Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland | |||||||
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Part of the War of the Second Coalition | |||||||
A painting of the Battle of Callantsoog | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
France Batavian Republic |
Great Britain Russia | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Guillaume Brune Herman Daendels |
Duke of York Ralph Abercromby John Moore Johann von Fersen Magnus von Essen | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
25,000 | 40,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
7,000 killed, wounded or captured 25 ships lost | 18,000 killed, wounded or captured |
The Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland (or Anglo-Russian expedition to Holland, or Helder Expedition) was a military campaign from 27 August to 19 November 1799 during the War of the Second Coalition, in which an expeditionary force of British and Russian troops invaded the North Holland peninsula in the Batavian Republic. The campaign had two strategic objectives: to neutralize the Batavian fleet and to promote an uprising by followers of the former stadtholder William V against the Batavian government. The invasion was opposed by a slightly smaller joint Franco-Batavian army. Tactically, the Anglo-Russian forces were successful initially, defeating the defenders in the battles of Callantsoog, Krabbendam and Alkmaar, but subsequent battles went against the Anglo-Russian forces. Following a defeat at Castricum, the Duke of York, the British supreme commander, decided upon a strategic retreat to the original bridgehead in the extreme north of the peninsula. Subsequently, an agreement was negotiated with the supreme commander of the Franco-Batavian forces, General Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, that allowed the Anglo-Russian forces to evacuate this bridgehead unmolested. However, the expedition partly succeeded in its first objective, capturing a significant proportion of the Batavian fleet.