| |
1066
| |
BATTLE OF HASTINGS 14 October
More
Info
William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy defeats, and kills
King Harold in a closely fought battle. For once a French
victory.  William I the Conqueror (1066-87)
William II Rufus (1087-1100)
Henry I (1100-35)
| |
| |
1101
| |
TREATY
OF ALTON 17 July - Hampshire
Robert of Normandy invades England; he lands at Portsmouth
and is met by his younger brother Henry I of England who
buys off Robert. 
| |
| |
1105
| |
Henry seizes Bayeux /
Caen but stops campaigning due to the Investiture Controversy
| |
| |
1106
| |
BATTLE
OF TINCHEBRAY 28 September - Normandy
Henry I defeats his elder brother, Robert of Normandy,
at Tinchebray, Normandy. Henry besieged the castle of
Robert’s ally Count William of Mortain. Robert tries
to break the siege and is defeated. Robert and William
spend the rest of their lives in captivity.
| |
| |
1109-1135
| |
1109-1114 Anglo French
War
1116-1119 Anglo French War
1123-1135 Anglo French War
Louis VI the Fat, King of France 1108-37, attacked
Henry I in Normandy 3 times – all unsuccessful
but did resist 1124 invasion of Holy Roman Emperor Henry
V, who had come to the aid of Henry I.
Stephen (1135-54)
Empress Matilda (1141)
Henry II (1154-89)
| |
| |
1152
| |
Henry Plantagenet marries
Eleanor of Aquitaine
| |
| |
1159-1189
|
|
Anglo French War
Richard I the Lionheart (1189-99)
John (1199-1216)
|
|
| |
1202-1204 |
|
Anglo French War
|
|
| |
1213-1214 |
|
Anglo French War
Henry III (1216-72)
|
|
| |
1217
|
|
BATTLE
OF LINCOLN 20 May
The castle was besieged by forces loyal to Louis of France
and the rebels. Supporters of the young Henry III raised
the siege and the French were defeated.  |
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE
OF SANDWICH 24 August
Naval battle off Sandwich. Henry III’s Justicar
Hubert de Burgh beat Prince Louis of France’s fleet
purportedly by throwing lime into the faces of the French
sailors.  |
|
| |
1224-1227 |
|
Anglo French War
|
|
| |
1242-1243 |
|
Anglo French War (1243
5 year Truce)
Edward I (1272-1307)
|
|
| |
1294-1298
|
|
Anglo French War
|
|
| |
1300-1303 |
|
Anglo French War
1303 Treaty of Paris - war between France and England
came to an end. The marriage between Edward I and the
sister of King Philip IV, as well as the one between
Edward's son and the French king's daughter were agreed
upon.
Edward II (1307-27)
Edward III (1327-77)
|
|
| |
1337-1453 |
|
The Hundred Years' War
|
|
| |
1340
|
|
SLUYS
24 June More
Info
Dramatic naval victory for Edward III over French.
The French gathered a fleet of 230 ships to prepare
for an invasion of England. The French chained their
ships together, whilst the 190 English ships commanded
by Edward III remained mobile. The English were able
to destroy the majority of the French fleet - 200 French
ships were lost. 
|
|
| |
1346 |
|
CRECY
26 August More
Info
Smaller English army under Edward III held the higher
ground and repeatedly repulsed the 15 French attacks largely
due to the English longbowmen. As many as 4000 French
Knights killed. Also involved was the Black Prince, aged
16. |
|
| |
1347 |
|
LA
ROCHE DERRIEN 27 June More
Info
Charles of Blois besieged the garrison of La Roche Derrien,
Brittany. A surprise night attack by a smaller force led
by Sir Thomas Dagworth destroyed the besieging army and
captured Charles.  |
|
| |
|
|
FALL
OF CALAIS 4 August
After Crecy Edward III besieged Calais between 4 September
until 4 August 1347.
