Bombardment of Algiers (1816) - Bombardment

Bombardment

Exmouth in Queen Charlotte anchored approximately 80 yd (73 m) off the mole facing the Algerian guns. However, most of the other ships, notably Admiral Milne aboard HMS Impregnable anchored out of position both reducing their effectiveness and exposing them to fiercer Algerian fire. Some of the other ships sailed past Impregnable and anchored in positions closer to the plan.

In their earlier negotiations, both Exmouth and the Dey of Algiers had stated that they would not fire the first shot. The Dey's plan was to allow the fleet to anchor and then to sortie from the harbour and board the ships with large numbers of men in small boats. However, Algerian discipline was less effective and one Algerian gun shot fired at 15:15. Exmouth immediately began the bombardment. The Algerian flotilla made an attempt to board but thirty three of their boats were sunk. After an hour, the cannon on the mole were effectively silenced and Exmouth turned his attention to the shipping in the harbour which was destroyed by 19:30. Although the fleet also bombarded the city, there was comparatively little damage as the construction of the houses meant that cannon balls passed through the walls, leaving a neat hole without destroying them. At 20:00, Milne asked that the bomb vessel Vesuvius be used against the battery that was mauling his ship. The commander of the bomb made an error of navigation and she exploded ineffectively beside the wrong battery.

Despite this, the Algerian batteries were no longer able to maintain fire and by 22:15, Exmouth gave the order for the fleet to weigh anchor and sail out of range, leaving HMS Minden to keep firing to suppress any further resistance. By 01:30 the next morning, the fleet was anchored out of range and the wounded were treated and the crew cleared the damage caused by the Algerian guns. Casualties on the British side were 16 percent killed or wounded.