View source for Troude's expedition to the Caribbean

{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Troude's expedition to the Caribbean:<br/>Action of 14&ndash;17 April 1809
|partof=the [[Napoleonic Wars]]
| image=[[File:Recruit & D'Haupoult.jpg|300px]]
| caption='' Intrepid behaviour of Captn Charles Napier, in HM 18 gun Brig Recruit for which he was appointed to the D' Haupoult. The 74 now pouring a broadside into her. April 15, 1809'', by [[G. W. Terry]]
|date=14&ndash;17 April 1809
|place=Began near [[Îles des Saintes]], concluded off [[Cape Rojo, Puerto Rico]]
|result= British victory
|combatant1={{Flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} 
|combatant2={{flagicon|France}} [[First French Empire|French Empire]]
|commander1=Vice-Admiral [[Alexander Cochrane|Sir Alexander Cochrane]] 
|commander2=Commodore [[Amable-Gilles Troude]]
|strength1=Five ships of the line and several smaller vessels. 
|strength2=Three ships of the line and two frigates.
|casualties1=11 killed, 40 wounded 
|casualties2=80&ndash;90 casualties, [[French ship Hautpoult (1807)|''Hautpoult'']] captured.
}}
{{Campaignbox Napoleonic Wars: West Indies}}
'''Troude's expedition to the Caribbean''' was a naval operation by a French force under Commodore [[Amable-Gilles Troude]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. The French squadron departed from [[Lorient]] in February 1809 in an attempt to reach and resupply the island colony of [[Martinique]] in the [[Caribbean Sea]], then under [[Invasion of Martinique (1809)|invasion]] from a British expeditionary force. The force arrived much too late to affect the outcome of the successful invasion and took shelter from a British squadron in the [[Îles des Saintes]], where they were blockaded by part of the British invasion fleet, led by [[Alexander Cochrane|Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane]]. Two weeks after the French ships arrived, British troops invaded and captured the Saintes, constructing [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]] batteries to bombard the French squadron. With his position unsustainable, Commodore Troude decided to break out.

Attempting to escape under cover of darkness on 14 April, the French squadron was spotted by a number of small British ships stationed close inshore. These ships raised the alarm and the main British squadron followed in pursuit. The rearmost French [[ship of the line]], [[French ship Hautpoult (1807)|''Hautpoult'']], was closely followed by the small [[brig]] [[HMS Recruit (1806)|HMS ''Recruit'']], which succeeded in delaying ''Hautpoult'' long enough that the main British squadron was able to attack and overwhelm her in a running battle that lasted three days and ended off the coast of [[Puerto Rico]]. The British suffered 45 casualties, the French nearly 100. The remainder of the French squadron escaped, with the two surviving ships of the line sailing directly for France, eventually reaching [[Cherbourg]] in May.

The French expedition's two frigates, both only partially armed, were detached during the action and took shelter in harbour at [[Guadeloupe]]. In June, heavily laden with trade goods, they attempted to escape to Europe, but were pursued by elements of the British blockade force. [[French frigate Félicité (1785)|''Félicité'']] was overrun after four days of manouvere, submitting to the more powerful British frigate [[HMS Latona (1781)|HMS ''Latona'']] without a fight. [[HMS Furieuse (1809)|''Furieuse'']] was able to escape immediate pursuit, but was subsequently discovered on 3 July by the smaller British ship [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne|HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'']]. In a fierce engagement two days later, the small British ship was able to defeat and capture the French vessel, which was later commissioned into the Royal Navy.

==Background==
During the [[Napoleonic Wars]], the [[French Navy]] suffered a series of defeats at the hands of the British [[Royal Navy]], culminating in the destruction of much of their Mediterranean Fleet at the [[Battle of Trafalgar]] in 1805. Unable to compete at sea, the French were increasingly confined to their principal naval bases, especially [[Brest, France|Brest]] on the [[Bay of Biscay|Biscay]] coast and [[Toulon]] in the [[Mediterranean]]. With British squadrons patrolling the entrances to these ports, the French found it difficult not only to conduct regular overseas trade, but also to supply and reinforce their overseas colonies.<ref name="RG17">Gardiner, p. 17</ref> As a result, the colonies faced financial collapse and the constant threat of attack by British forces, especially in the [[Caribbean]], where by 1809 their island colonies of [[Martinique]] and [[Guadeloupe]] were surrounded by British held islands and blockaded by a strong British fleet under Vice-Admiral [[Alexander Cochrane|Sir Alexander Cochrane]].<ref name="WLC283">Clowes, p. 283</ref>

