Battle - 1721 - March 28 - Outgunned at Nassau

Ships in Action:
British Fleet

Captain Collister - HMS Longbow, Mercy fifth rate

14 other British Captains

French Fleet

20 French Captains

Action Setup:
An assault on Nassau had been suggested several days before the afternoon of the 28th. The disruption of enemy shipping and seizure of the control of surrounding waters had been executed effectively and the French had not had time to respond before the port found itself under attack. Unfortunately, the fleet mustered for the actual battle, was very small in terms of port battles. 15 ships, consisting of 4 lineships and 11 frigates anchored off Nassau to prepare for the assault. Admiral Allen took command of the fleet, and divided the ships into four groups. I was assigned to Red Frigate group under Commodore Harford.

Yellow group - Ships of the Line

Mordaunt Sleek fourth rate, Captain Anna Katarina

Wenden third rate, Captain John Chancellor

Mordaunt Sleek fourth rate, Captain James Summers

Reason fourth rate, Captain Dustyn Gordon

Black group - Heavy Frigates

Heavy Hercules fifth rate, Captain Jonathan Banks

Heavy Hercules fifth rate, Captain Mrs Orde

Heavy Hercules fifth rate, Captain Leopold Lomax

Heavy Hercules fifth rate, Captain Marie White

Heavy Hercules fifth rate, Captain Rollo der Wikinger

Red group - Frigates

Dauntless fifth rate, Admiral Anna Allen

Dauntless fifth rate, Commodore Lilian Harford

HMS Longbow, Mercy fifth rate, Captain Collister

Dauntless fifth rate, Captain Raven Copperhead

Tigre Mastercraft fifth rate, Captain Steven Phipps

White group - Reconnaissance

Hercules Sleek fifth rate, Captain James Beckett II

The Action Itself:
The wind was blowing from the northwest and our fleet found itself in the unfortunate situation of approaching the port from the southeast. We formed a double line, with our frigates on one side and ships of the line on the other. As we approached the harbour, we were forced to approach either by sailing west around a large island or to the east of it through a channel. While the Admiral made his decision, the French fleet was spotted. 20 ships, consisting of a third rate, 5 Hercules Mastercraft Frigates, and 14 fifth rate Frigates.

We all realized that we were heavily outnumbered and outgunned. Every Captain of the British fleet understood as much and every man jack aboard the Longbow with his wits about him, or with a friend within earshot of the quarterdeck, knew that the enemy commanded a heavier fleet this day. But it was to the credit of the British Captains and sailors present that not a single man spoke of retreat. Admiral Allen, however, feeling such a weight upon his shoulders, declared that no Captain would be persecuted if he decided to take his vessel due east back to the open sea. This declaration was recieved with indignation with some, gratitude in others, but not one Captain did so. And it was a fleet of 15 sail that tacked up the channel towards the enemy fleet.

Six French privateers had sailed south through the channel, and it was the Admiral's hope that these ships could be isolated and sunk before they could regroup with the rest of the French fleet. Consequently all ships committed to general chase along the channel. We were all, of course, aware that this had been the French Admiral's intentions. The general opinion was, however, that we could catch the enemy before they reached the main French line.

The Longbow sailed third in line in the Red group. Upon seeing the signal 'break line' and 'general chase' flying beside Admiral Allen's ensign, the Longbow sailed clear ahead of her counterparts in Red group. She was amongst the first of the British ships to engage the French at a distance of roughly 600 yards. Bar shot was fired, aimed high, in an attempt to slow the enemy and hence isolate them. However, as we drew further and further along the channel, the enemy succeeded in performing defensive maneauvers, and none of their vessels were damaged particularly badly. In contrast, many of our ships recieved focused fire from the French privateers as we slowly tacked up the channel.

The Longbow recieved particularly heavy fire at one point, finding herself the target of four enemy ships. I was forced to perform evasive maneauvers and found cover behind Black group. After completing some necessary repairs, as the battle continued to the north, I once again began tacking up the channel. Once again the Longbow sailed to the front of our fleet and engaged the enemy vessels.

No enemy ships had been sunk, in fact, no enemy vessels had even recieved considerable damage as we saw the end of the channel. The channel opened into a large body of water. The French fleet was to the west, and the open sea to the east. I found myself at the van of our fleet and once again the Longbow was targetted by a few enemy ships. Upon once again sustaining heavy damage, Captain Leopold Lomax commendably put his frigate between mine and the enemy long enough for me to find cover behind the rest of our fleet coming up the channel.

As we reached the mouth of the channel, neither fleet had lost a single ship. But the French now sprung their trap. Their main line of battle, consisting of their remaining 14 ships sailed downwind straight towards the rear of our line. Their privateer group continued engaging our vessels as we tacked north, and we found ourselves the target of a flanking maneauver. Admiral Allen was quick to declare that the enemy had gained a powerful advantage in terms of fleet positions. As their main line bore down on the rear of our fleet, Admiral Allen called out a general retreat. We were to come out of the mouth of the channel and sail east, withdrawing from combat as soon as possible.

The Longbow had completed her makeshift repairs when the signal 'general retreat' appeared. I brought our larboard cannons to bear and held position long enough to fire three or four broadsides of chain shot into the French privateers which were now attempting to cut our fleet in half, and isolate our rearmost vessels still in the channel. Furious fire was raging to the south, where the main line had engaged our lineships. Fortunately, through the disabling fire from the Longbow and a few other Frigate Captains, the enemy's attempts to cut our lineships off from the rest of our fleet had failed. Our rearmost vessel cleared the channel and all our ships set sail eastwards to the open sea.

Having once again sustained damage, largely to her rigging, I felt it prudent to take the Longbow further out to sea, and follow the order of retreat. Repairing our sails as we went, we were in the front half of our fleet retreating to the east. The French privateer group that had proved so successful in their maneauvers throughout the battle now excelled in dismasting the rearmost of our vessels. It was a painful sight to see. I stood on my quarterdeck, now covered in debris from our damaged masts and hull, and could only watch as the French caught up with, and sank or captured, the slower of our vessels. First a couple of our frigates went down, and then, our lineships. For a long time Captain John Chancellor kept his third rate out of the enemy's range. But the enemy privateers proved too fast, and inevitably caught up with him and rained disabling shot over his vessel. Captain James Beckett II performed heroically as he put his Frigate between the third rate and the enemy, and succeeded in slowing the enemy's chase. However, the clearly inevitable eventually took place, and the French fleet surrounded and destroyed the two Captains' vessels.

The Result:
British Losses

Wenden third rate

Mordaunt Sleek fourth rate

Mordaunt Sleek fourth rate

Heavy Hercules fifth rate

Dauntless fifth rate

Dauntless fifth rate

Dauntless fifth rate

Above subject to change as information may have been lost during general retreat.

French Losses

None

Lessons Learned:
I have of course never led a Port Battle, and so reserve myself from any form of criticism of the British Admiralty. The general retreat successfully saved many of our ships. I followed orders and was kept afloat, though others were not so fortunate. Perhaps the most obvious lesson learned was that if we had simply brought a full fleet of 24 sail, we would have had a clear advantage. Hence, lesson learned; Britain must always muster a full fleet. Despite superior numbers obviously not guaranteeing victory, made apparent in the second and perhaps even more unfortunate battle of the night (Cartagena), they certainly help!