The siege of Guadeloupe took place from March to May 1703 during the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

, when a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

expeditionary force led by

Christopher Codrington Christopher Codrington (1668 – 7 April 1710) was a Barbadian-born colonial administrator, planter, book collector and military officer. He is sometimes known as Christopher Codrington the Younger to distinguish him from his father. Codrington ...

landed on Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, and laid siege to the capital of

Basse-Terre Basse-Terre (, ; ; gcf, label=Guadeloupean Creole, Bastè, ) is a commune in the French overseas department of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles. It is also the ''prefecture'' (capital city) of Guadeloupe. The city of Basse-Terre is located o ...

Charles Auger Charles Auger de La Motte ( – 13 February 1705) was a French colonial administrator. He was governor in turn of Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe and Saint-Domingue. Career Early years (1640–1683) Charles Auger was born on Saint-Christophe aroun ...

, the French governor, received reinforcements from

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

led by Nicolas de Gabaret. The latter opted for a

Fabian strategy The Fabian strategy is a military strategy where pitched battles and frontal assaults are avoided in favor of wearing down an opponent through a war of attrition and indirection. While avoiding decisive battles, the side employing this strategy ...

and scorched earth tactics, destroying resources and Fort St Charles in the process. A lack of supplies and heavy losses from disease forced the British to lift the siege in May.

Siege

In March 1703, the British landed on the western part of Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies, near the main settlement of

. Codrington laid siege to Fort St Charles, held by a garrison under

, while sending out parties of troops to burn and destroy houses, farms, works and plantations. They were also ordered to forage and plunder, because provisions were in short supply. Reinforcements arrived from

on 3 April, led by its governor Nicolas de Gabaret who took over command, and blew up the fort. He adopted scorched earth tactics, destroying resources before falling back into the interior, then harassing the British while disease and lack supplies reduced their strength. While highly unpopular with French plantation owners, it proved extremely effective. By the end of April, disease began afflicting the soldiers ashore and Codrington was evacuated when he too fell ill. His deputy Charles Wills took over command and began evacuating the survivors in early May. Basse-Terre town was set ablaze as the fleet, taking captured guns, sailed on to St Christopher's Island.

References

Sources

* * * Conflicts in 1703 Sieges involving England Sieges involving France Battles of the War of the Spanish Succession

Siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...

1703 in the Caribbean 1703 in the British Empire 1703 in France Sieges of the War of the Spanish Succession {{France-battle-stub