Invasion of Martinique (1759)

Invasion of Martinique
Part of the Seven Years' War
Position of Martinique in the Caribbean
Date 16–19 January 1759 Location Martinique, West Indies Result French victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	France
Commanders and leaders
Peregrine Hopson John Barrington John Moore	François V de Beauharnais
Strength
4,500-5,000 regulars 10 ships of the line 2 frigates	250 regulars 10,000 militia[1][2] 1 ship of the line 1 frigate

A British invasion of Martinique took place in January 1759 when a large amphibious force under Peregrine Hopson landed on the French-held island of Martinique and unsuccessfully tried to capture it during the Seven Years' War.^[3] Cannon fire from the British fleet was ineffective against the fortress at Fort-Royal due to its location high on the cliffs, and there were no suitable landing places nearby. Unknown to the British commanders, French governor Francis de Beauharnais had not been resupplied for some months, and even a brief siege would have led to the fort's capitulation. However, Moore and Hopson decided instead to investigate the possibility of attacking Martinique's main commercial port, Saint-Pierre. After a desultory naval bombardment on 19 January that again had little effect on the port's defences, they withdrew, and decided instead to attack Guadeloupe, home to a significant body of French privateers.^[4] The expedition was successful at Guadeloupe, which surrendered to them in May 1759.^[5] In 1762 a British force captured Martinique.