The Battle of Aboukir, 1801:   When Nelson shattered the French fleet in the Bay of Aboukir he foresaw, as his despatches showed, that the army of Bonaparte was land-locked. Bonaparte, having made an unsuccessful attempt, after traversing the Palestine Desert, to effect the siege of Acre, defended by Sir Sidney Smith, was obliged to anticipate the retreat from Moscow, and wearily trudge back to Egypt. Next his ambitious stake for Empire recalled him to France, and he left Egypt hurriedly and the army of occupation to its fate. Eventually the British Government, alive to the fruits of Nelson's victory, despatched Sir Ralph Abercromby to dislodge the imprisoned French battalions and to capture the covetable land of Egypt. In March 1801, Abercromby with Smith of Acre, and Moore, afterwards of Corunna, was prepared to disembark on the shore affronting the castle of Aboukir. The General had no maps, no clues of military topography. Everything depended on his imperturbable coolness, and on that intrepid and resourceful spirit and action of the men in his command. In the early morning every man for the landing was in his position in his boat. In the fury of the cannonade, three boats were sunk, but a fair number out of the 180 men involved were saved. The captain of this enterprise of seamanship was Alexander Cochrane, of the famous family of Dundonald. Eventually the troops plunged through the surf, with bayonets fixed and flags flying, and dashed up the sandhills. The 42nd Highlanders, rapidly clambering up, raced up to the French defenders, and closed with bayonet and butt-end. In the meantime the French cavalry had courageous ridden into the sea and cut down many of the close packed troops in boats. Again, too, squadrons charged into the ranks of the alert invaders, but they were repulsed with heavy casualties. Nothing could stop the fearless headway of the dauntless infantry, seamen and marines. General Moore was the life and soul of this wondrous attack, which caused him the loss of nearly 700 killed and wounded. The affair was almost as acrobatic as that of Quebec, and the Frenchmen had a quick awakening from their experiences of native troops. In a few hours after the original order for landing, the scattered enemy were in headlong retreat on the road to Alexandria, upon which the English eagerly prepared to advance. The Battle of Alexandria or Canopus, 1801  After the heroic landing of the English at Aboukir, the decisive defeat of the French defenders, and their scurry back to their stronghold at Alexandria, Sir Ralph Abercromby's crowning effort of his life as a soldier had to be put forth.  It was meet that in this triumphant labour he should be seconded by the heroic energies of his own countrymen.  As will be seen the 92nd Highlanders and the 90th Regiment of Perthshire Light Infantry did much towards the ousting of the French from Egypt.  These regiments, with the 40th Foot as cover, formed the first order of attack upon the enemy drawn up at Mandora in front of the French position on the sandhills stretching between Alexandria and the lake of Aboukir.  With characteristic elan these devoted regiments advanced eagerly against the foe, and although raked by grape shot, rushed to the mouths of the guns and straightway captured them, cutting down their valiant defenders to a man.  Shortly after this, General Abercromby had his horse shot under him and was rescued by the Perthsires.  In the meantime great difficulty had been felt by the seamen and marines in their attempts to drag the guns through the loose sand.  Added to this the English had their first experience of a mirage, and the plain on the right of the enemy appeared to be a vast lake.  At this juncture Abercromby momentarily despaired, and proceeded to await the advance of heavy guns from the ships with which to defend his captured ground.  This halt enabled the French commander, General Menou, to increase his forces to nearly 14,000 men.  It also encouraged him to attack the reckless invaders.  Accordingly on the 21st March, at that hour before day break termed by Caesar prima luce, Menou ordered his arms to advance, and drive the British into the lake.  But there was no surprise, as Abercromby had his men ready.  First the pickets were driven in, and the enemy came on with a mighty rush.  The 42nd Highlanders and the Welsh Fusiliers met them nobly, and after a few rounds of volley firing hurled themselves at the enemy with the bayonet.  Next the French "Invincibles" tore down to the attack in the horrid darkness of smoke, only to find themselves in a lane of Highlanders, who mercilessly slew them.  Quite 700 of the French heroes fell and the survivors were glad to deliver their standard to Major Stirling of the 42nd.  Feeling victory within his grasp, Abercromby shouted "My brave Highlanders, remember our country, remember your forefathers!"  Incited by this appeal the Scots went madly to the attack.  As a last effort Menou called on his cavalry to make a final charge.  On they came under Brigadier Roize, only to be thoroughly broken and impaled.  Not till then was it noticed that Abercromby was mortally wounded.  He had been ubiquitous in the fight, and at one stage was engaged in a hand to hand struggle with two dragoons.  When his wound was at length insupportable he lay down in agony, and amid the tears and shouts of his followers was taken on board the "Foudroyant" where he died.  Fourteen hundred British and 3,000 French represented the loss that day.  Closely following on this signal victory succeeded the surrender of the French at Cairo, and their evacuation of Egypt. (extract from British Battles 1898) Battle of the Pyramids 21st July 1798 by Louis Lejeune Napoleons Speech to his Army before the Battle of the Pyramids by Antoine-Jean Gros (1771-1835) Napoleon's entry into Cairo by Gustave Bourgain (died 1921)   Napoleon enters Cairo, on the 22nd July 1798 after his victory against the Egyptian army at the Battle of the pyramids on July 21st.   Napoleon with an army of 36,000 seized Malta on the 10th of June 1798 form the Knights of St John then sailed on to land wets of Alexandria on July 1st.  They seized Alexandria form the Mameluke ruler Ibrahim who fled into Syria. But the Mameluke military Commander Murad Bey was determined to stop napoleon entering cairo  so blocked the French advance at Embabeh on the left bank of the Nile near the pyramids. Under his command he had 40,000 troops but only 6,m000 of these were the fierce fighting force of Mamelukes.  On July 21st napoleon moved onto the Egyptian positions and Murad launched an all out attack with his cavalry. but the 6,000 Mamelukes were no match for the French Infantry and Ar6llery which fired volley after volley. which devastated the Mamelukes, when the charge had failed the disorganized Egyptian Infantry fled.  With only 300 casualties napoleon marched onto Cairo.