'The landing of the British troops in Egypt on the 8th March 1801'

Coloured stipple engraving by Lewis Schiavonetti after P J Loutherbourg, published by Anthony Cardon 1804.

In the aftermath of the French invasion of Egypt (1798), the British despatched troops under the command of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. Unfortunately, bad weather delayed the landing of his expeditionary force at Aboukir Bay on 8 March 1801, giving the French ample time to organise a response. Troops from the French garrison of Alexandria positioned themselves along a line of sand dunes overlooking the bay. They inflicted heavy losses on the vanguard of the British force as it disembarked from small boats.

Despite these setbacks, the British rallied. Led by Major-General Sir John Moore, they charged the defenders with fixed bayonets, securing the beachhead and allowing the remainder of the 17,500-strong army to get ashore.