Roquebert's expedition to the Caribbean

Roquebert's expedition to the Caribbean: Action of 13 December 1809
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Date 13 December 1809 Location East of Antigua, 17°18′N 57°00′W / 17.300°N 57.000°W / 17.300; -57.000 Result French victory
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Commodore François Roquebert	Captain John Shortland  †
Strength
frigates Renommée and Clorinde, flûtes Loire and Seine.	frigate HMS Junon and brig HMS Observateur
Casualties and losses
21 killed, 18 wounded	20 killed, 40 wounded, Junon destroyed.

Roquebert's expedition to the Caribbean: Action of 18 December 1809
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Date 18 December 1809 Location Anse la Barque, Guadeloupe 16°14′25″N 61°19′25″W / 16.24028°N 61.32361°W / 16.24028; -61.32361 Result British victory
Belligerents
French Empire	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Lieutenant Joseph-Normand Kergré and Lieutenant Bernard Vincent	Captain Samuel James Ballard
Strength
Flûtes Loire and Seine with support from batteries on shore	frigates HMS Thetis and HMS Blonde with support from HMS Sceptre, HMS Freija, HMS Ringdove, HMS Hazard, HMS Cygnet and HMS Elizabeth
Casualties and losses
Unknown, Loire and Seine destroyed	At least 9 killed, 22 wounded

Roquebert's expedition to the Caribbean, was an unsuccessful operation by a French naval squadron to transport supplies to Guadeloupe in December 1809 at the height of the Napoleonic Wars. Over the previous year, British Royal Navy squadrons had isolated and defeated the French Caribbean colonies one by one, until by the autumn Guadeloupe was the only colony remaining in French hands. Cut off from the rest of the world by British blockade squadrons that intercepted all ships coming to or from the island, Guadeloupe was in a desperate situation, facing economic collapse, food shortages and social upheaval, as well as the impending threat of British invasion. In an effort to reinforce and resupply the colony, the French government sent four vessels to the West Indies in November 1809 under Commodore François Roquebert. Two of the ships were 20-gun flûtes carrying supplies and troops. The two others were 40-gun frigates, ordered to protect the storeships on their journey from the British forces operating off both the French and Guadeloupe coasts.

The squadron almost reached the Caribbean without encountering any of patrolling British warships sent to watch for French reinforcements, but was spotted and intercepted by the frigate HMS  Junon on 13 December. Junon's captain did not realise the size of the French squadron until it was too late and, despite fierce resistance, his ship was captured and he was mortally wounded. Continuing with the mission, Roquebert successfully delivered the flûtes Loire and Seine to within sight of Guadeloupe and then left them, his frigates making their way back to France without ensuring the safe arrival of their convoy. On 15 December, the small British brig HMS Observateur, which had witnessed the defeat of Junon, brought news of the French arrival to the blockade squadron anchored off Basse-Terre. Summoning ships from the surrounding region, the British commander, Captain Volant Vashon Ballard amassed a significant squadron and forced the French flûtes to anchor in a protected bay at Anse à la Barque, on the southeastern coast of Guadeloupe.

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