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The Action of 22 January 1809 was a minor naval engagement fought off the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe during the Napoleonic Wars. The action was fought as part of the blockade of Guadeloupe and neighbouring Martinique by a large British Royal Navy squadron, which was seeking to cut the islands off from contact and supplies from France by preventing the passage of shipping from Europe to the islands. The British blockade was part of their preparation for planned invasions during the next year. The French made numerous efforts to supply their colonies during this period, attempting to use fast frigates to bring food and military stores to the Caribbean past the British blockades, but often losing the vessels in the process. One such attempt was made by the French frigate ''Topaze'', despatched from Brest to Cayenne with a large cargo of flour. Driven away from Cayenne by a British expeditionary force that had recently captured the colony, ''Topaze'' took refuge under the gun batteries of Guadeloupe. Discovered at anchor off Pointe-Noire on 22 January by the British brig HMS ''Hazard'', ''Topaze'' was isolated and attacked by two British frigates, led by Captain Samuel Pechell in HMS ''Cleopatra''. In the ensuing engagement, the British ships outnumbered and overwhelmed their opponent, capturing the ship and her cargo, despite heavy fire from a French gun battery that overlooked the anchorage. The British ships were drawn from a force gathered for the impending invasion of Martinique, which was launched six days after ''Topaze'' had been captured and successfully completed in a campaign lasting just over three weeks. ==Background== By the summer of 1808, the Napoleonic Wars were five years old and the British Royal Navy—whose success during the 1793–1801 French Revolutionary Wars had continued into the new conflict—was dominant at sea. In an effort to restrict French movement and trade, the British fleet actively blockaded French ports, maintaining squadrons of fast frigates and large ships of the line off every important French harbour and smaller warships off less significant anchorages to intercept any vessel that attempted to enter or leave.〔Gardiner, p. 17〕 This strategy was practised across the French Empire, particularly in the West Indies, where lucrative British trade routes were at constant risk from raiding French warships and privateers. As a result, the economies of the French colonies, especially the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, collapsed and their food stocks, military supplies and morale all began to run low. Messages requesting assistance from France were despatched but many were intercepted by British ships, convincing the Admiralty to order invasions of the French colonies.〔Clowes, p. 283〕 During late 1808 and early 1809 therefore, expeditionary forces were sent to occupy the smaller colonies while a major army and naval fleet were assembled on Barbados under Sir Alexander Cochrane in readiness for an attack on Martinique.〔Woodman, p. 242〕 In France, news of the situation in the West Indies forced the authorities to take action. During the autumn of 1808, a number of ships were despatched carrying much needed food and military supplies, but several were intercepted, including the frigate ''Thétis'', captured during the Action of 10 November 1808 in the Bay of Biscay.〔James, p. 82〕 Despite the losses, some ships did reach their destination intact and further supply ships were prepared, including the frigate ''Topaze'', ordered to transport 1,100 barrels of flour to Cayenne. The cargo was loaded during late November and early December, the frigate also carrying military supplies and 100 soldiers to augment the Cayenne garrison. The ship, under the command of Captain Pierre-Nicolas Lahalle, was only three years old and carried 40 heavy guns.〔James, p. 148〕 In early December 1808, ''Topaze'' departed Brest and travelled across the Atlantic, encountering the British frigate HMS ''Loire'' in the Bay of Biscay. ''Loire'' fired on ''Topaze'', but was unable to catch her and, despite minor damage, the French ship was able to reach the Caribbean without further incident.〔Clowes, p. 431〕 Nearing Cayenne on 13 January 1809, Lahalle was surprised to see the small British ship HMS ''Confiance'' emerge from the harbour and manoeuvre threateningly towards his ship. Realising that Cayenne was in British hands, he turned and sailed northwards, concerned that stronger British forces might be nearby. In fact ''Confiance'' was the only British ship in the vicinity and she was severely underarmed, with a crew of just 47 men, including 20 local inhabitants recruited on the spot. The colony had been captured just three days earlier by a combined British and Portuguese expeditionary force under Captain James Lucas Yeo.〔James, p. 213〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Action of 22 January 1809」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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