Battle - 1721 - April 27 - Consolation at Port-de-Paix

Ships in Action:
British Fleet

Captain John R. Lapenotiere - HMS Monkeyshine

Captain Robert Middlemore - HMS Fearless

12 other British Fifth-rate ships led by Admiral Mark Jones

French Fleet

13 French Fifth-rate ships led by Admiral Boris de Montford

Action Setup:
Earlier in the day the British Fleet at Spanish Town had suffered an atrocious mauling at the hands of a lighter French Fleet, despite a significant compliment of Ships of the Line. British morale thus suffered a serious blow, and there proved to be many recriminations and some amount of despair abounding in the aftermath. However it was soon time to put such melancholy behind as the orders came down to launch an attack on French-held Port-de-Paix.

Perhaps due in part due to the still-fresh sting of a crushing defeat, the British turn-out was poor: only fourteen ships, nearly all Fifth-rates of varying strength excepting Captain Lapenotiere's command, the Fourth-rate Alexander-class HMS Monkeyshine. It was generally expected that the French, flush with victory, would defend the port with a full fleet. Nevertheless, all captains and crews approaching Port-de-Paix mustered their courage and with a grim sense of determination and duty, sailed to battle.

The Action Itself:
Rear Admiral Mark Jones took command of the British fleet as it sailed towards Port-de-Paix, with the ships dividing into three detachments of five, five, and four. With a south easterly wind the fleet lined up, entered the sheltered islands ahead and stood south to head around the large central island. As it passed the lead scouts sighted the French fleet approaching due south up the channel, numbering thirteen ships of roughly equivalent Rating. Signals spread the word around the fleet and courage lifted at the prospect of an even, fair battle. All captains knew the outcome would now be decided purely by seamanship and gunnery.

The Admiral gave the order to wear and move north back out of the channel and around the island to the north west. This was done in good order, and once in position the fleet turned and dropped anchors to form a line across the narrow channel, awaiting the approaching French fleet. Our enemy willingly obliged with a charge, crossing the northern front of the British line at an oblique angle. Whilst so engaged, the rear British detachments tacked to starboard and moved across the back of the French line. A furious exchange of fire ensued, at the end of which no ships were sunk, but the British had now seized the wind gage and, furthermore, the French found themselves close up against a lee shore.

The British kept up the pressure, wearing to port and then again to starboard, maintaining concentrated fire on the French fleet and pushing it dangerously close into the shore. Without room to maneouvre and protect their damaged vessels the superiority of the British position and gunnery began to tell, and the first losses mounted on their side. However, they still fought ferociously, and as they began to sail off the lee shore and towards the safety of the town's fort, they were able to sink a couple of isolated British ships, one of which was the slower HMS Monkeyshine.

The British fleet followed in hot pursuit, maintaining the wind advantage as the French moved into the cove outside the fort. Realising that they were again in a position in which they might become trapped, the enemy sought to sail out of the cove. The British line charged their stern as they did so, engaging in a vicious close-range fight that saw several more French frigates sunk under weight of fire, including the French Admiral. The remaining French tacked through the wind and headed once more for the port, the British turning on their sterns and isolating a French frigate which was quickly sunk. As the British line reformed, with over half the French fleet sunk, the last enemy vessels chose to flee rather than face further slaughter.

As the soldiers in the fort saw the tattered remnants of their defensive fleet abandoning them, they wisely chose to strike their colours and surrender Port-de-Paix to Great Britain.

The Result:
VICTORY, PORT CAPTURED

British Losses

HMS Monkeyshine

Two other British Fifth-rates

French Losses

Nine French Fifth-rates

Lessons Learned:
It was generally agreed by all captains, once ashore in Port-de-Paix to secure the town and hoist the Union Jack, that the battle had proceeded excellently with no visible mistakes made. All captains had fought excellently, fire was well-focused on targets, maneouvring to protect damaged ships was carried out superbly, and thanks to Admiral Jones and Commodore Bennet the French were smoothly out-fought on the tactical level. Communication was clear and orders followed precisely, with just the right degree of individual initiative. There can be no dispute that it was an entirely even battle that could have gone either way, and so was won squarely by superior tactics and skill - in fact, if anything, despite having one less ship many captains concurred that the French had in fact outgunned the British fleet, with the presence of many heavier Fifth-rates.

Thus it may be fair to say that the engagement was a fine example of how a battle should be fought, and served as a useful consolation to British morale in the wake of the debacle at Spanish Town on the same day.