Battle of the Black River

Black River settlement
Battle of the Black River
	Part of the American Revolutionary War
	; Portrait of Colonel Edward Marcus Despard
Date	13 April – 23 August 1782
Location	Black River settlement on the Mosquito Coast15°56′46″N 84°55′48″W / 15.9462°N 84.9299°W
Result	British victory
Belligerents
Spain	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Matías de Gálvez; Don Tomás Julia	Edward Despard; James Lawrie
Strength
1,400 regulars, marines and sailors	1,180+ regulars, militia & Miskitos; 12 ships
Casualties and losses
60 killed; 100 wounded; 750 captured; 400 due to disease,; 1 ship captured	Approx. 50 casualties; unknown losses due to disease

The Battle of the Black River was a series of conflicts between April and August 1782 during the American War of Independence. They were fought between British and Spanish forces for control of the Black River settlement, located on the Mosquito Shore. Spanish forces forced out a small British garrison and most of the settlers in April 1782. The British responded in August, regrouping the settlers and reinforcing them with troops from Jamaica. They successfully recaptured the settlement from the disease-depleted Spanish force.

^ Dawson, p. 702
^ Jay, p. 96. "Despard's reconquest of the Black River settlements ensured through various treaties over the next decade that Great Britain would have a presence in Central America which would last until September 1981 with the independence of Belize."
^ Beatson pg. 338 (Appendix)
^ Beatson pg. 338 (Appendix). "27 officers, 715 rank and file. With this detachment were taken 1 stand of colours, 2 twelve-pounders, 7 six-pounders, 11 fourpounders, iron – 4 four-pounders brass; 1 eight-inch howitzer, and 1,000 firelocks, which, together with the artillery in Fort Balling, amount to 31 pieces of cannon, 1 cohorn, 1 howitzer, 1000 firelocks, a quantity of ammunition, and 2 stand of colours."
^ Jay, p. 94

[1] Dawson, p. 702

[2] Jay, p. 96. "Despard's reconquest of the Black River settlements ensured through various treaties over the next decade that Great Britain would have a presence in Central America which would last until September 1981 with the independence of Belize."

[3] Beatson pg. 338 (Appendix)

[4] Beatson pg. 338 (Appendix). "27 officers, 715 rank and file. With this detachment were taken 1 stand of colours, 2 twelve-pounders, 7 six-pounders, 11 fourpounders, iron – 4 four-pounders brass; 1 eight-inch howitzer, and 1,000 firelocks, which, together with the artillery in Fort Balling, amount to 31 pieces of cannon, 1 cohorn, 1 howitzer, 1000 firelocks, a quantity of ammunition, and 2 stand of colours."

[5] Jay, p. 94

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