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When France allied herself with the American rebels in 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, the naval commander-in-chief in the West Indies, Rear-Admiral Samuel Barrington, moved swiftly against the French island of St Lucia. He had been joined by Commodore Hotham on 10 December whose squadron brought him 5,000 troops. On 12 December he landed his men on the beaches of the Grand Cul de Sac on the west side of the island, held by the French. Barrington disposed his ships at anchor in a defensive line off the mouth of the bay, to cover the landing and the transports. The troops made a rapid advance into the interior and most of the island was secured by the afternoon of the 15th. This coincided with the arrival of Admiral d'Estaing and the French West Indies fleet, which included 12 ships of the line and immediately attacked the anchored line of British ships in an effort to displace them and destroy the transports sheltering inshore.
On the right is the southern point of the Grand Cul de Sac, with the 'Prince of Wales' anchored off it. Only the three leading British ships are in action and the wind conditions are forcing the French line to break away. In fact, the conditions did not permit the French to get as close to the British line as the picture indicates. On the left picture are several small vessels wearing the flag of the American rebel forces and early forms of the 'Stars and Stripes'.
Title
Barrington's Action at St Lucia, 15 December 1778
Date
1780
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 104.1 x W 184.1 cm
Accession number
BHC0422
Acquisition method
National Maritime Museum (Greenwich Hospital Collection)
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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