twelfth siege gibraltar twelfth siege gibraltar fought september war spanish succession followed capture august fortified town gibraltar southern tip spain anglo dutch naval force led sir prince george members england netherlands portugal allied prevent unification french spanish supporting claim austria spain opposed rival philip duke ruling patron ally france war began northern europe largely contained portugal joined confederate powers english naval focused mounting campaign mediterranean distract french navy disrupt french spanish shipping capture port use naval base capture gibraltar outcome initial stage mediterranean campaign start siege gibraltar garrisoned dutch english austrian spanish troops facing besieging force french pro spanish irish troops defenders able hold numerically superior besieging force exploiting gibraltar geography small town fortifications frequently short manpower ammunition undermined disputes french spanish officers terrible conditions trenches led epidemic disease undermined morale sea power proved crucial french navy sought unsuccessfully prevent shipping fresh troops ammunition food naval battles fought siege clear defeats french resulted siege abandoned hopeless months fruitless outcome disastrous french spanish said lost men aftermath capture gibraltar loss gibraltar august posed strategic threat rule spanish throne later spanish writer town spain domination king philip forced recognise charles potentially great value entry point armies possibilities recognised immediately alliance forces leader told charles letter september gibraltar door enter spain army landed gibraltar advance rapidly coast supported naval forces capture major port relatively short distance charles proclaimed king following alliance march madrid finish war gibraltar largely emptied population left town capture moved temporary accommodation dozen small community neutral remained town garrisoned assortment alliance forces consisting british dutch marines gunners spanish followers charles austria supported sir anglo dutch fleet consisting ships line operating alliance significant limited supplies pressing need ships sea months repaired soon gibraltar captured alliance set preparing counter attack alliance fleet sailed short distance morocco took fresh water august french fleet sighted began withdraw spotted caught french august attacked bid prevent french slipping past attacking gibraltar fleets evenly matched french ships faster ammunition manage advantage count battle effectively fought draw ships sunk fleets took heavy casualties killed wounded including french commander anglo dutch fleet hampered shortage shot gunpowder bombarding gibraltar operation capture sir squadron forced pull ran ammunition rest fleet dangerously low ammunition fortunately french withdrew following day leaving anglo dutch fleet gibraltar having dealt french naval threat left men guns supplies gibraltar sailing home split fleet leaving admiral sir ships patrol portuguese coast spanish forces start september captain general arrived vicinity gibraltar army men planned increase force consisting crowns force supplemented civilian refugees gibraltar start siege set improving gibraltar defences difficult possible enemy mount frontal attack town set western rocky peninsula connected spanish mainland narrow sandy north presents vertical cliff access town narrow strip feet wide blocked heavily fortified curtain wall known later grand battery prince sought reduce strip flooding forcing attackers use narrow path rock inundated area advance narrow shoreline set cannon batteries north gibraltar provide flanking fire west san later north curtain walls provide direct fire san later provide flanking fire east round tower spur overlooking later site forbes batteries fire directed enemy troops far inundated area bomb ship installed carrying heavy mortar provide additional flanking fire west confident able hold gibraltar numerically superior franco spanish force undermined political disputes english commanders widespread resentment english marines allowed return fleet particularly poisonous relationship english colonel marines irish colonel appointed governor gibraltar men fought opposite sides irish campaign protestant fox gone serve joined service wrote fox furious orders allowed leave england respect governor appointed confusion orders carried officers trouble besieging french spanish forces reinforced october french warships great small line battle escorted troop ships carrying men heavy guns supplies ammunition landing point near ruined roman town head brought number soldiers command estimated consisted spanish french battalions foot plus cavalry squadrons french ships left october surprise defenders remained blockade gibraltar reinforcements settled spanish began digging siege lines trenches confederate positions attack came october spanish guns opened fire confederate defences round tower causing considerable damage french force carried simultaneous raid gibraltar harbour burning bomb ship carried heavy bombardment san guns mortars managed breach casualties feuding fox killed successive days time epidemic disease broke gibraltar garrison reducing effective numbers men position garrison looked increasingly sent message admiral lisbon requesting urgent assistance appearance french ships bay receiving message october set sail bringing supplies defenders meantime deal internal threat plot spanish officers aided british officers garrison wrote charles mid october inform happened discovered tremendous plot man hanged communicated enemy persuaded convinced confessed torture assuring hanged went far poison reveal confused difficult sort named taken action lack definite proof personally long account business confront matter absolute necessity charles