British Admiral George Brydges Rodney, who had…
August 1781 CE
Believing that de Grasse would return a portion of his fleet to Europe, Rodney detaches Rear Admiral Sir Samuel Hood with fourteen ships of the line and orders to find de Grasse's destination in North America.
Rodney, who is ill, sails for Europe with the rest of his fleet in order to recover, refit his fleet, and to avoid the Atlantic hurricane season.
Sailing more directly than de Grasse, Hood's fleet arrives off the entrance to the Chesapeake on August 25.
Finding no French ships there, he then sails for New York.
Meanwhile, his colleague and commander of the New York fleet, Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves, has spent several weeks trying to intercept a convoy organized by John Laurens to bring much-needed supplies and hard currency from France to Boston.
When Hood arrives at New York, he finds that Graves is in port (having failed to intercept the convoy), but has only five ships of the line that are ready for battle.
Locations
People
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
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Donatien-Marie-Joseph de Vimeur, vicomte de Rochambeau
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François-Joseph Paul de Grasse
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George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
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George Washington
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Henry Clinton
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Nathanael Greene
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Samuel Hood
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Thomas Graves
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