Battle - 1721 - May 16 - A stalemate and a close defeat at Spanish Town

Report by Captain Sir Leo Davis describing our futile attempt to defend the Spanish Town against a french assault fleet.

Ships in Action:
ALLIES:

 Captain Sir James Maddox - HMS Ethalion (Archelon Frigate) - White Group

 Captain Sir Leo Davis - HMS Prince George (Prince First Rate) - Red Group

 Captain Robert Middlemore -HMS Warrior (Wenden Third Rate) - Red Group

 Captain Nicholas Ventura - HMHV Odysseus (Hercules Heavy Frigate) - Green Group

 Captain Francis Lyden - (Reason Naval 4th Rate) - White Group

- and 19 other british ships consisting of: Two collossal groups (Black and Red)

Two groups with heavy frigates and fourth rates (Green and White)

ENEMIES:

-French fleet of 24 vessels consisting of:

three first rates

three second rates

lots of third rates

and several Hercules Frigates.

Action Setup:
The battle took place on the Havanna map at night. After growing tensions and massive presence of french ships around spanish town. The admirality realised that a massive french attack on Spanish Town was imminent. So they decided to send the best ships of the british navy to defend Spanish Town.

In the night of the 16. May 1721 spotters sighted a huge french armada on the horizon. Immediatly alarm was given and our ships sailed out to intercept the french intruders. Captain Bennet Cumberland was the leading the black colossal group in his Invincible first rate. While Captain Blackheart was leading the whole fleet. I was assigned to be the group leader of the red group, which was the second collosal group of our fleet. Our group consisted of one Prince class first rate, one Invincible first rate, one Wenden third rate and two Valiant third rates.

White and Green group consisted of heavy Frigates and some fourth rates. Both groups were assigned to cover the sterns and sides of the collossal groups, against any flanking attacks.

The Action Itself:
The french fleet entered the inner bay trough the northern entrance, while we took position south-west near the gun emplacements. While the french fleet pushed south in a long battle line, our fleet tried to pull along side to force them into a line battle. This was only partial successful, since only the black group was able to get into cannon range, after some minor exchanges of long range shots which almost took down a french Valiant, the fleets finally moved close enough for an exchange of deadly broadsides. During this fighting both sides suffered their first losses. The french frigates tried to attack the tail of our line and were able to sink one Valiant of my red group, and one of our frigates. While the French lost a Triumphant second rate which was covering a badly damaged french first rate.

After a brief race south both fleets had to disengage because we would have crashed into the beaches of the bay. Both lines broke up in a rather chaotic bunch of ships while they tried to reformate their groups. The french fleet retreated to the east while we sailed north west to cover the port entrances. Since we had to sail hard against the wind the french tried to charge our side. Our frigates groups were ordered to slow down their approach, so that the collossal groups could safely reach their defensive position at the northern port entrance. This maneuver was successful, but several of our frigates were lost while covering our sterns against enemy fire. At this point the battle was already raging for about an hour, while the port was still closed. The french had lost five mostly heavy ships while we had lost nine ships.

We had now the wind advantage and a very good defensive position while the french sat out of range in a parallel line south of us. Since we were outnumbered Fleet Admiral Blackheart decided that we would play on time. After some long minutes of waiting the french sent out one of their frigate groups to destroy the gun emplacements which would open the port entrance. During this maneuver one french Heavy Hercules underestimated the range of our cannons and came too close to our line, the black group was able to sink it with some combined broadsides.

When the port opened the french had less than 30 minutes time to conquer the port. Shortly after the whole french fleet docked at the main entrance, our fleet sailed to the southern defenders entrance to engage the french in the city. Unfortunately the french rushed short time to our entrance and killed our whole force right as we entered the city.

With only 15 minutes left on the timer the french were able to kill the port commander and to conquer Spanish Town.

Here follows a summary by Captain Nicholas Ventura about the actions of our Frigate groups:'''

Green group was charged with protecting the sterns of the collosal groups. At first we were engaged with the frigate group of the french, exchanged some broadsides and then joined up with the rest by the first bay we rested in. As we were still charged with protecting the collosals while they were moving near the defender fort entrance, we were left behind and tried to keep the oncomming frigate and collosal French groups from the arse of black and red. Most of white was obliterated and some of Green as well. A couple of captains actually broke off and forced the french to chase them, giving the rest of the squad a chance to escape and rejoin the collosal groups.

The Result:
We lost the fight and the french took over the control of Spanish Town.

The british lost nine ships:

one Triumphant second rate

one Valiant third rate

Captain Francis Lyden - Reason Naval fourth rate

Captain Sir James Maddox - Archelon frigate

five other heavy frigates

The french lost only six ships:

two triumphant second rates

one Valiant third rate

one Hercules Mastercraft Frigate

one Hercules Heavy Frigate

one ship fled from the battle

Special Remarcs:
Captain Sir James Maddox saved in a heroic action one of black groups first rates, when it came under heavy fire from the enemy. Later in the battle his ship was sunk while he boldly covered the retreat of our fleet to the port entrance.

Captain Francis Lyden was able to assist in the sinking of several enemy ships, by sailing into close combat with the enemy fleet even when coming under heavy fire, which finaly caused the loss of his ship. His actions helped our fleet to make this battle an expensive win for the french. His bold actions where also highly praised by Captain Blackheart.

Lessons Learned:
This was my first battle in which I was assigned as the group leader of a colossal group. I had to learn how difficult it is to lead these massive and cumbersome ships in a close formation and to focus the fire of our group on one target. I am glad that our group lost only one ship in the course of the battle.

Misc.
The french fleet starts their attack



the first attempt of engaging in a line battle



HMS Prince George leads the fleet to their defensive position at the port entrance.