The capture of Guillaume Tell ended the last French naval presence at Malta, sealing the fate of the besieged garrison at Valletta.
Key Facts
- Date
- 31 March 1800
- French ship
- Guillaume Tell (ship of the line)
- Men aboard Guillaume Tell
- Over 900
- Duration of French resistance
- More than three hours
- Siege duration by March 1800
- Eighteen months
- French destination
- Toulon
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After eighteen months of British siege, Valletta's food supplies were critically depleted, worsened by the interception of a French resupply convoy in mid-February 1800. Counter-Admiral Villeneuve ordered Decrès to break out with Guillaume Tell to seek relief from France and reduce the number of mouths to feed in the city.
On the night of 30–31 March 1800, Guillaume Tell slipped out of Valletta under darkness with over 900 men bound for Toulon. The frigate HMS Penelope detected the ship, harassed it severely by attacking its stern, and delayed it long enough for Captain Berry's squadron to engage. Decrès fought back for more than three hours before being overwhelmed.
Guillaume Tell was captured, eliminating the last French naval asset at Malta. Casualties and damage were severe on both sides. The French defence was celebrated in both nations as courageous resistance against overwhelming force, while the loss further doomed the French garrison holding Valletta.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Captain Manley Dixon (HMS Lion), Sir Edward Berry (Nelson's flag captain).
Side B
1 belligerent
Counter-Admiral Denis Decrès (Guillaume Tell).