Siege of Bastia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Bastia
Part of the Invasion of Corsica during the French Revolutionary Wars
A Southern View of Bastia in the Island of Corsica from on board His Majesty's ship Victory during the Siege of that Town in May 1794, Ralph Willett Miller
Date 4 April – 22 May 1794 Location Bastia, Corsica Result Anglo-Corsican victory
Belligerents
Great Britain Corsica	France
Commanders and leaders
Lord Hood Pasquale Paoli	Jean Michel
Strength
2,400 Mediterranean Fleet	5,000
Casualties and losses
48 killed or wounded 6 missing 1 corvette destroyed	700 killed or wounded 1 corvette captured

The siege of Bastia was an important military event during the French Revolutionary Wars. These wars were a series of big conflicts between France and other European countries. In 1793, the people of Corsica rose up against the French soldiers controlling their island. They asked the British Royal Navy for help.

After some delays, the British sent a small force. This force successfully drove the French out of the port of San Fiorenzo in February 1794. The British then focused on Bastia, another town held by a large French army. The attack on Bastia was delayed because British commanders argued about the best way to attack. The siege lasted six weeks, much longer than expected. The French soldiers finally gave up when they ran out of food. This victory helped the British take control of Corsica.

Why Did the Siege of Bastia Happen?

After the French Revolution in 1789, a Corsican leader named Pasquale Paoli returned to the island. He had left in 1768 when France took over Corsica. Paoli became the leader again, but the new French government, called the National Convention, wanted to control Corsica. They even ordered Paoli's arrest.

Paoli had always been supported by Great Britain. His supporters formed groups of fighters and pushed the French soldiers into three strong port towns: San Fiorenzo, Calvi, and Bastia. Paoli asked British officials in Italy for help.

British and Corsican Plans

The French positions were too strong for Paoli's fighters alone. Also, the French could easily get supplies and more soldiers by sea. So, Paoli asked the British Mediterranean Fleet for help in 1793. However, the British, led by Admiral Lord Hood, were busy fighting at siege of Toulon in France. They could not send many ships or soldiers to Corsica.

A small British group tried to attack San Fiorenzo in October but failed. The French then sent more soldiers to Corsica. In December 1793, the French took back Toulon. This meant Lord Hood needed a new base in the Mediterranean Sea. He decided Corsica was the perfect place.

In February 1794, Lord Hood agreed with Paoli. If the British drove the French out, Corsica would become a self-governing part of the British Empire. The British then attacked San Fiorenzo. After a short siege, the French left San Fiorenzo on February 20. The remaining French soldiers went over the mountains to Bastia.

Arguments and Delays Before the Attack

On February 19, Captain Horatio Nelson landed some sailors to check out Bastia. He came back with a very hopeful report. The French soldiers in Bastia, now joined by those from San Fiorenzo, thought the British would attack right away. They got ready to defend the town.

The French even started to plan an escape by sea. But when the British did not attack for three days, the French commander, Lacombe-Saint-Michel, stopped the escape. Instead, he made his men work on making Bastia's defenses even stronger. Bastia was a large, well-protected town. It was also easy for the French to get supplies from nearby Italian ports. The French had a strong force: 1,000 regular soldiers, 1,500 National Guard, and up to 2,500 Corsican fighters who supported France.

British Commanders Disagree

The British sent Corsican fighters to check the French defenses. But the British commander, David Dundas, pulled them back because of the freezing mountain weather. Lord Hood wanted to take Corsica quickly. There were rumors that France was preparing 12,000 soldiers to send as help.

Lord Hood thought showing off the British navy might scare the French. So, on February 23, he sailed his fleet around Bastia. He checked the town and then returned to San Fiorenzo Bay on March 5. He found that Dundas had not prepared for the siege at all. During this trip, Nelson took his ships close to the shore. He fired at the French defenses for two hours without getting hit.

Dundas was a careful commander. He refused to send his 1,200 British soldiers and 2,000 Corsican fighters against the French. He believed the French had over 4,000 soldiers. He insisted they wait for more soldiers from Gibraltar. Lord Hood was very angry. He accused Dundas of not attacking and even talked to Dundas's junior officers. This was a serious break in the chain of command (the order of authority). Dundas was so angry that he resigned on March 11. Command then went to Colonel Abraham D'Aubant.

Lord Hood did not know how strong the French army in Bastia was. He thought it was much smaller, partly because of Nelson's advice. However, Nelson knew the true size of the French force. He seemed to hide this information, hoping to make sure the British would attack the town directly.

D'Aubant was not liked by the army or the navy. He refused to check Bastia or attack without more soldiers. Lord Hood ordered several reports on the town's defenses. He ignored a report that correctly described the dangers. Instead, he chose a more hopeful report from a junior officer. Hood was sure the town would surrender in ten days once the attack started. He ordered Villettes to land north of the town with 1,200 men. Captain Nelson and his naval gunners would support them.

