Naval History On This Day, Any Nation

[Kevin]

16 DECEMBER

 

 

1803

Boats of HMS Merlin (16), Edward Pelham Brenton, destroyed the grounded British frigate HMS Shannon(36), Cptn. Edward Gower, at Baie des Veys

1805

HMS Kingfisher (18), Nathaniel Day Cochrane, captured French privateer schooner Elisabeth (14) in the West Indies.

[Kevin]

17 DECEMBER

 

 

1717

HMS Sorlings (42) wrecked at Friesland

1799

HMS Amiable engaged Sirene and Bergere.

1809

HMS Sceptre (74), Cptn. Samuel James Ballard, and consorts took Loire (20) and Seine (20) at Anse la Barque, Guadaloupe.

1810

HMS Rinaldo (10), James Anderson, engaged four French privateers near the Owers. One, Vieux Josephine(16) was sunk and a second which had struck escaped after Rinaldo ran foul of the Owers light vessel.

1846

Ships under Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry capture Laguna de Terminos during Mexican War.

[Kevin]

18 DECEMBER

 

1762

HMS Temple (70) foundered in the West Indies.

1779

French squadron of 3 ships of the line, under Count Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte, escorting a 26 ship convoy engaged English squadron of 13 ships of the line and a frigate, under Admiral Hyde-Parker blockading Fort Royal, Martinique.10 of the merchant ships were taken and  4 others ran aground and were burnt.

1793

Evacuation of Toulon by British and Spanish fleets. HMS Conflagration fireship (14), Cdr. John Loring, destroyed to prevent capture, HMS Vulcan fireship (14), Cdr William Edge, destroyed in firing the French ships and HMS Montreal being used as a powder hulk accidentally burnt by the Spaniards.

1804

HMS Starling (12), Lt. George Shotton, went ashore near Calais during a thick fog and blown up to prevent capture.

1810

HMS Nymphe (36), Cptn. Clay, and HMS Pallas (32), Cptn. G. P. Monke, wrecked near Dunbar in the Firth of Forth after the pilots mistook the light from a lime kiln on the coast for the light on the Isle of May and the light on the island for that on the Bell Rock.

1812

HMS Alban (10), Lt. William Sturges Key, wrecked off Aldeborough, Suffolk

1828

HMS Kangaroo Steam-vessel (6), Anthony de Mayne, wrecked South-east of Reef of Hogsties.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

19 DECEMBER

 

 

1664

British squadron of 7 ships, under Cptn.Thomas Allin, attacked Dutch Smyrna fleet of 34 merchantmen and escorts off Cadiz.

1778

French frigate Iphigénie (32) captured HMS Ceres sloop (18), Cdr. James Richard Dacres, off St. Lucia

1796

HMS Courageux (74), Lt. John Burrows (Act.), struck on rocks under Apes' Hill, coast of Barbary.

HMS Minerve (38), Cptn. George Cockburn, Commodore Horatio Nelson, captured Spanish frigate Santa Sabina (40), Cptn. Don Jacob Steuart, and HMS Blanche (32) engaged Ceres which struck but could not be secured. An approaching Spanish squadron drove them off and the prize was retaken.       

1809

HMS Rosamond, Benjamin Walker, captured French national brig Papillon (16), Cptn. De La Genetiere off St. Croix.

1812

HMS Albacore (18), Cptn. Henry Thomas Davies, HMS Pickle (14), Lt. William Figg , HMS Borer (12), Richard Coote, and HMS Landrail (4), Lt. John Bill, engaged Gloire (40), Cptn. Albin-Réné Roussin, off the Lizard

Edited December 19, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

20 DECEMBER

 

 

1761

HMS Biddeford (20), Cptn. Thomas Gordon,  totally wrecked on the Hazeborough Sand near Yarmouth due to the ignorance of the pilot

1776

British frigate Pearl (32) captured the Continental Navy brig Lexington (14), Cptn William Hallock, off the Delaware capes.

1782

HMS Diomede (44), Cptn. T. L Frederick, took South Carolina (30)

1797

HMS Growler gunboat (12), Lt. John Hollingsworth (Killed in Action), captured off Dungeness by two French privateer luggers Spiègle (10), Cptn Duchesne, and Rusé (8), Cptn Denis Fourmentin.

1799

HMS Lady Nelson (10) taken by French privateers off Cabrita point and retaken by boats of HMS Queen Charlotte (100), Capt. J. Irwin, which witnessed the event whilst lying at Gibraltar.

