Żabbar Batteries and Redoubt

Batteriji u Ridott ta' Ħaż-Żabbar

Part of the French blockade batteries
Żabbar, Malta

Reconstruction of the Żabbar Redoubt and one of the batteries by Stephen C. Spiteri at the Fortifications Interpretation Centre

Map of the batteries and redoubt in Żabbar

Coordinates| 35°52′30.3″N 14°32′02.1″E﻿ / ﻿35.875083°N 14.533917°E﻿ / 35.875083; 14.533917
Type| Artillery batteries and redoubt
Site history
Built| c. 1798
Built by| Maltese insurgents
In use| c. 1798–1800
Materials| Limestone
Fate| Demolished
Battles/wars| Siege of Malta (1798–1800)
Garrison information
Past
commanders| Clemente Ellul

The Żabbar Batteries and Redoubt (Maltese: Batteriji u Ridott ta' Ħaż-Żabbar) were a series of artillery batteries and a redoubt in Żabbar, Malta, built by Maltese insurgents during the French blockade of 1798–1800. They formed part of a chain of batteries, redoubts and entrenchments encircling the French positions in Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour.

## Description and history[edit]

Żabbar was the closest Maltese city to the French-occupied harbour fortifications, and it was repeatedly bombarded from the Cottonera Lines. The inhabitants barricaded the streets and built batteries and a redoubt to protect the city from an attack. The fortifications of Żabbar consisted of:

* a battery near the parish church, which was armed with two cannons
* a battery blocking the road to the Notre Dame Gate
* a battery and a redoubt blocking the southwest flank of the village. The redoubt was of the pietra a secco type, similar to one found at Saint Agatha's Tower.

The batteries were fitted with underground shelters or were covered over to protect the gun crews. They fell under the command of Clemente Ellul, and his deputies Giuseppe Cachia and Giuseppe Ellul.

Like the other French blockade fortifications, the Żabbar Batteries and Redoubt were probably demolished soon after the end of the blockade. No traces of the actual batteries or redoubt can be seen today, but some buildings which had been incorporated into the redoubt, including a windmill, still exist.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Spiteri, Stephen C. (May 2008). "Maltese 'siege' batteries of the blockade 1798–1800" (PDF). Arx – Online Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification (6): 32–33. Retrieved 30 March 2015.

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Batteries in Malta

Sovereign Military
Order of Malta|

* Aħrax Tower & Battery
* Arrias Battery
* Balbani Battery^
* Buġibba Battery^
* De Guiral Battery
* Delimara Tower & Battery^
* Dellia Battery^
* Elminiech Battery^
* Fedeau Battery^
* Ferretti Battery
* Għallis Battery^
* Lembi Battery^
* Low Battery
* Maħsel Battery^
* Mistra Battery
* Orsi Battery^
* Pinto Battery
* Qalet Marku Battery^
* Qawra Tower & Battery
* Qolla l-Bajda Battery
* Ramla Left Battery^
* Ramla Right Battery^
* Riħama Battery
* St. Anthony's Battery
* St. Julian's Tower & Battery
* St. Lucian Tower & Battery^
* St. Mary's Battery (Comino)
* St. Mary's Battery (Marsalforn)^
* St. Thomas Tower & Battery
* Saluting Battery
* Tombrell Battery^
* Vendôme Battery
* Westreme Battery
* Wied Musa Battery
* Wignacourt Tower & Battery
* Wilġa Battery

National Congress
Battalions|

* Capuchin Convent Battery^
* Corradino Batteries^
* Għargħar Battery^
* Jesuit Hill Battery^
* Marsa Battery^
* St. Peter's Battery^
* San Rocco Battery^
* Sliema Batteries^
* Ta' Għemmuna Battery^
* Tal-Borg Battery^
* Tas-Samra Battery^
* Żabbar Batteries^
* Żejtun Batteries^

British Empire|

* Cambridge Battery
* Della Grazie Battery
* Garden Battery
* Lascaris Battery
* Night Practice Battery^
* Pembroke Battery^
* Rinella Battery
* San Giovanni Battery
* St. Paul's Battery
* Sliema Point Battery
* Spinola Battery^
* Tarġa Battery
* Wardija Battery
* Wolseley Battery
* Żonqor Battery

^ Demolished/ruins

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Redoubts

Canada|

* York Redoubt

France|

* Redoute de Gravelle
* Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt
* Schwaben Redoubt

Georgia|

* Redoubt Kali

Malta|

* Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt
* Briconet Redoubt
* Crivelli Redoubt
* Del Fango Redoubt
* Fresnoy Redoubt
* Marsalforn Tower
* Mellieħa Redoubt
* Perellos Redoubt
* Qalet Marku Redoubt
* Qortin Redoubt
* Ramla Redoubt
* St. George Redoubt
* St. Lucian Redoubt
* St. Mary's Redoubt
* San Rocco Redoubt
* Spinola Redoubt
* Tal-Bir Redoubt
* Vendôme Tower
* Windmill Redoubt
* Ximenes Redoubt
* Xwejni Redoubt
* Żabbar Redoubt

New Zealand|

* Alexandra Redoubt
* Queen's Redoubt
* Te Pōrere Redoubts

South Africa|

* Redoubt Duijnhoop

Sri Lanka|

* Redoute Van Eck

United Kingdom|

* Drop Redoubt
* Dymchurch Redoubt
* Eastbourne Redoubt
* Farlington Redoubt
* Freshwater Redoubt
* Grange Redoubt
* Harwich Redoubt
* Littlehampton Redoubt
* Shoreham Redoubt
* Shorncliffe Redoubt
* Woodlands Redoubt

United States|

* Bouquet's Redoubt
* Cimarron Redoubt
* Fort Robert Smalls
* Railroad Redoubt
* Redoubt Four
* St. Michael Redoubt
* Southern Terminal Redoubt

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French occupation of Malta

Background|

* French Revolution
* Decline of the Order of St John
* Mediterranean campaign of 1798
* French invasion of Malta

Occupation|

* Reforms
* Commission of Government
* Journal de Malte

Siege of Malta|

* National Congress Battalions
* Battle of the Malta Convoy
* Action of 31 March 1800
* La Nazione Gozitana

Fortifications|

| French|

* Valletta (Saluting Battery)
* Floriana Lines (Porte des Bombes)
* Cottonera Lines
* Fort Manoel
* Fort Ricasoli
* Fort Tigné

|

Maltese
& British|

* Capuchin Convent Battery
* Corradino Batteries
* Għargħar Battery
* Jesuit Hill Battery
* Marsa Battery
* Mdina
* Saint Julian's Tower and Battery
* Saint Lucian Entrenchment and Redoubt
* Saint Peter's Battery
* San Rocco Battery
* San Rocco Redoubt
* Sliema Batteries
* Ta' Għemmuna Battery
* Tal-Borg Battery
* Tas-Samra Battery
* Windmill Redoubt
* Żabbar Batteries and Redoubt
* Żejtun Batteries

Notable figures|

| French|

* Napoleon
* Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois
* Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud
* Jean de Bosredon de Ransijat
* Sylvain de Bosredon
* Louis Masson

|

Maltese|

* Emmanuele Vitale
* Francesco Saverio Caruana
* Vincenzo Borg
* Dun Mikiel Xerri
* Saverio Cassar

British|

* Horatio Nelson
* Alexander Ball
* Thomas Graham
* Henry Pigot
* Thomas Troubridge
* George Martin

Aftermath|

* Malta Protectorate
* Treaty of Paris

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