The Capture of St Lucia was the result of a campaign from 18–28 December 1778 by British land and naval forces to take over the island, which was a French colony.

Britain's actions followed the capture of the British-controlled island of Dominica by French forces in a surprise invasion in September 1778.

On November 4, Commodore William Hotham was sent from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to reinforce the British fleet in the West Indies.

The French Admiral Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector Comte d'Estaing had also sailed for the West Indies, departing from the port of Boston, Massachusetts on November 4.

On December 14, Medows' group took the fort at Morne Fortune and the capital, Castries, while Prescott's force remained in support.

By 1100 hours the next day, most of the transports were safely behind his line By the evening of December 14, the French fleet under d'Estaing had arrived.

Admiral Barrington had organised his line of battle so that Isis and his three frigates (Venus, Aurora, and Ariadne) were close to shore guarding the windward approach, and he placed his flagship, Prince of Wales, toward the leeward.

[1] At 1100 hours 15 December Admiral d’Estaing approached St. Lucia with ten ships of the line, and was fired on by one of the shore batteries.

D’Estaing then moved to engage Barrington from the rear, and a “warm conflict” raged between the two fleets, with the British supported by two shore batteries.

[7] After the third French attack, the British commander, Brigadier General Medows, who had been wounded, realised that ammunition was low and fearing that they would be over-run, addressed his men "Soldiers, as long as you have a bayonet to point against an enemy's breast, defend the colours."

The French forces were now in the unenviable position of having been defeated at sea and on land, and faced the prospect of another British fleet arriving shortly under the command of John Byron.