During the summer of 1808, messages arrived in France from Martinique, outlining the desperate situation of their supplies, morale and economy. It was determined that reinforcements and food supplies would be sent and the [[frigate]] ''[[French frigate Thétis (1788)|Thétis]]'' was despatched in November 1808. Within days, ''Thétis'' had been captured at the [[Action of 10 November 1808]], and subsequent operations had mixed success: the frigate [[French frigate Amphitrite (1808)|''Amphitrite'']] reached Martinique, but a number of smaller ships were intercepted and defeated, both in Europe and the West Indies.<ref name="RG78">Gardiner, p. 78</ref> In desperation, a major operation was planned, intended to transport substantial supplies and sufficient troops to resist the inevitable British invasion on Martinique. To this end, Commodore [[Amable-Gilles Troude]] was provided with the ships of the line [[French ship Courageux (1806)|''Courageux'']], [[French ship Polonais (1808)|''Polonais'']] and [[French ship Hautpoult (1807)|''Hautpoult'']], with the frigates [[French frigate Félicité (1785)|''Félicité'']] and [[HMS Furieuse (1809)|''Furieuse'']] ''[[en flûte]]'' as armed storeships, carrying the bulk of the supplies.<ref name="WJ161">James, p. 161</ref>

On 21 February 1809, a large French fleet under Admiral [[Jean-Baptiste Philibert Willaumez|Jean-Baptiste Willaumez]] attempted to escape Brest and was chased by the blockade squadron and driven to shelter under the [[Ile d'Aix]]. Shortly afterwards, three French frigates attempted to break out of [[Lorient]], but were challenged and destroyed at the [[Action of 24 February 1809]]. These operations were the preliminaries to the [[Battle of Basque Roads]] in April, but also provided the cover required for Troude's force to escape Lorient while the British were engaged elsewhere.<ref name="WJ96">James, p. 96</ref> Travelling rapidly across the Atlantic, the French encountered no British warships but were able to seize a number of lone British merchant ships, from whom Troude learned that the [[Invasion of Martinique (1809)|invasion of Martinique]] was already underway.<ref name="RW242">Woodman, p. 242</ref> While Troude's expedition had been preparing at Lorient, Cochrane had been preparing his own operation to Martinique, following the interception of the same despatches warning of the island's low morale and preparedness in the summer of 1808. Amassing an expeditionary force of 44 ships and 10,000 men at [[Carlisle Bay, Barbados]], Cochrane began the invasion on 30 January 1809 and his troops rapidly overran the French defences, despite stiff resistance in the central highlands. By 10 February, the only remaining point in French hands was [[Fort Desaix]], which held out until the magazine was breached on 24 February, at which point Governor [[Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse]] surrendered unconditionally.<ref name="WJ209">James, p. 209</ref>

==Îles des Saintes==
[[Image:Guadeloupe map.png|frame|Guadeloupe and associated islands. The Saintes are in the southwest corner]]
Troude was wary on his arrival in the [[Leeward Islands]] on 29 March, refusing to approach Martinique and instead anchoring near the [[Îles des Saintes]] until the situation in the islands could be established.<ref name="WJ161"/> Before he could make contact with nearby Guadeloupe, he was discovered by patrolling British warships and a warning sent to Cochrane, who was on his flagship [[HMS Neptune (1797)|HMS ''Neptune'']] off Martinique. Within hours ''Neptune'' was cruising off the Saintes, joined by the ships of the line [[HMS Pompee (1793)|HMS ''Pompee'']], [[HMS York (1807)|HMS ''York'']], [[HMS Belleisle (1795)|HMS ''Belleisle'']], [[HMS Captain (1787)|HMS ''Captain'']], [[HMS Polyphemus (1782)|HMS ''Polyphemus'']] and a number of smaller warships that could operate closer inshore.<ref name="WLC435">Clowes, p. 435</ref> Blockading the Saintes was a difficult task: the French had three channels through which they could escape, too many to be effectively blocked by the forces at Cochrane's disposal. In addition, the Troude's force could not be attacked directly, the width of the channels making it impossible for the British ships to attack in full strength.<ref name="WJ162">James, p. 162</ref>

