Key Facts
- Duration
- ~3 years (March 1803 – March 1806)
- Flagship
- Marengo
- China Fleet ships attacked (Pulo Aura)
- 16 East Indiamen + 14 other vessels; none captured
- Linois's captivity
- Held prisoner 1806–1814; Napoleon refused exchange for 8 years
- Base of operations
- Isle de France (Mauritius)
Strategic Narrative Overview
Operating from Isle de France, Linois raided across the eastern Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. His most notable opportunity came at the Battle of Pulo Aura in February 1804, where he confronted the undefended British China Fleet but withdrew without capturing a single ship. Further attacks at Visakhapatnam and against Red Sea convoys yielded minimal results, as Linois was repeatedly repulsed by inferior British forces. Marengo sustained serious damage and required extensive repairs at Grand Port.
01 / The Origins
With the collapse of the Peace of Amiens in 1803, France sought to disrupt British imperial trade in the Indian Ocean. Counter-Admiral Linois departed France in March 1803 with the ship-of-the-line Marengo and three frigates, ordered to raid the valuable East Indiaman convoys that sustained British commerce and empire in Asia. The vast distances and limited British naval resources in the region made countering such a squadron exceptionally difficult.
03 / The Outcome
Attempting to return to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope in early 1806, Linois's squadron encountered a superior British force and was captured on 13 March 1806. Napoleon, furious at the expedition's failures, refused to exchange Linois for British prisoners for eight years, keeping him and his crew imprisoned until 1814. Despite causing widespread panic, the cruise was judged a strategic failure for its negligible impact on British trade.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Counter-Admiral Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand Linois.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.