Macao Expedition

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Macau Expedition
1809
Chronological list of Wars and Campaigns
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Location: Macau, China
Combatants:
East India Company: Bengal The "French"
Result: Withdrawal
Medals:
Links:
Category: Wars and Campaigns


Summary

Lord Minto sent the 1809 expedition to defend Portuguese colonial interests at Macao (Macau)[1] against the French after Napoleon occupied Portugal.

Seeing it as disrespectful, the Chinese objected and stopped trading with the East India Company. With no credible French threat to Macau, and not wishing to upset relations with China, the British withdrew and returned to India.

Major Thomas Mathias Weguelin[2] led the expedition, a local rank of Colonel was awarded to him for the expedition, to ensure rank seniority to any Portugese troops encountered. Then Colonel Weguelin, he participated in the Battle of Mauritius 1810-12 - the defence of another Portugese interest, serving as the Commissariat General.


Deployment

East India European Regiment: 200 rank and file

Volunteer Battalion: 650 Bengal flintlocks

European Artillery: 100 including x8 18pounders, x4 12pounders, 2 8inch mortars

Madras 30th Foot: 2 companies


Departed August 1808: Bengal

Arrived Oct 1808: Macau

Returned Feb 1809: Bengal[3]

Notes

  1. Macau Expedition in The History of India Vol 2, John Clark Marshman (1867)
  2. Dictionary Of Indian Biography C. E. Buckland, 1906
  3. East India Military Calendar Vol 1, p182-184