Battle of Lissa (1811)

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Battle of Lissa (1811) - Short Version

The Battle of Lissa, also known as the Battle of Vis, happened on 13 March 1811 off the Croatian island of Lissa in the Adriatic Sea. It was part of the Napoleonic Wars. A small British squadron under Captain William Hoste faced a much larger Franco-Italian fleet led by Commodore Bernard Dubourdieu.

Why it happened
France and Italy wanted to control the Adriatic to support their forces in Illyria. Britain, using Lissa as a base, aimed to disrupt French shipping and block French plans. In March 1811, the French gathered six frigates and Italian troops to invade Lissa, while Hoste’s British force stayed close to the island.

The battle
- The British squadron had three frigates and a post ship. The Franco-Italian fleet had six frigates, a brig, schooners, a xebec, two gunboats, and about 500 Italian soldiers.
- The fleets met near Lissa. Dubourdieu tried to break the British line, but Hoste’s ships stayed tight and ready.
- The first big moment came when a British 5.5-inch howitzer on Amphion fired into a French boarding party, killing their commander alongside many others and turning the fight in Britain’s favor.
- Dubourdieu was killed aboard the lead French ship Favorite. The British maneuvered, causing confusion among the Franco-Italian ships.
- Amphion then raked and defeated several French ships. Flore surrendered to Amphion, but later tried to sail away; Bellona surrendered to Amphion as well.
- Active engaged Corona and, after a close fight, captured Corona. The French and Italian ships that escaped reached the harbor at Lesina (Hvar), while the rest of the Franco-Italian squadron was left in British hands.

The results
- British victory. Bellona and Corona were captured; Favorite was wrecked.
- About 700 French and Italian sailors and soldiers were killed or captured. British losses were around 190 killed or wounded, with the rest needing repairs afterward.
- The battle showed brave leadership by Hoste and a bold use of tactics, including a memorable “Remember Nelson” moment by Hoste’s crew.

Aftermath and significance
- The British gained control of the Adriatic region for a time and disrupted French plans to move troops to the Balkans.
- Hoste’s success boosted British prestige, and some of the British prize ships were later taken into the Royal Navy (Corona became HMS Daedalus; Bellona became HMS Dover).
- The action helped limit French naval power in the area and influenced future operations in the Adriatic during the war.