Raid on Samaná facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raid on Samaná
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Port Napoléon in the Bay of Samana on Santo Domingo
Date 14 February 1807 Location Samaná, Santo Domingo Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
James Richard Dacres	unknown
Strength
2 frigates	1 Fort 5 ships & prizes
Casualties and losses
two killed and 16 wounded	1 fort captured & destroyed 3 schooners captured 2 prizes captured

The Raid on Samaná was an important battle during the Napoleonic Wars. On February 14, 1807, two ships from the Royal Navy (Britain's navy) attacked a French port called Samaná. This port was located in a place called Santo Domingo. The British ships successfully captured and burned a fort. They also took several enemy ships. The British had very few losses in this attack.

The Samaná Attack: What Happened?

Planning the Raid

In early 1807, Commander James Richard Dacres was sailing his ship, HMS Bacchante, near Santo Domingo. This area was controlled by France at the time. On February 14, 1807, his ship chased a French navy schooner called Dauphin. After a long chase, the Bacchante captured the Dauphin. The Dauphin was a problem for British trade ships, so capturing it was a big win.

Soon after, Commander Dacres met Captain William Furlong Wise and his ship, HMS Mediator. Both ships were looking for French warships and privateers. Privateers were like legal pirates, allowed by their government to attack enemy ships. Dacres decided to take Mediator under his command. He came up with a clever plan to attack Samaná, which was known as a "nest of privateers."

A Clever Trick

To surprise the French, Dacres used a trick. He sent the captured Dauphin into Samaná harbor, still flying the French flag. His own ship, Bacchante, pretended to be a captured ship of the Dauphin. The Mediator pretended to be a neutral ship, meaning it wasn't involved in the war.

This trick worked perfectly. The British ships sailed right into the harbor. They got very close to the French fort before the French realized they were enemy ships.

The Battle Begins

Once the French knew what was happening, a battle started. The British ships and the French fort fired at each other for four hours. The fort was mostly defended by men from the privateer ships in the harbor.

Soon, British sailors and Royal Marines from both Bacchante and Mediator launched a land attack. Captain Wise led this landing party. They stormed the fort. The French defenders quickly fled.

British Victory and Aftermath

The British took control of the fort. They also captured two French schooners that were being prepared to become privateers. They found an American ship and a British schooner that had been captured by French privateers. The British took these ships as well.

Before leaving on February 21, the British destroyed the fort and its cannons. They also took anything valuable from the settlement. In the battle, four men from Bacchante were wounded. Mediator had two men killed and twelve wounded because it was more involved in the fighting. Commander Dacres believed many French soldiers were hurt, but they ran into the woods, so he didn't have an exact number.

Awards for Bravery

Both Commander Dacres and Captain Wise were honored for their bravery. They each received a special sword worth £100 from the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund. These swords had special messages carved into them. The messages explained their brave actions in capturing the Dauphin and destroying the fort at Samaná.