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Capture of Minorca | |||||||||
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Part of the Mediterranean campaign during the War of the Second Coalition | |||||||||
![]() Port Mahon, Minorca with British Men-of-War at Anchor, John Thomas Serres | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Strength | |||||||||
6,000 20 warships |
4,000 8 frigates[1] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Light |
Light 4,000 captured[2] 4 frigates captured[2] |
In November 1798 a British expedition captured the island of Menorca (historically called "Minorca" by the British) from Spain. A large force under General Charles Stuart landed on the island and forced its Spanish garrison to surrender in eight days with only some bloodshed. The British occupied the island for four years, using it as a major naval base, before handing it back to Spain following the Treaty of Amiens.