At the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, thirty French ships of the line faced thirty-six British ships. George Rodney and Samuel Hood commanded the British force, while de Grasse commanded the French fleet and was forced to surrender. French operations in the Caribbean were intended to help the Americans and threaten British possessions. Jamaica was the preferred conquest, which the defeat frustrated.
Notable Point · 26:38-27:48
The Saintes and the French objective of Jamaica
The fleet action at the Saintes frustrated French plans to conquer Jamaica.