wrote advising carry court martial independent judges avoid suspicion prejudice accused subjects court martial consisting british dutch officers owe allegiance charles convened case british officers implicated plot appear sent england fate recorded convicted february guilty high treason shot face garrison assault east spanish planning carry surprise attack spanish fled gibraltar capture months earlier told secret route east scaled required climb metres upper section near vertical use rope great sand east considered virtually west fortified rock climbed east attacker evade fortifications descend directly town route found lightly armed force decided send force men nearly entire army divided groups initial force seize heights night followed following set dusk november led colonel guided rock reaching southernmost peak near battery stands today descended way west sheltered overnight climbed philip wall extends west rock killed english point drummer boy bringing food saw invaders raised alarm anticipated kind attack rear kept mobile force reserve guard formed english company spanish companies regular company captain company numbering men led brother reserve immediately responded engaged advantage height effectively trapped rock rounds ammunition result travelling light come prepared pitched battle spanish force led captain regulars marched ahead spanish hill time remaining regulars charged bulk assaulting force flank attacked force including colonel captured hundreds killed defending fire falling rock attempting flee including lines english subsequently ensured repeat episode blasting away path spanish members spanish force set support attack left admiral squadron sighted entering bay ships subsequent naval engagement french frigates destroyed seventh ship captured intact apparently intended carry multi attack timely arrival meant fell apart french naval support assault frontal assault reinforced men originally climb eastern failed entirely relief timely arrival evident letter sent admiral battle turning enemy attacking night entrance places great number men brought supplies gibraltar provided loaned fleet skilled manpower confederate garrison desperately short labour force men assembled ships companies work repairing fortifications guns spanish fire hauling cannon rock increase fire directed spanish batteries involved played prominent role track renamed known road gave siege settled routine bombardment counter bombardment proved increasingly trying defenders running short manpower ammunition supplies captain engineer brought helped bolster fortifications earned wrath garrison felt gibraltar abandoned wrote friend december tell officers design quit place blow works opposed mentioned garrison kept number men believe account sic throat sic members garrison tried sneak aboard ships escape siege situation worsened storm damaged ships december time garrison critically short supplies sick injured remained carry repairs shell damaged fortifications healthy man defences living conditions increasingly grim shoes worn men wore makeshift hay straw reinforcements end siege days later received news convoy transport ships carrying supplies reinforcements way lisbon escorted men war adverse winds currents meant unable sail assist french naval force left forced wait convoy reach destination december transports reached bay accompanied men war seven arriving december missing having intercepted french sunk captured eventually gibraltar end december brought men guards foot foot plus dutch troops guns supplies powder tools food reinforcements arrived january gibraltar safe moment left lisbon january sick wounded members garrison aboard ships spanish french land force continued bombard gibraltar inflicting damage town somewhat weak fortifications unable progress reinforced garrison vigorously opposed counter killed number carried successfully december relations steadily worsened spanish french components besieging force trend exacerbated lack progress making conditions enduring open steady stream casualties caused counter bombardment epidemic disease weather terrible storms heavy rain making life misery new year besieging force dropped numbers men remainder having casualties simply situation sufficiently king france marshal french irish reinforcements recover situation determined effort gibraltar arrived february sent french spanish irish troops seize outlying fortification cliff face present attackers captured tower confederate counter attack drove leaving dead spanish accused french fleeing battlefield leaving flank unprotected arrived mid february appalled find badly siege run criticism spanish officers led quit siege face saw insults morale improved somewhat admiral sailed bay february force men war garrison immediately went alert expecting landing south end peninsula reason soon clear returned combined english dutch portuguese force ships subsequent battle french lost ships including flagship fatally wounded fleet sailed bay march bringing fresh troops units portuguese army admiral arrival expected great good opportunity express joy great good success second appearing place hope final stroke relief enemy days begun withdraw cannon particular express thanks obligations lie arrival final stroke french abandoned siege hopeless following order april wrote king blame spanish telling failed gibraltar want method planning ill fate vessels lack madrid french having gone home resumed command began convert siege blockade pulling removing cannon alliance scouting party found spanish trenches abandoned later day accompanied demolition party destroy spanish works members party ventured far captured killed spanish cavalry following day larger party protected resumed work spanish batteries opposition marking end siege
Twelfth Siege of Gibraltar