British capture of Senegal

For the French acquisition, see French conquest of Senegal.

British capture of Senegal
Part of Seven Years' War

A map depicting the various kingdoms of Senegambia in 1707, by Guillaume Delisle.
In the 18th century, France only controlled the city of Saint-Louis and the island of Gorée.
DateApril – May 1758
Location
Saint-Louis, Senegal
16°02′00″N 16°30′00″W / 16.0333°N 16.5000°W / 16.0333; -16.5000
Result British victory
Belligerents
 Great Britain  France
Commanders and leaders
Henry Marsh
James Sayer
Strength
200 marines
Light artillery
6 Royal Navy vessels:
* HMS Harwich
* HMS Nassau
* HMS Rye (1745)
* HMS Swan (1745)
* HMS London (1756)
* HMS Portsmouth (1756)
5 hired armed vessels		 232 officers and soldiers
92 guns
A brig
6 sloops

The British capture of Senegal took place in 1758 during the Seven Years' War with France, as part of a concerted British strategy to weaken the French economy by damaging her international trade. To this end, a succession of small British military expeditions landed in Senegal and captured Gorée and Fort Saint Louis, the French slave fort located at Saint-Louis, seizing French vessels and supplies. By late 1758 the whole of the French colony on the Senegalese coast had been captured by the British, with administrative matters being handled by the first (and only) British Governor of Senegal, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Worge.