For two weeks the British and French squadrons watched one another, the British unable to attack and the French unable to escape. In an effort to break the deadlock, Cochrane sent to Martinique for a body of 3,000 men under Major-General [[Frederick Maitland]].<ref name="WJ162"/> With this force he launched a surprise invasion of the islands on 14 April, the [[amphibious operation]] commanded by Captain [[Philip Beaver]] in [[HMS Acasta (1797)|HMS ''Acasta'']] and executed successfully with only minor casualties. Parties of seamen went ashore in the wake of the soldiers, working rapidly to establish a battery of two 8-inch [[howitzers]] on Morne-Russell. These guns began firing during the afternoon and by 20:00 Troude had given orders for his squadron to sail through the western channel during the night.<ref name="WJ162"/>

In their efforts to monitor the French, Cochrane's squadron had become divided, so that ''Neptune'' and ''Pompee'' were the only ships within reach of Troude's squadron when they passed through the channel. Neither ship was well placed to fight the larger French force and both were taken by surprise, only alerted to the French escape by the [[brig]] [[HMS Hazard (1794)|HMS ''Hazard'']] under Captain Hugh Cameron shortly before 22:00.<ref name="WLC435"/> ''Pompee'' was closest to the French, and Captain [[William Charles Fahie]] managed to fire two broadsides into the rearmost ship, ''Hautpoult'' before the Troude's squadron pulled away from her. ''Neptune'', ''Pompee'' and the small brig [[HMS Recruit (1806)|HMS ''Recruit'']] took up the chase, the fast ''Recruit'' annoying the French with persistent minor attacks, while ''Neptune'' came too close to ''Hautpoult'' and was fired on, losing one man killed and four wounded.<ref name="WJ162"/> The French escape, while necessitated by the British battery, was actually a feint: the frigates ''Félicité'' and ''Furieuse'' had remained hidden off the Saintes during the night and at 09:00 on 15 April, with the main combat continuing to the west, slipped away into [[Basse-Terre]] on Guadeloupe, chased in vain by [[HMS Intrepid (1770)|HMS ''Intrepid'']] under Captain [[Warwick Lake]]. French batteries drove off the British pursuit and the frigates were anchored in harbour and their stores successfully unloaded.<ref name="WJ165">James, p. 165</ref>

==Battle==
During the night of 14&ndash;15 April 1809, contact was maintained with the French squadron by ''Recruit'', Captain [[Charles John Napier]] firing on the rearmost ship ''Hautpoult'' and coming under fire from the French stern-chasers, guns situated in the rear of a ship to fire on pursuers.<ref name="RW242"/> Shortly after 04:00, ''Pompee'' came within range and began to fire her bow-chasers, the chase continuing westwards into the Caribbean Sea. Frustrated by her inability to escape ''Recruit'', ''Hautpoult'' eventually turned and fired a [[broadside]] at 10:45, causing severe damage but failing to dissuade Napier, who immediately counter-attacked. ''Hautpoult'''s manoeuvre caused her to lose ground to her pursuers and throughout the day the squadrons exchanged shots, neither causing significant damage but the French being driven deeper into British held waters and unable to drive off their opponents.<ref name="WLC436"/>

