The
Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland (or
Anglo-Russian expedition to Holland, or
Helder Expedition) refers to the campaign of 27 August to 19 November 1799 during the
War of the Second Coalition, in which an expeditionary force of
British and
Russian troops invaded the
North Holland peninsula in the
Batavian Republic. The campaign had two strategic objectives: to neutralize the Batavian fleet and to promote an uprising by followers of the former
stadtholder William V against the Batavian government. The invasion was opposed by a combined Franco-Batavian army of approximately equal strength. Tactically, the Anglo-Russian forces were successful initially, defeating the defenders in the battles of
Callantsoog and the
Krabbendam. However, subsequent battles went against the Anglo-Russian forces. Following a defeat at
Castricum, the
Duke of York, the British supreme commander, decided upon a strategic retreat to the original
bridgehead in the extreme north of the peninsula. Subsequently, an agreement was negotiated with the supreme commander of the Franco-Batavian forces, General
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune, that allowed the Anglo-Russian forces to evacuate this bridgehead unmolested.