Battle of Roatán
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Roatán was an American War of Independence battle fought on March 16, 1782, between British and Spanish forces for control of Roatán
, an island off the Caribbean
coast of present-day Honduras
.
A Spanish expeditionary force under Matías de Gálvez, the Captain General
of Spanish Guatemala
gained control of the British-held island after bombarding its main defences. The British garrison surrendered the next day. The Spanish evacuated the captured soldiers, 135 civilians and 300 slaves, and destroyed their settlement, which had been used as a base for piracy
and privateering.
into the American War of Independence in 1779, both Spain and Great Britain
contested territories in Central America
. Although most of the territory was part of the Spanish Captaincy General of Guatemala
, whose governor was Matías de Gálvez, the British had established logging rights on the southern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula
, and had established informal settlements (lacking formal colonial authority) on the Mosquito Coast
(the latter is now present-day Honduras
and Nicaragua
, and the former is now Belize
). Gálvez had moved quickly when the declaration of war arrived, seizing St. George's Cay, one of the principal British island settlements off the Yucatan coast. Many of the British had fled that occupation to the island of Roatán
(sometimes also spelled "Rattan"), another British-controlled island about 40 miles (64.4 km) off the Honduran coast. British commander Edward Marcus Despard
used Roatán as a base for guerilla-style operations to extend and maintain British influence on the Mosquito Coast, and for privateer
ing operations against Spanish shipping. (Sources do not indicate whether Despard was present on Roatán at the time of the Spanish attack; if he was, he was probably not captured, since he continued to be active in the area.)
Gálvez, who had been ordered by King Charles
to "dislocate the English from their hidden settlements on the Gulf of Honduras", embarked in 1782 on a series of actions to wipe out British settlements on the mainland and on Roatán. By March 2 he had secured coastal communities as far south as the San Juan River
, and began assembling troops at Trujillo
. He arrived there on March 8 to organise an expedition to Roatán. Leaving a force of 600 at Trujillo to further harass the British and their partisan allies, he embarked another 600 troops onto transports, and sailed for Roatán on March 12, escorted by three frigates (Santa Matilde, the Santa Cecilia, and the Antiope) and a number of smaller armed naval vessels, under the command of Commodore Enrique Macdonell.
At about 10:15 am on March 16, Spanish guns opened up against Forts Dalling and Despard, which guarded the mouth of New Port Royal's harbour. By 1 pm the British guns there had been silenced, and Major General Gabriel Herbias began landing troops. After the two forts were secured, the Spanish warships entered the harbour and began raking the town with cannonfire, while British artillery fired back from positions in the hills above the town. This exchange continued until sunset, at which point the British defenders capitulated.
Gálvez was able to only temporarily eliminate British influences in the area. He followed up his success at Roatán with the capture of Black River in early April. James Lawrie and Edward Marcus Despard successfully recaptured Black River
, and were able to hold it until the end of the war, in part due to a shortage of Spanish manpower.
Roatán
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
, an island off the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coast of present-day Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
.
A Spanish expeditionary force under Matías de Gálvez, the Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
of Spanish Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
gained control of the British-held island after bombarding its main defences. The British garrison surrendered the next day. The Spanish evacuated the captured soldiers, 135 civilians and 300 slaves, and destroyed their settlement, which had been used as a base for piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
and privateering.
Background
Following the entry of SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
into the American War of Independence in 1779, both Spain and Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
contested territories in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. Although most of the territory was part of the Spanish Captaincy General of Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
, whose governor was Matías de Gálvez, the British had established logging rights on the southern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
, and had established informal settlements (lacking formal colonial authority) on the Mosquito Coast
Mosquito Coast
The Caribbean Mosquito Coast historically consisted of an area along the Atlantic coast of present-day Nicaragua and Honduras, and part of the Western Caribbean Zone. It was named after the local Miskito Indians and long dominated by British interests...
(the latter is now present-day Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, and the former is now Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
). Gálvez had moved quickly when the declaration of war arrived, seizing St. George's Cay, one of the principal British island settlements off the Yucatan coast. Many of the British had fled that occupation to the island of Roatán
Roatán
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
(sometimes also spelled "Rattan"), another British-controlled island about 40 miles (64.4 km) off the Honduran coast. British commander Edward Marcus Despard
Edward Marcus Despard
Edward Marcus Despard was an Irish soldier who served in the British Army. During the American War of Independence. Despard led a force to victory at the Battle of the Black River, securing the British presence on the Mosquito Coast. Following the war Despard was appointed Superintendent of what...
used Roatán as a base for guerilla-style operations to extend and maintain British influence on the Mosquito Coast, and for privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing operations against Spanish shipping. (Sources do not indicate whether Despard was present on Roatán at the time of the Spanish attack; if he was, he was probably not captured, since he continued to be active in the area.)
Gálvez, who had been ordered by King Charles
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
to "dislocate the English from their hidden settlements on the Gulf of Honduras", embarked in 1782 on a series of actions to wipe out British settlements on the mainland and on Roatán. By March 2 he had secured coastal communities as far south as the San Juan River
San Juan River (Nicaragua)
The San Juan River , also known as El Desaguadero , is a 192.06 km river that flows east out of Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean Sea. A large section of the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica runs on the right bank of the river...
, and began assembling troops at Trujillo
Trujillo, Colón
Trujillo is a city and a municipality on the northern Caribbean coast of the Honduran department of Colón, of which the city is the capital. The municipality has a population of about 30,000 . The city is located on a bluff overlooking the Bay of Trujillo. Behind the city rise two prominent...
. He arrived there on March 8 to organise an expedition to Roatán. Leaving a force of 600 at Trujillo to further harass the British and their partisan allies, he embarked another 600 troops onto transports, and sailed for Roatán on March 12, escorted by three frigates (Santa Matilde, the Santa Cecilia, and the Antiope) and a number of smaller armed naval vessels, under the command of Commodore Enrique Macdonell.
Battle
The fleet arrived off Roatán early on March 13, and, after its defenders fired several ineffectual cannon shots, anchored out of range while Gálvez sent a party in to request the surrender of the island's defenders. The defenders asked for six hours to consider their options, which Gálvez granted. After that time had elapsed, the defenders indicated that they were prepared to stand their ground, and refused to surrender. Immediate attack was not possible due to high winds and rough seas, so Gálvez then held council, and a plan of attack was formulated.At about 10:15 am on March 16, Spanish guns opened up against Forts Dalling and Despard, which guarded the mouth of New Port Royal's harbour. By 1 pm the British guns there had been silenced, and Major General Gabriel Herbias began landing troops. After the two forts were secured, the Spanish warships entered the harbour and began raking the town with cannonfire, while British artillery fired back from positions in the hills above the town. This exchange continued until sunset, at which point the British defenders capitulated.
Aftermath
Terms of surrender were agreed the next day. Gálvez and his men remained on the island for several days, collecting weapons, rounding up slaves that had run away, destroying all the buildings and agriculture on the island, as well as burning many of the ships in the harbour, which were assumed to be used in smuggling and other illicit trade. The Spanish left the island on March 23, carrying as prisoners of war 81 British soldiers, 300 slaves, and 135 British civilians.Gálvez was able to only temporarily eliminate British influences in the area. He followed up his success at Roatán with the capture of Black River in early April. James Lawrie and Edward Marcus Despard successfully recaptured Black River
Black River (settlement)
The Black River settlement was a British settlement on the Mosquito Coast of present-day Honduras. It was established in 1732 by a British colonist named William Pitt...
, and were able to hold it until the end of the war, in part due to a shortage of Spanish manpower.