Shirley's Gold Coast expedition
Encyclopedia
In 1781, Great Britain
's declared war on the Dutch Republic
, opening the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
. As part of its offensive strategy, the British organized an expedition against Dutch colonial outposts
on the Gold Coast of Africa
(present-day Ghana
). Captain Thomas Shirley led the expedition, commanding and several transports carrying two small regiments of independently-raised troops under the command of Captain Kenneth Mackenzie of the 78th Foot.
on 5 February, where plans were developed to take the principal Dutch castle at Elmina
by land while Leander made a diversionary attack on the nearby St. Jago castle. The expedition arrived at Elmina
on 15 February, but high surf prevented the 500 troops from landing until 18 February, and contrary winds prevented Leander from coming close enough to shore to bring its guns to bear on the forts until 20 February. On that day, Shirley raised the agreed signal flag indicating the beginning of his attack, and opened fire on St. Jago shortly after noon. The ship and the fort exchanged fire until dark, and resumed again the next morning, when the land attack on the Elmina Castle began. Fire from both Elmina and St. Jago was directed at Mackenzie's attacking force, which Shirley reported to "retreat very fast". After it became clear the attack had failed, Shirley ceased fire around 11:30 am.
- 20 guns), Kormantin (Courmantyne or Fort Amsterdam
- 32 guns), Apam
(Fort Lijdzaamheid
or Fort Patience - 22 guns), Senya Beraku (Fort Goede Hoop
- 18 guns), and Accra
(Fort Crêvecoeur
- 32 guns).
Leaving those facilities garrisoned with personnel from Cape Coast, Shirley then sailed for the West Indies. Near the African coast off present-day Senegal
, he captured and destroyed and French store-ship Officeuse, supposed to be worth ₤30,000, before crossing the Atlantic to join the British West Indies fleet.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
's declared war on the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, opening the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
Fourth Anglo-Dutch War
The Fourth Anglo–Dutch War was a conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. The war, tangentially related to the American Revolutionary War, broke out over British and Dutch disagreements on the legality and conduct of Dutch trade with Britain's enemies in that...
. As part of its offensive strategy, the British organized an expedition against Dutch colonial outposts
Dutch Gold Coast
The Dutch Gold Coast or Dutch Guinea, officially Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea was a portion of coastal West Africa that was gradually colonized by the Dutch, beginning in 1598...
on the Gold Coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
(present-day Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
). Captain Thomas Shirley led the expedition, commanding and several transports carrying two small regiments of independently-raised troops under the command of Captain Kenneth Mackenzie of the 78th Foot.
Battle of Elmina
The expedition sailed late in 1781, and arrived off the coast of Africa in January 1782. Pursuant to orders, Shirley first stopped at the primary British outpost of Cape Coast CastleCape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle is a fortification in Ghana built by Swedish traders. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 for the Swedish Africa Company and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone....
on 5 February, where plans were developed to take the principal Dutch castle at Elmina
Elmina Castle
Elmina Castle was erected by Portugal in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina, Ghana . It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara...
by land while Leander made a diversionary attack on the nearby St. Jago castle. The expedition arrived at Elmina
Elmina
Elmina, is a town in the Central Region, situated on a south-facing bay on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, about 12 km west of Cape Coast...
on 15 February, but high surf prevented the 500 troops from landing until 18 February, and contrary winds prevented Leander from coming close enough to shore to bring its guns to bear on the forts until 20 February. On that day, Shirley raised the agreed signal flag indicating the beginning of his attack, and opened fire on St. Jago shortly after noon. The ship and the fort exchanged fire until dark, and resumed again the next morning, when the land attack on the Elmina Castle began. Fire from both Elmina and St. Jago was directed at Mackenzie's attacking force, which Shirley reported to "retreat very fast". After it became clear the attack had failed, Shirley ceased fire around 11:30 am.
Other forts on the Gold Coast
Over the next several weeks the expedition seized, with minimal resistance, four small Dutch forts: Mouri (Fort NassauFort Nassau (Ghana)
Fort Nassau was the first Dutch established fort on the Dutch Gold Coast, near Moree, Ghana. A trading post was established between 1595 and 1600, which was attacked and burned to the ground by the Portuguese in 1610. In 1612 a reinforced fort was built, which due to the unfamiliarity of the Dutch...
- 20 guns), Kormantin (Courmantyne or Fort Amsterdam
Fort Amsterdam (Ghana)
Fort Amsterdam is a fort in Kormantin, Ghana. It was built by the English between 1638 and 1645 as Fort Cormantine and was captured by admiral Engel de Ruyter of the Dutch West India Company in 1665...
- 32 guns), Apam
Apam
Apam is a coastal town in the Central Region of Ghana, located approximately 45km east of the regional capital of Cape Coast.Apam is the site of Fort Lijdzaamheid, a Dutch-built fort which was completed in 1702, which dominates the fishing harbour and town from a rocky peninsula located on the...
(Fort Lijdzaamheid
Fort Lijdzaamheid
Fort Lijdzaamheid is a Dutch-built fort located in the township of Apam, in the Central Region of Ghana.Commenced as a stone trading lodge in 1697, the lodge was later fortified to secure the Dutch state of Acorn, which was tenuously held between the two British-held territories of Fante & Agona...
or Fort Patience - 22 guns), Senya Beraku (Fort Goede Hoop
Fort Goede Hoop (Ghana)
Fort Goede Hoop or Fort Good Hope is was a fort on the Dutch Gold Coast, established in 1667 near Senya Beraku. The fort was occupied between 1781 and 1785 by the British, as well as by the local Akim population between 1811 and 1816. In 1868, the fort was ceded to the United Kingdom in a large...
- 18 guns), and Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
(Fort Crêvecoeur
Fort Crevecoeur
Fort Crevecoeur was founded near the present site of Creve Coeur, a suburb of Peoria, Illinois, in January 1680.-Founding:...
- 32 guns).
Leaving those facilities garrisoned with personnel from Cape Coast, Shirley then sailed for the West Indies. Near the African coast off present-day Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, he captured and destroyed and French store-ship Officeuse, supposed to be worth ₤30,000, before crossing the Atlantic to join the British West Indies fleet.