enemy
to leeward," was still flying, but the _Formidable_ luffed up and
swung through the French line followed by five others. The ship
immediately ahead of the _Formidable_ also cut through a gap, and
the sixth astern of the flagship went through as well, followed by
the entire British rear. As each vessel pierced the broken line
she delivered a terrible fire with both broadsides at close range.

[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE SAINTS' PASSAGE, APRIL 12, 1782

After diagram in Mahan's _Influence of Sea Power Upon History_,
p. 486.]

The result of this maneuver was that the British fleet found itself
to windward of the French in three groups, while the French ships
were scattered to leeward and trying to escape before the wind,
leaving three dismasted hulks between the lines. An isolated group
of six ships in the center, including de Grasse's _Ville de Paris_,
offered a target for attack, but the wind was light and Rodney
indolent in pursuit. Of these, one small vessel was overhauled
and the French flagship was taken after a heroic defense, that
lasted until sunset, against overwhelming odds. De Grasse's efforts
to reform his fleet after his line was broken had met with failure,
for the van fled to the southwest and the rear to the northwest,
apparently making little effort to succor their commander in chief
or retrieve the fortunes of the day.

Rodney received a peerage for this day's work but he certainly
did not make the most of his victory. Apparently content with the
five prizes he had taken, together with the person of de Grasse,
he allowed the bulk of the French fleet to escape when he had it in
his power to capture practically all. On this point his subordinate,
Hood, expressed himself with great emphasis:

"Why he (Rodney) should bring the fleet to because the _Ville de
Paris_ was taken, I cannot reconcile. He did not pursue under easy
sail, so as never to have lost sight of the enemy, in the night,
which would clearly and most undoubtedly have enabled him to have
taken almost every ship the next day.... Had I had the honor of
commanding his Majesty's noble fleet on the 12th, I may, without
much imputation of vanity, say the flag of England should now have
graced the sterns of _upwards_ of twenty sail of the enemy's ships
of the line."[1]

[Footnote 1: Quoted by Mahan, THE ROYAL NAVY (Clowes), Vol. III,
p. 535.]

Sir Charles Douglas, who had been responsible for Rodney's breaking
the line, warmly agreed