Capture of Port Egmont
The Capture of Port Egmont on 10 June 1770 was a Spanish expedition that seized the British fort of Port Egmont on the Falkland Islands, garrisoned since 1765. The incident nearly led to war between Great Britain and Spain, known as the Falklands Crisis.
Spanish engraving of the capture of Port Egmont in 1770 | |
| Date | 10 June 1770 |
|---|---|
| Location | Port Egmont, Saunders Island, Falkland Islands |
| Coordinates | 51°21′13.44″S 60°3′50.57″W |
| Participants | Spain, Great Britain |
| Outcome | Spanish occupation Beginning of the Falklands Crisis. |
| Deaths | none |
The Spanish authorities in Buenos Aires, having been made aware of the British settlement, began issuing warnings to the British to leave Spanish territory. The British issued similar warnings to the Spanish to leave British territory.
British refusal to leave was met by Spanish force. Some 1,400 Spanish soldiers in five ships were dispatched from Buenos Aires to drive the British out of West Falkland. The British contingent could not resist such a force, so after firing their guns, they capitulated on terms, an inventory of their stores being taken, and were permitted to return to their own country in the Favourite.