Battle of Castricum

The Battle of Castricum (6 October 1799) saw a Franco-Batavian force defeat an Anglo-Russian force near Castricum. French–Batavian forces were commanded by generals Guillaume Brune (commander-in-chief) and Herman Willem Daendels, against British–Russian forces under the Duke of York (commander-in-chief) and General Ivan Essen. Divisional general Dominique Vandamme led all French divisions and the reserve; Brune led the Batavian hussars against the British dragoon regiment flanking from the dunes, halting the allied advance in the center. The Russo-British lost 2,536 men (or up to 2,557), including 1,400+ British and 1,100+ Russians, plus 11 guns out of 21,100 engaged; Franco-Batavian losses were 1,382 or 1,384 out of 19,000 engaged. Both armies returned to their starting positions that night, though outposts in Bakkum and Limmen remained British. The Duke had hoped success at Castricum would change the situation, but the result was the flight of both the British and Russians from the battlefield, and the battle's outcome put an end to any hopes for the invasion's success.