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✦ History

Battle of the Chesapeake

September 5, 1781 · Battle of the Chesapeake

Result French victory

De Grasse's fleet turned back Graves off the Virginia Capes, sealing Cornwallis in at Yorktown.

On the map Contemporaries

French

British

France

Great Britain

Comte de Grasse military commander

Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves military commander

Strength and losses

Strength: 13,000
Casualties: 220300
Ships: 2424
Guns: 1,794

Strength: 12,000
Casualties: 350
Killed: 90
Wounded: 246
Ships: 1920
Guns: 1,670

Units

De Grasse's fleet

Royal Navy North American fleet

Also involved 3

Sidney Smith participant
Sir Charles Thompson, 1st Baronet participant
Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood participant