Mark Campbell's scenario 17 of his expansion product: "Monsoon Seas" </HEAD> <div align="left"> <strong> From Mark Campbell's pending expansion product to "Close Action": "Monsoon Seas." </strong> <br> Used by permission. No permission is granted to reproduce this frame/noframe elsewhere (except the default ability to view this in your browser.) <br><br> SCENARIO 17 - Suffren vs Bickerton 1 October 1782 <br><br> la. HISTORICAL SITUATION.</strong> <br><p> After the battle of Trincomalee, the French retired to that harbor to refit, while the British returned to Madras for the same purpose. As previously noted, Trincomalee was a first-class harbor, but it was destitute of both provisions and naval stores at this time. Naval stores could be to some extent supplied by storeships, but Suffren had to find food elsewhere. To do so, Suffren planned to go first to the Coromandel coast, thence to Acheem (western tip of Sumatra), where food was plentiful. His rag-tag fleet (now numbering only 13 SOLs) was ready to sail by the end of September, and Suffren, wasting no time, weighed anchor on 1 October. The French arrived at Cuddalore on 4 October, where Bizarre (commanded by a new and very junior captain) ran aground while anchoring and became a total loss. Thus Suffren was now reduced to numerical equality (and actual inferiority) to his foe. But Suffren remained undaunted and, after removing her stores and masts and distributing the crew from Bizarre among his remaining ships, sailed on 15 October for Acheem to resupply, leaving some lighter ships behind to patrol. On the same day, the British fleet, finding that Madras was similarly destitute of stores and also fearing the typically stormy onset of the north-east monsoon, sailed for Bombay to refit, thus leaving the Coromandel coast deserted by both squadrons for the first time since Suffren's arrival. </p><p> In the meantime, a strong reinforcing squadron of five battleships under COMM Richard Bickerton had arrived in Indian waters. Bickerton's force, originally six SOLs (including Sceptre --- see scenario 16) and some troop transports, sailed from England in February, but had a very long voyage out, with a protracted stay in Rio de Janiero to refit. Fortunately for Hughes, Sceptre became separated from Bickerton's other ships in a gale only a few days after departing from England and went on alone, arriving in time to take part in the battle of Trincomalee. Meanwhile Bickerton, continuing on in a leisurely way, stopped at Bombay in early September to get the latest news and orders. Departing Bombay on 16 September, Bickerton finally arrived at Madras on 19 October 1782, only a few days after the main British fleet had departed. Finding the main fleet gone, Bickerton landed his troops and promptly retraced his steps, arriving at Bombay on 28 November 1782. </p> <br><strong> Ib. HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION </strong></p> Bickerton was later criticized for his slow passage from England to India. Much of the slowdown was due to his need to restrict his speed to that of the lumbering transports. And, upon arrival in theater, he naturally took steps to avoid running-into Suffren before joining with Hughes. In Bickerton's own words, "...but not knowing the situation of either Fleet after the action [the battle of Trincomalee], I pursued my course for Madras, giving a large birth [sic] to the South-East part of the Island of Ceylon." </p><p> If he had made joining Hughes more quickly his top priority (while keeping his important transports with their vitally needed troops under his wing), he could have accelerated his passage from Bombay to Madras by tracing a course closer inshore to the Ceylonese coast. An inshore passage would have been faster but riskier, as it would have passed close to the main French fleet at Trincomalee, then busy refitting from the battle. If Bickerton had happened to pass Trincomalee on or about the same day that Suffren and his battered fleet sailed for Cuddalore, it is quite likely that the French would have spotted the British. In such a scenario, there can be no doubt that Suffren, aggressive as always, would have pursued Bickerton with as many of his ships as could sail well. Bickerton could not have fled, because he had his troop convoy to protect, and thus he would have had to accept battle. But, given the decrepitude of many of the French ships, such a battle need not have been a disaster for the British, as only about half the French fleet would likely have been in any condition to fight. This scenario shows what might have happened had the two sides met in battle. Note in particular the relative concentration of carronades on the British ships. </p> </div> </HTML>