Jun 25, 2007 09:30 ET
Deep Blue Marine Inc. Identifies the First Recovery Target in the Dominican Republic
KEY WEST, FL--(Marketwire - June 25, 2007) - Deep Blue Marine Inc. (PINKSHEETS: DPBM) is pleased to announce that the company is preparing to begin photographing, mapping and recovering significant artifacts from the Le Scipion, a French 74 gun ship of the line, that ran aground October 18th, 1782 in Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic, after a full scale running gun battle with the English war ships London and Torbay.
The Scipion has a valiant and impressive history. She was one of the 20 ships France sent to America to assist in the war of Independence. She was involved in the Chesapeake Bay blockade between the French and English, August 28, 1781, until September 9th, 1781, an action that several historians claim was the turning point for America in her struggle for independence from England. The Chesapeake Bay encounter began when France sent her fleet into the bay ahead of the English. When the English approached the Bay, they were astonished to find the French already there. The confusion that resulted and the lack of action of the part of the English is what most historians claim allowed General George Washington time to relocate his forces and cut off major supply lines to the English. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis, cut off from supplies, was forced to surrender in Yorktown.
Shortly after the Chesapeake Bay encounter the Scipion's history becomes a little clouded. It is historically accurate that she was ordered to move with the fleet, under the command of De Grasse, to Jamaica to meet the Spanish and together they were to lay siege to Port Royal. As the French Fleet of approximately 20 ships approached the north shores of Hispaniola, today known as the Dominican Republic, the British Fleet under the command of Admiral Rodney, attacked on April 9th, 1782. A 4-day gun battle ensued, called the "Battle of the Saints," with casualties on both sides. The Scipion however, remained engaged until the battle ended. This is where the historians are split on what happened next. One account claims she made her way to Jamaica, where she met up with the Spanish and laid siege to Port Royal as per orders. The other finds her moving to Santo Domingo and possibly being loaded with an unknown cargo and sent home.
Both locations are possible and both may be part of the same story, as both would put her in a position to be in the Caribbean from April 1782 until October 17, 1782, when, as she entered the Mona Passage, two English ships were spotted. They gave chase, and with what appears to be the advantage of size and also the weather gauge, they closed the distance upon the Scipion and her escort the La Sybille, a 40-gun frigate (one account shows the La Sybille as an 18-gun ship). The Scipion was outgunned by the two larger vessels, the "London," 98 guns and the "Torbay" 74 guns. But the skill, seamanship and courage of the French captain was evident as he engaged the enemy, came broadside of the "London" and raked her with cannon fire, shooting away the London's weather tiller rope, fore-yard arm, and wounding her mizzenmast. The Torbay became entangled in the London's shot away rigging and the swift Scipion moved away preparing to find a place for defense. As she rounded the entrance to the Samaná Bay she prepared to drop anchor, come broadside and take a firm stand against her attackers if they still had the heart to pursue the fight. The fighting had been bloody with Scipion casualties totaling 15 sailors dead and 43 wounded, including Captain de Grimoard, who had suffered a musket ball to the thigh. As the ship prepared to drop anchor on October 18th, 1782, she struck a coral head, the hull was ripped open and as she slid back off the coral, she sank in about 30 feet of water. The Scipion today lies at an approximate 15 degree angle to the ocean floor, and most of the ship is covered by sand. Her 74 guns, ranging from large 32 pounders (measured by the weight of the shot) on the main gun deck, to 6 pounders on the quarter deck, most of which broke loose during the sinking and lie on the ocean floor. Some of the guns stand breach down in the sand, like sentries on duty, protecting their ship. Others lay where they fell. Mr. Tracy Bowden discovered the ship and recovered enough artifacts to identify her. Since January 2007 Terry Leonard, researcher for Deep Blue, has found over 1,000 pages of vital information about this wreck and the 74-gun ship, including but not limited to blue prints, construction history, stores, payroll and possible cargos carried on board.
Captain de Grimoard was ordered to account for the loss of his ship as were all French Captains. The King, upon review, made him an Admiral, the position he held up until the time of his death, which was ordered by Napoleon. Admiral de Grimoard, once again true to King and country, was beheaded, rather than abandon his duty.
Wilf Blum, President of Deep Blue Marine, had this to say, "America owes a great debt of gratitude to this brave man, his ship and crew. She was hated by the English above all others, because she was one of the ships that fought for America in the war of Independence. She survived several battles against English ships and was a great help in making America what she is today. A few months later her crew paid the ultimate price for their support of our cause. We hope to bring to the surface a history of the brave men who lived and died on board this great vessel from our nation's history. The French searched for her wreckage for several years, but never found her. Captain Tracy Bowden located the wreckage in Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic. He recovered some of her guns and several other artifacts including 5 bottles of wine from her sterncastle. It took time to identify the wreck, but the identification is positive. Mr. Bowden left the area a few weeks after finding the wreck awaiting identification. Now that it has been identified by Mr. Bowden, the time has come to recover this incredible piece of history. We plan on being there soon."
