Invasion of Tobago facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Invasion of Tobago |
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| Part of the American Revolutionary War | |||||||
 French depiction of the invasion |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| George Brydges Rodney George Ferguson Anthony St Leger Francis Samuel Drake |
Comte de Grasse Marquis de Bouillé Philibert François Rouxel de Blanchelande Albert de Rions |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 800 regulars and militia 6 ships of the line |
4,500 troops 24 ships of the line |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 800 Unknown troops lost to heat or captured, the rest surrendered 1 ship of the line lost |
46 killed 105 wounded |
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The Invasion of Tobago was a time when France attacked the island of Tobago. At this time, Tobago was controlled by Britain. This invasion happened during the Anglo-French War, which was part of the larger American Revolutionary War.
On May 24, 1781, a French fleet led by Comte de Grasse brought soldiers to Tobago. These soldiers were commanded by General Marquis de Bouillé. By June 2, 1781, the French had successfully taken control of the island.
Contents
Why Did France Invade Tobago?
After a sea battle called the Battle of Fort Royal, a British admiral named Hood had to retreat. This left the island of St. Lucia open to a French attack.
At the same time, France sent two warships and 1,300 soldiers from Martinique towards Tobago.
The French commander, de Grasse, met with the governor of Martinique, Marquis de Bouillé. They made a plan to capture Tobago.
The French Plan
The French decided to split their forces.
- One group of ships and soldiers would go directly to Tobago.
- The other, larger group would go to St. Lucia first. This was a trick, or "diversion," to make the British think St. Lucia was the main target.
- After the diversion, the St. Lucia forces would quickly leave and join the first group at Tobago.
On May 8, 1781, the St. Lucia group, led by de Bouillé and de Grasse, left Martinique. The Tobago group, led by Blanchelande, left the next day, May 9, 1781.
The Attack on St. Lucia
On May 10, Bouillé's force, with about 1,200 to 1,500 soldiers, landed at Gros Islet in northern St. Lucia. They surprised the small British army there. About 100 British soldiers were captured, and the French took their military supplies.
This made the British governor, General Anthony St Leger, prepare the defenses of Castries. He also fortified the hills above the port.
However, the strong defenses that Admiral Rodney had built on Pigeon Island stopped the French attack on St. Lucia. De Grasse returned to Martinique.
British Response
Even though the St. Lucia attack failed, de Grasse quickly sailed for Tobago on May 25. The British Admiral Rodney sent six warships, led by Admiral Francis Samuel Drake, to help defend Tobago.
The Invasion of Tobago
On May 24, General Blanchelande's French soldiers arrived at Tobago. They landed near the port of Scarborough while their ships fired cannons to cover them.
They quickly took over the town's forts. Governor George Ferguson led his remaining forces into the hills. These forces included 300-400 regular soldiers and 400-500 local militia. They set up a strong position with cannons on a ridge.
Blanchelande followed them but decided to wait for more French soldiers before attacking.
French Reinforcements Arrive
The next day, de Grasse landed more French soldiers on both sides of the island. Bouillé then joined Blanchelande outside the British defenses. They decided to attack the next day.
With the arrival of so many French soldiers, Governor Ferguson realized his position was hopeless. He decided to retreat that night.
On May 30, de Grasse's fleet and Drake's British squadron met. However, Drake retreated and returned to Barbados on June 3. Rodney then sailed with his entire fleet towards Tobago.
On June 4, Rodney arrived near Tobago. But it was too late. He learned that the island had been captured by the French on June 2.
What Happened Next?
On June 9, Rodney was returning to Barbados when he saw de Grasse's fleet again. Rodney had 20 ships, and de Grasse had 23. Rodney decided not to attack, fearing the ocean currents might trap his ships.
When Governor Ferguson reached London, he and Admiral Rodney had a public argument. Ferguson blamed Rodney for not helping Tobago in time.
De Grasse returned to Martinique. Then, on July 5, he sailed to Cap-Français (in present-day Haiti), arriving on July 26. There, he received important messages from George Washington and Rochambeau. They asked him to bring his French fleet to Chesapeake Bay or New York.
De Grasse's fleet played a very important part in the later Battle of the Chesapeake and the Siege of Yorktown. These events were crucial to the American victory in the American Revolutionary War.
Tobago remained under French control after the war. This was agreed upon in the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The island was fought over again during the Napoleonic Wars. It finally became British territory for good with the 1814 Treaty of Paris.
Additional Information
- De Grasse, François Joseph Paul. The Operations of the French fleet under the Count de Grasse in 1781-2
- Colomb, Philip Howard. Naval warfare, its ruling principles and practice historically treated
- Lewis, Charles. Admiral de Grasse and American Independence
- Southey, Thomas. Chronological history of the West Indies: in Three Volumes Volume 2 (contains Governor Ferguson's statement on the invasion)
