Struggle for Sea Power : A Naval History of American Independence (9781782397403)

Home > Other > Struggle for Sea Power : A Naval History of American Independence (9781782397403) > Page 53
Struggle for Sea Power : A Naval History of American Independence (9781782397403) Page 53

by Willis, Sam

17

  Patterson, Other Armada, 214; Mackesy, War for America, 295.

  18

  Annual Register, 1780, page 15.

  19

  Knight, ‘Recovery’, 10.

  20

  Mackesy, War for America, 263.

  21

  WCO: J. Wesley to S. Bradburn, 10 July 1779.

  22

  Conway, ‘Fellow Nationals’, 95.

  23

  Tunstall, Naval Warfare, 146.

  24

  Dull, ‘Tragedy’, 99; Dull, French Navy, 163–7, 202.

  19 British Resourcefulness

  1

  Chavez, Spain, 132.

  2

  Ancell, Journal, 6.

  3

  Ancell, Journal, 10; J. Russell, Gibraltar, 44; McGuffie, Siege, 49.

  4

  McGuffie, Siege, 44.

  5

  NMM: DUF/2; ADM L/P 142.

  6

  Petrie, Charles III, 187; Drinkwater, History, 62.

  7

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 171.

  8

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 51; Ancell, Journal, 9; Spilsbury, Journal, 5, 8.

  9

  See for example Spilsbury, Journal, 9; Ancell, Journal, 12.

  10

  Harding, ‘Two Sieges’, 37; McGuffie, Siege, 48.

  11

  For more on this see Dull, Miracle.

  12

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 42.

  13

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 62.

  14

  NMM: Ell/501 f.50.

  15

  Drinkwater, History, 86.

  20 Caribbean Crisis

  1

  Bonner-Smith, Barrington Papers, II, xxv. There is some suggestion that Byron acted in this way to lure the French out of Martinique. Jamieson, ‘Battle of Grenada’, 58–9.

  2

  Jamieson, ‘Battle of Grenada’, 55–8.

  3

  Barrow, Life of Macartney, I, 56.

  4

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 135.

  5

  Mahan, Major Operations, 76.

  6

  Jamieson, ‘Leeward Islands’, 187; Log of the Fortunée, 6 July 1779, BPL: MSf Eng 514.

  7

  Bonner-Smith, Barrington Papers, II, xxii, 288.

  8

  Bonner-Smith, Barrington Papers, II, 287, 326; Jamieson, ‘Leeward Islands’, 40.

  9

  Bonner-Smith, Barrington Papers, II, 331.

  10

  Log of the Fortunée, 6 July 1779, BPL: MSf Eng 514; Dunmore, Pacific Explorer, 135.

  11

  Ekins, Naval Battles, 78; Mahan, Major Operations, 78. It is unclear why it was described as black. British ships in this period were usually painted yellow.

  12

  Bonner-Smith, Barrington Papers, II, 319; Ekins, Naval Battles, 78.

  13

  Jamieson, ‘Leeward Islands’, 190; Cavaliero, Admiral Satan, 39–41.

  14

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 10; McLarty, ‘Jamaica’, 63; Jamieson, ‘Battle of Grenada’, 61.

  15

  Jamieson, ‘Battle of Grenada’, 62.

  16

  Jamieson, ‘Battle of Grenada’, 55.

  17

  Pocock, Young Nelson, 43. The British preparations are detailed in TNA: ADM 1/241, ff. 303–4, 311.

  18

  Jamieson, ‘Leeward Islands’, 164.

  21 French Incompetence

  1

  The Admiralty decided to replace Gambier with Arbuthnot on 23 January 1779. TNA: ADM 3/86.

  2

  TNA: ADM 1/486, ff. 250–1.

  3

  Clinton’s decision-making process can be followed in Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 136–41, 237 ff.

  4

  Paullin, Navy, 459–60.

  5

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 77.

  6

  Dull, French Navy, 161.

  7

  TNA: ADM 1/486, f. 306; Wilson, Southern Strategy, 138.

  8

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 16, 59.

  9

  Hough, Siege of Savannah, 54, 146; C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 57, 61.

  10

  For d’Estaing’s motivations, see Anon, ‘Siege of Savannah’, 130; Chernow, Washington, 365; Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 80; Dull, French Navy, 161–2n.15.

  11

  Hough, Siege of Savannah, 106–9.

  12

  Lawrence, Storm, 20–1.

  13

  Anon, ‘Siege of Savannah’, 130; Wilson, Southern Strategy, 175; C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 19.

  14

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 13.