Phillip of France arrived with a large army in July, but
Edward and his 32,000 men refused to come out from behind
his lines. Philip, realising that he could not attack
the English lines, withdrew and disbanded his army, and
once news of that reached the defenders of Calais, they
surrendered. Calais was ruled by England until 1558 when
lost by Queen Mary. |
|
| |
1348 |
|
Garter founded
|
|
| |
1351 |
|
BATTLE
OF TAILLEBOURG 8 April
Guy de Nesle, Marshal of France tried to counter the English
infantry tactics by dismounting a large proportion of
his knights, while keeping two groups on horseback for
flanking attacks. However, the tactic failed, and de Nesle
was captured by the English and had to be ransomed. 
|
|
| |
1352 |
|
BATTLE
OF MAURON 14 August
Guy de Nesle repeated his tactics against the English
from Taillebourg and managed
to rout the English Archers. The French could not pierce
the English line and in the rout de Nesle and many French
Knights were killed leaving Brittany in English control.
|
|
| |
1356
|
|
POITIERS
19 September More
Info
A smaller English force, led by Edward the Black Prince,
lined up by a thorn hedge and ditch. Repeated French attacks
on the English line failed with the bogged down men-at-arms
making easy targets for English archers. The French cause
was not helped by Phillip of Orleans fleeing the field
followed by many knights. King John II of France and the
Dauphin, Phillip, were captured and the French suffered
2500 casulties - many more than the English.
|
|
| |
1359 |
|
Treaty of London
Restores Henry II’s French possessions to English
Crown. Repudiated by the Paris Estates General
English Invasion of Calais 28 October
|
|
| |
1360 |
|
Treaty of Brétigny
England acquired the whole of Henry II's possessions in
Aquitaine in full sovereignty, Edward I's inheritance
of Ponthieu, and the port and city of Calais. A ransom
was also fixed for John the Good and other prisoners.
Edward renounced his claim to the French throne.
|
|
| |
1364 |
|
BATTLE
OF AURAY 29 September
English forces under John Chandos besieged the town of
Auray. Bertrand du Guesclin tried to break the siege.
The attack was repulsed, the town surrendered and du Guesclin
was captured and later ransomed. |
|
| |
1367 |
|
BATTLE
OF NAJERA 3 April More
Info
The Black Prince and Peter I the Cruel of Castile defeated
the pretender to the Castilian Crown, Henry of Trastamara,
and his French allies near Burgos (Spain). |
|
| |
1370 |
|
Black Prince sacks Limoges
|
|
| |
1373 |
|
Battles at Calais / Bordeaux.
John of Gaunt invades France. |
|
| |
1375 |
|
Treaty of Bruges
Richard II (1377-99)
Henry IV (1399-1413)
Henry V (1413-22)
|
|
| |
1415 |
|
SIEGE
OF HARFLEUR 22 September
Harfleur on the mouth of the Seine was besieged 19 August
- 22 September. The well fortified town held on for six
weeks, during which time Henry's army was weakened by
dysentery. |
|
| |
|
|
AGINCOURT
25 October
6000 knights, archers and men-at-arms under Henry marching
towards Calais were intercepted by a French army of 20,000.
Henry used a narrow front channelled by woodland to give
his heavily outnumbered force a chance. The French deployed
in three lines. The first line attacked and was repulsed
by the English longbowmen. The second line attacked and
was beaten back. The third line moved to engage but loss
heart when they crossed the field covered with French
dead and mud; they soon retreated. The French losses were
huge and the Duke of Orleans and Marshal Boucicaut were
captured |
|
| |
1417 |
|
SIEGE
OF CAEN 4 September More
Info
Henry V beseiged the walled city of Caen between 14 August
to 4 Septembe. The King's storming of the city was unsucessful,
but his brother the Duke of Clarence, Marshall of the
Army, managed to sucessfully force his way in and attack
the French from the rear. |
|
| |
1419 |
|
SIEGE
OF ROUEN 19 January
Rouen was besieged from 1418 to 19 January 1419. Its fall
gave control of Normandy back to the English.
|
|
| |
1420 |
|
Treaty of Troyes
Henry V recognised as heir to the French throne, marries
Charles’ daughter Catherine and enters Paris.
|
|
| |
1422 |
|
Henry
VI (1422-61, 1470-1)
Succeeding both his father, Henry V, and his grandfather
Charles VI, Henry VI (1422-61) became king of both England
and France in 1422 - while still under one year of age.