1804

HMS Tartarus bomb, Thomas Withers, wrecked on the sands in Margate Roads.

1811

Sir Peter Parker, Admiral of the Fleet of England, died

1822

US Congress authorizes the 14-ship West Indies Squadron to suppress piracy in the Caribbean.

1847

HMS Avenger Steam-frigate (10), Cptn. C. E. Napier,  wrecked on the Sorelli Rocks, off the Island of Galita, Mediterranean. The captain and Lt. Marryat, son of Capt. Frederick Marryat, were among those who went down with the ship.

[Kevin]

21 DECEMBER

 

 

1796

HMS Bombay Castle (74) wrecked in the Tagus.

1797

British frigate Phoebe (36), Cptn. Robert Barlow, captured the French frigate Néréide (36), Cptn. Antoine Canon, off the Isles of Scilly

1804

HMS Severn (44), Cptn. Philip d'Auvergne, Prince of Bouillon,  wrecked in Grouville Bay, Jersey,

1807

St. Thomas taken from the Danes by British squadron under Rear Ad. Sir Alexander Cochrane.

1811

His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, Admiral of the Red, appointed Admiral of the Fleet, vice Sir Peter Parker, Bart, deceased.

1812

Destruction of tower of St. Cataldo, between Brindisi and Ortranto, by boats of HMS Apollo (38), Cptn. Bridges W. Taylor, and HMS Weazle (18), James Black.

1848

HMS Mutine (18), John Palmer, wrecked in the Adriatic near Venice.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

22 DECEMBER

 

1775

Congress commissions first naval officers

1809

HMS Salorman (12), Lt. Duncan, lost in the Baltic.

1810

HMS Minotaur (74), Cptn. John Barrett, wrecked on the North Haaks, Texel.

1864

HMS Bombay line of battle screw steamship (64), Cptn. Colin Campbell, caught fire and exploded off Montevideo. 

[st george]

1775 - Continental navy organized with 7 ships.
1832 - HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin reaches Barnevelts Islands.

1841 - Commissioning of USS Mississippi, first U.S. ocean-going side-wheel steam warship, at Philadelphia.

[Kevin]

23 DECEMBER

 

1787

HMS Bounty sailed from Portsmouth on fateful yoyage.

1808

HMS Fama Sloop (18), Lt. Charles Toping, wrecked on Bornholm, Baltic.

1826

Cptn. Thomas Catesby Jones of USS Peacock and King Kamehameha negotiate first treaty between Hawaii and a foreign power.

Edited December 23, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

24 DECEMBER

 

 

1744

HMS Swallow sloop, Cptn. Andrew Jelfe, wrecked in the West Indies

1789

HMS Guardian (en flute), Lt. Edward Riou, whilst laden with stores for the new settlement at Port Jackson struck an invisible, underwater part of an iceberg and her stern swung round, knocking off the rudder and badly damaging the stern frame. Water-logged and supported by casks in the hold she limped into Table Bay on 21 February 1790.   

1796

HMS Cormorant Sloop (16), Lt. Thomas Goyy, burnt and blown up by accident, at Port-au-Prince, St. Domingo.

1797

HMS Hamadryad (36), Thomas Elphinstone, blown on shore in Algier Bay.

1804

HMS Mallard Gun-boat (12), Lt. George William Miles,due to the neglect of her captain and master grounded near Calais and was captured.

1805

HMS Egyptienne (40), Lt. P. C. Handfield Acting, and HMS Loire (40), Cptn. Frederick Maitland captured French frigate Libre (40), Cptn. Descorches,off Rochefort.

1810

Boats of HMS Diana (38), Capt. Charles Grant, took and burnt French frigate Elize ashore in the Baie de la Hougue

1811

HMS Hero (74), Cptn. James Newman shipwrecked on Hank Sand, off the Texel.

HMS Grasshopper, Cptn Fanshawe, beat clean over the wreck of the Hero, and went ashore. The sloop was instantly taken possession of by the enemy, and the captain and crew made prisoners of war.

HMS St George (98), Cptn. Guion, and bearing the flag of Admiral Reynolds, and HMS Defence (74), Cptn David Atkins, ran aground off Torsminde at the west coast of Jutland and were lost.

1814

Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

Treaty of Ghent

For anyone that reads my daily log - the last entry was 

 

1814 Treaty of Ghent ends the War of 1812.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Ghent

[st george]

1777 - Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, is discovered by James Cook.

1832 - HMS Beagle anchors in Wigwam Bay at Cape Receiver.

