Battle of San Domingo

The naval Bataille of San Domingo was held the February 6th 1806 with broad of Santo Domingo, on the island of Hispaniola, between the important English squadron led by the vice-admiral John Thomas Duckworth and the smallest French squadron led by the admiral Corentin de Leissegues.

Circumstances

The 22 frimaire An XIV, eleven vessels installed: they had as chiefs the admirals Leissègues and Willaumez. They were to form two squadrons and to separate only with the sea. They sailed of preserve during two days, and travelled for their respective destination then: Leissègues, with five vessels, two frigates and a corvette, had the role of carrying to Santo Domingo 900 and ammunition troops of war.

After forty days of crossing, it entered in Santo-Domingo a complete state of damages caused by the winds. Fourteen days were hardly enough with the most urgent repairs, and when it was prepared to leave, it saw appearing an English squadron of nine vessels and several frigates.

Leissègues left at once and gave the order to prepare with the combat. The operations of the admiral received a perhaps equal share of praises and blame; he does not belong to us to appreciate them. Perhaps was it to avoid the combat in the presence of higher forces.

Its answer to this reproach is: “ Pupil of the Baillif de Suffren, says it, I learned how from him never not to count my enemies. ”

Its defense was heroic: the flagship had lost 150 men and 30 senior officers, it had 500 balls in the body of the vessel; the mizzenmast, the mainmast and small the Topmast were cut; fire had taken three times, the batteries of 24 and of 18 were disabled of the two edges, there were twenty feet of water in the hold, a ball remained in the étambraie prevented the play of the rudder; the captain, the second and six officers were wounded. Decided not to bring its house, Leissègues benefitted from one moment when fire had died out on both sides to direct Impartial the on the coast by means of the Misaine, only sail which remained to him, and it failed approximately ten miles in the east of Santo-Domingo.

Three days after, in spite of the fire of the enemy vessels, it had unloaded its casualties and what remained staff and of the crew, and it went down to ground carrying with him its eagle and its house.

After having read the account of this action, the Emperor known as: “ It is one of the beautiful combat of the French navy. ”

External bonds

Accounts
Information

Source

Random links: