Thomas Cotes (Royal Navy officer)
Thomas Cotes | |
---|---|
Vice-Admiral | |
Commands held | Jamaica Station |
Promoted to
Seven Years' War
Cotes was named Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Jamaica Station in early 1757, shortly after formal declaration of the Seven Years' War against France.[2]
The appointment followed a series of British setbacks in the Caribbean, including the French capture of two Royal Navy ships. In 1756 there were eight British vessels at the Jamaica Station, including three 60-gun
Suspecting he was badly outnumbered, Townshend had adopted a defensive position at Jamaica and written for help from both England and from the small Royal Navy contingent in the Leeward Islands. Cotes orders were to make haste for Jamaica with the 90-gun Marlborough, two 60-gun ships, a 50-gun vessel and six frigates. On arrival he was to supersede Townshend in command of the Station, and then sail out to defeat Bauffremont's fleet.[3]
Cotes reached Jamaica in mid 1757 to discover that Bauffremont had already departed the region for
The French convoy had remained at Cap-Haïtien, but Cotes had received secret intelligence that it would sail in autumn. His larger vessels were in need of repair and had been returned to Jamaica; in their place Cotes ordered the readying of a three-vessel squadron comprising the 60-gun ships Augusta and Dreadnought and the 64-gun Edinburgh. He named Captain Arthur Forrest of Augusta to command, instructing him to intercept and capture the French as they left port.[3] Forrest sailed for Cap-Haïtien to find that Cotes' intelligence had been incomplete; the convoy was ready to sail, but had been reinforced by a French squadron of five ships of the line including two of 74 guns. After a brief conference with his fellow captains, Forrest elected to attack. The ensuing battle resulted in more than 500 casualties and significant damage to vessels on both sides. No ships were taken or sunk, but both squadrons retreated to their respective ports. The French vessels were more swiftly repaired, and put to sea before Forrest could return; the merchant convoy reached France in relative safety over the winter.[3]
Cotes was promoted to
References
Sources
- Cundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica. West India Committee.
- Robson, Martin (2016). A History of the Royal Navy: The Seven Years War. London: IB Taurus. ISBN 9781780765457.