At 20:00, Troude ordered ''Hautpoult'' to steer to the northwest while he took ''Courageux'' and ''Polonais'' southwest in an effort to divide the pursuit. ''Pompee'' and ''Recruit'' kept with ''Hautpoult'', while ''Neptune'', accompanied by the brig [[HMS Hawk (1806)|HMS ''Hawk'']] continued to follow Troude's main force.<ref name="RW242"/> During the night however Troude outdistanced ''Neptune'', and on the morning of 16 April Cochrane ordered all available ships to converge on ''Hautpoult''. The lone French ship of the line had finally forced the damaged ''Recruit'' to retire, but could see ''Pompee'' and ''Neptune'' to the southeast and the newly arrived frigates [[HMS Latona (1781)|HMS ''Latona'']] under Captain [[Hugh Pigot (19th century admiral)|Hugh Pigot]] and [[HMS Castor (1785)|HMS ''Castor'']] under Captain William Roberts to the northeast, with the Spanish coast of [[Puerto Rico]] directly north.<ref name="WLC436">Clowes, p. 436</ref> During the day the chase continued, ''Neptune'' falling behind but ''Pompee'' remaining in sight and the frigates gaining on ''Hautpoult''. At 17:00, Puerto Rico appeared on the horizon, the French forced to follow the coastline westwards. During the night, the British pursuers were confused by a the overcast sky, which helped ''Hautpoult'' to partially obscure herself among the lights from shore.<ref name="WJ163">James, p. 163</ref>

At 02:45 on 17 April, ''Castor'' closed within range of ''Hautpoult'' and opened fire, exchanging broadsides with the much larger French ship for 75 minutes and slowing her sufficiently for ''Pompee'' to come within range.<ref name="WLC436"/> Sailing between ''Castor'' and the French ship, Fahie closed within {{convert|50|yd|m}} and opened fire with his broadside. Within 15 minutes ''Hautpoult'' attempted to escape by pulling forward and engaging with ''Castor'' again, but the damage done to her sails and rigging hindered the manoeuvre and ''Pompee'' pulled across her stern, threatening to [[raking fire|rake]] her.<ref name="WJ164"/> With defeat inevitable, the French captain surrendered, ''Neptune'', ''York'', ''Captain'', ''Hazard'', ''Hawk'', ''Recruit'', ''Polyphemus'', [[HMS Ethalion (1802)|HMS ''Ethalion'']] and [[HMS Ringdove (1806)|HMS ''Ringdove'']] all coming within sight as dawn broke, joining ''Pompee'', ''Castor'' and ''Latona''.<ref name="WJ164">James, p. 164</ref>

===Aftermath===
''Hautpoult'' had fought hard during the engagement and was badly damaged, suffering between 80 and 90 casualties. ''Pompee'' was also badly damaged, losing nine killed and 30 wounded, including Fahie wounded. Other casualties were suffered on ''Castor'', with one killed and five wounded; ''Neptune'' one killed and four wounded and ''Recruit'' one wounded. In total, British losses were 11 killed and 40 wounded.<ref name="WJ164"/> Cochrane ordered ''Pompee'' and the newly captured French ship back to port, promoting Napier to command the ship of the line for his service on ''Recruit'' and despatching ''York'' and ''Captain'' to hunt for Troude's remaining squadron.<ref name="RW243">Woodman, p. 243</ref> Despite their efforts, Troude evaded pursuit and eventually reached [[Cherbourg]] in May. In addition to Napier there were further promotions and awards and ''Hautpoult'' was taken into the Royal Navy as HMS ''Abercromby''.<ref name="WLC436"/> Four decades later the battle was among the actions recognised by a clasp attached to the [[Naval General Service Medal (1847)|Naval General Service Medal]], awarded upon application to all British participants still living in 1847.<ref name="LG4">{{LondonGazette|issue=20939|startpage=236|endpage=245|date=26 January 1849|accessdate=19 July 2009}}</ref>

