Action of 22 January 1809

Action of 22 January 1809
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Location of the action of 22 January 1809
Date 22 January 1809 Location Off Pointe-Noire, Caribbean Sea 16°12′50″N 61°48′00″W / 16.21389°N 61.80000°W / 16.21389; -61.80000 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Samuel Pechell	Pierre Lahalle
Strength
2 frigates 1 sloop	1 frigate
Casualties and losses
3 killed and wounded	26 killed and wounded 1 frigate captured

The action of 22 January 1809 was a minor naval engagement fought off the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe during the Napoleonic Wars. The action was fought as part of the blockade of Guadeloupe and neighbouring Martinique by a large British Royal Navy squadron, which was seeking to cut the islands off from contact and supplies from France by preventing the passage of shipping from Europe to the islands. The British blockade was part of their preparation for planned invasions during the next year.

The French made numerous efforts to supply their colonies during this period, attempting to use fast frigates to bring food and military stores to the Caribbean past the British blockades, themselves a response to Napoleon's Continental System, but often losing the vessels in the process. One such attempt was made by the French frigate Topaze, despatched from Brest to Cayenne with a large cargo of flour. Driven away from Cayenne by Portugal (allies of Britain, and fighting France themselves in be Peninsular War), who had recently captured the colony, Topaze took refuge under the gun batteries of Guadeloupe.

Discovered at anchor off Pointe-Noire on 22 January by the British brig HMS Hazard, Topaze was isolated and attacked by two British frigates, led by Captain Samuel Pechell in HMS Cleopatra. In the ensuing engagement, the British ships outnumbered and overwhelmed their opponent, capturing the ship and her cargo, despite heavy fire from a French gun battery that overlooked the anchorage. The British ships were drawn from a force gathered for the impending invasion of Martinique, which was launched six days after Topaze had been captured and successfully completed in a campaign lasting just over three weeks.