Siege of Gaeta (1806) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Gaeta |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the War of the Third Coalition | |||||||
 Gaeta's historic quarter from Monte Orlando |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
 Naples |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 André Masséna Nicolas de Lacour Jacques Campredon |
Louis von Hesse-Philippsthal Col. Hotz Fra Diavolo |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 12,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,000 | 7,000 | ||||||
The Siege of Gaeta was a long battle for the fortress city of Gaeta in Italy. It happened from February 26 to July 18, 1806. During this time, French forces led by André Masséna surrounded and attacked the city. Inside Gaeta, Neapolitan soldiers under Louis of Hesse-Philippsthal bravely defended their city.
Even though Prince Hesse was badly hurt, Gaeta kept fighting for a long time. In the end, the city surrendered to the French. The French gave the defenders good terms. This siege was part of a bigger conflict called the War of the Third Coalition.
Contents
Why Did the Siege of Gaeta Happen?
In 1806, Napoleon's French army invaded Naples. This happened because King Ferdinand I of Naples and Sicily joined a group of countries called the Third Coalition. This group was fighting against France.
The French army quickly took over most of the Kingdom of Naples. But Prince Hesse and his soldiers at Gaeta refused to give up. Their strong resistance kept a large part of the French army busy for almost five months. This meant the French could not send help to stop a rebellion in Calabria. It also allowed British forces to land and win a battle at Maida.
However, the British could not help the soldiers in Gaeta. So, in mid-July, the French finally captured the city. Their powerful cannons broke through Gaeta's defenses.
How the War Started in Italy
The War of the Third Coalition began in Italy in late 1805. Emperor Napoleon sent many soldiers to protect his lands there. Marshal André Masséna led the main French army. The Kingdom of Italy, which was allied with France, also provided soldiers.
King Ferdinand of Naples was worried the French might invade. He signed a treaty with Napoleon, promising to stay neutral. In return, the French agreed to leave Apulia in southern Italy.
King Ferdinand's Broken Promise
As soon as the French left Apulia, King Ferdinand and Queen Maria Carolina broke their promise. They invited British and Russian troops to Naples. About 7,500 British soldiers and 14,500 Russian soldiers arrived.
The British and Russian generals planned to attack northern Italy. But they were surprised that the Neapolitan army was not ready to join them. Without their allies, they could only defend their positions.
Then, Napoleon won a huge victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805. This ended the Third Coalition. The Russian and British forces decided to leave Naples. King Ferdinand knew he had betrayed Napoleon. His government became very chaotic.
Gaeta's Governor Refuses Help
The British general, James Henry Craig, offered to help defend the fortress of Gaeta. But its governor, Prince Louis of Hesse-Philippsthal, would not let his soldiers inside. General Craig then sailed his troops to Messina in Sicily.
The British soldiers waited on their ships until the king and queen finally let them land in February 1806.
The French Invasion of Naples
.jpg)
The French army, led by Masséna, crossed the border on February 8, 1806. They met almost no resistance. King Ferdinand had already fled to Sicily. Queen Carolina followed him a few days later.
Masséna's main army quickly reached Gaeta, which was about 40 miles (64 km) north of Naples. Prince Hesse refused to surrender. Since Gaeta was a very strong fortress, the French left a small force to surround it.
On February 14, Masséna captured Naples with his remaining soldiers. Napoleon chose his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, to be the new King of Naples. Joseph arrived in the city the next day. He put all the troops near Naples under Masséna's command.
Battles and Uprisings
Another French force, led by Jean Reynier, moved south. On March 9, 1806, Reynier's soldiers fought 14,000 Neapolitans at the Battle of Campo Tenese. The Neapolitans were defeated, losing many soldiers and all their cannons.
The Neapolitan army fell apart as they retreated. Many soldiers went home or ran away. Only a few thousand escaped to Sicily. The French soldiers' harsh actions soon caused a serious rebellion among the farmers in Calabria. French commanders burned villages, leading to a cycle of violence.
Who Fought at Gaeta?
In 1806, Gaeta had about 8,000 people and very strong defenses. The city was on a peninsula sticking out into the sea. Its land defenses were very strong, with three lines of walls in some places. The highest points, like the Tower of Orlando, were 400 feet (122 meters) high. These defenses could fire many cannons at any attacker.
Prince Hesse led Gaeta's soldiers. He had about 3,750 regular soldiers and 2,000 irregular fighters. Many of the regular soldiers were not well-trained.
Prince Hesse's Leadership
Prince Hesse was known for being a bit unusual but a very good leader. He was short and had a red face. He was also known for drinking a lot, but he was very brave. He earned the respect of his soldiers by joking with them and showing great courage.
