Toulon, Battle of

During the French Revolutionary Wars, British defeat at the hands of the French revolutionary army under General Dugomier August 1793. The monarchist city authorities had welcomed a small British military force under Lord Mulgrave to assist in defending Toulon, but fell to the besieging revolutionaries despite this help.

Toulon was besieged by about 11,500 troops, ably supported by Napoleon Bonaparte in his role as artillery commander. Heavy and accurate bombardments breached the defences and allowed most of the outworks to be taken, after which the town was indefensible. Lord Mulgrave called up elements of the fleet and had to evacuate his force by sea.