Invasion of Guadeloupe (1810) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Invasion of Guadeloupe
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
The Attack upon Guadeloupe, by the troops under the command of Lieutenant General George Beckwith on the 3rd of February 1810 at midnight
Date 28 January – 6 February 1810 Location Guadeloupe Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Cochrane	Jean Ernouf
Strength
6,700 3 ships of the line	3,000–4,000
Casualties and losses
52 killed 250 wounded 7 missing	500–600 killed and wounded 2,500-3,500 captured

The Invasion of Guadeloupe was a major military event. It happened between January 28 and February 6, 1810. British forces fought to take control of the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. This battle was part of the larger Napoleonic Wars.

Guadeloupe was the last French colony left in the Americas. British forces had captured other French islands in 1809. French colonies were important because they offered safe places for French ships. These ships, called privateers, would attack British trade ships. Then they would return to the colonies before British warships could stop them.

To fight back, the British set up a blockade. They stationed warships near every French port. This made trade and communication very dangerous. The French colonies began to struggle. They sent urgent messages to France asking for help. However, the French Navy could not send enough supplies or soldiers. British ships often stopped French ships in Europe or the Caribbean. The British learned about these requests for help. They decided to invade the remaining French islands.

A large British force landed on Guadeloupe on January 28, 1810. Many of the island's local soldiers had already left. The British advanced quickly from two different landing spots. They faced strong resistance only near the capital, Basse-Terre. This battle happened on February 3. The French were defeated and forced to retreat. The island's commander, Jean Augustin Ernouf, began talking about surrender the next day.

Why the British Invaded Guadeloupe

Map of Guadeloupe, the Caribbean island

During the Napoleonic Wars, French colonies in the West Indies were cut off. The British Royal Navy used a strategy called "close blockade." Their warships patrolled the coasts of France and its Caribbean islands. This made it hard for France to send messages or trade. It also stopped them from sending more soldiers to their colonies.

Because of this blockade, the French colonies faced many problems. They had food shortages and their economies suffered. People and soldiers became very discouraged. In 1808, commanders in Martinique and Guadeloupe sent urgent messages to France. They begged for food and military supplies. France tried to send ships, but most were captured by the Royal Navy. The few ships that made it were then trapped in port.

The British found out about these messages. They decided to invade and capture the French West Indies. This would happen before France could send strong reinforcements. In late 1808, British ships and troops gathered near Barbados. Vice-Admiral Alexander Cochrane and Lieutenant General George Beckwith led this force. Their first goal was to invade Martinique in early 1809.

A smaller British force captured Cayenne in January 1809. The invasion of Martinique started later that month. Despite some fighting, Martinique fell in 25 days. After this, Cochrane sent some ships to help the Spanish in Santo Domingo. He still kept a strong blockade around the French islands.

In April 1809, a French squadron arrived near Guadeloupe. It had three large warships and two supply ships. British forces quickly blockaded them. On April 14, British troops captured the islands where the French ships were. The French warships managed to escape that night. Two French supply ships were trapped in Basse-Terre. One of the large French warships was captured later. The two supply ships tried to leave in June. Only one escaped, but it was captured a month later.

France made only small attempts to supply Guadeloupe after that. Most of the supply ships were captured. One important attempt happened in November 1809. A French ship destroyed the British frigate HMS Junon. But the two French supply ships were destroyed in a battle in December. During this time, British forces gathered at Fort Royal, Martinique. They were getting ready for the invasion of Guadeloupe.

Getting Ready for the Invasion

General Beckwith gathered 6,700 soldiers for the invasion. These soldiers came from many different groups. They included regiments from the West Indies, Scotland, and other parts of Britain. There were also 300 artillery soldiers and local militia.

The troops were divided into two main groups. The largest group had 3,700 men. General Beckwith and Major General Thomas Hislop led this group. They would land at Le Gosier on the southern coast. The second group had 2,450 men. Brigadier General George Harcourt led them. They would wait nearby and then attack from behind the French. A small reserve group would follow to offer support.

The French defenders on Guadeloupe were weak. Years of British blockade had cut them off. They had between 3,000 and 4,000 soldiers. But many were sick and unable to fight. Most of the island's defenses were manned by local militia. These militia had low morale and many soldiers left. The governor, General Jean Augustin Ernouf, had few supplies. He could not defend the entire island.

The Invasion Begins

British military operations in southern Guadeloupe in 1810

The British fleet sailed for Guadeloupe on January 27, 1810. They arrived near Le Gosier that evening. The larger British force landed at Sainte-Marie village. This group then split into two. One part marched south towards Basse-Terre. The other part marched north. They did not face much resistance. Many French militia soldiers left their posts as the British approached.

The British sent messages demanding that towns and forts surrender. Both British forces advanced quickly over the next two days. By January 30, General Ernouf and his remaining soldiers took a strong position. They were in the Beaupère–St. Louis Ridge highlands. This area protected the way to Basse-Terre. Hislop's men formed up in front of them. Later that day, Harcourt's men landed north of Basse-Terre. They went around the strongest French positions. This forced the French to retreat to Basse-Terre.

The British Royal Navy set up gun batteries. These batteries began to bombard the capital, Basse-Terre. On February 3, Ernouf marched to meet the British on the Matabar plain. He attacked the British and pushed them back at first. But the British had more soldiers. General Wale's force attacked from the north, going around Ernouf's soldiers. This forced Ernouf to retreat. General Wale was injured in this attack.

While Ernouf was retreating, Commodore Fahie attacked Basse-Terre. He landed with Royal Marines and captured the town. This cut off Ernouf's escape route. Ernouf was now trapped and surrounded. He asked for a truce at 8:00 AM on February 4. He wanted to bury the soldiers who died the day before. The British agreed. On February 5, General Ernouf officially surrendered.

What Happened Next

The British had 52 soldiers killed and 250 wounded. Seven men were missing. The French had more losses, with 500–600 killed and wounded. About 3,500 French soldiers were captured. They also lost their cannons and the French Imperial Eagle flag. These captured soldiers remained in British hands until 1814. The captured eagle flag was sent to Britain. It was the first French eagle captured during the Napoleonic Wars.

By February 22, nearby Dutch colonies also surrendered. These included Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. British ships from Cochrane's fleet convinced them to surrender without a fight. The British officers were rewarded for their success. Beckwith stayed in the Caribbean until 1814. Cochrane and Hislop were promoted. All the soldiers and officers received thanks from the British Houses of Parliament. Ten years later, the regiments and ships involved received a special honor called Guadaloupe 1810.

Guadeloupe became a British colony for the rest of the war. It was given back to France after Napoleon gave up power in 1814. However, in 1815, during the Hundred Days (when Napoleon returned), Guadeloupe's governor declared loyalty to Napoleon again. This required another British invasion. This second invasion was smaller and shorter.

The fall of Guadeloupe meant the end of French territory in the Caribbean. The entire region was now controlled by either the British or the Spanish. Only the independent state of Haiti remained. Without French privateers and warships, trade in the Caribbean boomed. The economies of the islands improved greatly. This also hurt French international trade and their economy. Finally, capturing the last French colony struck a blow to the Atlantic slave trade. The British government had made slave trade illegal in 1807. The Royal Navy actively worked to stop it. Without French colonies, there was no easy market for enslaved people in the region. This helped to end the slave trade there.