Bombardment of Algiers (1816)

Bombardment of Algiers
	; Bombardment of Algiers, 1816, George Chambers
Date	27 August 1816; 208 years ago
Location	Algiers, Deylik of Algiers
Result	Anglo-Dutch victory Signing of a treaty between Algeria and Britain to release 3,000 Christian slaves;
Belligerents
United Kingdom; Netherlands	Deylik of Algiers
Commanders and leaders
Edward Pellew; David Milne; Frederick Capellen	Omar Agha; Ali Khodja; Hussein Khodja
Units involved
Royal Navy; Royal Dutch Navy	Algerine navy; Odjak of Algiers; Kabyle contingents
Strength
5 ships of the line; 10 frigates (5 Dutch); 1 corvette; 8 sloops; 4 bomb ketchs; 1 aviso	17,000 soldiers (including 11,000 Zouaves and 6,000 janissaries), number of sailors unknown; Seaward-facing batteries of 224 cannon; 4 frigates; 5 corvettes; 40 gunboats
Casualties and losses
Britain: 887–900 dead and wounded, Netherlands: 13 dead, 52 injured Half of the Anglo-Dutch fleet severely damaged	500–5,000 total military and civilian casualties (including 300–2,000 killed); 4 frigates destroyed; 5 corvettes destroyed; 28 gunboats sunk; 12 gunboats beached
	3,000 European slaves freed

The Bombardment of Algiers was an attempt on 27 August 1816 by Britain and the Netherlands to end the slavery practices of Omar Agha, the Dey of Algiers. An Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth bombarded ships and the harbour defences of Algiers.

There was a continuing campaign by various European navies and the American navy to suppress the piracy against Europeans by the North African Barbary states. The specific aim of this expedition, however, was to free Christian slaves and to stop the practice of enslaving Europeans in to slavery in Algeria. To this end, it was partially successful, as the Dey of Algiers freed around 3,000 slaves following the bombardment and signed a treaty against the slavery of Europeans. However, this practice did not end completely until the French conquest of Algeria.

^ Laughton, J. K. (2004). "Milne, Sir David (1763–1845), naval officer". In Lambert, Andrew (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18783. Retrieved 12 January 2021. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Agnew, John Holmes; Bidwell, Walter Hilliard; Steele, Henry T. (1867). Eclectic Magazine: Foreign Literature. Leavitt, Throw and Company.
^ Daniel Panzac: Barbary Corsairs. The End of a legend 1800–1820. Brill, Leiden und Boston 2005. S. 282.
^ Salamé, pp. 30-32
^ Northcote Parkinson (1977), p. 161
^ Seymour Drescher (2009), p. 235
^ Micheal Clodfelter, Warfare and Armed Conflicts, page 198
^ Brett p. 315
^ Brett, p. 315
^ (in French) Documents turcs inédits sur le bombardement d'Alger en 1816, Abdeljelil Temimi, Revue de l'Occident musulman et de la Méditerranée, 1968, Volume 5, Numéro 5, pp. 111–133

[1] Laughton, J. K. (2004). "Milne, Sir David (1763–1845), naval officer". In Lambert, Andrew (ed.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18783. Retrieved 12 January 2021. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

[2] Agnew, John Holmes; Bidwell, Walter Hilliard; Steele, Henry T. (1867). Eclectic Magazine: Foreign Literature. Leavitt, Throw and Company.

[3] Daniel Panzac: Barbary Corsairs. The End of a legend 1800–1820. Brill, Leiden und Boston 2005. S. 282.

[4] Salamé, pp. 30-32

[5] Northcote Parkinson (1977), p. 161

[Seymour_Drescher_2009,_p._235-6] Seymour Drescher (2009), p. 235

[7] Micheal Clodfelter, Warfare and Armed Conflicts, page 198

[8] Brett p. 315

[Brett,_p._315-9] Brett, p. 315

[10] (in French) Documents turcs inédits sur le bombardement d'Alger en 1816, Abdeljelil Temimi, Revue de l'Occident musulman et de la Méditerranée, 1968, Volume 5, Numéro 5, pp. 111–133

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]