From the very start of the siege, he stayed at the main cannon battery. He said he would not leave until the siege was over. He also promised to drink only one bottle of wine a day. When the French first demanded Gaeta surrender, Hesse famously shouted through a speaking-trumpet, "Gaeta is not Ulm! Hesse is not Mack!" He was referring to a general who had surrendered easily at Ulm.
The Siege Begins
The Siege of Gaeta officially began on February 26, 1806. Masséna looked at the fortress and put General Nicolas Bernard Guiot de Lacour in charge of the attacking forces. The French built cannon batteries using cannons from nearby cities.
On March 21, the French formally asked Gaeta to surrender. Hesse replied that they would have to break through the walls first. But when the French cannons fired, Gaeta's 80 cannons quickly silenced them. The French had to rebuild their batteries and bring more cannons closer.
French Struggles and New Plans
The French realized that Gaeta would not be easy to capture. So, they brought in General Jacques David Martin de Campredon, an expert in military engineering, to lead the siege. To get close enough to break the walls, the French started digging trenches. This was hard because the ground was rocky.
Hesse did not send his soldiers out to attack the French trenches very often. This was because many Neapolitan soldiers would run away and join the French. Hesse asked his government for help, but they were busy supporting a rebellion in Calabria.
Eventually, British Admiral Sidney Smith arrived at Gaeta with his ships. He brought food, four heavy cannons, and a famous fighter named Michele Pezza, also known as Fra Diavolo. Smith also sent gunboats to help defend the fortress.
Fra Diavolo and his fighters tried to raid the French, but they were defeated. Fra Diavolo returned to Gaeta. Later, Hesse suspected Fra Diavolo was planning to betray Gaeta. So, he sent him away to Sicily in chains.
The Final Attack on Gaeta
Until late May, the French attackers had only about 4,000 soldiers. But after that, they received many more troops, doubling their numbers by June 28. On that day, Masséna took personal command of the siege.
By early June, the French had dug trenches very close to the fortress. They built batteries for 100 cannons. All this work was done while Gaeta's cannons fired constantly at them. A French general, Joseph Sécret Pascal-Vallongue, was badly wounded and died on June 17.
On June 28, the French began firing with 50 heavy cannons and 23 mortars. This time, Gaeta's cannons could not stop the French fire. Many of Gaeta's guns were damaged, and many soldiers were hurt. By July 1, three powder magazines inside the fortress had exploded. But Hesse still refused to surrender.
On July 7, the French opened fire again with 90 cannons. Both sides suffered heavy damage. The biggest loss for Gaeta happened on July 10. Prince Hesse was badly wounded by an exploding shell and had to be taken away by sea. Colonel Hotz, a less experienced officer, took his place.
Gaeta's Walls Break
On July 12, 1806, two large holes, called breaches, appeared in Gaeta's walls. One was on the left side, and one was on the right. The French demanded surrender, but Colonel Hotz refused. The French continued firing, making the holes bigger.
By July 16, Masséna heard that the French had lost a battle at Maida. He was eager to capture Gaeta quickly. The French were also running low on gunpowder and cannonballs.
Masséna decided to trick Hotz. On the morning of July 18, the French openly prepared for a huge attack. They gathered many elite soldiers to storm the breaches. They also marched up supporting troops for everyone to see. Masséna's plan worked. At 3:00 PM, Colonel Hotz raised a white flag, signaling surrender.
What Happened After Gaeta Fell?
Because Gaeta had fought for so long, and because Masséna needed to capture it quickly, he gave the defenders good terms. The soldiers were allowed to sail to Sicily. They promised not to fight against France for one year. The French took control of the fortress and all its cannons.
The French reported losing 1,000 soldiers killed and wounded, but the real number might have been higher. Out of 7,000 Neapolitan soldiers, 1,000 were killed or wounded. The French also captured 171 cannons.
On July 4, 1806, a British force defeated a French division at the Battle of Maida. After this victory, the British decided to focus on fighting the French in Calabria. This meant they missed a chance to help Gaeta or attack Naples.
Gaeta's surrender freed Masséna's army to go to Calabria. The British victory at Maida did prevent a French invasion of Sicily. It also made the rebellion in Calabria last longer. The French did not fully control the region until 1807.
Gaeta later became a special area in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples. It was given to the finance minister, Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin. After the fall of Joachim Murat's kingdom in 1815, Gaeta was the last city to hold out. The 1815 siege lasted from May 28 to August 8. Finally, the remaining Neapolitan soldiers surrendered to the Austrian army.
Images for kids
-
Gaeta's historic quarter from Monte Orlando
-
André Massena, the French commander.
-
Prince Louis of Hesse, the brave defender of Gaeta.
-
A map showing Gaeta's defenses and the French siege lines.
-
Nicolas Guiot de Lacour, a French general.
-
Prince Hesse did not trust Fra Diavolo, a partisan leader.
-
Joseph Pascal-Vallongue, a French general who died during the siege.