England was ruled effectively by a Regency Council, while
in France, the king's uncle, John, Duke of Bedford, continued
the conquest begun by Henry V. |
|
| |
1424 |
|
BATTLE
OF VERNEUIL 17 August
Franco-Scottish army crushed in the Loire. Its leader
Archibald Douglas, 4th earl of Douglas, was killed.
|
|
| |
1428 |
|
Treaty of Delft
|
|
| |
1429 |
|
BATTLE
OF THE HERRINGS 12 February
Franco-Scottish army attacked English convoy at Rouvray
taking salt-herrings to the English army besieging Orleans.
The English, under Sir John Fastolf, dug in and defeated
the attackers. |
|
| |
1431 |
|
Henry VI of England crowned
King of France |
|
| |
|
|
Joan of Arc 30 May More
Info
The rather nasty Joan of Arc burnt at Rouen (she had successfully
lifted the siege of Orleans Sep 1428 – May 1429).
|
|
| |
1449 |
|
English sack the Breton
town of Fougeres. |
|
| |
1453 |
|
End of Hundred Years
War at Castillon. Everything but Calais returned .
Edward IV (1461-70, 1471-83)
|
|
| |
1475 |
|
Anglo French War
Edward V (1483)
Richard III (1483-85)
Henry VII (1485-1509) |
|
| |
1488 |
|
Anglo French War. Henry
VII’s first invasion of Brittany. |
|
| |
1489-1492 |
|
Anglo French War. Henry
VII’s second invasion of Brittany.
|
|
| |
1495,
96, 97 |
|
Perkin Warbeck More
Info
The false pretender Perkin Warbeck invades England with
French Support and is repelled. Henry
VIII (1509-47) |
|
| |
1510-1513 |
|
War of the Holy League
England joined with the Pope, several Italian states,
Swiss cantons and Spain against France. |
|
| |
1511 |
|
Henry VIII reforms Royal
Navy |
|
| |
1513 |
|
BATTLE
OF THE SPURS 16 August
Henry VIII beat the French under Marshal La Palice at
Guinegate in Northern France. The battle probably received
its name from the swift retreat of the French. The English
then withdrew from the Holy League as they secured a favourable
peace from France. |
|
| |
1520 |
|
Field of the Cloth of
Gold
Henry VIII meets Francis I of France for negotiations
/ entertainment at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
|
|
| |
1521-1526 |
|
Anglo French War
War against France by England and the Hapsburg Empire.
The war was expensive and unpopular in parliament so England
did not participate fully. Concluded by 1526 Treaty of
Cognac. |
|
| |
1542-1546 |
|
Anglo French War
England and the Hapsburg Empire again waged war against
France. The £2m war was concluded by the 1546 Treaty
of Ardes which allowed England control of the captured
Boulogne for 6 years. Edward
VI (1547-53) |
|
| |
1549-1550 |
|
Anglo French War
French King Henry II declared war with the intention
of retaking Boulogne, which fell to him in 1550.
Lady Jane Grey (1553)
Mary I, Tudor (1553-58)
|
|
| |
1557-1559 |
|
Anglo French War
Queen Mary allied England with her husband’s nation
Spain against France. In this unpopular war, Calais was
lost. Concluded by 1559 Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis.
