Siege of Tarifa (1812)

Siege of Tarifa (1812)
Part of the Peninsular War

Royal Irish Fusiliers repel a French assault
Date19 December 1811 – 5 January 1812[1]
Location
Tarifa, Spain
36°00′50″N 5°36′22″W / 36.014°N 5.606°W / 36.014; -5.606
Result Coalition victory[1]
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
First French Empire Jean François Leval Francisco Copons
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland John Byrne Skerrett
Strength
8,000[2]–10,400[1]
16 guns		 2,300[2]–4,500[1]
26 guns
Casualties and losses
600[1]–680 killed, wounded or captured
9–14 guns lost		 68–150[1] killed, wounded or captured
Peninsular war: Siege of Cádiz
Map
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Maps: terms of use
150km
100miles
Tarifa
7
Bornos
6
Battle of Bornos (1811) at Bornos, on 5 November 1811 Battle of Bornos (1812), on 31 May 1812
Zújar
5
Battle of Zújar at Zújar, on 9 August 1811
Barrosa
4
Battle of Barrosa at Barrosa, on 5 March 1811
Baza
3
Battle of Baza (1810) at Baza, on 4 November 1810
Fuengirola
2
Battle of Fuengirola at Fuengirola, on 15 October 1810
Cádiz
1
Siege of Cádiz at Cádiz, from 5 February 1810 to 24 August 1812
  current battle

In the siege of Tarifa from 19 December 1811 to 5 January 1812, an Imperial French army under Jean François Leval laid siege to an Anglo-Spanish garrison led by Francisco Copons. Despite the advice of British Colonel John Byrne Skerrett to evacuate the town, Copons decided to hold out. Some wanted to evacuate to and defend the small island that was attached by a causeway from the town.[3]

Tarifa is located on the southernmost tip of Spain, about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Cadiz. The siege occurred during the Peninsular War, part of the Napoleonic Wars.

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bodart 1908, p. 429.
  2. ^ a b Porter 1889.
  3. ^ Porter 1889, p. 275.