Battle - 1721 - July 21 - Defending Nassau

Ships in Action:
British Fleet

Captain the Lord Seaborn, Earl of Strafford - HMS Maverick, Heavy Hercules-class 5th-rate

Captain Sir Robert, Baron Whitehaven - HMS Relentless, Heavy Hercules-class 5th-rate

Captain Nathan Blatchford - HMS Argonaut, Heavy Hercules-class 5th-rate

Captain Roderick Morrow - HMS Fortune's Favourite, Heavy Hercules-class 5th-rate

Captain Titus Wallenstein - HMS Nottingham, Poseidon-class 4th-rate

19 other British ships, consisting mostly of heavy frigates with a few 4th-rates and 3rd-rates.

French Fleet

24 French ships, mostly heavy frigates and some lineships.

Action Setup:
The battle took place on the Havana Harbour map, Britain was defending.

After cruising the Bahamas with Captains Lord Seaborn, Baron Middlemore and Wallenstein, I recieved orders that directed me to rendezvous, without the loss of a minute, with the Fleet preparing to defend the port of Nassau from a French attack. As I joined the other british ships at the rendezvous, I was gladdened to recognize no less than four other men-of-wars under the command of SGS captains.

The signal All captains repair aboard flag broke out above Admiral Blackheart's frigate, and presently we found ourselves crammed together around a table in his captain's cabin. The Admiral surveyed the map in silence for some minutes before assigning the group Commodores their initial maneuvers and tactical sail colours. The Green frigate group was to position themselves just NE of the port itself, while the remaining frigate groups Red and White, together with the heavier Black Group, were to position themselves under the gun emplacements to the E.

I was assigned to White Group under Commodore Hobbes, together with Lord Seaborn and Baron Middlemore.

The Action Itself:
The wind blew steady in the NW as the main Fleet formed up their lines. Ahead to the N we had a long island curving down to the W, to our starboard we had a smaller island and some even smaller islands scattered to the NE. Green Group were seen sailing towards us to our larboard side, flying the signal No enemy spotted. Every lookout in the Fleet had their eyes strained for the enemy vessels, and suddenly their entire fleet emerged from behind an island to the NE, two points of the starboard bow of our foremost ship. Swiftly sailing ahead to gain the wind, the French split into two groups: Their faster frigates to the N, the more cumbersome ships to the S, both heading SW towards our line. As the Fleet reached the aforementioned long curving island to the N, Green Group had joined the main body of British vessels, and as the enemy headed W, the Fleet turned SE then S to fire on their sterns.

At this time the British Fleet was in a shambles, and most of the groups mixed together and scattered about. As the foremost ships did not wish to engage the combined enemy fleet alone, and would rather wait for the middle and rearmost ships taking their time to round a small island on our larboard side, the enemy managed to head too far W before the Fleet could close on their sterns. Now, the enemy headed NNE to have a go at our sterns however, and determined still to close with their sterns we continued to maneuver for theirs. What followed was one full turn clockwise around the small island separating the two fleets, both fleets going for their enemy's sterns, without a single ship lost on either side. On the start of the second turn however, the signal Fleet to reverse the line broke out above the Admiral's flagship, and quite quickly the Fleet was heading directly N on a parallel course with the Frenchmen. The French saw this as an opportunity to, with the wind on their quarters, charge E at the rear of the British line still heading N.

The Admiral would have none of it though and the Fleet tacked quickly to head S, just managing to slip between the island to our starboard and the rear of the French line, firing heartily into their exposed sterns. The Frenchmen handled their ships well however, and in a flash their line was reversed and sailing S, parallel with the British Fleet, with only two ships lost to our fire. At the same time two British ships that was far to the N of the main Fleet were joined by two French ships, resulting in a small scale battle raging while the two main fleets were sailing S, firing at eachother. In order to prevent the loss of two of our ships while claiming two enemy vessels, the Admiral ordered the Fleet to once again reverse the line, head N, and engage the two French vessels still fighting the two lone British ships. The Fleet sailed NE, sunk one of the aforementioned Frenchmen, turned E (the French main fleet on our starboard side) and set course hard a-starboard, setting all available sail SW to reach the sterns of the French as they had turned they fleet SW, away from the British. Seeing our ships chasing them the French split once again, with the larger ships continuing towards the port and a handful of frigates heading N. Some British frigates followed the northernmost French, and the main Fleet charged on the unprotected sterns of the rest.

Making my way towards the forecastle I said "get that damned spritsail taken down and have our forward chasers manned with the crew from number 5 and 9" to my bosun, adding "load chain, if you please." Using my glass I could see no fewer than four heavy frigates and ships of the line stern-to and within range of my chasers. "Aim for their shrouds, we should do our outmost to slow them down" I told the captain of the larboard chaser, and presently the roar of our forward guns joined the thunder of the British frigates to larboard. A great cheer broke out as the maintopgallantmast of the nearest French frigate wavered and plunged into the sea, forcing the Frenchman into the shore of a small island and into the aims of our larboard battery. The other British frigates now quickly brought their guns to bear and commenced a steady, deliberate fire on the Frenchman. "Aim for her hull, Mr. Bradshaw!" I roared at my First Lieutenant, and presently the guns went off in a great roar, every shot but one striking home. "Good show, Mr. Bradshaw, now I believe we-", a huge deafening din cut off my words as the Frenchman's powder magazine caught a spark and exploded in a chaos of smoke, fire and flying pieces of wood. "Have that fire put out immediately" I cried as a burning chunck of a spar landed amidships, then, seeing my signal midshipman coming forward to meet me, I asked "Yes, what is it Mr. Peterson?". "Flag signalling sir, All captains to head NE in support"." Aiming my glass in the Admiral's direction, I made out the French frigates there in a well diciplined line, firing steadily upon the charging British. Clapping my glass to I said "Acknowledge," then, walking towards the Master, "Course north-east, full sails."