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
|
|
| |
1572 |
|
Treaty of Blois
England and France promised each other military and naval
assistance if either were attacked by a third power.
|
|
| |
1588 |
|
Spanish Armarda defeated
8 August More
Info |
|
| |
1589-1593 |
|
Anglo French War
In The French civil wars, known as the Wars of Religion,
Elizabeth sends military aid to Protestant Huguenots.
|
|
| |
1562 |
|
English troops occupy
L’Harve
James I (1603-25)
Charles I (1625-49) |
|
| |
1626 |
|
Knighthoods for all Englishmen
with property over £40 (to increase revenues)
|
|
| |
1627-1628
|
|
Anglo French War (the
Third Bearnese Revolt)
England came to the aid of Huguenot rebels fighting the
French government. |
|
| |
1627 |
|
La Rochelle Expedition
The first Duke of Buckingham, George Villiers, led a
disastrous expedition to relieve the Huguenots of La
Rochelle; he was at Portsmouth preparing another expedition
to La Rochelle when he was murdered in 1628 by John
Felton, a mentally disturbed ex-naval officer.
Oliver Cromwell (1649-58)
Richard Cromwell (1658-59)
Charles II (1660-85) |
|
| |
1664 |
|
First Royal Marine Regiment
established |
|
| |
1666-1667 |
|
Anglo French War
|
|
| |
1678-1685 |
|
Import of all French
goods prohibited James
II (1685-88)
William III, Mary II (1689-1702) |
|
| |
1689-1697 |
|
War of the League of
Augsburg |
|
| |
1694 |
|
English Fleet bombard
Dieppe, L’Harve, Dunkirk |
|
| |
1695 |
|
NAMUR
20 August More
Info
King William III and the Dutch Elector of Bavaria besiged
French troops under Marshal Boufflers at the Fortress
of Namur which lies at the confluence of the rivers Sambre
and Meuse 35 miles SW of Brussels. Despite heavy British
losses the fortress was taken. |
|
| |
1696 |
|
William III campaigning
in Holland against French Anne
(1702-14) |
|
| |
1702-1712 |
|
War of the Spanish Succession
|
|
| |
1702 |
|
Malborough made Captain-General
of England takes Venlow, Ruremond, Liege. VIGO
BAY 12 October More
Info | More
Info | More
Info
Admiral Sir George Rooke, commanding an Anglo-Dutch fleet,
was returning home from an unsuccessful attempt on Cadiz
when he chanced upon a Spanish treasure fleet in Vigo
Bay, NW Spain.
The Bay was well defended by a boom of masts, guns on
land and French warships under Admiral Chateaurenault.
Troops under the Duke of Ormonde assaulted the forts whilst
the allied fleet broke through the boom and destroyed
or captured the 17 French warships and 17 Spanish galleons
full of treasure.
|
|
| |
1703 |
|
Malborough takes Bonn
|
|
| |
1704 |
|
BATTLE
OF THE SCHELLENBERG 2 July
The allied army, 35,000 strong under the command of the
Duke of Marlborough, was marching from Flanders to Bavaria.
11,000 Frenchmen out of an army of 64,000 were on the
Schellenberg Hill. Marlborough suprised the enemy by attacking
and managed to capture the hill, leading to a French retreat.
This allowed Marlborough to cross the Danube.
|
|
| |
|
|
CAPTURE
OF GIBRALTAR 24 July More
Info | More
Info
An Anglo-Dutch marine force commanded by Prince George
of Hess-Darmstadt captures Gibraltar. |
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE
OF MALAGA 13 August
An Anglo-Dutch fleet secured control of the Mediterranean
by defeating a French fleet. |
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE
OF BLENHEIM 13 August
An Anglo-Austrian army commanded by the Duke of Marlborough
and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the Franco-Bavarian
army, under Marshall Tallard and the Elector of Bavaria.
