The Last Invasion!

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The Battle of Fishguard was a brief campaign, on 22–24 February 1797 planned as a diversionary tactic to mask a larger landing of French troops to support the Society of United Irishmen. 

The idea was two forces would land on the British mainland, while the main body would land in Ireland. Bad weather halted two of the forces but the third, aimed at landing in Wales and marching on Bristol, went ahead. 

On 16 February 1797 a fleet of four French warships carrying 1400 French and Irish troops under Irish-American commander, Colonel William Tate left Brest, flying Russian colours and bound for Britain. Some of the French troops were conscripts and forced into the army - only 600 of the troops were regular soldiers. All were well-armed, and some of the officers were Irish.

 They landed at Carreg wastad Point near Fishguard in Pembrokeshire on 22 February under the cover of darkness, three miles south west of Fishguard. By 2 a.m. on 23 February, the French had put ashore 17 boatloads of troops, plus 47 barrels of gunpowder, 50 tons of cartridges and grenades and 2,000 stands of arms. One rowing boat was lost in the surf, taking with it several artillery pieces and their ammunition. 

Once landed, discipline broke down amongst the irregulars, many of whom deserted to loot nearby settlements. The remaining troops confronted a quickly assembled group of around 500 Welsh reservists, militia and sailors under the command of John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor. Many local civilians also organised and armed themselves. Nine cannon were also brought ashore from british warships at Haverfordwest, of which six were placed inside Haverfordwest Castle and the other three prepared for transit to Fishguard with the local forces . 

The French invading forces were instructed to live off the land, and as soon as the convicts landed on British soil, they deserted the invasion force and began to loot the local villages and hamlets and taking control of farmhouses.  One group broke into Llanwnda Church to shelter from the cold, and set about lighting a fire inside using a Bible as kindling and the pews as firewood. However, the remaining 600 regulars remained loyal to their officers and orders. 

By the morning of 23 February many local inhabitants were fleeing in panic, but many more were rushing into Fishguard armed with a variety of makeshift weapons, ready to fight alongside the Volunteer Infantry.  

Meanwhile discipline among the convict recruits had completely collapsed once they discovered and started drinking the locals' supply of wine, which had been ‘acquired’ from a Portuguese ship that had been wrecked on the coast several weeks previously!  

The invaders had expected to be welcomed by the Welsh people yet the locals had turned out to be hostile, and at least six Welsh and French had already been killed in clashes. The Weather was poor and so the ships that the troops had arrived in had left leaving the invaders stranded  -The French officers discussed the situation and decided that surrender may be the best option.

 The evening of 23rd February, two French officers arrived at the Royal Oak Pub in Fishguard where Baron Cawdor had set up his headquarters on Fishguard Square. They wished to negotiate a conditional surrender. Cawdor bluffed and replied that with his superior force he would only accept the unconditional surrender of the French forces and issued an ultimatum to Colonel Tate: he had until 10 a.m. on 24 February to surrender on Goodwick Sands, otherwise the French would be attacked.  

The following morning, the British forces lined up in battle order on Goodwick Sands. Up above them on the cliffs, the inhabitants of the town came to watch and await Tate's response to the ultimatum. The locals on the cliff included many women led by Jemima Nichols they were wearing traditional Welsh costume which included a red whittle (shawl) and Welsh hat which, from a distance, the French mistook to be red coats and shako, The British commander marshalled the women into an approximation of military formation and they marched up and down hill till dusk, making the French commander think his soldiers were vastly outnumbered! 

The invaders tried to delay but eventually accepted the terms of the unconditional surrender and, at 2 p.m., the sounds of the French drums could be heard leading the column down to Goodwick sands. The French piled their weapons and by 4 p.m. the French prisoners were marched through Fishguard on their way to temporary imprisonment at Haverfordwest.