Physical description: Ms., 1 p. 32.5 cm.

Item note: "Line of Battle The Torbay to lead on the Starboard And the America on the Larboard } Tack... To Captn. Graves Commander of His Majs. Ship the Bedford... Given under my hand on board his Majesty's Ship the Barfleur in Basseterre Road St. Christophers, the 13th February 1782... Saml Hood... By Command of the Rear Admiral W: Hunt"Hood's final engagement against De Grasse at Basseterre. Ships' names, places in line, commanders' names, numbers of guns and men, battle movements.Five months after his unsuccessful efforts to prevent De Grasse's fleet from entering the Chesapeake to aid the Americans, Hood re-engaged the French naval officer at St. Kitts. In January 1782 De Grasse sailed to resume attacks on the British islands of Nevis and St. Kitts. Hood followed, discovered the French off Basseterre, engaged De Grasse on 24 January, and through bold movements was able to turn the French out of their anchorage. Enraged at having been outwitted, De Grasse made two attempts to oust Hood, who successfully repelled both while sustaining heavy losses. Determined to defend the island garrison, Hood eventually capitulated on 13 February, yielding St. Kitts. Hood was able to slip his entire fleet past the French through a brilliant maneuver executed in the dead of night, and on the morning of the 15th De Grasse discovered the anchorage empty. The 11th EB states that Hood's clever tactics were "the most brilliant things done by any British admiral during the war."

Original digital object name: bei-m281

This digital resource is provided by the Special Collections department, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, United States.