The Siege Begins

Villettes' force included soldiers from several British regiments and Royal Marines. Nelson's group had 250 sailors with eight large cannons and four mortars (a type of cannon that fires shells high into the air). These came from HMS Agamemnon and Naples.

While the army got ready, Lord Hood placed his fleet in a half-circle offshore. HMS Fortitude was in the middle. Closer to shore, Captain Benjamin Caldwell commanded a group of gunboats. These boats blocked the harbor to stop anyone from entering or leaving. Another ship, HMS Imperieuse, blocked the island of Capraia. This island was also held by the French and had many supplies. The French did not try to stop the British landings or the setting up of cannons around the town.

Fighting at Bastia

By April 11, Nelson had set up the cannons on the hills overlooking the town. Lord Hood then sent a message to Lacombe-Saint-Michel, telling him about the British positions and asking him to surrender. The French commander simply replied, "I have hot shot for your ships and bayonets for your troops. When two thirds of our troops are killed, I will then trust to the generosity of the English." Hot shot meant cannonballs heated until they were red-hot, designed to set wooden ships on fire.

With his offer refused, Hood ordered Nelson to start a heavy attack on the town. The fighting between the British and French cannons was very intense. Hood also ordered a small British ship, HMS Proselyte, to enter the harbor and fire at the defenses from the sea. However, Proselyte moved and became an easy target for the French. Red-hot cannonballs hit the ship, starting a fire that quickly grew. The captain, Walter Serocold, kept firing while calling for help. He managed to get his crew into small boats and escape before the ship was completely destroyed by flames.

For fourteen days, Nelson's cannons kept firing, but they were not very effective. One British officer noted that the cannons were too far away to hit the French defenses well. Both sides had soldiers wounded during the fighting. Nelson himself was wounded in the back on April 13.

By April 21, British naval cannons were set up closer to Bastia. On April 25, Hood ordered D'Aubant to bring his soldiers from San Fiorenzo over the mountains to attack. Hood thought this would scare Lacombe-Saint-Michel into surrendering. But D'Aubant refused again, saying it was pointless without the delayed soldiers from Gibraltar. With his order refused, Hood decided to wait and starve the French out of the town.

The French Surrender at Bastia

On May 12, Lacombe-Saint-Michel secretly left Bastia on a small boat. He said he was going to get more soldiers, but it was clear Bastia would fall. He wanted to tell the French government about the situation. He left his deputy, Antoine Gentili, in command.

Three days later, the British soldiers from Gibraltar finally arrived at San Fiorenzo. D'Aubant wrote to Hood, suggesting a joint attack on Bastia. But Hood knew Bastia was about to surrender, so he refused. D'Aubant was furious and resigned his command. However, he was forced to stay in Corsica because Hood purposely did not give him a ship to leave.

Bastia's food supplies ran out on May 21. Gentili finally sailed from the harbor on May 22. He sent representatives to Hood's ship, HMS Victory, to sign the surrender terms. The terms were generous: the French soldiers could return to France, along with any Corsicans who wanted to leave. All Corsicans who had joined the French were forgiven, and their property was to be respected.

Paoli and his Corsican fighters were very angry about these terms. Paoli's deputy tried to argue with Hood but was refused. Some thought Hood gave these terms to make the army look bad, as he publicly blamed them for the long siege. However, historians suggest Hood needed the siege to end quickly so his fleet could go to other important operations.

Nelson was the first British commander to enter the town. He later said the siege proved "that one Englishman was the equal of three Frenchmen." D'Aubant, who was still stuck in Corsica, arrived soon after. Bastia's hospitals were full of sick French soldiers. The French lost over 700 soldiers killed or wounded. The British army lost 7 killed, 6 missing, and 21 wounded. The British navy lost 7 killed and 13 wounded. In the town, 80 cannons were taken. A small French ship, the corvette Fleche, was captured and added to the Royal Navy. Villettes became the military governor of Bastia.

What Happened Next?

With San Fiorenzo and Bastia now under British control, Calvi was the last French stronghold on the island. British forces landed in June and attacked Calvi for over two months. This was difficult because many British soldiers got sick. Also, Lord Hood refused to give the new army commander, Charles Stuart, enough men and cannons.

Just like in the earlier sieges, Hood and Stuart argued and blamed each other for problems. Corsica was not fully under British control until August. Lord Hood's report of the siege, published in the London Gazette, was later criticized by Nelson. Nelson felt he did not get enough credit for his part. Despite these frustrations, the victories in Corsica helped Nelson become well-known in the British navy.

The victory at Bastia convinced Paoli's fellow Corsicans to accept his agreement with Hood. Corsica would become a self-governing part of the British Empire. Elections for a national parliament were held on June 1. On June 16, a new constitution was announced. This constitution gave many men the right to vote and had elections every two years. However, Paoli and the new British viceroy, Sir Gilbert Elliot, soon disagreed on policies. Their relationship remained difficult until the British left two years later.