You are here
Search results
-
-
Title
-
Battle of the Saints, West Indies, 10-12 April 1782, Ms. Diary
-
Place of Origin
-
West Indies
-
Date
-
1782-04-10
-
Series Heading
-
M282. [Kerr, Alexander Robert] d. 1831.
-
Geography
-
Dominica, Great Britain, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Saint Lucia
-
Subject
-
Saintes, Battle of the, Guadeloupe, 1782, Rodney, George Brydges Rodney, Baron, 1719-1792, Guadeloupe -- History -- 18th century, Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Officers -- Diaries, Military art and science -- West Indies -- History -- 18th century, Damage control (Warships), Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Ordnance and ordnance stores -- Early works to 1800, Warships -- Great Britain, Anglo-French War, 1778-1783 -- Campaigns -- Personal narratives, Great Britain. Royal Navy -- History -- Campaigns -- Early Works to 1800, United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Campaigns, Rodney, George Brydges Rodney, Baron, 1719-1792, Admirals -- Caribbean Sea -- Biography
-
Notes
-
Unsigned, [Battle of the Saints]"We arrived at St Lucia the 30th of March, where We found the Convoy and Storeships... a great releif, as our whole fleet were...stored and victualled for five Months. We daily reconnoitered the Enemy...""...at 8 minutes [past 8:00 a.m.]... the Formidable opened her fire... when we came near the Ville de Paris... we... Luffed close to her... never I firmly believe was so tremendous Canonade... we were enable to cut thro their line... ... she hardly fired at all tho it was in her Power to have raked us... we... ceas'd firing in the Formidable -- at 38 minutes past 9...""...at 1/2 past 6 the Russel having raked the Ville de Paris... the Count de Grasse struck his Colours... there were almost as loud and thundering Noise by Cheers as there had been by Cannon the Seamen where almost frantic with Joy..."Alexander Robert Kerr (d. 1831) entered the Royal Navy as midshipman in November 1781 and served on Rodney's flagship Formidable. In this account he gives names and positions of all ships during the engagement, with details and times of all signals, he has provided a vivid, detailed description of the British fleet stalking and outmaneuvring the French fleet.Dealer states that this piece comes from Kerr's family papers., Original digital object name: bei-m282, This digital resource is provided by the Special Collections department, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, United States.