==''Félicité'' and ''Furieuse''==
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Troude's expedition to the Caribbean:<br/>Actions of 14&ndash;18 June and 6 July 1809
|partof=the [[Napoleonic Wars]]
| image=[[Image:Bonne Citoyenne and Furieuse.jpg|300px]]
| caption=Capture of La Furieuse, Aug' 6th 1809
|date=14 June &ndash; 6 July 1809
|place=Began near [[Basse-Terre]], concluded in the North Atlantic
|result= British victory
|combatant1={{flagicon|UK}} [[United Kingdom]] 
|combatant2={{flagicon|France}} [[First French Empire|French Empire]]
|commander1=Captain [[William Mounsey (Royal Navy officer)|William Mounsey]] 
|commander2=Lieutenant Gabriel Kerdaniel
|strength1=Variously [[sloop]] [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne|HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'']], [[frigate]] [[HMS Latona (1781)|HMS ''Latona'']] and other vessels
|strength2=[[frigate]]s [[French frigate Félicité (1785)|''Félicité'']] and [[HMS Furieuse (1809)|''Furieuse'']]
|casualties1=1 killed, 5 wounded 
|casualties2=35 killed, 57 wounded, ''Félicité'' and ''Furieuse'' captured
}}
{{Campaignbox Napoleonic Wars: West Indies}}
During May 1809, the frigates ''Félicité'' and ''Furieuse'' remained at Guadeloupe, taking on stores and preparing for their eventual return journey to France. Although they were both large frigates, they had been largely disarmed in France to create space for cargo: ''Furieuse'' was provided with only 20 [[cannon]] (including 12 [[carronades]]) and a crew of just 200, while ''Félicité'' had even fewer defences, carrying just 14 cannon and 174 men. Watching these ships was a small British blockade force led by [[Hugh Pigot (19th century admiral)|Hugh Pigot]] in ''Latona'' with a few brigs and sloops, Cochrane's invasion fleet having been dispersed.<ref name="WJ165"/>

===''Félicité''===
On 14 June under the cover of darkness, the French frigates set sail, laden with colonial merchandise for sale in France. They were immediately spotted leaving Basse-Terre by the blockade squadron, but although the brig [[HMS Haughty (1804)|HMS ''Haughty'']] managed to fire a few shots before they pulled away, only ''Latona'' and {{HMS|Cherub|1806|2}} under Captain [[Thomas Tudor Tucker (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Tudor Tucker]] were able to maintain contact.<ref name="WJ165"/> Throughout 15, 16 and most of 17 June the chase continued, until the frigates separated: ''Furieuse'' led ''Cherub'' away from ''Latona'' and then outdistanced her, disappearing into the Atlantic. ''Félicité'' was unable to escape ''Latona'' however, and on 18 June was overrun.<ref name="RW243"/> Outgunned by his larger opponent, ''Félicité''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s captain surrendered immediately. An old and worn ship, she was not deemed worthy of purchase into the Royal Navy and was instead sold to [[State of Haiti|Haiti]], reappearing in 1812 as the [[Haitian frigate Améthyste|''Améthyste'']] under the control of a privateer commissioned by Haitian rebels. Captain Yeo quickly attacked and captured her during the [[Action of 3 February 1812]].<ref name="RG80">Gardiner, p. 80</ref>

===''Furieuse''===
Although ''Furieuse'' had escaped ''Cherub''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s pursuit, she still had to cross the Atlantic. Passing up the [[Eastern Seaboard]] of the [[United States]], her commander, Lieutenant Gabriel-Etienne-Louis Le Marant Kerdaniel, raided British merchant shipping and was consequently delayed. At 15:00 on 5 July, the 20-gun [[sloop]] [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne|HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'']] under Captain [[William Mounsey (Royal Navy officer)|William Mounsey]], on passage from [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax, Nova Scotia]] to [[Quebec]], spotted ''Furieuse'' to the southwest taking possession of a British merchant ship. As ''Bonne Citoyenne'' approached, Kerdaniel abandoned the merchant ship and sailed northwards, Mounsey giving chase but trailing {{convert|5|nmi|km}} behind throughout the day.<ref name="WJ166">James, p. 166</ref>

As darkness fell, ''Furieuse'' disappeared ahead, Mounsey pursuing in the hope of rediscovering his opponent during the night. At 03:00 on 6 July, the British lookouts spotted the French ship in the distance and the chase began again, ''Bonne Citoyenne'' proving much faster than the French ship as the wind strengthened.<ref name="WLC437">Clowes, p. 437</ref> At 09:10 it became clear to Kerdaniel that he could not escape his opponent and instead turned to meet her, opening fire five minutes later as ''Bonne Citoyenne'' came within range. Mounsey replied immediately, the two ships exchanging fire at close range for nearly seven hours, the smaller and more manoeuvrable ''Bonne Citoyenne'' successfully turning several times to vary her broadsides and prevent her guns overheating.<ref name="WJ166"/> In the exchange, the British ship fired 129 broadsides, while ''Furieuse'' only managed 70: ''Bonne Citoyenne'' lost three cannon to fractures caused by the intense heat generated by repeated firing. With his ammunition spent, Mounsey swung towards ''Furieuse'' at 18:16 to board and capture her, at which point Kerdaniel, whose ship was battered and unmanoeuvrable, surrendered.<ref name="WJ167">James, p. 167</ref>

