From The Cape: A pre-1815 History, Amsterdam,1952
- "victory could be considered impossible, but the honour of the fatherland demanded a fight" - Jan Willem Jessen, Dutch nobleman, soldier and statesman; Governor of Cape Colony 1802-1821
British fears about Napoleons capacity to use Batavian Cape Colony as a base from which he called launch attacks into India culminated with the Battle of Blaauwberg. Fought near Cape Town itself on January 8, 1806, the engagement proved to be of little significance, with the battle's out come little more than the status quo ante pugnam. On the morning of January 8th, British forces under the command of Lt. General David Braid marched through Cape town (having landed the day prior) and approached the slopes Blaauwberg Mountain. Governor Jan Willem Jessen deployed his garrison, bolstered by local militia forces, and took up a defensive line across the veld. British forces outnumbered Jessen's by almost 2 to 1, and much of the Batavian force was comprised of militia. However, Jessen was able to order his troops into a strategic defensive line prior to skirmishing began. Fierce volleys of musket fire exchanged by both sides. A British bayonet charge on Jessen's left flank was on the verge of achieving breakthrough, but in a lapse of tactical judgment, Braid ordered their withdrawal to cover his own flank. The momentary weakness in the British line was exploited by Jessen's militia cavalry, which inflicted numerous casualties on the British.
Having lost some 354 men, Braid then ordered his force to withdraw form the engagement and return to Cape Town. However, while retreating, his force was ambushed by some of Jessen's light infantry, and after being surrounded on all sides surrendered. Braid's failed excursion to capture Batavia would be the last attempt by the British to capture Cape Town, and even though Napoleon never was able to use the Cape as a base from which to attack British shipping to India, it is difficult to imagine today what the UKN would look like in the absence of the Cape Colony (assuming the British would have retained it in the event of a victory.)
British Forces Attempting to Breakthrough Jessen's Line