 On 17 November , Wainwright ordered an attack on the Persian town of Linga , the inhabitants fleeing at the arrival of the British fleet , and Wainwright 's ships burning 20 dhows without opposition or casualties . Further exploration on the Southern Persian coast revealed that most harbours were empty . Wainwright 's main target was <unk> on Qeshm Island , which was a principal Al Qasimi stronghold . Sending ships to block the passages to the Qeshm Channel , Wainwright hired local pilots and descended on the town on 26 November . Following fruitless negotiations with local sheiks , Wainwright ordered an attack on 27 November at 14 : 00 , Smith 's troops landing unopposed . Assuming the enemy to have fled , Smith 's men approached the town 's fortress , but a heavy fire was unleashed upon them as the British troops reached the gate . Despite heavy casualties , Smith was able to rally his forces and , with artillery support from the sloop Fury , forced the fort to surrender at sunset , after the sheik had been given guarantees he would not be harmed or taken prisoner . Eleven large Arab vessels were burnt by British landing parties , while the expeditionary force suffered 70 casualties in the fight at the fort . Arab losses were estimated at more than 50 killed in the fort alone . 
