Battle of Krabbendam (1799)

Battle of Krabbendam
Part of Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland
Date 10 September 1799 Location Krabbendam, The Netherlands Result British victory
Belligerents
France  Batavian Republic	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune Herman Willem Daendels	Ralph Abercromby
Strength
25,000	23,000
Casualties and losses
1,876 dead and wounded	37 dead 147 wounded

The Battle of Krabbendam (also called the Battle of Zijpedijk) of 10 September 1799 was fought during the Anglo-Russian Invasion of Holland between forces of the French Republic and her ally, the Batavian Republic, under the command of French general Guillaume Marie Anne Brune on one side, and a British division under general Sir Ralph Abercromby on the other. The British division had established a bridgehead in the extreme north of the North-Holland peninsula after the Battle of Callantsoog (1799). Brune tried to dislodge them before they could be reinforced by further Anglo-Russian forces, but the British prevailed. This enabled the British and their Russian allies to land their expeditionary force and to break out of the bridgehead during the Battle of Bergen (1799).

After the Battle of Callantsoog General Herman Willem Daendels with the 1st Batavian Division had fallen back all the way to the Schermer polder, as he deemed the Zijpe polder indefensible, because the British could easily perform another amphibious landing at the North-Sea dike near the village of Petten behind him. This left the Zijpe polder (a former marsh that had been transformed into rich farmland by embanking during the 16th century) open to the British. The Zijpe polder formed a natural redoubt, because of its high southern dike which had (as usual with Dutch polders) a deep circular drainage canal running along it, which acted as a kind of moat. The dike was high enough to afford a view a long way across all avenues of approach. In addition, it was not straight, but at intervals had circular and angular projections, somewhat like a trace italienne of old, which gave the defenders an opportunity to lay enfilade fire, if necessary. Abercromby took advantage from these natural properties of the terrain, by erecting artillery positions and earthworks at strategic points.

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