The allied army caught the French unawares, broke them
in the centre and defeated the larger French force. In
the first major French defeat for 50 years, this Bavarian
battle saw 13,000 Frenchmen and Bavarians captured and
18,000 killed or wounded. Bavaria took no further part
in the war. |
|
| |
1705 |
|
DEFENCE
OF GIBRALTAR 7 February More
Info
An Anglo-Dutch force, including 400 Coldstream Guards,
defeat a determined Franco-Spanish assault on the island’s
fortress without the naval aid. In one example of the
successful defence, 17 Marines under a Captain Fisher
defended the Round Tower against 500 French Grenadiers.
The enemy finally retreated in April 1705.
CAPTURE AND DEFENCE OF MALTA 6 October |
|
| |
1706 |
|
BATTLE
OF RAMILLIES 23 May
Duke Francois de Villeroi intercepted the allied army
under the command of the Duke of Marlborough. The French
army had a better defensive posistion but fell for Marlborough's
feint on the left wing, leading to a sucessful attack
on the right. 8000 Frenchmen died, 7000 captured against
only 1,066 allied soldiers killed and 3633 wounded. The
French defeat led to allied control of the Netherlands.
Earl of Orkney’s letter
home after the battle: Camp at Beauvechain, twenty
fourth of May, seven o'clock: You will be extremely glad
to hear we have fought a great battle yesterday and beat
the French, and I am in good health, but am hardly able
to hold up my head, I am so weary and faint, for it is
forty eight hours I have not eaten nor drunk, but once
or twice a glass of wine and a bit of bread. We are now
met with the left of the army, for all night we knew nothing
of the one another, and Mr Lumley and I had resolved to
march straight to the Dyle to their lines. But here we
are endeavouring to make camp and form in some order,
for we look like a beaten army.  |
|
| |
1708 |
|
BATTLE
OF OUDENAARDE 11 July
The allies, comprising of 30,000 Britains, Hanovarians,
Prussians and Dutch defeated 40,000 Frenchmen besieging
Oudenaarde in Belgium by trapping them between 2 rivers.
The future George II took part in the battle.
|
|
| |
1709 |
|
BATTLE
OF MALPLAQUET 11 September
Villars entrenched at Malplaquet, with 90,000 men, tried
to raise the siege at Mons. This forced Marlborough and
Eugene attack him in position. The allies won the battle,
but took much heavier casualties than the French, and
were unable to give chase.  |
|
| |
|
|
SEIGE
OF MONS 26 October
The Allies broke the siege, which lasted 4 September -
26 October, and took Mons. |
|
| |
1713 |
|
Treaty of Utrecht
Peace was made between England and France. England retained
Gibraltar. British possession of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland,
and most of the West Indies was confirmed.
George I (1714-27)
|
|
| |
1716 |
|
Royal Regiment of Artillery
founded George II (1727-60)
|
|
| |
1741 |
|
Royal Military Academy,
Woolwich opened |
|
| |
1741-1748 |
|
War of the Austrian Succession
|
|
| |
1743 |
|
BATTLE
OF DETTINGEN 27 June
The Pragmatic Army of British, Hanoverians and Austrians
(50,000 strong) commanded by George II defeated a French
army of 70,000. At an early stage French cavalry attacked
the Pragmatic Army. An inconclusive fight took place followed
by an infantry attack on the Pragmatic line of foot. The
French foot were driven back and made their way through
Dettingen (SW Germany) recrossing the Main by way of the
bridges of boats. It seems clear that they did so in some
panic. One of the bridges collapsed and many French troops
are reputed to have been drowned. |
|
| |
1744 |
|
God Save the King first
performed |
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE
OF TOULON 11 February More
Info
More of a draw than a victory. Admiral Matthews commanding
the blockade of Toulon ordered an attack the Franco-Spanish
force trying to break out before the line of battle was
formed. His second, Admiral Lestock disobeyed Matthews'
orders and the battle was only indecisive. Matthews was
dismissed as a result of the battle. |
|
| |
1745 |
|
CAPTURE
OF LOUISBURG
A combination of British warships and colonial troops,
the British captured the key French fort of Louisburg,
Nova Scotia. |
|
| |
1746-1747 |
|
English hold Louisburg
against French attempts of recapture |
|
| |
1749-1754 |
|
Second Carnatic War
The British East India Company and its Indian allies battled
the French East India Company and its Indian allies.
