invasion ceylon invasion ceylon military campaign fought series amphibious operations summer spring garrison colonies indian_ocean island ceylon sri_lanka british invasion force sent british ally french revolutionary wars overrun winter reformed client state british government working exiled orange ordered seizure assets including colonies territories attacked coast island ceylon operations initially focused trading port achieve seizure colony british government instructed lord governor madras use forces disposal invade capture held parts island prosecution campaign given colonel supported naval forces rear admiral stuart called governor surrender colony peacefully trading posts taken resistance stuart forces opposed august briefly february following short british forces able secure control dutch colony ceylon remain british_empire years background went war joining ongoing french revolutionary wars despite resistance british expeditionary force overrun french winter french reforming country client state french regime war britain declared british government sent instructions january shipping seized conjunction orange living exile london colonies order deny use french february orders culminated outbreak war britain news conflict took months reach british french naval forces fought inconclusive campaign control indian_ocean trade routes british forces supporting principally operating madras calcutta india french island bases mauritius following inconclusive engagement october french squadron remained blockade british naval forces east indies available campaign territories dutch ceylon span island ruled interior kingdom european settlement instead concentrated coastal strips surrounding significant ports west coast east supplemented smaller trading factories settlements particularly important raiding forces based port easily strike british trade routes port limited food supplies poorly developed facilities small garrison planning receiving news hostilities britain lord governor madras conferred ordered invasion ceylon command land forces given colonel forces consisted regiments foot 1st 23rd battalions detachments auxiliary forces totaling men force supported royal_navy force led gun ship line gun fourth rate ship sailed madras july suffolk escorted large convoy merchant ships transporting troops supplies augmented additional reinforcements protected frigates hoped stuart governor persuaded allow peaceful occupation ceylon british forces especially light advocated cooperation british forces major sent ashore negotiate attempts persuade allow british troops land fort overlooked successful arrival port eastern coast ceylon august commander defences refused acknowledge instruction citing problems wording instructions days attempts convince commander british position partially undermined destruction harbour striking rock crew passengers saved large quantities military stores sank frigate siege august negotiations fruitless stuart ordered invasion ahead troops landed nautical miles north unopposed advanced slowly sandy terrain heavy surf high winds completed august approaching begun august period garrison effort oppose advance british forces days british forces pounder long guns number smaller cannon borrowed suffolk firing positions opening heavy following day created breach walls preparations assault messages sent fort commander demanding surrender negotiation followed brief resumption bombardment commander surrendered garrison troops taken prisoner cannon seized british british losses brief campaign amounted killed wounded following fall nearby fort summoned surrender august days later commander turned position british terms offered garrison resistance broken trading posts ceylon coastline surrendered quick succession 22nd regiment foot september stuart directly september landing force detachment troops hms october island october fall september took squadron eastwards operate leaving captain command blockade remaining territory island january command assumed sir ordered ships line hms arrogant assist february final expedition prepared ceylon instructions seize surrounding area stuart took command supported heroine ships stuart force disembarked dutch fort abandoned previous year february marched overland arriving opposition february garrison issued demand requiring surrender expect immediate assault parties prepared february van agreed stuart took possession city peacefully value captured goods amounted importantly british ceylon colonies returned following treaty brought war brief close britain retained ceylon british_empire independence granted
Invasion of Ceylon (1795)