Battle of Placentia (1692) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Placentia
Part of King William's War
Depiction of the battle, with the English fleet south of the Fort Saint Louis, and the French fleet north of it
Date 16–21 September 1692 Location Placentia, Newfoundland Result French victory
Belligerents
France	England
Commanders and leaders
Philippe Pastour de Costebelle Louis Armand, Baron de Lahontan Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan	Thomas Gillam
Strength
50	500
Casualties and losses
1 WIA	6 KIA

The Battle of Placentia in 1692 was a fight between English and French forces. It happened at Fort St. Louis (also known as Castle Hill) in Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador. This battle was part of a larger conflict called King William's War. The fighting took place from September 16 to September 21, 1692. The French successfully defended their fort against a much larger English attack.

Why the Battle Happened

To protect the bay of Placentia, the French built a fort called Fort Plaisance (also known as Vieux Fort) between 1662 and 1690.

During King William's War, on February 25, 1690, about 45 British freebooters (like pirates or raiders) from Ferryland attacked Placentia by land. They killed two soldiers and wounded the French governor, Louis de Pastour de Costebelle. The British took over the town and destroyed the fort. They held the local people in the church for six weeks. The English left on April 5, taking the colony's supplies with them.

After this attack, the French built a new fort in 1691. This new fort was called Fort Saint-Louis. It was defended by 50 soldiers.

The Battle

On September 16, five English ships arrived near Placentia. They anchored just far enough away so that the French cannons could not reach them. About 500 English soldiers got off the ships to go ashore.

On September 18, Commodore Thomas Gillam of the English ship HMS St Albans asked the French Governor, Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan, to give up. The Governor refused.

On September 19, the English ships started firing at the fort. The fort had only 50 French soldiers defending it. Philippe Pastour de Costebelle (the brother of the previous governor) and Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce de Lahontan, Baron de Lahontan led the French defense. The French soldiers fought bravely. They killed six English soldiers and only one French soldier was wounded.

The sailors from the French ships in the bay also helped. They stopped the English from landing more troops. The English ships finally left on September 21. Before leaving, they burned some houses at Point Verde.

What Happened Next

In August 1693, a year after the battle, Admiral Francis Wheler arrived with 19 English ships. However, he decided not to attack Fort Saint-Louis. He thought the fort was too strong to capture.