|
|
| |
1752
|
|
“Give us back our
11 days” 3 September
Calendar Reform - New Year's Day was decreed to be 1 January
and not 25 March and eleven days were removed from the
calendar (3 - 13 September 1752) to ensure that Britain
was co-ordinated with most of the rest of Europe.
|
|
| |
1755-1763 |
|
Seven Years War
|
|
| |
1757 |
|
BATTLE
OF PLESSEY 23 June
In 1756 Suraj Dowlah succeeded as Nabob of Bengal and
breached the long standing treaty with the East India
Company – throwing Company Men into the Black
Hole of Calcutta.
Clive of India recaptured Calcutta, seized Chandernagore
from the French before proceeding on to Plessey. Clive
had a Company force of 1000 British, 2000 Indian soldiers
faced the Nabob’s army of 50,000 men supported
by French artillery. The Nabob started the battle by
wasting his ammunition with a pointless bombardment,
leaving the British forces to overwhelm his position
with only 20 -70 men lost. The battle ended French trade
and influence on the Indian subcontinent.
|
|
| |
1758 |
|
SECOND
SIEGE OF LOUISBOURG 27 July
The Siege lasted from 2 June - 27 July 1758. The Fortress
of Louisbourg, Canada, protected access to the French
Canadian colony. The British force comprised of 21 Ships
of the Line and 14 Frigates under Admiral Boscawen and
13,200 soldiers under Major-General Jeffrey Amherst.
5 French ships in the harbour prevented a naval assault
on the 7,000 strong French garrison so British forces
found a small unfortified creek to land in.
The British slowly set up their guns and managed to
get a lucky shot blowing up the powder store of one
of the French ships and destroying 2 more by the subsequent
fire. The burning ships caused great damage to the town
and fortress which soon capitulated. The British deported
virtually all the French inhabitants to France. 
|
|
| |
|
|
FALL
OF FORT FRONTENAC 26 August
Lieutenant-Colonel John Bradstreet of Maine led 3,600
colonial troops to suprise the fotress after a 430 mile
treck. The 110 French garison was forced to surrender.
The fort's fall cur the supply lines to Fort Duquesne
which fell by the end of the year. |
|
| |
1759 |
|
BATTLE
OF MIDDEN 1 August More
Info
41,000 British and Hanoverian troops commanded by Ferdinand
of Brunswick defeat 52,000 Frenchmen under Marshal Contades.
A misheard order led the King's Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry to advance without support of cannon or cavalry.
When Ferdinand of Brunswick realised that the advancing
British column had committed itself he ordered General
Lord George Sackville to support them with the cavalry.
Sackville refused and was later court martialed and
dismissed.
The single English column some how managed to break
through ‘three lines of cavalry, and four brigades
of infantry, ranked in order of battle, and tumble them
to ruin' and was largely responsible for the allied
victory. Midden fell the next day.
|
|
| |
|
|
LAGOS
BAY 18 August More
Info
British blocade under Vice Admiral Boscowen ignored Portuguese
guns to all but destroy the French Mediterranean fleet.
|
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE
OF THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM 13 September More
Info
Canadian battle that was precursor to Quebec's fall.
James Wolfe found new route the Heighs of Abraham, overwealmed
the French and promptly died.
|
|
| |
|
|
FALL OF QUEBEC 18 September
Following the battle of the Plains of Abraham and Wolfe's
death, Quebec fell to the English. |
|
| |
|
|
QUIBERON
BAY 20 November More
Info
Admiral Hawke with the British blockade fleet during heavy
seas followed and destroyed half the French fleet at Quiberon
Bay, France. |
|
| |
1760 |
|
FALL
OF MONTREAL 8 September
British capture of Montreal ends the fighting of the 7
years war. George III
(1760-1820) |
|
| |
1761 |
|
SIEGE
OF PONDICHERRY 15 January More
Info
Count de Lally surrendered the last French stronghold
to the East India Company.
|
|
| |
1765 |
|
HMS Victory launched
|
|
| |
1769 |
|
10 January Ney born
6 March Wellesley born
15 August Napoleon born
|
|
| |
1779-1783 |
|
American Revolution
French aid revolutionaries. Ended by 1783 Treaty of Versailles
which acknowledged the independence of the United States
and recognized Louisiana as French and Florida as Spanish.