  15

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 59; Wilson, Southern Strategy, 139.

  16

  Hough, Siege of Savannah, 51n.1.

  17

  Lawrence, Storm, 31.

  18

  C. L. Lewis, de Grasse, 80.

  19

  TNA: ADM 1/486, f. 305; Wilson, Southern Strategy, 144; Lawrence, Storm, 49–51.

  20

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 145; Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 82.

  21

  Crawford, ‘Naval Support’, 5.

  22

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 61–62; Lawrence, Storm, 86–7, 89–90.

  23

  Hough, Siege of Savannah, 54.

  24

  C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 62.

  25

  Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 83.

  26

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 151; C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 25.

  27

  Hough, Siege of Savannah, 62.

  28

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 153.

  29

  Five of the seventy-six guns were field pieces. C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 27. HMS Rose and Fowey had been stripped of their armaments.

  30

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 135.

  31

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 173.

  32

  TNA: ADM 1/486, f. 328; Lawrence, Storm, 104 ff.

  33

  Anon, ‘D’Estaing Eclipsed’, [no date].

  34

  Anon, ‘Siege of Savannah’, 139.

  35

  D. L. Russell, Southern Colonies, 146.

  36

  Buel, In Irons, 144.

  37

  Though three frigates were taken: C. L. Lewis, de Grasse, 81; C. C. Jones, Siege of Savannah, 69. And Thomas Pasley came close: TNA: ADM 1/2306, 15 December 1779.

  38

  Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 86.

  39

  R. C. Cole, ‘Savannah and the British Press’, 190.

  22 American Destruction

  1

  NDAR XII: 676.

  2

  NDAR XII: 589–90, 595–606, 675–6; Callo, John Paul Jones, 48–51.

  3

  TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  4

  TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  5

  Gawalt, Jones’ Memoir, 37.

  6

  Schaeper, John Paul Jones, 72; Boudriot, John Paul Jones, 53 ff.

  7

  Gawalt, Jones’ Memoir, 37.

  8

  TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  9

  The reasons for which are discussed in Schaeper, John Paul Jones, 41–4.

  10

  C. L. Lewis, ‘Yet Begun to Fight’, 229–37. The suggestion that he surrender was certainly made, however. TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  11

  Melville, Israel Potter, 120.

  12

  J. S. Barnes, Fanning’s Narrative, 53; Schaeper, John Paul Jones.

  13

  TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  14

  For more on the difficulty of sinking wooden sailing ships, see Introduction, pages xxx–x and Willis, Fighting at Sea, 152 ff.

  15
r />   NMM: JOD/9.

  16

  Sketches of the action made by the Hancock’s captain, Hector McNeill, held in the MHS, are published in NDAR IX: 989–1000. Collier’s account is in the same volume, pages 269–73.

  17

  NDAR IX: 683, 750–3, 845.

  18

  Fallaw and Stoer, ‘Old Dominion’, 445.

  19

  TNA: ADM 1/1612, ff. 30–1; Syrett, American Waters, 123; Stewart, Virginia’s Navy, 73–7; Selby, Virginia, 205.

  20

  TNA: ADM 1/1612, ff. 40–2.

  21

  WCL: H. Mowat to P. Cosby, 23 May 1780, Christopher Mason Letterbook, M-132; Bowler, Logistics, 262.

  22

  Hattendorf, Talking about Naval History, 197; Buel, In Irons, 88.

  23

  Norton, Captains Contentious, 73.

  24

  For more on his background see Buker, Penobscot Expedition, 19–22.

  25

  Fowler, Rebels, 115.

  26

  N. Miller, Sea of Glory, 415.

  27

  Norton, Captains Contentious, 81; Buker, Penobscot Expedition, 61–3.

  28

  N. Miller, Sea of Glory, 415.

  29

  TNA: ADM 1/1612, ff. 47–9.

  30

  Norton, Captains Contentious, 82.

  31

  WCL: J. Bowen to N. Greene, 6 September 1779, Hubert Smith Collection, II.

  32

  TNA: ADM 1/1612, ff. 48.

  33

  Buker, Penobscot Expedition, 97.

  34

  TNA: ADM 1/486, ff. 219.

  35

  Chernow, Washington, 265.

  36

  Rankin, Narratives, 39.

  37

  Hattendorf, Talking about Naval History, 198; Buel, In Irons, 93.

  38

  TNA: ADM 1/2305.

  39

  NYPL: Navy Board of the Eastern Division [Boston] Letter Book; Buel, In Irons, 94.

  40

  Toll, Six Frigates, 18.

