Battle of Fishguard

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Battle of Fishguard
Part of the War of the First Coalition
Goodwick sands French troops surrender to British forces James Baker, 18th century
Date 22–24 February 1797 Location Near Fishguard, Wales 51°59′54″N 4°58′49″W / 51.9982°N 4.9804°W / 51.9982; -4.9804 Result British victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	France
Commanders and leaders
Lord Cawdor Thomas Knox	William Tate  (POW) Jean-Joseph Castagnier
Strength
300 reservists 250 militia 150 sailors	600 regulars 800 irregulars 2 frigates 1 corvette 1 lugger
Casualties and losses
Light	33 killed or wounded 1,360 captured 1 frigate captured 1 corvette captured[1]
class=notpageimage| Location within the United Kingdom

The Battle of Fishguard was a military invasion of Great Britain by Revolutionary France during the War of the First Coalition. The brief campaign, on 22–24 February 1797, is the most recent landing on British soil by a hostile foreign force, and thus is often referred to as the "last invasion of mainland Britain".

The French general Lazare Hoche had devised a three-pronged attack on Britain in support of the Society of United Irishmen. Two forces would land in Britain as a diversionary effort, while the main body would land in Ireland. Adverse weather and ill-discipline halted two of the forces but the third, aimed at landing in Wales and marching on Bristol, went ahead.

After brief clashes with hastily assembled British forces and the local civilian population, the invading force's Irish-American commander, Colonel William Tate, was forced into unconditional surrender on 24 February. In a related naval action, the British captured two of the expedition's vessels, a frigate and a corvette.