Battle of the Nile

• 1. Strategic Origins And Objectives

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  In the spring of 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte assembled more than 35,000 soldiers in Mediterranean France and Italy. He developed a powerful fleet at Toulon to carry out an invasion of Egypt. The French Directory agreed with his plans for strategic reasons beyond mere conquest. A major factor was their desire to see the politically ambitious general travel as far from France as possible. Napoleon believed that establishing a permanent presence in Egypt would provide a staging point for future operations against British India. He hoped to form an alliance with Tipu Sultan of Seringapatam to drive the British out of the war. This campaign aimed to sever the chain of communication connecting Britain with its most valuable colony. Trade generated the wealth required for Britain to prosecute the war successfully. Great Britain remained the only major European power still at war with the French Republic after victories in northern Italy secured peace elsewhere.

• 2. The Pursuit Across The Mediterranean

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  Napoleon's armada sailed from Toulon on the 19th of May, making rapid progress through the Ligurian Sea. The fleet collected more ships at Genoa before sailing southwards along the Sardinian coast. On the 7th of June, they passed Sicily and arrived off Malta on the 9th of June. The Knights of St. John refused entry to Valletta, leading to a large scale invasion over 24 hours of skirmishing. The islands formally surrendered on the 12th of June, handing all resources including Church property to Bonaparte. While sailing to Malta, the Royal Navy re-entered the Mediterranean for the first time in more than a year. Lord Spencer sent Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson to investigate French preparations. Nelson had been blinded in one eye during fighting in Corsica in 1794 and lost an arm at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in July 1797. He returned to the Tagus in late April 1798 to collect a squadron stationed at Gibraltar. On the 21st of May, his flagship lost its topmasts and was almost wrecked on the Corsican coast during a fierce gale. The remainder of the squadron scattered, with frigates blown westward failing to return. On the 7th of June, following hasty repairs, a fleet of ten ships joined him off Toulon. Captain Thomas Troubridge led this reinforcement force with orders to pursue and intercept the convoy.

• 3. Tactical Dispositions At Aboukir Bay

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  Brueys gathered his captains aboard his 120-gun flagship Orient to discuss their response should Nelson discover the fleet. Despite vocal opposition from Contre-amiral Armand Blanquet insisting on open water, most agreed that anchoring inside the bay presented the strongest tactic. Bonaparte had ordered the fleet to anchor in Aboukir Bay, a shallow and exposed anchorage stretching from Abu Qir to Rosetta. In 1798, the bay was protected at its western end by extensive rocky shoals running into the bay from a promontory guarded by Aboukir Castle. A small fort situated on an island among the rocks was garrisoned by French soldiers armed with four cannon and two heavy mortars. Brueys augmented the fort with bomb vessels and gunboats anchored among the rocks to support the head of the line. Further shoals ran unevenly south of the island extending across the bay in a rough semicircle approximately one mile long. These shoals were too shallow for larger warships so Brueys ordered thirteen ships of the line to form up following the northeastern edge. Orders issued for each ship to attach strong cables to neighbors effectively turned the line into a long battery forming a theoretically impregnable barrier. However, he left enough room between Guerrier and the shoals for an enemy ship to cut across the head of the French line.

• 4. The Engagement And Naval Tactics

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  At 14:00 on the 1st of August, lookouts on HMS Zealous reported the French anchored in Aboukir Bay. The signal lieutenant just beat the lieutenant on HMS Goliath with the signal but inaccurately described sixteen French ships instead of thirteen. At the same time, French lookouts sighted the British fleet approximately nine nautical miles off the mouth of Aboukir Bay. The French initially reported just eleven British ships because Swiftsure and Alexander were still returning from scouting operations at Alexandria. Troubridge's ship Culloden was also some distance from the main body towing a captured merchant ship. As his ships readied for action, Brueys ordered captains to gather for a conference on Orient and hastily recalled shore parties though most had not returned by battle start. To replace them large numbers of men were taken out of frigates distributed among ships of the line. Nelson gave orders for leading ships to slow down allowing the fleet to approach in more organized formation. This convinced Brueys that rather than risk an evening battle in confined waters the British planned to wait until following day. He rescinded earlier order to sail hoping delay would allow him to slip past during night. At 18:20 as Goliath and Zealous rapidly bore down on them the leading French ships Guerrier and Conquérant opened fire.

• 5. Casualties And Immediate Aftermath

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  British casualties recorded with some accuracy in immediate aftermath totaled 218 killed and approximately 677 wounded. Ships suffering most were Bellerophon with 201 casualties and Majestic with 193. Other than Culloden lightest loss occurred on Zealous which had one man killed and seven wounded. The casualty list included Captain Westcott five lieutenants and ten junior officers among dead plus Admiral Nelson Captains Saumarez Ball and Darby wounded. French casualties significantly higher with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 suggesting median point of 3,500. More than 1,000 captured and wounded nearly 2,000 killed half dying aboard Orient alone. Two ships of line and two frigates destroyed plus bomb vessel scuttled by crew while three other captured ships too battered ever to sail again. Of remaining prizes only three sufficiently repaired for frontline service. For weeks after battle bodies washed up along Egyptian coast decaying slowly in intense dry heat. Nelson surveyed bay morning of the 2nd of August saying victory not name strong enough for such scene. He remained at anchor next two weeks preoccupied recovering wound writing dispatches assessing military situation using documents captured aboard prizes.

• 6. Political Repercussions And Legacy

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  The battle reversed strategic situation between two nations forces in Mediterranean entrenching Royal Navy dominant position retained rest Napoleonic Wars. It encouraged other European countries turn against France factor outbreak War Second Coalition. Napoleon army trapped Egypt Royal Navy dominance off Syrian coast contributed significantly French defeat siege Acre 1799 preceding abandonment Egypt return Europe. Nelson wounded proclaimed hero across Europe subsequently made Baron Nelson though privately dissatisfied rewards. His captains highly praised went on form nucleus legendary Nelson band brothers. Legend battle prominent popular consciousness perhaps best known representation Felicia Hemans 1826 poem Casabianca. First message reaching Bonaparte regarding disaster arrived the 14th of August camp road between Salahieh Cairo messenger staff officer sent Governor Alexandria General Jean Baptiste Kléber report hastily written Admiral Ganteaume rejoined Villeneuve ships sea. When handed message reportedly announced Nous n'avons plus de flotte eh bien Il faut rester en ces contrées ou en sortir grands comme les anciens meaning We no longer have fleet well must either remain country quit it great ancients. King George III addressed Houses Parliament the 20th of November words celebrating victory raising Nelson to peerage title Baron Nile Burnham Thorpe with which he privately dissatisfied believing actions deserved better reward.