1941 - 1st ships of admiral Nagumo's Pearl Harbor fleet return to Japan.

[Kevin]

25 DECEMBER

 

1689

HMS Centurion (34) wrecked on Mount Batten in Plymouth Sound

1709

HMS Solebay (24) wrecked on Boston Rock of Lyme Regis

1799

HMS Ethalion (38), Cptn. John Clarke Searle,  wrecked on the Saintes

1807

St. Croix  taken from the Danes by British squadron under Rear Ad. Sir Alexander Cochrane.

1810

HMS Monkey Brig (12), Lt. Thomas Fitzgerald, wrecked on rocks at Bell Isle, France.

[st george]

1492 - Columbus' ship Santa Maria runs aground and sinks on Hispaniola.

1643 - Christmas Island founded and named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary.

1941 - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz arrives at Pearl Harbor to assume command of U.S. Pacific Fleet.

[Kevin]

26 DECEMBER

 

 

1711

HMS Seahorse (14) wrecked off Dartmouth.

1799

HMS Viper (12), Lt. Pengelly, captured privateer Furet (14), Louis Bouvet, south of the Dodman.

1808

HMS Bustler Gun-brig (12), Lt. Richard Welch, stranded on shore and taken, Cape Grisnez, France.

1811

HMS Ephira Sloop (10) wrecked on Cochinos Rocks, in passage between Cadiz and Tarifa.

[Kevin]

27 DECEMBER

 

 

1756

Court-martial of Admiral Byng began on HMS St. George in Portsmouth Harbour.

1796

HMS Hussar (28), Cptn. James Colnett, wrecked in a gale of wind to the westward of the Island of Bass, France.

1797

HMS Hunter Sloop (18), Cptn. Tudor Tucker, wrecked on Hog Island, off Virginia.

1831

The Beagle sails from Plymouth with Charles Darwin aboard 

[Kevin]

28 DECEMBER

 

 

1706

HMS Romney (54), Cptn. William Coney, HMS Fowey (32) , Cptn. Richard Lestock, and HMS Milford (32), Cptn. Philip Stanhope, took French privateer Content (16) off Malaga.

1778

HMS Cupid (14), W. Carlyon, foundered off Newfoundland

[Kevin]

29 DECEMBER

 

 

1709

HMS Pembroke (60), Cptn. Edward Rumsey (Killed in action), and HMS Falcon Cptn. Charles Constable, taken by French Squadron of three French ships of (70), (60) and (54) guns off the French Mediterranean coast.

1736

HMS Launceston (42) wrecked on the Dutch coast

1797

HMS Anson (44), Cptn. Philip Charles Durham, captured French corvette Daphne (20) off the coast of France.

1807

HMS Anson (44) lost on sand-bank off Helstone, Falmouth.

1808

HMS Crescent (36), Cptn. John Temple, wrecked off Jutland.

1812

USS Constitution (52), Commodore William Bainbridge, captured and burnt HMS Java (38), Cptn. Henry Lambert (Killed in Action), off the Brazilian coast.

HMS Royalist (18), George Downie, captured French privateer lugger La Ruse (16) off Hythe.

[st george]

1837 - Canadian militia destroy Caroline, a US steamboat docked at Buffalo.

1860 - The first British seagoing iron-clad warship, HMS Warrior is launched.

1943 - USS Silversides (SS-236) sinks three Japanese ships and damages a fourth off Palau.

[Kevin]

30 DECEMBER

 

 

1794

HMS Blanche (32), Cptn. Robert Faulknor,  silenced a fort at the island of Desirade and captured French national schooner (8).

1803

HMS Grappler Gun-boat (12), Lt. Able Wontner Thomas, wrecked on the Isle de Chausey, Jersey.

[st george]

1835 - HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin sails from NZ to Sydney.

1959 - Commissioning of first fleet ballistic missile submarine, USS George Washington (SSB(N)-598), at Groton, CT.

[Kevin]

31 DECEMBER

 

 

1748

HMS Wolf (14), Cptn. Veachel, wrecked on the coast of Ireland in high winds.

1763

Pierre-Charles Villeneuve born

1796

HMS Curlew Sloop (16), Cdr. Francis Ventris Field, foundered in North Sea.

1862

USS Monitor founders in a storm off Cape Hatteras, NC.

[st george]

1604 - Admiral Steven van der Haghen's fleet reaches Bantam.

1941 - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz assumes command of U.S. Pacific Fleet.
1942 - Commissioning of USS Essex (CV-9), first of new class of aircraft carriers, at Norfolk, VA.

