Types of Naval Officers eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 437 pages of information about Types of Naval Officers.

Types of Naval Officers eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 437 pages of information about Types of Naval Officers.

There is a saying, apt to prove true, that war does not forgive.  For his initial error Rodney himself, and the British campaign in general, paid heavily throughout the year 1781.  The French fleet in undiminished vigor lay a dead weight upon all his subsequent action, which, like the dispositions prior to its arrival, underwent the continued censure of Hood; acrid, yet not undiscriminating nor misplaced.  As already observed, the surrender of Cornwallis can with probability be ascribed to this loss of an opportunity afforded to strike a blow at the outset, when the enemy was as yet divided, embarrassed with convoy, raw in organization and drill, in all which it could not but improve as the months passed.  The results began at once to be apparent, and embarrassments accumulated with time.  Hood’s ships, though no one was wholly disabled, had suffered very considerably; and, while indispensable repairs could temporarily be made, efficiency was affected.  They needed, besides, immediate water and supplies, as Rodney himself stated—­a want which Hood would have anticipated.  To increase difficulty, the French mounted the batteries of the vessels en flute, and so raised their total nominal force to twenty-eight.  Hood was unable to regain Santa Lucia, because his crippled ships could not beat against the current.  He therefore left it to itself, and bore away to the northward, where he joined Rodney on May 11th, between St. Kitts and Antigua.  The campaign of 1781, destined to be wholly defensive for the British, opened under these odds, the responsibility for which lies in considerable measure on Rodney.

After the junction, the British fleet went to Barbados, where it arrived May 18th.  Meantime, the French had proceeded in force against Santa Lucia, landing a considerable body of troops, and investing the island with twenty-five sail-of-the-line, two of which with 1300 soldiers went on to attempt the British Tobago.  The attack on Santa Lucia failed, and the French returned to Martinique; but learning there that Rodney was at sea, heading southward, De Grasse became alarmed for his detachment at Tobago, and moved to its support with his entire fleet.  Rodney, knowing of the detachment only, sent against it six ships under Rear Admiral Drake; a half-measure severely censured by Hood, whose comments throughout indicate either a much superior natural sagacity, or else the clearer insight of a man whose eye dwells steadfastly on the military situation, untroubled by conflicting claims.  “What a wonderful happy turn would have been given to the King’s affairs in this country had Sir George Rodney gone with his whole force to Tobago as soon as he might, and in my humble opinion ought to have done.  Nay, had he even gone when Mr. Drake did, the island would have been saved.  I laboured much to effect it, but all in vain, and fully stated my reasons in writing as soon as the intelligence came.  Every ship there with all the troops must

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Types of Naval Officers from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.