Capture of Montserrat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Capture of Montserrat |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 Great Britain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Comte de Barras Charles François Joseph, Comte de Flechin |
Gov. Michael White | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4 ships 500 men |
Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown, minimum | Unknown casualties 68 artillery guns taken |
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The Capture of Montserrat was when French forces took over the island of Montserrat from the British. This happened on February 22, 1782, during the American Revolutionary War. This war was fought between Great Britain and its former colonies in America, with France helping the Americans.
Why Montserrat Was Captured
After a big win for the French and Americans at the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781, a French admiral named François Joseph Paul de Grasse sailed back to the West Indies. He wanted to keep fighting against islands held by the British.
Admiral de Grasse and the French governor of the West Indies, the Marquis de Bouillé, first planned to capture Barbados. Barbados was a very important British island.
However, they tried twice to reach Barbados but couldn't. It was hard to sail there because of the strong winds. So, they decided to attack other islands instead.
They started with St. Kitts, which they attacked on January 11, 1782. St. Kitts fell to the French on February 13. After this victory, Admiral de Grasse sent a group of ships to capture Montserrat.
How Montserrat Was Taken
The leader of this group of ships was the Comte de Barras. He sent another commander, the Count of Flechin, with 500 soldiers from the Régiment Auxerrois to take the island.
The British forces on Montserrat had 62 cannons and six howitzers (another type of artillery gun). Despite this, the French successfully captured the island.
What Happened Next
The French controlled Montserrat for a short time. The island was given back to the British in 1783. This happened because of the Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended the American Revolutionary War.
