Battle - 1722 - February 07 - Defense of Port-de-Paix

Ships in Action:
British Fleet

Captain Jack Naseby - H.M.S. Conqueror, Macedon-class 4th-rate

23 other British ships, consisting of 10 3rd-rates, 6 4th-rates and 8 heavy frigates.

French Fleet

24 Spanish ships, mostly heavy frigates, 4th-rates and 3rd-rates.

Action Setup:
Upon arrival at Port-de-Paix, HMS Conqueror received orders to report to the Commodore of the Red. The battle fleet was assembling to repulse an imminent French attack on the town. Under the command of Bennet Cumberland, the fleet put heaved to, and formed a double line-astern to westward, Red squadron, under the command of Commodore Port Winkle, was at the rear of this line. The fleet was still assembling when the enemy was sighted, stretching every inch of canvas and closing fast on the rear of Red squadron.

The battle was fought on the Jawbone Bay map.

The Action Itself:
The enemy skirmishers caught up to Commodore Winkle as he inexplicably lost communication with the fleet and reefed all sail, soon there after he was sunk. The main body of the enemy fleet approached the head of our line from the north, their skirmishers remaining menacingly on station to attack our rear. Moments later, the French line began assaulting our van as it made full sail to cross their T. The French line turned to the south east, some British captains followed alongside, others crossed the enemy's T and headed north west after passing through their line, there were some boarding actions, cohesion was totally lost. HMS Conqueror was one of the British vessels that crossed the enemy line. As she bore through, Captain Jack Naseby spotted a crippled enemy 3rd-rate trading broadsides with a British counterpart. As her guns came to bear, HMS Conqueror unleashed a thundering broadside at the enemy warship. It was too much for the French man-o-war to bear at this point, and she sank with all hands. Still heading on a north westerly course, HMS Conqueror spotted yet another enemy vessel in dire straights, a 4th-rate. As her guns came to bear, a crushing broadside went off at the stern of the doomed enemy warship; a deafening explosion, the enemy warship was engulfed in a massive fireball as her magazine exploded.

The remnants of British line pulled out of the melee with 6 French ships sunk, 11 of ours. Flagship signaled, "All ships to the fort!" HMS Conqueror now turned the north east to join a new British line forming on an easterly heading. As the fleet moved towards the fort, a new order rang out, "Charge the enemy!" It seemed fool-hearty, we would be charging close-hauled at a French line that had formed a crescent they attempted to pursue the British. Our ships turned about and sailed right into the teeth of the enemy's withering fire, now on three sides. However, HMS Conqueror had to disobey said order, stretched all canvas available in an attempt to protect a fellow British captain in a Mercy from sinking. Barely fifty yards from blocking the Mercy's heavily damaged side, she received a broadside that sent her to the bottom a mere 190 yard from the fort. Incensed, Captain Naseby ordered HMS Conqueror to rain fire on the fleeing enemy warship's stern. She then turned back west to bring her other broadside to bear, and another cannonade rang off. The enemy warship was badly mauled but escaped the just end Naseby had in mind for him. Lifting his glass back towards the main fleet, he saw to his horror, only five British ships remaining making all haste for the fort.

The counter-attack had been a spectacular failure, with a further eight British ships sunk to one French, leaving 6 defenders in the fort facing 17 enemy captains. It was a fait-a-compli. When swords met, the British fought as the Spartans at Thermopylae, and met the same fate. The French regained Port-de-Paix.

The Result:
A very costly battle for the British fleet. All third rates, save one, were sunk. Just two of the 4th-rates remained, and only three of the heavy frigates reached the fort's safety.

Totals: 18 British vessels sunk or captured, 7 French vessels sunk or captured. Major French victory.

Lessons Learned:
We must find a way to counter an enemy charge at both ends of the line. This seems to be the favored tactic of the French, we were utterly unable to answer in any way other than charging their line which split us more than them and resulted in very heavy casualties due to concentrated enemy fire on both sides of those unable to cross the T. Lastly, the line between courageous and fool-hearty might be thin, but only just so. It serves only the enemy's cause to charge directly into a formation capable of pouring fire on three sides, with obvious results. Additionally, Red Squadron had no cohesion whatsoever, and only myself and Holly Blackheart were able to remain and work together, that saved our ships.