Battle of Saint-Paul

The British launched an amphibious raid on the port of Saint-Paul to capture the French privateer schooner Caroline, very active in the Indian Ocean. Governor Des Bruslys, broken by pressure, committed suicide the day before. Colonel Saint-Michel organized a defense with militiamen and a few coastal artillery pieces, but the British managed to land, capture the fort, disarm the batteries, and burn the port. Caroline was seized.

From Mauritius, French privateers harassed British commerce in the Indian Ocean. Réunion (then Île Bourbon) served as a rear base. The raid on Saint-Paul was a punitive operation to neutralize this threat before the final invasion of the island.

Amphibious landing at dawn, coordinated attacks on coastal batteries. Use of surprise and naval superiority. French defense, disorganized by the governor's death, was quickly overwhelmed despite some sustained fire.

The loss of Saint-Paul weakened the French position in the Indian Ocean. It opened the way to the invasion of Île Bourbon in 1810. The schooner Caroline was captured and integrated into the Royal Navy. France lost a precious logistical base.