#onthisday in 1781, off the Virginia Capes, the French Admiral Francois Joseph Paul, the Comte de Grasse with 24...

Originally shared by Dirk Puehl

#onthisday in 1781, off the Virginia Capes, the French Admiral Francois Joseph Paul, the Comte de Grasse with 24 ships of the line saw off a British squadron of 19 line-of-battle ships under Thomas Graves in a tactical more or less inconclusive engagement, known as the Battle of the Chesapeake, that proved to be the deathblow for British ambitions in the American War of Independence.

De Grasse was not quite the naval military genius and his preparation for receiving the British squadron that might still have turned the tables for Cornwallis were, all in all, a bit ramshackle. Nonetheless, the concert between Washington’s and Rochambeau’s armies and de Grasse’s fleet, taking into account all the imponderables of 18th century long-range communication, made the setting of the stage and prelude of the battle one of the most brilliant strategic manoeuvres in naval history. And, tactical naval victory or not, de Grasse’s squadron did prevent the Royal Navy and Thomas Graves from what they were supposed to do – relieving Cornwallis at Yorktown. With fatal consequences for British hopes in North America. But read more on:

http://wunderkammertales.blogspot.de/2015/09/we-perceived-by-sailing-of-english-that.html

Depicted below is V. Zveg's famous interpretation of the "Second Battle of the Virginia Capes" or Battle of the Chesapeake from 1962


#ageofsail #americanhistory  #europeanhistory  #history  #militaryhistory  #navalhistory