The Battle of Grand Turk was a battle that occurred on 9 March 1783 during the

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had seized the

Turks and Caicos The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...

archipelago, islets of rich salt works, taking the island of Grand Turk in February 1783. The

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responded by deploying 28-gun frigate HMS ''Albemarle'' with a force of more than 100 men under the command of Captain Horatio Nelson. Although the mission failed, the islands were restored to Britain in the second

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that formally concluded the war six months later.

French capture

On 12 February 1783, a three-ship flotilla, headed by the 28-gun ''La Coquette'' under the command of the Marquis de Grasse-Briançon (nephew to Admiral Comte de Grasse) arrived at

Grand Turk Island Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is the largest island in the Turks Islands (the smaller of the two archipelagos that make up the island territory) with . Grand Turk contains the territory's capital, Cockburn T ...

. Disembarking about 400 men drawn from four regiments under the command of M. de Coujolles, the French took control of the island without resistance.

British recovery attempt

On 2 March 1783, the 44-gun HMS ''Resistance'', under the command of Captain James King, while sailing in company with ''HMS Duguay Trouin'', discovered two of the French ships anchored in Turks Island passage. On being spotted the two ships cut their cables and stood to the southwest, upon which ''Resistance'' promptly gave chase. The rearmost ship, carrying 20 guns, sprang her main topmast, and surrendered after ''Resistance'' came up and fired a broadside. She then gave chase to the other, carrying 28 guns, and after enduring fire from their stern chasers, came alongside and the Frenchman promptly surrendered. A few days later ''Resistance'' fell in with a small squadron under Captain Horatio Nelson, consisting of , , and the armed ship ''Barrington''. Primary accounts differ on what exactly happened next. ;Schomberg's account King decided, on the basis of the information he had gathered from the taking of ''La Coquette'' to recover Turk's Island. The British landed some 350 seamen and marines under the command of ''Drake'' Captain Charles Dixon, while the two brigs positioned themselves to cover the landing and fire on the town if necessary. However, two shore batteries (one of four 24-pounder guns and one of five 6-pounder guns) that the British had not expected opened fire on the brigs. Their fire wounded seven men on ''Drake'' and two on ''Barrington'' and forced the two brigs to withdraw. At the same time Dixon ran into a well-entrenched French force that outnumbered his landing party. He was able to extricate his force without casualties. King contemplated a second attack with the frigates, but the winds were not favorable and ultimately the British squadron withdrew. ;Nelson's account Nelson in his letter of 9 March 1783, reports that he was in command of the squadron and the operation. Shortly after the squadron arrived at Turk's Island, ''Tartar'' left without explanation. Nelson states that he sent Dixon under a flag of truce to ask the French commander to surrender; the demand was refused. The British then landed 167 troops, under Dixon. Unexpectedly, a shore battery of three guns opened fire on the brigs. ''Drake'' master was wounded, as were some seven men aboard the ''General Barrington''. Dixon reported that seamen were manning the French guns and that the French troops had several field pieces. Nelson then decided to withdraw. The Turks and Caicos Islands were returned to British control under the terms of

, which was formally ratified later in 1783.Black p.182

Notes

References

*Rellie, Annalisa & Hayne, Trice. ''Turks and Caicos Islands''Bradt Travel Guides (2008). *Black, Jeremy. ''A Military History of Britain: From 1775 to the Present'' Praeger Publishers (2006). *Chartrand, Rene. ''The French Army in the American War of Independence'' Osprey Publishing (1992) *''The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson''. Bangor House, Shoe Lane. London (1847) * *Schomberg, Isaac (1802) ''Naval Chronology: or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, 1802''. (T. Egerton by C. Roworth).
''Annuaire de la marine''''Relation des combats et des évènements de la guerre maritime''
brief French account. {{DEFAULTSORT:Turks and Caicos, Battle of Conflicts in 1783

History of the Turks and Caicos Islands 1783 in the Caribbean