Falklands Expedition
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| Falklands Expedition | |
|---|---|
 A map of historic Puerto Soledad. | |
| Objective | Investigate reports of piracy |
| Date | December 1831 |
| Executed by |  United States |
| Outcome | Evacuation of Argentine colonists from the Falkland Islands |
The Falklands Expedition occurred in late 1831 when the United States Navy warship USS Lexington was dispatched to investigate the plunder of two whalers at the small Argentine colony of Puerto Soledad. American forces discovered that the settlers were suffering from famine so they were evacuated in the Lexington to the mainland. The Argentine colony was then abandoned which left the islands unsettled and open for British acquisition. Historically, the Argentine government has disputed the rights to the islands with the United Kingdom and it culminated in the Falklands War of 1982.[1]
See also
- Brazil Squadron
- Capture of Port Egmont
- Reassertion of British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (1833)