page_title: Capture of Grenada (1779)
section_title: British defences
hierarchical_section_title: Capture of Grenada (1779) / British defences
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of the land and naval battle of Grenada, 4 and 6 July 1779. Français&#160;: Plan de la bataille terrestre et navale de la Grenade, le 4 et 6 juillet 1779.
context_page_description: The Capture of Grenada was an amphibious expedition in July 1779 during the American Revolutionary War. Charles Hector, comte D'Estaing led French forces against the British-held West Indies island of Grenada. The French forces landed on 2 July and the assault occurred on the night of 3–4 July. The French forces assaulted the British fortifications on Hospital Hill, overlooking the island's capital, Saint George's. The British cannons were captured and turned against Fort George. British Governor Lord Macartney opened negotiations to surrender.
  Admiral d'Estaing controversially rejected Macartney's terms of capitulation, instead insisting on him adopting the harsher terms he had written. Macartney rejected those terms, choosing to surrender unconditionally. D'Estaing thereafter permitted his forces to loot the town, and Macartney was sent to France as a prisoner of war.
  On 5 July, French forces re-embarked when word arrived that a British fleet under Admiral John Byron was approaching. The two fleets battled the next day. The French severely damaged several British ships; however, both fleets successfully returned to their bases.
context_section_description: Grenada was one of Britain's richest colonies, producing significant quantities of sugar on its plantations.  Lord Macartney, the British governor, had been alerted to the possibility of a French attack. He made repeated requests for support to Admiral Byron and the British commander at St. Kitts, but was told that Saint Vincent was the principal French interest. However, Byron stated he would bring relief should Grenada be attacked.
  Macartney had at his disposal 101 soldiers drawn from the 48th Regiment of Foot and 24 artillery men. He also had over 400 militia and volunteers, but did not consider these forces dependable because one third of them were of French extraction.  He ordered the construction of significant fortifications on Hospital Hill, a prominence overlooking the island capital St. George's. The steep hillsides were fortified by stone walls, and the hilltop had a palisade surrounding a series of entrenchments.
caption: Plan of the French attacks
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