Qualla: Battle of St. Lucia https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia en-us © 2026 Bendyline Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:21:13 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/hero-small.webp Qualla: Battle of St. Lucia https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia Battle of St. Lucia: Introduction https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia/ Photo credit Nzeemin, CC BY-SA 3.0. Both fleets sailed from the same continent on the same day, heading for the same islands, and a storm decided who arrived first. On November 4, 1778, French Admiral d'Estaing departed Boston for the West Indies. That same day, Commodore William Hotham left Sandy Hook, New Jersey, with five warships and 59 transports packed with 5,000 British soldiers. A violent storm blew the French fleet off course. The British arrived first. That margin -- a matter of days, dictated by weather -- gave Britain the advantage it needed to land troops on St. Lucia and anchor its ships in defensive formation before d'Estaing could intervene. The naval battle that followed, fought in the waters off the Cul de Sac on December 15, 1778, would determine whether France or Britain controlled one of the Caribbean's most strategically positioned islands.

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Image: Nzeemin | CC BY-SA 3.0

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/ddkx-battle-of-st-lucia-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full Battle of St. Lucia: A Race Across the Atlantic https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia/ Photo credit Larry Pieniazek, CC BY 2.5. The campaign for St. Lucia was a consequence of France's entry into the American Revolutionary War. After signing the Treaty of Alliance with the United States in February 1778, France found itself at war with Britain by March. The Caribbean -- with its sugar plantations, trade r...

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Image: Larry Pieniazek | CC BY 2.5

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/ddkx-battle-of-st-lucia-a-race-across-the-atlantic.mp3 0:06 2 full Battle of St. Lucia: Anchored for a Fight https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia/ Photo credit Humberto Moreno, CC BY 2.0. The British landed on December 13. Brigadier General William Medows went ashore at Grand Cul-de-Sac with 1,400 troops, while Brigadier General Robert Prescott followed with four regiments and secured the high ground around the bay. By December 14, Medows had advanced inland and t...

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Image: Humberto Moreno | CC BY 2.0

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/ddkx-battle-of-st-lucia-anchored-for-a-fight.mp3 0:06 3 full Battle of St. Lucia: Two Assaults, One Retreat https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia/ Photo credit Dominic Serres, Public domain. D'Estaing attacked twice. His ships bore down on Barrington's line, attempting to break through and reach the vulnerable transports behind. Both times, the British held. Barrington's defensive positioning -- ships anchored in line, presenting their broadsides to any approach -- t...

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Image: Dominic Serres | Public domain

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/ddkx-battle-of-st-lucia-two-assaults-one-retreat.mp3 0:06 4 full Battle of St. Lucia: The Strategic Prize https://qualla.com/battle-of-st-lucia/ Photo credit Dominic Serres, Public domain. The naval engagement off the Cul de Sac was not the bloodiest battle of the Caribbean theater, but it was among the most consequential. By holding their anchorage against a superior fleet, the British secured St. Lucia as a forward operating base for the remainder of the war. The...

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Image: Dominic Serres | Public domain

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/d/d/k/x/battle-of-st-lucia-wp/ddkx-battle-of-st-lucia-the-strategic-prize.mp3 0:06 5 full