ommand the Leeward Islands Station on the
1st of October, 1779. He was to be accompanied there immediately by
only four or five ships of the line; but advantage was taken of his
sailing, to place under the charge of an officer of his approved
reputation a great force, composed of his small division and a large
fraction of the Channel fleet, to convey supplies and reinforcements
to Gibraltar and Minorca. On the 29th of December the whole body,
after many delays in getting down Channel, put to sea from Plymouth:
twenty-two ships of the line, fourteen frigates and smaller vessels,
besides a huge collection of storeships, victuallers, ordnance
vessels, troop-ships, and merchantmen,--the last named being the
"trade" for the West Indies and Portugal.

On the 7th of January, 1780, a hundred leagues west of Cape
Finisterre, the West India ships parted for their destination, under
convoy of a ship of the line and three frigates. At daylight on
the 8th, twenty-two sail were seen to the north-east, the squadron
apparently having passed them in the night. Chase was at once given,
and the whole were taken in a few hours. Seven were ships of war, one
64 and six frigates; the remainder merchant vessels, laden with naval
stores and provisions for the Spanish fleet at Cadiz. The provision
ships, twelve in number, were diverted at once to the relief of
Gibraltar, under charge of the Spanish sixty-four, which had been one
of their convoy before capture, and was now manned by a British crew.
Continuing on, intelligence was received from time to time by passing
vessels that a Spanish squadron was cruising off Cape St. Vincent.
Thus forewarned, orders were given to all captains to be prepared
for battle as the Cape was neared. On the 16th it was passed, and at
1 P.M. sails in the south-east were signalled. These were a Spanish
squadron of eleven ships of the line, and two 26-gun frigates. Rodney
at once bore down for them under a press of canvas, making signal for
the line abreast.[72] Seeing, however, that the enemy was trying to
form line of battle ahead on the starboard tack, which with a westerly
wind was with heads to the southward, towards Cadiz, a hundred miles
to the south-east, he changed the orders to a "General Chase," the
ships to engage as they came up; "to leeward," so as to get between
the enemy and his port, and "in rotation," by which probably was
meant that the leading British vessel should attack the sternmost of
the Span