Toulon, Siege

Toulon, Siege of

(Aug. 28–Dec. 19, 1793) Military engagement in the French Revolutionary Wars. French royalists handed over the naval base and arsenal at Toulon, France, to an Anglo-Spanish fleet in August. The French Revolutionary army began a siege to recapture the port city and, after months of preparations, successfully assaulted the allied-held forts commanding the anchorage. A battery of French guns, commanded by the young Napoleon Bonaparte, fired on the British fleet and forced it to evacuate the inner harbour, though British and Spanish troops blew up the arsenal and burned 42 French ships before leaving. For his key role in the victory, Napoleon was promoted to brigadier general.