Battle of bay of Chesapeake

The Battle of bay of Chesapeake , so known under the name of Battle of the courses of Virginia , is a crucial battle of the Guerre of independence of the United States of America which took place close to the mouth of the Baie of Chesapeake the September 5th 1781 between the fleet of the British Rear-admiral Thomas Graves and that of the Rear-admiral French Of Fatty. The precision of the French shooting damages sufficiently six British vessels to force Graves to break the combat and to dodge themselves. It is the only major defeat of the Royal Navy with XVIIIe and XIXe centuries.

The victory of the French fleet prevents the Royal Navy from supplying the forces of the General Charles Cornwallis with Yorktown. It also avoids any interference with the reinforcements and provisions sent since New York to the armies of George Washington by the Baie of Chesapeake. What will carry out, Cornwallis to be gone after the Siège of Yorktown and then the the United Kingdom of Great Britain to recognize the independence of the the United States of America.

By this victory, France could recover some of its colonies lost in 1763 of which St Lucia and Tobago.

Committed ships

France (of Fatty)

Pluto 74 (François-Hector d' Albert of Let us laugh)
Burgundy 74
Marseilles 74
Diadem 74
Considered 74
Auguste 80 (Louis Antoine de Bougainville)
Holy Spirit 80
Caton 74
César 74
Destiny 74
Town of Paris 104 (carries the colors of the Admiral de Grasse)
Victoire 74
Sceptre 80
Northumberland 74
Palm tree 74
Solitary 64
Citizen 74
Scipion 74
Magnanime 74
Hercules 74
Languedoc 80
Dedicated 74
Hector 74
Sovereign 74
Ariel frigate (Hippolyte de Capellis)
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Great Britain (Low registers)

London 98 (Door colors of the Admiral Graves)
Princess 70 (Drake)
Barfleur 98 (Door colors of the Admiral Samuel Hood)
Terrible - damaged and later désarmé
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See too

History of the Franco-American relations

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