of affairs in America and begging him
to come TO their assistance at the earliest
moment.
Thereupon De Grasse. rising to the height
Of his opportunity. resolved upon a course
so original in conception and so different from
the usual practice of both French and British
commanders in those seas that it completely
bahied his antagonist. Although his in
from the Ministry directed him
to collect the French trade homeward bound
and to send nine of his ships to escort It TO
France. he resolved to take the responsibility
of disObeyinP these Instructions Not only