Osprey Campaign 172 : Gibraltar 1779-1783 : The Great Siege

After Spain declared war on Britain on 21 June 1779, Gibraltar was besieged by land and sea for four years. The centrepiece of the siege was the dramatic assault by supposedly invincible battering ships and the author reveals how these floating phenomena were countered by British engineering ingenuity and sheer resolve. In this detailed account of the siege, René Chartrand examines the Franco-Spanish and British forces as well as the personalities and plans that would contribute to a vital British victory at a time when British fortunes elsewhere in the world were on the wane. Text by René Chartrand with illustrations by Patrice Courcelle.

Contents

• Introduction
• Origins of the Campaign
• Chronology
• Opposing Commanders
• Opposing Armies
• Opposing Plans
• The Great Siege
• The Sortie
• The Siege of Minorca
• Gibraltar Holds On
• The Grand Attack
• Admiral Howe's Relief
• Aftermath
• The Battlefield Today
• Select Bibliography
• Index