Key Facts
- Date
- 8 March 1814
- Conflict
- War of the Sixth Coalition
- Location
- ~70 km south of Rotterdam, ~40 km north of Antwerp
- Result
- French defensive victory; British assault force largely captured
Strategic Narrative Overview
On 8 March 1814, a British force under Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch, launched a night assault on Bergen op Zoom's defences. The attackers initially succeeded in seizing part of the fortifications, establishing a foothold within the garrison town. However, the French commanders Guilin Laurent Bizanet and Jean-Jacques Ambert organised a swift and effective counterattack that overwhelmed the British penetration and compelled a large portion of the assault force to surrender.
01 / The Origins
By early 1814, the War of the Sixth Coalition had pushed Napoleon's forces back across Europe. The Allied powers sought to seize French-held ports and fortresses in the Low Countries to secure the region. Bergen op Zoom, a strategically positioned port in the Netherlands between Rotterdam and Antwerp, was held by a French garrison and represented a key objective for British forces operating in the region.
03 / The Outcome
The failed assault resulted in the capture of much of the British attacking force by the French garrison, representing a significant tactical setback for British operations in the Low Countries. The French retained control of Bergen op Zoom, one of the few successful French defensive actions in this late stage of the war, though the broader strategic tide of the Sixth Coalition continued to turn against Napoleon across Europe.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch.
Side B
1 belligerent
Guilin Laurent Bizanet, Jean-Jacques Ambert.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.