1797 Glaniad y Ffrancod yn Abergwaun | 1797 French Invasion at Fishguard
1797 Glaniad y Ffrancod yn Abergwaun | 1797 French Invasion at Fishguard
Digwyddodd goresgyniad y Ffrancod yn 1797 ynghanol cyd destun y Chwyldro Ffrengig. Roedd ymladd wedi parhau rhwng y ddwy wlad gan gynnwys ymdrech i oresgyn Ffrainc gan Brydeinwyr er mwyn cefnogi Brenhinwyr Ffrengig yn 1795.
Roedd y llu a laniodd ar Garreg Wastad i’r gorllewin o Abergwaun yn rhan o Lu ffug a anfonwyd i geisio oedi ymateb y Fyddin Brydeinig i fwriad tybiedig y Lluoedd Ffrengig o lanio yn Iwerddon. Llu o 1400 o ddynion a laniodd yma : milwyr rheolaidd a nifer dda a gasglwyd o garchardai a mannau eraill ac heb unrhyw brofiad milwrol.
Wedi glanio ar Chwefror 22ain 1797 aeth y dynion yn eu blaenau am ryw filltir a sefydlu eu pencadlys yn fferm Trehowel. Rol derbyn gwybodaeth am y glaniad roedd tua 500 i 600 o ddynion, gwirfoddolwyr a milwyr wrth gefn gan fwyaf, yn symud tua’r gogledd o dde’r Sir.
Ceir hanes bod amrywiol sgarmesi bach wedi digwydd ond adroddir hefyd fod y rhan fwyaf o’r Llu Ffrengig wedi troi’n anufudd ac yn cefnu ar eu tasg. Credir bod nifer wedi dwyn cyflenwadau lleol o fwyd a diod ac wedi gwrthod ufuddhau i’w swyddogion.
Ceir un hanesyn lleol am Jemeima Niclas a ddefnyddiodd y wisg draddodiadol Gymreig a wisgwyd gan fenywod yr ardal i dwyllo’r milwyr. Dywedir iddi orchfygu rhai a’u caethiwo yn Eglwys y Santes Fair.
Gyda’r hwyr ar Chwefror 23 wrth sylweddoli ei fod yn colli rheolaeth ar ei ddynion penderfynodd arweinydd y Llu Ffrengig i ildio. Cytunwyd ar delerau’r ildio yn Nhafarn y Royal Oak ar sgwar Abergwaun, a’r dydd canlynol cwrddodd y Lluoedd Prydeinig gyda’r Ffrancod ar draeth Gwdig i’w dwyn i’r carchar.
The 1797 French invasion took place amidst the context of the French revolution. Hostilities had continued between the two countries, including an attempted invasion of France by the British to support French Royalists in 1795.
The invasion force that landed at Carreg Wastad, west of Fishguard, was a part of a diversionary force sent to delay a British Armed response to the main force said to be headed for Ireland. The French Forces here numbered 1,400 men, made up of regular soldiers and a good number that had been recruited from prisons and elsewhere, with no military experience.
On landing on 22 February 1797, the men pushed about a mile inland, setting up headquarters at Trehowell Farm. Meanwhile British troops numbering about 500-600 men, mostly volunteers and reservists were making their way from the south, following news of the invasion.
Some relatively minor skirmishes are said to have taken place, but it is also reported that most of the French forces became mutinous or deserted. Many are said to have looted local supplies of food and alcohol and refused to obey the orders of their officers.
One local legend tells of Jemima Nicholas who used the traditional Welsh costume worn by women in the area to trick a group of soldiers – she is said to have captured them and imprisoned them in St Mary’s Church.
On the evening of 23 February, and realising that he was losing control of his men, the leader of the French forces decided to surrender. The surrender was negotiated in the Royal Oak pub in the centre of Fishguard, and the following day the British Forces met the French on the sands at Goodwick to take them into custody.