Editing History of Jersey (section)

=== Battle of Jersey ===
{{Main|Battle of Jersey}}
[[Image:John Singleton Copley 001.jpg|thumb|''[[The Death of Major Peirson]]'', [[John Singleton Copley]], 1782–1784.]]The 18th century was a period of political tension between Britain and France, as the two nations clashed all over the world as their ambitions grew. Because of its position, Jersey was more or less on a continuous war footing.

During the [[American Wars of Independence]], two attempted invasions of the island were made. In 1779, the Prince of Orange [[William V, Prince of Orange|William V]] was prevented from landing at St Ouen's Bay; on 6 January 1781, a force led by [[Baron de Rullecourt]] captured St Helier in a daring dawn raid, but was defeated by a British army led by Major [[Francis Peirson]] in the [[Battle of Jersey]]. A short-lived peace was followed by the French Revolutionary Wars and the [[Napoleonic Wars]] which, when they had ended, had changed Jersey forever. In 1799–1800, over 6000 Russian troops under the command of [[Charles du Houx de Vioménil]] were quartered in Jersey after an evacuation of Holland.