Tag «Navy Battles»

Battle of Cape Henry

HMS Formidable breaks through French line at April 9, 1782 Battle of Satintes. Artwork by Edward Dixon.

The Battle of Cape Henry, March 16, 1781, occurred just outside the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay off the Cape of Henry. Though the French fleet of eight ships-of-the-line and one frigate under Admiral Charles Destouches inflicted far greater damage as they bested the seven ships-of-the-line under British Vice Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot,  Destouches did not …

Battle of Gloucester 1775

Reenactors fire from wharf at British on grounded schooner.

The Battle of Gloucester, fought on August 8, 1775, between the British sloop of war HMS Falcon and Gloucester townspeople, resulted in a resounding American victory. Many British seamen and marines were captured, with casualties on both sides, before the British warship broke off the fight and departed. The result of the clash proved to …