1811 naval battle fought off Tamatave in Madagascar between British and French frigate squadrons during the Napoleonic Wars
The last engagement of the Mauritius campaign, confirming British naval dominance east of the Cape of Good Hope for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars.
Key Facts
- Date
- 20 May 1811
- Campaign
- Mauritius campaign of 1809–1811
- French commander
- Commodore Dominique Roquebert
- British commander
- Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg
- French flagship fate
- Renommée sacrificed; Roquebert killed
- Néréide surrender
- Captured at Tamatave five days later
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Isle de France fell to a British invasion by December 1810, but news had not reached Europe in time to halt a French relief squadron under Commodore Roquebert, which departed Brest in February 1811 carrying supplies and troops intended to reinforce the garrison. On reaching Isle de France on 6–7 May the French discovered the island was already in British hands and narrowly evaded a British trap before heading toward Madagascar.
On 20 May 1811, Captain Schomberg's British frigate squadron sighted the French off Tamatave and attacked. Light winds hampered both sides for much of the day, and the better-positioned French initially inflicted serious damage on several British vessels. As the breeze strengthened, Schomberg pressed his attack; Roquebert sacrificed his flagship and his life to allow Clorinde and the damaged Néréide to escape, though Néréide was tracked down and surrendered at Tamatave five days later.
The battle destroyed the last French attempt to contest British control of the Indian Ocean. Clorinde aside, the French squadron was eliminated, and British dominance of the seas east of the Cape of Good Hope was confirmed for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars. The action also marked the definitive conclusion of the Mauritius campaign.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg.
Side B
1 belligerent
Commodore Dominique Roquebert.