Battle of Grenada

Battle of Grenada
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Combat naval de l'île de la Grenade, 6 juillet 1779, Jean-François Hue
Date 6 July 1779 Location Off Grenada, Caribbean Sea 12°03′N 61°45′W / 12.05°N 61.75°W / 12.05; -61.75 Result French victory[1]
Belligerents
France	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Count of Estaing	John Byron
Strength
25 ships of the line	21 ships of the line
Casualties and losses
173 killed 773 wounded[2]	183 killed 346 wounded[3]

The Battle of Grenada took place on 6 July 1779 during the American Revolutionary War in the West Indies between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy, just off the coast of Grenada. A British fleet led by Admiral John Byron (the grandfather of Lord Byron) had sailed in an attempt to relieve Grenada, which French forces under Charles Henri Hector, Count of Estaing had just captured.

Incorrectly believing he had numerical superiority, Byron ordered a general chase to attack the French as they left their anchorage at Grenada. Because of the disorganized attack and the French Navy's numerical superiority, Byron's fleet was badly mauled in the encounter, although no ships were lost on either side. Naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan described the battle as "the most disastrous... that the British Navy had encountered since Beachy Head, in 1690."^[4]