Siege of Toulon (1793)

Siege of Toulon
Part of the Federalist revolts and the War of the First Coalition

The Siege of Toulon by Jean-Antoine-Siméon Fort
Date29 August – 19 December 1793
(3 months, 2 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Toulon, France
43°08′N 5°55′E / 43.13°N 5.92°E / 43.13; 5.92
Result French Republican victory
Belligerents
French Republic French Royalists
French Federalists
 Great Britain
Spain
 Naples
 Sicily
 Sardinia
Commanders and leaders
Napoleon Bonaparte (WIA)
Jacques François Dugommier
Jean François Carteaux
Jean François Cornu de La Poype
Baron d'Imbert
Samuel Hood
Charles O'Hara (POW)
Sidney Smith
Henry Phipps
Juan de Lángara
Strength
32,000 1,500
8,000 & 37 ships
7,000 & 32 ships
6,500 & 5 ships
Total:
23,000 men
74 ships
Casualties and losses

1,700 dead or wounded

9 ships of the line scuttled in harbour, 4 ships of the line, 7 frigates and 5 corvettes captured
1,200 killed or wounded
700 killed or wounded
200 killed or wounded
1,000 captured
1,500 captured
Total: 4,600
1 ship captured
14 ships of the line, 1 frigate and 2 corvettes abandoned and seized by the Republicans
Location within Europe
War of the First Coalition:
Napoleon Bonaparte
200km
124miles
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
Lodi
4
3
2
1
Toulon
  current battle
  Napoleon as commander
  Napoleon as commander in chief

The siege of Toulon (29 August – 19 December 1793) was a military engagement that took place during the Federalist revolts and the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. It was undertaken by forces of the French Republic against Royalist rebels supported by Anglo-Spanish forces in the southern French city of Toulon. It was during this siege that young Napoleon Bonaparte first won fame and promotion when his plan, involving the capture of fortifications above the harbour, was credited with forcing the city to capitulate and the Anglo-Spanish fleet to withdraw. The siege marked the first involvement of the British Royal Navy with the French Revolution.