[Kevin]

1st January

 

1758

HMS Adventure, Cdr. John Bray, took privateer Machault (14) off Dungerness Road

1761

Loss of HMS Newcastle (50) and HMS Queenborough (24) in a cyclone in the East Indies.

1776

HMS Liverpool (28), Cptn. Henry Bellew, and consorts burnt Norfolk, Virginia.

1801

Horatio Nelson promoted vice-admiral.

USS Chesapeake (36), Cptn. Samuel Barron, captures the French privateer La Jeune Creole (16) off Barbuda

HM Gun Brig Requin (10), Samuel Forvell, wrecked on the French coast near Quiberon

1807

Squadron under Cptn. Charles Brisbane,HMS Arethusa (38), HMS Latona (38), James Athol Wood, HMS Anson (44), Charles Lydiard, HMS Fisguard (38), William Bolton, captured Curacoa.

1809

HMS Onyx (10), Charles Gill), captured Dutch corvette Manly (16) off Lincolnshire coast.

1813

HM Brig Sloop Sarpedon (10), Thomas Parker, foundered on the Norwegian coast

Edited January 2, 2014 by Kevin

[Kevin]

2nd January

 

1689

HMS Sedgemore (50) lost

1780

British squadron under Commodore Charles Fielding exacted the right to search a Dutch convoy escorted by a squadron under Rear-admiral Lodewijk van Bylandt. A brief naval engagement took place off the Isle of Wight.

1793

Harbor batteries at Brest fire on the British brig Childers (16), Robert Barlow. Regarded as the first shots of the Revolutionary War although France did not declare war until the first of the next month.

1797

HM sloop Viper, Cptn. Henry Harding Parker, foundered off the Shannon after engaging the French fleet, which was attempting to land insurrectionists in Ireland. The crew perished.

1804

HMS Creole (38), Cptn. Austin Bissell, foundered in passage from Jamaica.

1809

HMS Amiable captured Iris.

HMS Imperieuse (38), Thomas Cochrane, captured French cutter Gauloise (7), lugger Julie (5) and 11 supply vessels laden with wheat at Cadaques, just north of the Bay of Rosas

Edited January 2, 2014 by Kevin

[Kevin]

3rd January

 

 

1695

Start of a 2 day capture of the HMS Nonsuch and HMS Falcon by the Francois. 

1782

HMS Flying Fish (12) wrecked off Calais

1798

British armed tender George (6), Lt. Michael Mackey, engaged Spanish privateer cutter (12) and schooner (6) in the West Indies and was taken by boarding after missing stays.

1801

Boats of HMS Melpomene (38), Cptn. Sir Charles Hamilton, cut out a brig (18) in Senegal but it was lost to grounding during attempt.

1807

HMS Pickle schooner,  Lt. Moses Cannadey, captured privateer cutter Favorite (14), E. J. Boutruche, off the Lizard.

[Kevin]

4th January

 

 

1748

John Jervis (later Earl of St Vincent) joined the navy as an Able Seaman on HMS Gloucester (50)

1781

HMS Courageux (74), Cptn. Lord Mulgrave, took French frigate Minerve (32) in the Channel.

1795

HMS Blanche (32), Cptn. Robert Faulkner, captured Pique (38) off Dominica.

1799

HMS Wolverine (16), Cptn. Lewes Mortlock (Killed in Action), engaged French luggers Ruse and Furet.

1807

HMS Nautilus (22), Cptn. Edmund Palmer, wrecked on Cenigotto a barren rock in the Levant

1863

Blockading ship USS Quaker City captures sloop Mercury carrying despatches emphasizing desperate plight of the South. 

[Kevin]

5th January

 

 

1709

HMS Arrogant (60), Cptn. George Nichols, foundered in a storm while taking naval stores from Lisbon to Port Mahon.

1795

HMS Blanche (32), Cptn. Robert Faulknor (Killed in Action), captured the French frigate Pique (36), Cptn. Conseil, off Guadeloupe

1798

HMS Pomone (44), Cptn. Robert Carthew Reynolds, sank privateer Cheri (26), Cptn. Chassin, off Ushant

1800

HMS Mastiff, Gun-boat No.35, Lt. James Watson, wrecked on Cockle Sands, Yarmouth Roads.

1806

British operation to capture the Cape of Good Hope bugun by a squadron under Commodore Sir Home Popham

1807

HMS Nautilus (18), Edward Palmer, wrecked off the Island of Pora.

