A History of the Late Siege of Gibraltar

Abstract

John Drinkwater (1762–1844) was stationed at Gibraltar with the Royal Manchester Volunteers from June 1779 to February 1783 while it was besieged by a Franco-Spanish force. He kept a careful record of events during the longest siege endured by British forces. Returning to England a captain, in 1785 he published his account of the unsuccessful siege, which went through four editions in five years. The siege by both land and naval forces put the garrison under great pressure, as food and fuel became scarce. Two successful naval expeditions in 1780 and 1781 evaded the blockade to bring provisions and extra troops, and to evacuate civilians. The siege was lifted, and Gibraltar remained a key British naval base in the Mediterranean. As well as giving his own eyewitness account, Drinkwater got assistance from other officers and men, and also provides illustrations of Gibraltar and plans of the siege.

The Gibraltar climatic record – Part 4. The earliest records

“…A similar visitation occurred during the Great Siege of 1779–1783 and Drinkwater () in his account of those years describes an untimely event that hindered the movement of relief supplies from Admiral Darby's fleet that had not long before broken the Spanish blockade and dropped anchor off Gibraltar on 12 April 1781.

The provisions thrown in by the British admiral were not yet stored: nor have they any further protection against the weather than a covering of canvas, formed from the sails of colliers that were run ashore in the New Mole.

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“…But this is the longest of the gaps and there are few others. The papers that survive provide first‐hand, if terse, accounts of important historical events, including the Great Siege of 1779–1783 (Drinkwater, ) and the Battle of Trafalgar, as well as of more mundane events on the Rock and the movements of shipping. As such they have an immediate historical value but their interest in the current context lies in the daily record of the weather that was also included.…”

The Gibraltar climatic record – Part 3. Temperature

“…Drinkwater's (1905) famous first‐hand account of the great siege of 1779 to 1783 contains the following account:

With regard to the climate of Gibraltar, the inhabitants breathe a temperate and wholesome air for most of the year. The summer months of June, July and August are excessively warm, with perpetual serene and clear sky: this is, however, allayed in great measure, by a constant refreshing breeze from the sea, which usually sets in about ten in the forenoon, continuing till almost sunset; and, from its invigorating and agreeable coolness, is emphatically called the Doctor.

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Sailors' scurvy before and after James Lind - a reassessment

“…The siege of Gibraltar in 1780 led to “dreadful ravages” of scurvy that were cured in a few days after the capture of a boatload of oranges and lemons from Malaga. The fresh juice was conveniently prepared by adding 5–10 gallons of brandy to 60 gallons of lemon juice, and administering 1 to 4 ounces daily 131 …”