Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1814)

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Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1814)
Part of the War of the Sixth Coalition
The attack on Bergen-Op-Zoom.jpg
British illustration of the attack
Date8 March 1814 [1]
Location
Bergen op Zoom, Deux-Nèthes, France (present-day Netherlands)
51°29′46″N4°17′05″E / 51.4960°N 4.2847°E / 51.4960; 4.2847
Result French victory [1]
Belligerents
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg France Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg Jean-Jacques Ambert
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg Guilin Bizanet
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Thomas Graham
Strength
2,700 [1] 4,000–9,000 [1]
Casualties and losses
500–600 [1] killed, wounded, or captured 920–1,900 killed and wounded [1]
2,263 captured [2]
Europe relief laea location map.jpg
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Location within Europe
War of the Sixth Coalition:
Campaign Low Countries 1814
Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1814)
Invisible Square.svg
Invisible Square.svg
Mapscaleline.svg
50km
30miles
Courtrai
4
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Bergen op Zoom
Antwerp
2
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The color black indicates the current battle.

The siege of Bergen op Zoom (8 March 1814), took place during the War of the Sixth Coalition between a British force led by Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch and a French garrison under Guilin Laurent Bizanet and Jean-Jacques Ambert. The initial British assault force seized part of the defences, but a well-managed French counterattack compelled much of the assault force to surrender. Bergen op Zoom is a port in the Netherlands about 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Rotterdam and 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Antwerp in Belgium.

Contents

Assault

French General Guilin Laurent Bizanet had 2,700 soldiers in the garrison when, under cover of night and using local intelligence, Graham attacked. The French, however, were positioned well, and the population allied with them as they fought in the streets. The attacking British troops took heavy casualties. General Bizanet remained in control of Bergen op Zoom until a peace accord was signed.

Forces and casualties

One source named Bizanet as the governor and Jean-Jacques Ambert as the French commander. The 2,700-man French garrison sustained 500 killed and wounded and 100 captured during the action. Depending on sources, the British assault force consisted of between 4,000 and 9,000 men. Of them, between 2,100 and 4,000 were killed, wounded or captured. In addition to the units listed below, the source counted the 2nd Battalion of the 35th Foot in the assault force. The Guards Brigade consisted of three companies of the 1st Foot Guards and four companies each of the 2nd Foot Guards and 3rd Foot Guards, all from the 2nd Battalions of the regiments. [3]

British Order of Battle

Graham formed his troops into four columns as follows: [4]

CommanderUnitNumber of Men
1st ColumnColonel Lord Proby Brigade of Guards 1,000
2nd ColumnLieutenant-colonel Morrice, 69th Foot 55th Foot 250
69th Foot350
33rd Foot 600
3rd ColumnLieutenant-colonel Henry, 21st Foot 21st Foot400
91st Foot 100
37th Foot 150
4th ColumnBrigadier-general Gore / Lieutenant-colonel Carleton 44th Foot 300
Flank companies of the 21st and 37th Foot 200
1st Foot 600
Total3,950

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bodart 1908, p. 477.
  2. Burnham & McGuigan 2010, p. 216.
  3. Smith 1998, pp. 508–509.
  4. Barrington 1814, pp. 377–378.

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