Due to her small size and high speed, ''Bonne Citoyenne'' suffered minimal casualties of one man killed and five wounded, although the ship itself was badly damaged. French losses were far more severe, with 35 killed, 37 seriously wounded including her captain, and 20 lightly wounded.<ref name="WLC437"/> ''Furieuse'', built as a 40-gun frigate, had proven unable to match the speed an agility of the smaller ship and as a result her reduced armament had proven inadequate when faced with Mounsey's determined opposition. It was not until 01:30 on 7 July that temporary repairs were complete and the two ships began the long, slow journey to [[City of Halifax|Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. The following day however, two of the ''Furieuse''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s masts collapsed and Mounsey was forced to take her in tow, both ships in constant danger of foundering.<ref name="WJ168">James, p. 168</ref> After 25 days in tow, ''Furieuse'' arrived in Halifax. Mounsey and his officers were widely praised for their success and Mounsey was given command of the repaired and newly purchased HMS ''Furieuse'' several months later as a reward. His first lieutenant was also promoted and the whole crew benefitted from the award of [[prize money]].<ref name="WJ168"/>  As with the April engagement, the capture of ''Furieuse'' was among the actions recognised by a clasp attached to the Naval General Service Medal.<ref name="LG4"/>

==Subsequent operations==
The failure of Troude's squadron to escape the British pursuit highlights the dominance of the Royal Navy in the Atlantic by 1809. With Martinique gone, and [[French Guiana]] and [[French occupation of Santo Domingo|San Domingo]] falling the same year, Guadeloupe was the only remaining French possession in the West Indies.<ref name="RG79">Gardiner, p. 79</ref> Despite the supplies carried by Troude's ships, the situation there was desperate: food shortages and financial crisis causing a collapse in the island's morale. When [[Roquebert's expedition to the Caribbean|a further effort to resupply the island]] was defeated in December 1809, the French losing two more frigates, the inhabitants had no alternative but to wait for the inevitable British invasion. In January 1810, Cochrane ordered an [[Invasion of Guadeloupe (1810)|amphibious landing]] on Guadeloupe, which rapidly overwhelmed the weakened defenders and eliminated the last remaining French colony in the Caribbean Sea.<ref name="RG80"/>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* {{cite book
 | last = Clowes
 | first = William Laird
 | authorlink = William Laird Clowes
 | year = 1997 |origyear=1900
 | chapter = 
 | title = The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to 1900, Volume V
 | publisher = Chatham Publishing
 | location = 
 | isbn = 1-86176-014-0
}}
* {{cite book
 | last =  Gardiner (ed.)
 | first = Robert
 | authorlink = 
 | year = 2001 |origyear=1998
 | chapter = 
 | title = The Victory of Seapower
 | publisher = Caxton Editions
 | location = 
 | isbn = 1-84067-359-1
}}
* {{cite book
 | last = James
 | first = William
 | authorlink = William James (naval historian)
 | year = 2002 |origyear=1827
 | chapter = 
 | title = The Naval History of Great Britain, Volume 5, 1808&ndash;1811
 | publisher = Conway Maritime Press
 | location = 
 | isbn = 0-85177-909-3
}}
* {{cite book
 | last = Woodman
 | first = Richard
 | authorlink = Richard Woodman
 | year = 2001
 | chapter = 
 | title = The Sea Warriors
 | publisher = Constable Publishers
 | location = 
 | isbn = 1-84119-183-3
}}

{{coord missing}}

{{good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caribbean, Troude's expedition}}
[[Category:Naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1809]]
[[Category:Battles involving France]]
[[Category:Battles involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:History of Îles des Saintes]]