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by the 14th. After offering only token resistance the
Spanish governor, Juan Nepomuceno de Quesada surrendered Ciudadela on 16 November and control of the island was ceded to British forces. Around 4,000 Spanish troops fell into British hands, as well as a large amount of supplies and weaponry. In
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as allies, in 1796 Spain had switched to supporting France and had gone to war with
Britain. The British attempted to assert their authority over the Mediterranean but had a shortage of usable bases. After the failure to establish a British presence in
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on
Menorca, where a large modern dockyard included a careening wharf, extensive storehouses and a purpose-built naval hospital. At the end of October St Vincent decided to send an expedition against Menorca, which departed on 19 October 1798.
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was determined to restore
British hegemony in the Mediterranean. To ensure this, his fleet needed a base with a well protected deep water harbour that could not be assaulted by land. The best island harbour in the Western Mediterranean was at
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landed on the island and forced its
Spanish garrison to surrender in eight days with only some bloodshed. The British occupied the island for four years, using it as a major naval base, before handing it back to Spain following the
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agreed in 1802, called for the return of
Menorca to Spain as a condition as what was hoped for a lasting peace in Europe. The return of Menorca and other Mediterranean bases was bitterly opposed by many officers, including
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and destroyed a
Spanish artillery position and from there a Spanish attack was driven off. Over the next two days the army continued inland, a force of 300 men under
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On 11 November a
Spanish squadron of four frigates attempted to disrupt operations, but a swift counterattack by Duckworth's ships drove them off.
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The island had traditionally belonged to Spain, but was captured in 1708 by the
British and was subsequently ceded to Britain by Spain under
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allowing the
British fleet to enter the harbour and anchor there while the main army received the surrender of town after town, including
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The British converted the island into one of their principal Mediterranean bases. Many expeditions were launched from the island, and
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The peace rapidly broke down, but no effort was made to recover Menorca as major bases had been established in other ports (
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to speak against the prospect. In spite of this opposition, the Treaty was concluded, and the British commander
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The expeditionary force arrived off Menorca on 7 November and St Vincent detached three ships of the line,
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834:(1713). The British retained their possession until 1783 when it was returned to Spain at the
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three frigates and several smaller vessels and transports to the island under Rear Admiral
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The Naval History of Great Britain (Vol II) : Capture of Minorca
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The Pursuit of Victory: The Life and Achievements of Horatio Nelson
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were considered. Once the French Mediterranean Fleet had been
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Cochrane: The Life and Exploits of a Fighting Captain
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Port Mahon, Minorca with British Men-of-War at Anchor
805:(historically called "Minorca" by the British) from
53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
849:While Britain and Spain had initially entered the
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1189:Amphibious operations involving the Great Britain
983:(38 guns), were captured along with their crews.
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16:For other battles for control of Menorca, see
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236:Menorca occupied by the British until 1802
113:Learn how and when to remove this message
1164:Battles of the French Revolutionary Wars
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900:who commanded the British naval forces.
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801:In November 1798 a British expedition
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962:Stuart had moved his army to harass
51:adding citations to reliable sources
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1116:. Constable & Robinson, 2000.
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967:addition, four Spanish frigates,
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1023:oversaw the British evacuation.
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1169:Battles involving Great Britain
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38:needs additional citations for
1159:Mediterranean campaign of 1798
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809:. A large force under General
803:captured the island of Menorca
713:Mediterranean campaign of 1798
62:"Capture of Minorca" 1798
1:
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999:between 1798 and 1800, with
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142:War of the Second Coalition
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1194:Invasions by Great Britain
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872:destroyed in Aboukir Bay
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1174:Battles involving Spain
1123:. Penguin Books, 2006.
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618:Colonia del Sacramento
279:Commanders and leaders
137:Mediterranean campaign
1184:Amphibious operations
930:John Thomas Duckworth
898:John Thomas Duckworth
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338:Casualties and losses
1015:who appeared in the
47:improve this article
997:Governor of Menorca
350:4 frigates captured
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18:Invasion of Menorca
1154:History of Menorca
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207:39.9500°N 4.0500°E
172:7–15 November 1798
159:John Thomas Serres
130:Capture of Minorca
1149:Conflicts in 1798
1021:Richard Bickerton
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638:3rd Buenos Aires
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452:25 November 1804
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412:Cape St. Vincent
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462:Cape Finisterre
457:7 December 1804
432:16 October 1799
407:25 January 1797
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417:26 April 1797
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103:February 2010
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64: –
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58:Find sources:
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42:
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36:This article
34:
30:
25:
24:
19:
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1107:Bibliography
1100:Knight p.442
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1091:Knight p.441
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1073:Knight p.203
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946:Fort Charles
926: (1773)
923:
918: (1787)
915:
910: (1790)
907:
903:
848:
825:
802:
800:
783:Malta Convoy
778:18 June 1799
750:
736:15 July 1798
731:27 June 1798
578:Diamond Rock
553:Newfoundland
499:15 July 1798
493:
472:4 April 1808
437:7 April 1800
245:Belligerents
154:
135:Part of the
109:
100:
90:
83:
76:
69:
57:
45:Please help
40:verification
37:
938:Addya Creek
652:East Indies
623:2 June 1807
514:7 July 1799
390:(1796–1808)
328:20 warships
231:Territorial
210: /
140:during the
1143:Categories
1034:References
973:Proserpina
964:Ciudadella
881:Port Mahon
828:Article XI
822:Background
613:Montevideo
524:6 May 1801
427:Santa Cruz
333:8 frigates
195:39°57′00″N
73:newspapers
987:Aftermath
950:Fournella
922:HMS
914:HMS
908:Leviathan
906:HMS
766:Nicopolis
756:2nd Malta
726:1st Malta
664:Zamboanga
628:San Pedro
603:Maldonado
529:Algeciras
467:Trafalgar
198:4°03′00″E
954:Mercadal
896:Admiral
888:Invasion
633:Miserere
593:Perdriel
563:San Juan
558:Trinidad
547:Americas
401:Atlantic
321:Strength
177:Location
977:Casilda
860:Menorca
856:Corsica
830:of the
751:Menorca
494:Menorca
233:changes
182:Menorca
87:scholar
981:Pomona
920:, and
659:Manila
608:Cardal
442:Ferrol
346:Light
331:4,000
326:6,000
257:
223:Result
89:
82:
75:
68:
60:
1028:Malta
969:Flora
916:Orion
864:Malta
807:Spain
771:Corfu
669:Macau
422:Cádiz
343:Light
273:Spain
186:Spain
94:JSTOR
80:books
1006:The
979:and
971:and
868:Elba
866:and
844:1781
842:and
840:1756
741:Nile
169:Date
66:news
1030:).
539:2nd
534:1st
49:by
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1053:^
1041:^
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846:.
818:.
184:,
157:,
703:e
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689:v
379:e
372:t
365:v
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110:(
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101:(
91:·
84:·
77:·
70:·
43:.
20:.
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