22. De Grasse began operations against Jamaica by taking St. Kitts in the Windward Isles.
The French fleet in the Caribbean under de Grasse consisted of 35 ships of the line, with expected reinforcements from the Spanish of an additional 12 ships. The British fleet, commanded by George Rodney, sailed in pursuit from St. Lucia in April, 1782. On April 9 the fleets spotted each other and sailed in parallel, carefully remaining out of range of one another. On April 12 the fleets engaged. The British broke through the French battle line, rather than continuing to sail in parallel, the tactic which they had used at the Battle of the Virginia Capes. British casualties were over 1,000 killed and wounded, including two captains killed. French casualties were much higher, and the French plan to capture Jamaica was abandoned.
Rodney’s victory was criticized heavily both by officers who fought in the battle (chiefly Samuel Hood) and others in England. They opined that the victory would have been much greater had Rodney aggressively pursued. But to the public, it was the first good news regarding British arms in general and the Royal Navy in particular for some time. Rodney was widely celebrated at home, granted a peerage by the King, and the British peace commissioners were given greater leverage in Paris.