Battle of Minorca (1756)

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Battle of Minorca
Part of the Seven Years' War
Le Depart de la flotte francaise pour l'expedition de Port-Mahon dans l'ile de Minorque le 10 avril 1756-Nicolas Ozanne mg 8243.jpg
The departure of the French squadron on 10 April 1756 for the attack against Port Mahon, by Nicolas Ozanne
Date20 May 1756
Location
Mediterranean Sea, near Minorca, present-day Spain
Result French victory [1] [2]
Belligerents
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  France Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg  Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Marquis de la Galissonnière John Byng
Strength
12 ships of the line
5 frigates
12 ships of the line
7 frigates
Casualties and losses
38 killed
184 wounded
Half the fleet damaged
45 killed
162 wounded

The Battle of Minorca (20 May 1756) was a naval battle between French and British fleets. It was the opening sea battle of the Seven Years' War in the European theatre. Shortly after the war began British and French squadrons met off the Mediterranean island of Minorca. The French won the battle. The subsequent decision by the British to withdraw to Gibraltar handed France a strategic victory and led directly to the Fall of Minorca.

Contents

The British failure to save Minorca led to the controversial court-martial and execution of the British commander, Admiral John Byng, for "failure to do his utmost" to relieve the siege of the British garrison on Minorca. [3]

Background

The French had been menacing the British-held garrison on Minorca, which had come under British control during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708. Great Britain and France had commenced hostilities in the New World colonies earlier in 1754 (the French and Indian War), and at this point the conflict was not going well for Great Britain. The government was anxious to protect her presence closer to home, and was concerned that the French might even be planning to invade Great Britain itself (as France had attempted in previous wars by supporting the Stuart claimants to the throne during the Jacobite Wars).

The long-expected French move on Minorca finally caused the British government to act, albeit belatedly, and a squadron of 10 ships of the line was dispatched from Gibraltar to its defence, under the command of John Byng (then a Vice-Admiral, but quickly promoted to Admiral for the purpose). Despite having considerable intelligence of the strength of the French fleet at Toulon that was designated for the invasion of Minorca, the ships allocated to Byng were all in a poor state of repair and undermanned.

Prelude

When Byng and his fleet, now numbering 13 ships of the line (having been reinforced by ships of the Minorca squadron that had escaped the island), arrived off Minorca on 19 May, they found the island already overrun by French troops, with only the garrison of St. Philip's Castle in Port Mahon holding out. Byng's orders were to relieve the garrison, but a French squadron of 12 ships of the line and 5 frigates intervened as the afternoon wore on. The two fleets positioned themselves, and battle was drawn up on the morning of the following day.

Battle

Facing 12 French ships of the line, Byng formed his 12 largest ships into a single line of battle and approached the head of the French line on a parallel course while maintaining the weather gage. He then ordered his ships to go about and come alongside their opposite numbers in the French fleet. However, the poor signalling capability of the times caused confusion and delay in closing. The British van took a considerable pounding from their more heavily armed French adversaries, while the rear of the line, including Byng's flagship, failed to come within effective cannon range. During the battle Byng displayed considerable caution and an over-reliance on standard fighting procedures, and several of his ships were seriously damaged, while no ships were lost by the French. Following a Council of War, at which all the senior officers present concurred, it was agreed the fleet stood no chance of further damaging the French ships or of relieving the garrison. Byng therefore gave orders to return to Gibraltar.

Aftermath

The battle could hardly be considered anything other than a French victory in the light of Byng failing to press on to relieve the garrison or pursue the French fleet which inaction resulted in severe criticism. The Admiralty, perhaps concerned to divert attention from its own lack of preparation for the disastrous venture, charged him for breaching the Articles of War by failing to do all he could to fulfill his orders and support the garrison; he was court-martialled, found guilty and sentenced to death, and – despite pleas for clemency – executed on 14 March 1757 aboard HMS Monarch in Portsmouth harbour.

Byng's execution is referred to in Voltaire's novel Candide with the line Dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres – "In this country, it is thought wise to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others." [4]

Despite William Pitt's eagerness to regain the island, a British expedition was not sent to recapture it for the remainder of the war. It was eventually returned to Britain following the Treaty of Paris, in exchange for the French West Indies and Belle-Île.

Order of battle

In order of their place in the line of battle:

British fleet

British fleet
Ship Rate Guns Commander CasualtiesNotes
Killed Wounded Total
Defiance Third rate 60Captain Thomas Andrews 144559
Portland Fourth rate 50Captain Patrick Baird 62026
Lancaster Third rate 66Captain George Edgcumbe 11415
Buckingham Third rate 68Rear-Admiral Temple West
Captain Michael Everitt
3710
Captain Third rate 64Captain Charles Catford 63036
Intrepid Third rate 64Captain James Young 93948
Revenge Third rate 64Captain Frederick Cornewall 000
Princess Louisa Third rate 60Captain Thomas Noel 31316
Trident Third rate 64Captain Philip Durell 000
Ramillies Second rate 90Admiral John Byng
Captain Arthur Gardiner
000
Culloden Third rate 74Captain Henry Ward 000
Kingston Third rate 60Captain William Parry 000
Deptford Fourth rate 50Captain John Amherst 000
Casualty summary42168210

Attached frigates

ShipGunsCaptainRate
Chesterfield 40 Captain William Lloyd Fifth-rate frigate
Experiment 20 Captain James Gilchrist Sixth-rate frigate
Dolphin 20 Commander Benjamin Marlow Sixth-rate frigate
Phoenix 20 Captain Augustus Hervey Sixth-rate frigate
Fortune 14 Commander Jervis Maplesden Unrated brig-sloop

French fleet

French fleet
Ship Rate Guns Commander CasualtiesNotes
Killed Wounded Total
Orphée 64 Pierre-Antoine de Raymondis d'Éoux 10919
Hippopotame 50 Henri de Rochemore 21012
Redoutable 74 Chef d'Escadre Pierre-André de Glandevès du Castellet 123951
Sage 64Captain Duruen088
Guerrier 74 René Villars de la Brosse-Raquin 04343
Fier 50Captain d'Erville044
Foudroyant 84 Lieutenant général Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière 21012
Téméraire 74Captain Beaumont01515
Content 64 Joseph de Sabran 51924
Lion 64 Paul-Hippolyte de Beauvilliers-Saint-Aignan 279
Couronne 74 Chef d'Escadre Jean-François de La Clue-Sabran 033
Triton 64Captain Mercier51419
Casualty summary38181219

Attached frigates

ShipGunsCaptain
Junon 46 Captain Beausfier
Rose 26 Captain Costebelle
Gracieuse 26 Captain Marquizan
Topaze 24 Captain Carne
Nymphe 26 Captain Callian

See also

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References

  1. Dull, pp. 52–54.
  2. Lambert, p. 143.
  3. McGuffie, 1951.
  4. Hamley, p. 177.

Bibliography

39°53′24″N4°21′00″E / 39.8900°N 4.3500°E / 39.8900; 4.3500