Britain handed back to France two small West Indian islands,
but kept Canada, Nova Scotia, and Gibraltar.
|
|
| |
1793 |
|
Revolutionary
France declares war on Great Britain 1 February (after annexing the
Austrian Netherlands)
LINCELLES 18 August more info
The fortified village of Lincelles had been taken by the Dutch army, but a French counterattack had driven them out again. The British Guards recaptured Lincelles.
|
|
| |
1794 |
|
BATTLE OF THE
GLORIOUS 1ST OF JUNE 1 June
The British Fleet attempted to block a French grain convoy
in the Atlantic abd was attacked by the French Fleet. Twenty-five
British ships of the line fought against twenty-six French
ships. Unsually the battle was fought to the finish. The British commander, Admiral
Lord Howe, broke the line of the French vessels, causing
confusion. It lasted for four hours of hard pounding on
each side and resulted in a major victory for the British,
even though the grain convoy got though.
|
|
| |
1795 |
|
BATTLE OF THE GULF OF GENOA 14 March
Naval battle that started on 13 March. A British fleet under Vice-Admiral William Hotham fought the French to a standstill.Nelson commanding Agamemnon dealt a heavy blow to the disabled French ship Ça Ira. 
|
|
| |
1796 |
|
Commodore Nelson captures Elba
Capture of Capraia 18 September - Italian Island
Capraia is a small Italian volcanic island located north of Elba off the Western coast of the mainland. The navy under Commodore Nelson together with the army captured the island with a two day operation starting on 17 September.
1796 British capture Elba
|
|
| |
1797 |
|
CAPE ST VINCENT 14 February
Nelson and Jervis defeat Spanish force (allied to the French) at St Vincent.
Keeping with the aggressive policy of the navy, Admiral Sir John Jervis did not have a second thought when he ordered his 15 line-of-battle ships against 27 Spanish vessels off Cape St Vincent. The Spanish were in a 20-mile line with plenty of space between each vessel so Jervis sailed through and split the leading 18 ships off from the rest of the fleet. The battle began in earnest and after an exchange of broadsides the Spanish were prevented from turning back to rejoin battle by the bravery and foresight of Horatio Nelson. Nelson, who had pulled his vessel - the 74-gun Captain - out of battle line to block the Spanish vanguard now had to fight the enemy vessels on his own. Not content with just getting in the way of the Spaniards, Nelson wanted to show them the Royal Navy was not to be trifled with and set to the largest ship afloat - the 130-gun Santissima Trinidad - with gusto. With his masts and rigging badly damaged, Nelson was saved by the arrival of Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood in the Excellent. Collingwood's broadsides forced the San Nicolas away and it became entangled with the nearby San Josef. Again alone with the Spanish ships, Nelson steered his badly damaged ship alongside the San Nicolas and led boarding parties on to her. Overwhelming the crew, Nelson then boarded the still-entangled San Josef forcing its surrender. By the battle's end, four Spanish ships had been taken and 3000 men lost. The British lost only 300.