1809

HMS Loire (40), Cptn. Alexander Wilmot Schomberg, captured Hebe (20) off Lisbon.

1814

Fortress of Gluckstadt on the Elbe captured, in co-operation with the Crown Prince of Sweden, by a British squadron under the command of Cptn. A. Farquhar of HMS Desiree (36) with HMS Shamrock schooner (10),  J. Marshall, HMS Hearty brig (12), J. Eose, HMS Blazer brig (14), Lt. Francis Banks, HMS Piercer brig (14), Lt  Joshua Kneeshaw, HMS Redbreast brig (12), Sir George Mouat Keith, and eight gun boats.

Fortress of Cattaro, Adriatic, taken by HMS Bacchante (38), Cptn. William Hoste, and HMS Saracen (18), Cptn. John Harper.

1855

USS Plymouth (22) crew skirmish with Chinese troops

[Kevin]

used Wikki to explain one of the todays events   Siege of Cattaro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Siege of Cattaro Part of the Napoleonic Wars
View of Cattaro (present day Kotor) from the castle of St. John Date 14 October 1813 – 3 January 1814 Location Cattaro, Illyrian Provinces, Adriatic Sea,
(present-day Kotor, Montenegro) Result Anglo-Montenegrin victory^[1] Belligerents  United Kingdom
 Montenegro
 Kingdom of Sicily  French Empire Commanders and leaders  William Hoste
 Petar I  Jean-Joseph Gauthier Strength 800 Marines, soldiers & sailors
One 38 gun fifth rate
One 18 gun Brig
3 gunboats 600 men^[2] Casualties and losses 20 casualties All captured [hide]

• v
• t
• e

Adriatic campaign
of 1807–1814

 

• Timeline of the Adriatic campaign

• Lissa
• 29 November 1811
• Pirano
• Cattaro
• Ragusa

The Siege of Cattaro was fought between a British Royal Naval detachment and Montenegrin forces under Captain William Hoste, John Harper and Petar I Petrović-Njegoš respectively and the French garrison under command of Jean-Joseph Gauthier of the mountain fortress of Cattaro. The siege lasted from 14 October 1813 to 3 January 1814 during the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars when the French surrendered.^[1] The engagement was fought in the Adriatic Sea for possession of the important fortress of Cattaro.

 

Background[edit]

For more details on this topic, see Adriatic campaign of 1807–1814.

The Northern walls of the Cattaro fortress

Captain William Hoste who famously ordered guns to be hauled up the mountain to besiege Cattaro

Cattaro had belonged belonged to the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro, by 1797 they passed to the Habsburg Monarchy with the Treaty of Campo Formio. In 1805, Kotor was assigned to the French Empire's client state, the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy by the Treaty of Pressburg, but occupied by Russian troops under Dmitry Senyavin until they left after the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807. Three years later it was incorporated into the French Empire's Illyrian Provinces. Austria declared war on France in August 1813 and by the Autumn the Royal Navyenjoyed unopposed domination over the Adriatic sea. Working in conjunction with the Austrian armies now invading the Illyrian Provinces and Northern Italy, Rear Admiral Thomas Fremantle's ships were able to rapidly transport British and Austrian troops from one point to another, forcing the surrender of the strategic ports, Zara for example had been liberated in December.^[3]

Meanwhile Royal Naval Captain William Hoste with his ship HMS Bacchante (38 guns) and a brig-sloop HMS Saracen (18-guns), under Captain John Harper had been given orders for the swift expulsion of the French in the region.^[4] They took part in an attack that seized the islands of Hvar and Brač and moved along the coast. Cattaro was next on the target for the British; a body of Montenegrin troops under Petar I Petrović-Njegoš a popular spiritual and military leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church from the Petrović dynasty had surrounded the place. Saracen arrived first just outside Cattaro Bay but it was impossible to sail direct to the main fortress so Harper called on the local inhabitants to tow her along the rocky shore for 3 miles. Hoste in Bacchante arrived soon after with three Sicilian gunboats carrying fifty soldiers and assumed command. The British and Sicilians forced the passage between Herceg Novi and Fort Rosa and secured an anchorage some three miles inside the outer bay. ^[5]:141

Blockade and Siege[edit]

On the evening of the 14th Harper left with two gunboats, the launch and barge of Bacchante and the boats of Saracaen entered the inner bay where he was fired on from the Island of St George. Afterwards heading four miles towards Cattaro he found four gunboats in a state of revolt and took possession of them. He then landed at various places where the local inhabitants were arming themselves against the French and collected volunteer crews for his new captures.^[2]

