In the early 1800s, the United States was caught unintentionally in the colossal European war between the British Empire and Napoleon’s France. Given the sailing technology of the day, the war was not confined to Europe. The British and the French navies fought each other off the coast of Egypt, as far afield as the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and, of course, for control over the various island holdings both maintained in the rich Caribbean. This put their warships and soldiers in close proximity to the young United States and her own merchant shipping.

For a while, both the British and the French did not involve the United States in the war, but as both sides became more desperate to defeat the other that state of affairs changed. Eventually British captains were kidnapping American sailors for service in the Royal Navy and French privateers were raiding American merchants who traded with the British. The US government condemned both sides and tried to stay out of war even while it fought an undeclared conflict today called the Quasi War.

One of the few land battles of the Quasi War occurred, strangely, on the then Spanish-controlled island of Hispaniola in what is now the Dominican Republic. By 1800, Spain was ruled by Napoleon in all but name and Spanish colonial holdings like Puerto Plata at least gave tacit support to French interests. This included French mercantile shipping and logistical support for French pirates!

In May 1800, Captain Silas Talbot and a US Navy task force sailed to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic looking for a reason to cause trouble. The US sailors spotted a French ship at anchor and that was enough to get things started. Avoiding fire from the Spanish fortress that overlooked the harbor, the famous USS Constitution landed marines ashore. Captain Talbot’s forces then conducted a joint land-sea attack on the French ship and later the Spanish fort. Both were captured, the Spanish fortress guns were spiked, and, victorious, the US sailors and marines sailed for home.

The next time you visit Villas Cofresí in the Dominican Republic, be sure to stop by the Fort of San Felipe and see the ground where American marines fought in a war we never admitted we were fighting!