The combined British Fleet managed to push the northernmost French group well up into the NE, sinking two of them, before, due to the southern French group reaching Nassau Harbour, most of the British vessels headed WSW in order to defend the town. Seeing this, the northernmost Frenchmen turned to engage the small group of British vessels making up the rear, maintaining a steady rate of fire upon the stern of an unfortunate British 3rd-rate. Without any hesitation, in an act of unquestionable bravery, Baron Middlemore quickly maneuvered the Relentless through the fray to position himself between the enemy fire and the British 3rd-rate, there to drop anchor and reduce sails in order to lose headway. As a result, the captain of the 3rd-rate were able to safely maneuver away to repair, delivered from a situation where he, were it not for the Relentless, would surely have sunk.

With the rearmost British ships keeping the northernmost French at a safe distance, the main Fleet reached the Nassau Harbour just in time to see the French rowing their boats, bristling with sailors and marines, into the town. The British followed quickly with our sailors and Royal Marines however, and the two forces soon met in the middle of the streets of Nassau. After an utterly chaotic battle the bloody pavement was filled with the bodies of dead or unconcious Frenchmen, and a search through the streets revealed that there was indeed not a Frenchman left standing in the town. After quickly heading back to our ships, we gave chase to the two remaining French frigates, forcing one to surrender while the other managed to disengage and flee into the open sea.

The Result:
British victory.

The French lost 10-12 vessels, the British lost 4.

Lessons Learned:
While the line dicipline in this battle was extremely poor on the British side, concentraded fire, blocking and clever maneuvers saved the day.

Battle Schematic:


''To the N we had a long island curving down to the W, to our starboard we had a smaller island and some even smaller islands scattered to the NE. Green Group were seen sailing towards us to our larboard side, flying the signal No enemy spotted. Every lookout in the Fleet had their eyes strained for the enemy vessels, and suddenly their entire fleet emerged from behind an island to the NE, two points of the starboard bow of our foremost ship.''



''Swiftly sailing ahead to gain the wind, the French split into two groups: Their faster frigates to the N, the more cumbersome ships to the S, both heading SW towards our line. As the Fleet reached the aforementioned long curving island to the N, Green Group had joined the main body of British vessels, and as the enemy headed W, the Fleet turned SE then S to fire on their sterns.''



''As the foremost ships did not wish to engage the combined enemy fleet alone, and would rather wait for the middle and rearmost ships taking their time to round a small island on our larboard side, the enemy managed to head too far W before the Fleet could close on their sterns. Now, the enemy headed NNE to have a go at our sterns however, and determined still to close with their sterns we continued to maneuver for theirs.''



What followed was one full turn clockwise around the small island separating the two fleets, both fleets going for their enemy's sterns, without a single ship lost on either side.



On the start of the second turn however, the signal Fleet to reverse the line broke out above the Admiral's flagship, and quite quickly the Fleet was heading directly N on a parallel course with the Frenchmen.



The French saw this as an opportunity to, with the wind on their quarters, charge E at the rear of the British line still heading N. The Admiral would have none of it though and the Fleet tacked quickly to head S, just managing to slip between the island to our starboard and the rear of the French line, firing heartily into their exposed sterns.



''The Frenchmen handled their ships well however, and in a flash their line was reversed and sailing S, parallel with the British Fleet, with only two ships lost to our fire. At the same time two British ships that was far to the N of the main Fleet were joined by two French ships, resulting in a small scale battle raging while the two main fleets were sailing S, firing at eachother.''



''In order to prevent the loss of two of our ships while claiming two enemy vessels, the Admiral ordered the Fleet to once again reverse the line, head N, and engage the two French vessels still fighting the two lone British ships. The Fleet sailed NE, sunk one of the aforementioned Frenchmen, turned E (the French main fleet on our starboard side) and set course hard a-starboard, setting all available sail SW to reach the sterns of the French as they had turned they fleet SW, away from the British.''



Seeing our ships chasing them the French split once again, with the larger ships continuing towards the port and a handful of frigates heading N. Some British frigates followed the northernmost French, and the main Fleet charged on the unprotected sterns of the rest.



''The combined British Fleet managed to push the northernmost French group well up into the NE, sinking two of them, before, due to the southern French group reaching Nassau Harbour, most of the British vessels headed WSW in order to defend the town. With the rearmost British ships keeping the northernmost French at a safe distance, the main Fleet reached the Nassau Harbour just in time to fight the French in the town. After quickly heading back to our ships, we gave chase to the two remaining French frigates, forcing one to surrender while the other managed to disengage and flee into the open sea.''