At Perast Hoste found that the locals had taken possession of a French fort with 3 guns which they placed at his disposal, hoisting the English and Austrian colours. At 6am he used these guns, those of his gunboats and the newly acquired gunboats to bombard the island of St. George. Then within 15 minutes the Royal marines and the Sicilians under Captain Harper attacked, captured the island and the French had been driven from their guns and had offered to capitulate. The prize gunboats each had a long 24-pounder in the bow and two of them carried a 12-pounder carronade.^[2][5]:137

By now only the main fortress of Cattaro was left and Hoste, Harper and his assortment of allies; British, Croats, Montenegrins and Sicilians surrounded the area. With the help of Montenegrins and the Pro Austrian natives of the liberated Bay of Kotor shores, Hoste found himself in an unpleasant position between the Montenegrins and their support on one hand, and the pro-Austrian population who were unwilling to submit themselves to Montenegrin domination on the other. Hoste made sure of his neutrality and the main objective was the defeat of the French in the region. He knew that politics would eventually play a role if and when the area was under allied control. He also had to make sure that by satisfying the British commissioner in the region Lord Aberdeen that the Austrians were the ones to end up with the spoils.^[4] Hoste meanwhile had been ordered to attack elsewhere leaving Harper with the Saracan in charge. Hoste in the next month helped to take Split with troops of the 35th Foot and for the next month a hard blockade was made on Cattaro and the hope of the arrival of Austrian troops. Bad weather had not helped the situation, Hoste after capturing Cavtat further North soon returned to the bay but found no Austrian troops.^[5]:137

By early December the local French commander, General Gauthier, had retired to Fort St. John with 600 men.^[2] This fort lay on the side of the hill protecting the Western side of the fortified town of Cattaro. Hoste and Harper both agreed that use of the local armed populace would make do for the final stages of the siege. Preparations were made to put batteries all around Cattaro which meant using the top of the hill of St John as a primary position right above the fortress itself. Hoste and Harper ordered the difficult task of scattering batteries down the forbidding slopes of the Cattaro hills using block and tackle. In an "unmilitary manner" after 3 weeks of great exertion by Bachannte and Saracaens seamen in continuous rain an 18-pounder was hoisted to the summit on 23 December, a height of nearly 3,000 feet.^[6] Meanwhile Bacchante and the rest of her crew mounted further pieces of ordnance; two batteries of 18 and 32-pounders were added. Hoste despite being ill personally helped the men get the equipment up the slopes of the mountain but further North and South respectively of the fort and the main battery on the slope.^[2]

Medal commemorating HMS Bachannte'sbombardment of Cattaro 1814

On Christmas Day once all guns were in position and good weather had returned Hoste ordered the commencement of the bombardment. Fire was opened up from four different points with the 18 pounder above the St John fortress being particularly effective. Saracan and Bacchante were kept out of range by the forts guns until the bombardment started and opened up all they had. Hoste on the 2nd ordered Harper to lead a surprise night time assault. This was not necessary however as on 3 January 1814, when Harper was about to lead an assault, Gauthier offered to surrender. After ten days of shelling and no hope of relief the French surrendered to Hoste under honorable conditions and the British and Montenegrins took control of the fort and the town.^[7] After a ten-day siege, the French garrison had no alternative and surrendered on 5 January 1814.^[4][7]

Aftermath[edit]

The loss on the British, amounting to only one seaman killed, and Lieutenant of marines slightly wounded. In the course of the twenty-day siege, Hoste had counted on the support of Austrian infantry which failed to show up. Hoste signed the articles of capitulation and the remaining French and Italian troops marched out in surrender, after which British troops marched in along with the Montenegrins. Hoste gave the town to the Montenegrin commission under Peter which aggravated Lord Aberdeen but Hoste argued that he had no choice in the matter.^{[8][citation needed]}

Hoste with Bacchante and Saracen after a short rest and recuperation left Cattaro to sail to the fortress of Ragusa where they laid siege to the place in a very similar manner to Cattaro and on the 28th it surrendered.^[5]:141 By the end of March all towns and cities had surrendered to the British or the allied rebels that had risen in revolt, leaving the Adriatic in complete allied control with the exception of Corfu. Cattaro was restored to the Habsburg Monarchy of the Austrian Empire by the Congress of Vienna.^[9]

Edited January 5, 2014 by Kevin

[WackoWolf]

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