|
|
| |
|
|
CAMPERDOWN 11 October
British Defeat over Dutch allied to France - As an ally of France, Holland assisted in a plan to land material for Irish rebels in Ireland. A Dutch fleet of 16 ships under Admiral Jan de Winter set sail with equipment and 15,000 troops hoping to take advantage of unrest in the Royal Navy following the mutinies at the Nore and Spithead. The British North Sea Fleet under Admiral Adam Duncan intercepted the Dutch and began what turned into a bloody fight. At the end of the clash the Dutch had suffered 5000 casualties and had lost nine ships of the line and a number of frigates. Duncan had not lost one vessel. Camperdown eased pressures on the Royal Navy having to cover the Dutch fleet and ended Irish rebel hopes of getting any support from mainland Europe. 
|
|
| |
1798 |
|
5 March French plans to invade England abandoned.
|
|
| |
|
|
BATTLE OF THE NILE 1 August
Otherwise known as Aboukir Bay. Nelso destroys the French fleet.
Having unsuccessfully tried to catch the French fleet on its way to Egypt, Britain's Admiral Nelson finally got within cannon shot at Aboukir Bay. Nelson had 13 ships under his command, four fewer than Admiral Brueys d'Aigalliers, who felt protected by land batteries and rocks. As soon as he saw the French Nelson set to them, but first his vessels had to brave fire from the battery placed on Aboukir Island. Having got past those guns, the British then exploited poor positioning by Brueys d'Aigalliers, who had allowed too much room at the head of his line, and sailed down the unmanned shore-side of the first French ships, pummeling them with little fear of return fire. Other arriving vessels also took advantage of similar gaps in the French line and even the mighty 120-gun L'Orient was in desperate trouble. It had forced the nearly sinking Bellerophon out of the battle but, at 10pm, the French flagship exploded after being set upon by a pack of British ships. The Nile was a stunning victory for Nelson with only four enemy vessels escaping.
Note: Courage and determination have never been more impressively characterised than those of Dupetit Thouars, captain of the Tonnant, during the Battle of the Nile. Thouars had his right arm shot away, then the left and finally one of his legs was taken off by a cannonball. Refusing to give up command, he insisted on being put in a tub of bran that was on deck and led his men until he collapsed from blood loss. One of his final orders was to nail the Tricolour to the mast so it could not taken down in surrender.
|
|
| |
1799 |
|
DEFENCE OF ACRE 20 May
The Siege lasted 18 March to 20 May 1799. Advancing from Egypt, Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to capture the key port of Acre, but his plans received a terrible setback when his siege artillery was lost to a Royal Navy flotilla under Commodore Sir William Sidney Smith. Unable to now batter down the ancient walls of the city, the French had to try to seize it at bayonet point, but eight assaults failed to dislodge the Turkish defenders and their British allies. The naval link proved the decisive factor in the siege and the regularly resupplied city watched as the plague swept through the French camp. One last assault on 10 May was again repulsed and Bonaparte gave up and began a horrific march back to Egypt. More than 2000 French troops died of disease on the journey. 
|
|
| |
1800 |
|
CAPTURE OF MALTA 5 September 
|
|
| |
1801 |
|
2ND BATTLE OF ABOUKIR 22 March
Landing at Aboukir with 18,000 men, Britain's Sir Ralph Abercromby tried to push through the French positions sealing the narrow isthmus that led to Alexandria. Strong defence, however, foiled the move and so the British withdrew and set up defensive works of their own. A strong body of French reinforcements arrived and so General Jacques-Francois Menou decided to throw the British off with a daring night attack. A local spy tipped off the British, but Menou's plan was sufficiently clever to render the early warning almost useless. His men began an expected attack against the weaker British left wing but this was only a feint and the true target - the strong British right protected by Roman ruins and a redoubt - soon came under massive pressure.
Fortunately, for the redcoats, the troops there were led by the brilliant General Sir John Moore, who stemmed the assault and then ordered a bayonet-led counterattack by the 42nd Highlanders that sent the French into retreat - but advanced too far and was cut down by enemy horsemen. The situation was still dangerous for the British but reinforcements arrived just in time and overwhelmed the exhausted French. Menou lost 3000 men while the British suffered 1300 casualties, including the mortally wounded Abercromby who died a week later. 
|
|
| |
|
|
|