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Global Battles by Allies  

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Battles in 1778
Battles in 1779
Battles in 1780
Battles in 1781
Battles in 1782
Battles in 1783
OTHER PAGES:
French History
French Rosters
Spanish History
Spanish Rosters,
U.S. Battles Page
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Battles around the Globe by Our Allies 

The France Society SAR provides extensive information about the contributions of France to U.S. victory in the American Revolution:
. . . Contributions of France (in English)
. . . Guerre d'Amérique: Sommaire (in French)

Movements of French Naval Fleets during the War for American Independence [Expédition Particulière Society]

The following list of battles is based on
Timeline of French involvement in the American Revolution 1775-1783 [Expédition Particulière Society] Additional information is in other EPS pages linked below. All have maps to help students locate the sites.

Battles in 1778 

1778 17 Jun: The first naval engagement of the war between French and British.

1778 Jul 11 - Aug 31: D'Estaing is unsuccessful in naval operations at New York City and at Newport.

1778 Jun 27: The naval battle off Ile d'Ouessant [Ushant] is an indecisive engagement between French and British (La Manche)

1778 Sep 7: The French capture Dominica (West Indies). West Indies Score Card (1776-1783) [Expédition Particulière Society] This site covers many of the following battles in this theater.

1778 Sep 14: The British capture St. Pierre-et-Miquelon Isles (North Atlantic).

1778 Oct 1: The British capture Pondichery (India).

1778 Dec 28: The British capture St. Lucia (West Indies).

1778 Dec 13: The French capture St. Louis (Senegal).

Battles in 1779 

1779 Jan: The British occupy St. Martin (West Indies), which had been jointly occupied by the Dutch and French. The British also occupy St. Barthélémy.

1779 Feb 24: The French re-capture St. Martin (West Indies) from the British.

1779 Feb 28: The French re-capture St. St. Barthélémy (West Indies) from the British.

1779 May 1: The French stage an unsuccessful raid on the Jersey Isles (Great Britain).

1779 Jun 18: The French capture St. Vincent (Virgin Islands).

1779 Jul 4: The French capture Grenada (West Indies).

1779 Sep 23-Oct 20: D'Estaing's naval and land forces and the American army engage in an unsuccessful siege of Savannah GA.

1779 Sep 23: French troops participate in the naval battle of Flambourgh Head (Great Britain) -- (Bonhomme Richard vs HMS Serapis).

Battles in 1780 

1780 Feb-12 May: French troops stage unsuccessful defense of Charleston SC.

1780 Apr 17 and May 19: British and French engage in naval battles off Martinique (West Indies).

1780 Jul 11: The French Expeditionary Force (under Rochambeau) arrives at Newport RI. The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) is the name given to the project to commemoratee the 225th anniversary of the international alliance that led to the French-U.S victory at Yorktown in 1781. An historical trail is being developed along the route taken by the French force under Rochambeau as they landed at Newport RI and Boston MA in 1780, then in 1781 marched to White Plains NY, and joined the U.S. army to march and conduct the climactic siege at Yorktown VA.
Si vous parlez Française, cliquez sur
histoire des armées de Rochambeau en amérique septentrionale (1780) by André Amblard

Battles in 1781 

1781 Jan 05: The French stage an unsuccessful raid on the Jersey Isles. (Great Britain).

1781 Feb 03: The British capture St. Eustatius and Saba from the Dutch (West Indies).

1781 Mar 16: British and French naval forces battle just outside of the Chesapeake Bay -- the first "Battle of the Virginia Capes".

1781 May 16: British and French naval battle of Porto Praya, Cape Verde islands (mid-Atlantic).

1781 May 10-12: The French raid British-held St. Lucia (West Indies).

1781 May 26: Spanish and French capture Pensacola (Florida) from the British.

1781 Jun 2: The French capture Tobago (West Indies) from the British.

1781 Jul 12: French from Rochambeau's forces raid the Tory fort at Loyd Neck (Long Island) NY.

1781 Sep 5: Virginia Capes (VA)  British and French naval forces battle just outside the Chesapeake Bay -- the second "Battle of the Virginia Capes". In August a French fleet under Adm. de Grasse started north from the Caribbean, bound for Yorktown VA. A British fleet under Adm. Hood started north to oppose the French fleet at the Chesapeake Bay. Accidentally arriving there before the French fleet did they saw no French warships and concluded that the French fleet had sailed north to New York and thus hastened north to defend it. Three days later the French Fleet arived at the Chesapeake Bay and promptly blockaded it.

The British fleet returned from New York to relieve the British garrison under Gen. Cornwallis at Yorktown VA. The French sailed out into the Atlantic, where they could better maneuver the fleet and inflicted serious damage on the British, who returned to New York. Cornwallis's position was now doomed.
The Battle Off the Virginia Capes, by Michael J. Crawford [U.S. Naval Historical Center]
Degrasse and Yorktown, by Dr. Robert A. Selig [americanrevolution.org]

1781 Sep 28 to Oct 19: The allied U.S and French armies and French navy besiege a British army at Yorktown VA, which surrenders after ten days of constant bombardment.

1781 Nov 21: French re-capture St. Eustatius from the British (West Indies).

Battles in 1782 

1782 Jan 06 - Feb 5: French and Spanish capture Ft. St. Philip at Mahon, Minorca (in the Mediterraneam Sea).

1782 Feb 14: French capture St. Christophe (St. Kitts) (West Indies) from the British.

1782 Feb 17: British and French naval forces battle off Madras (India). Suffren's East India Campaign (1782-1783) [Expédition Particulière Society] This site covers many of the following battles in this theater.

1782 Feb 20: French capture Nevis (West Indies) from the British.

1782 Feb 22: French capture Monserrat (West Indies) from the British.

1782 Apr 12: A British squadron destroys a French naval squadron at Saints (West Indies).

1782 Jul 06: British and French naval forces battle off Negapatan (India).

1782 Jul through Mar: Spanish and French unsuccessfully besiege and blockade British-held Gibraltar (which dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea).

1782 Aug 25-30: French besiege and capture Trincomalee (Ceylon).

1782 Aug 08-31: French capture and destroy Fort Prince of Wales, York Factory and Severn in the Hudson Bay (Canada).

Battles in 1783 

1783 Jan 20: Preliminary Articles of Peace were signed in Paris by Great Britain, France, and Spain. Hostilities were officially ended, but it took many months for the news to reach the front lines worldwide.

1783 Mar-Jul: French participate in capture of Voloze, Bednor (May 3); Onor, and the siege of Mangalore from May 6 to Jul (India).

1783 Jun 20: British and French naval forces battle off Cuddelore (India).

1783 Jun 13-29: French repulse the British at Cuddelore (India).

1783 Sep 3: Peace Treaty signed in Paris.

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Latest Changes: 06Jul23 - add French battles worldwide / 06Sep08 - split Spanish battles off / 06Nov21 - add links to Expédition Particulière Society /