Invasion of Guadeloupe (1759) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Invasion of Guadeloupe |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Seven Years' War | |||||||||
 The taking of Fort Louis, Guadeloupe, James Grant |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Great Britain |
 France |
||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Peregrine Hopson John Barrington |
 Maximin de Bompart |
||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 6,000 | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
The British attack on Guadeloupe happened between January and May 1759. It was part of a big war called the Seven Years' War. A large British army came to the West Indies to take over French lands.
After fighting for six months, they finally captured the island of Guadeloupe. This happened just before a French rescue fleet arrived. Even though the island was later given back to France, its capture was a big win for Britain in 1759. That year was known as the "Annus Mirabilis," meaning "Year of Miracles," because of many British victories.
Contents
Why Did Britain Attack Guadeloupe?
During the Seven Years' War, Britain wanted to make France send its soldiers away from Germany. So, William Pitt, a powerful British leader, decided Britain should attack France wherever it could.
British troops attacked the French coast in places like St. Malo. They also captured a French trading post in Senegal, Africa. In North America, British forces were sent to take Louisbourg and Quebec. In India, Robert Clive won an important battle called the Battle of Plassey.
For 1759, Pitt decided to focus on the West Indies. He wanted to capture the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Who Led the British Forces?
Major-General Peregrine Hopson was chosen to lead the main attack. He had been a governor in Nova Scotia before the war. Colonel John Barrington was his second-in-command.
On November 12, 1758, the British ships set sail. They were protected by eight warships led by Commodore Hughes. On January 3, 1759, the British ships reached Barbados. There, Commodore John Moore joined them with two more warships and took charge of the entire fleet. The total British force was about 6,800 soldiers.
The Attack on Martinique
The first target for the British was Martinique. General Hopson landed his troops near Fort Royal. They fought against the French, and about 100 British soldiers were killed or hurt.
The land ahead was very difficult to cross. So, the British decided to get back on their ships right away. They thought about landing at Saint-Pierre next. But the French defenses there were too strong. Because of this, Hopson decided to give up on Martinique and move on to Guadeloupe.
The Battle for Guadeloupe
.jpg)
The British fleet sailed to Basse-Terre in Guadeloupe. On January 22, 1759, they started firing cannons at the town. They turned it into a pile of burnt ruins.
At dawn on January 24, British soldiers landed. They moved inland about 5 kilometers. But then they met strong French defenses in a rough, mountainous area.
Challenges for the British Troops
By this time, many British soldiers were getting sick. About 1,500 men, or a quarter of the army, were ill. General Hopson's health was also getting worse quickly, and he became inactive. Even Colonel Barrington could not get him to act.
On February 27, Hopson died. This meant that Barrington took over command. The British army was in a very bad situation. More than 600 sick soldiers had been sent away to Antigua. Another 1,600 men were ill on the island. The remaining soldiers were getting sick so fast that it was hard to find enough healthy men for daily duties.
Meanwhile, Commodore John Moore, who was in charge of the navy, sent ships to attack Fort Louis. They quickly bombed the fort until it surrendered. On February 14, 1759, a group of 300 Scottish soldiers and Marines took over the fort.
Barrington then moved most of his soldiers from Fort Royal (on Martinique) to Fort Louis on the Grande-Terre side of Guadeloupe. In March, he used Fort Louis as a base. From there, naval ships carried separate groups of soldiers, led by Brigadiers Byam Crump and John Clavering, to attack French positions all around the island.
These attacks worked very well. The French forces finally gave up on May 2, 1759. The French governor, Nadau du Treil, signed the surrender agreement.
What Happened After the Battle?
Even though the British captured Guadeloupe, many of their soldiers died from diseases on the island. By the end of 1759, almost 800 British officers and men had died in Guadeloupe.
The island was given back to France after the Treaty of Paris in 1763. In return, France gave up its colonies in Canada to Britain.