  41

  Buel, In Irons, 96.

  42

  Buel, In Irons, 93.

  43

  Hattendorf, Talking about Naval History, 196–8.

  44

  Buel, In Irons, 90.

  45

  N. Miller, Sea of Glory, 419.

  23 British Dominance

  1

  For some important background to Arbuthnot’s appointment see Rodger, Insatiable Earl, 284–7.

  2

  Borick, Gallant Defense, 24–5.

  3

  Mackesy, War for America, 340.

  4

  Uhlendorf, Siege of Charleston, 119.

  5

  Tustin, Diary, 194.

  6

  Tustin, Diary, 194.

  7

  Tilley, British Navy, 174; Syrett, American Waters, 134.

  8

  Borick, Gallant Defense, 73.

  9

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 209; Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 94–5.

  10

  N. Miller, Sea of Glory, 421.

  11

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 209.

  12

  Borick, Gallant Defense, 74.

  13

  Borick, Gallant Defense, 80.

  14

  Many thanks to Carl Borick for this observation. For the problems encountered in the first attack, see TNA: ADM 1/486, ff. 64–9.

  15

  TNA: ADM 1/486, f. 355.

  16

  Tustin, Diary, 210.

  17

  Tilley, British Navy, 179.

  18

  Tustin, Diary, 210.

  19

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 211.

  20

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 211.

  21

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 212.

  22

  Lloyd, Keith Papers, I, 143.

  23

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 213.

  24

  TNA: ADM 1/486, f. 355; Lloyd, Keith Papers, 145.

  25

  Lloyd, Keith Papers, 140.

  26

  Willcox, American Rebellion, 161, 163.

  27

  Lloyd, Keith Papers, 167.

  28

  Lloyd, Keith Papers, 142.

  29

  Campbell, ‘Jointness’, 66.

  30

  Wilson, Southern Strategy, 210.

  31

  Tilley, British Navy, 179.

  32

  Lloyd, Keith Papers, 173; Mattern, Benjamin Lincoln, 98.

  33

  Tustin, Diary, 225.

  34

  Alliance, Confederacy, Deane and Trumbull. The sloop Saratoga was launched in April 1780. For a list of the American ships captured, see TNA: ADM 1/486, ff. 369–70.

  35

  Paullin, Navy, 433.

  36

  Shipton, ‘Benjamin Lincoln’, 203.

  37

  APDE: J. D. van der Capellen, 28 November 1780.

  38

  APDE: J. Adams to J. D. van der Capellen, 21 January 1781.

  39

  NYPL: Mazzei Papers, F. Mazzei to T. Jefferson, 22 June 1780.

  40

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 3.

  41

  Syrett, European Waters, 83.

  42

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 270.

  43

  Knight, ‘Recovery’, 23.

  44

  Corbett, Signals and Instructions, 211.

  45

  Mackesy, War for America, 312; Drinkwater, Narrative, 91.

  46

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 304.

  47

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 58.

  48

  Mahan, Major Operations, 89.

  49

  NYPL: Mazzei Papers, 8 February 1780.

  50

  NYPL: Mazzei Papers, 8 February 1780.

  51

  Corbett, Signals and Instructions, 233.

  52

  Warner, ‘Telescopes for Land and Sea’, 45.

  53

  NYPL: Mazzei Papers, 8 February 1780.

  54

  Chavez, Spain, 141.

  55

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 313.

  56

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 313.

  57

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 198.

  58

  For more British humanity, see Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 342.

  59

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 321.

  60

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 408.

  61

  Syrett, European Waters, 89.

  62

  Ancell, Journal, 22.

  63

  Ancell, Journal, 25.

  64

  Ancell, Journal, 25.

  65

  Drinkwater, Narrative, 91.

  66

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 194; J. Russell, Gibraltar, 53.

  67

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 194.

  68

  McGuffie, Siege, 60.

  69

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 328.

  70

  Ancell, Journal, 26.

  71

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 60.

  72

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 193.

  73

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 347.

  74

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 195; Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 348; J. Russell, Gibraltar, 61.

  75

  J. Russell, Gibraltar, 60.

  76

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich Papers, III, 194.

  77

  Hills, Rock of Contention, 318.

  78

  Mahan, Major Operations, 91.

  79

  Barnes and Owen, Sandwich
Papers, III, 203–4; Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 381.

  80

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 376.

  81

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 370.

  82

  Syrett, Rodney Papers, II, 369.

  83

  Owen, ‘Rodney and de Guichen’, 195; Jamieson, ‘Leeward Islands’, 198.

 

‹ Prev