British campaign in the Caribbean (1803)

British campaign in the Caribbean
Part of the Napoleonic wars
Date 20 June – 25 September 1803 Location Caribbean Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France Batavian Republic
Commanders and leaders
William Grinfield Samuel Hood	Antoine Noguès César Berthier Antony Meertens
Units involved
Expeditionary force	Colonial garrisons
Strength
3,149 14 ships	800 (France) 1,500 (Batavia)
Casualties and losses
20 killed 118 wounded 8 missing 700 dead from disease	800 captured 1,500 joined British service 1 ship captured

The British campaign in the Caribbean took place during the first year of the Napoleonic Wars and began shortly after the breakdown of the Treaty of Amiens. Hostilities with France resumed in May 1803 but official notification did not arrive in the West Indies until mid-June, along with British orders to attack France's valuable sugar islands. The expedition, under commanders in chief William Grinfield and Samuel Hood, set out from Barbados on 20 June with 3,149 soldiers, two ships-of-the-line, two frigates, converted to troopships, and two sloops. St Lucia was captured on 22 June 1803, after the island's main fortress, Morne Fortunee had been stormed, and Tobago nine days later. After leaving men to hold these islands, the expedition returned to Barbados.

On 10 August, Grinfield received orders to call on the surrender of the colonies of Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice. The Dutch colonies, unhappy with the rule of the Batavian Republic had applied to the British government for a peaceful take over. A large portion of Grinfield's forces had since been used up as garrisons of the newly captured French islands but by supplementing his force with Royal Marines, he was able to amass some 1,300 men. Light winds delayed their arrival off Georgetown until 18 September when a summons was immediately dispatched to the Dutch governor. A party arrived on 20 June and terms of surrender were agreed. Another deputation had to be sent to the separately governed colony of Berbice which was eventually taken, without a fight, on 27 September.