The conflict known as the Battle of Roatán occurred on March 16, 1782, pitting British and Spanish forces against each other in a struggle for control over Roatán, a Caribbean island situated near the coast of Honduras.

Led by Matías de Gálvez, the captain general of the Royal Audience of Guatemala, a Spanish expeditionary force seized command of the British-held island by bombarding its primary defenses. Surrender came from the British garrison on the following day. Subsequently, the Spaniards evacuated 135 civilians, 300 slaves, and the captured soldiers, while obliterating the settlement they claimed had been a hub for piracy and corsair activity.

This assault formed a segment of Gálvez's overarching strategy to eliminate British influence in Central America. Despite achieving temporary victories, the British managed to uphold their colonial presence in the region.