=Source.=--_Annual Register._ Vol. xl., pp. 142 _et seq._ of _History
of Europe_.
It was the first of August before the Pharos of Alexandria was got
sight of by the squadron, who were then steering direct for it towards
the S.S.E. and as they approached discovered a wood of masts in the
harbour. The advanced ships (the _Alexander_ and _Leander_ about two
leagues a head) made signal for having discovered ships of war to
eastward. The admiral, who, with the bulk of the squadron, was in close
order of sailing, being thus directed to a view of the long sought-for
fight, immediately altered his course accordingly, and made signal to
recal those on the look-out. The _Culloden_ was then about two leagues
to the eastward of the admiral, and, after some time and signals
exchanged, obtained leave to cast off the vessel towed from off Coron.
The _Alexander_ and _Leander_, who had run in nearer Alexandria, were
thereby obliged to hawl more to the wind than between N.N.W. and N.W.
in order to round the point off Aboukir; which threw them considerably
later than the main body; who sailing with a free wind reached about,
or soon after five o’clock, the point; which having rounded and got the
bay fairly open, the admiral hawled up on the lar-board tack, under an
easy sail, probably for the purpose of viewing the situation of the
enemy, or more likely for giving time for those of his own squadron
to close; the _Culloden_ being still about two leagues distant in the
N.W. quarter. While the _Alexander_ and _Leander_ were still farther
distant in the W.S.W. the squadron of the enemy, which shewed 13 sail
of the line of battle, were but a few miles off, bearing from S.W.
to south, and anchored in a line extending nearly N.W. and S.E. with
their admiral’s flag on board a three deck ship in the centre, and four
frigates, with several gun-vessels, dispersed inside towards the van
and rear.
The squadron did not remain long with their heads from the enemy. The
admiral speedily determined on what plan of attack was to be adopted.
He gave orders, by signal, to prepare to anchor by the stern, and wore
with the whole squadron together by signal. That manœuvre at once
changed the situation of the squadron, by giving the lead to those, who
were, while their heads were to the offing, dropping a-stern to join
their situation in the rear, in the order of sailing: or, as some have
alleged, loitered a-stern from an unwillingness to be drawn off even a
few hundred yards from the enemy. If such were the sentiments of any,
they were now indulged by the admiral bearing up toward the van of the
enemy, and making the signal to form the line of battle a-head, or most
convenient: that is, for each ship to fall in as their situation at the
time best suited, without regard to the established order of battle.
On that occasion, there were such displays of emulation by each ship to
gain an advanced post in the attack, as must have tended to inspire
each other with an invincible confidence. But so alert were the whole,
that no one ship could gain the point of getting a-head of another, who
had the advantage of laying their heads towards the enemy. The admiral,
as they were drawing into a form of battle, made the signal to attack
the enemy’s van and centre: and soon after, added the signal for a
close engagement, which was kept flying.
The wind, which was between N.W. and N.N.W., had been a fresh top
gallant sail breeze, and, though moderated as the day drew towards a
close, still swelled out the lighter sails. Before the _Goliah_ (the
leading ship) had approached within a mile of the enemy’s van ships,
they commenced a brisk cannonade with their starboard guns, as did the
batteries at the castle of Becquires and the gun-vessels, which galled
the British squadron much as they closed. But the situation of the
enemy’s anchorage, and the shallowness of the water around, rendered
it impossible to evade that annoyance. It was therefore borne with
a firmness worthy of their character. The period was but short when
it became theirs to return the annoyance. The gallant leader[10] in
the _Goliah_, on that occasion displayed a conduct which shewed him
worthy of the post he had taken. Keeping his ship under all convenient
working sail, he kept as near to the edge of the bank as the depth of
water would permit, and passing a-head of the enemy’s van ship, _Le
Guerrier_, poured into her a most destructive fire; and bearing round
up shortened sail,[11] and anchored by the stern inside of the second
of the enemy’s line, _Le Conquerant_.
The _Zealous_ followed in the track of the _Goliah_, but not so far,
having dropped her stern anchor, so as to preserve a situation on
the inside bow of _Le Guerrier_, whom she handled in the severest
manner without being exposed to annoyance in return. The _Orion_ next
followed, and passing to windward of the _Zealous_, and round her,
plying her larboard guns on _Le Guerrier_, while they bore, continued
on a S.E. course, and passed the inside of the _Goliah_: when, being
annoyed by a frigate’s fire, she yawed as much as was necessary to
bring her starboard guns to bear, and gave her so complete a dose as
to silence her for ever. Then hawling round towards the enemy’s line,
she dropped the starboard bower anchor inside between the third and
fourth ships from their van, and with some exertions, by spreading all
her after-sail, (probably to force her keel over the ground, which it
most likely touched) got her swung round abreast of _L’Aquilon_, who
had, without annoyance, suffered the _Orion_ to place herself in this
situation. The _Theseus_, who followed the _Orion_, passed between the
_Zealous_ and _Le Guerrier_, so close to the latter, (whose foremast
was by this time over the side) only preserving sufficient distance to
avoid entangling her rigging with the jib-boom of the enemy’s ship, and
when abreast of her bow, poured in a broadside, until then reserved,
the effect of which on the enemy was instantaneous. The main and
mizen-masts were also brought down. Thus, in less than fifteen minutes
was the van ship of this line reduced to a mere hulk, incumbered with
the wreck of her own masts and yards, and doubtless the crew much
mutilated. That destructive broadside was given just as the sun dipped
in the horizon; after which the _Theseus_ passed on the outside of
the _Goliah_, and dropped her stern-anchor a-head of her; and thus
was placed inside of the third ship of the enemy, _La Spartiate_, and
had commenced the cannonade about the time or before her leader, the
_Orion_, was got completely placed, from the little interruptions
before-mentioned.
The _Audacious_ followed next, and passing between _Le Guerrier_ and
_Conquerant_, increased the misfortunes of those ill-fated ships,
by a destructive fire, and afterwards dropped her stern-anchor, so
as to preserve her station inside bow of the latter, over whom the
_Goliah_ had already got a decided superiority, by the comparative fire
maintained. The breeze by this time (as above observed) had lessened
as the day closed: most probably too it had been lulled the more by
the effect of the cannonade, which had for some time been maintained:
hence the ships which were in the rear of the British squadron were not
enabled to close with the celerity suitable to their ardour on that
occasion.
The _Vanguard_ was the follower of the _Audacious_; but did not, like
the five who had preceded her, pass the enemy’s line: the rank of the
admiral (whose flag this ship bore) gave him a privilege of deviating
from the example of his leaders, whose manœuvres were to be guided
by his direction: she was anchored by the stern on the outside, and
close to the third ship from the van, _Le Spartiate_. Her followers
respectively passed on a-head of their leader, anchoring by the stern
as they came up on the outside as the admiral had done. Thus the
_Minotaur_, _Defence_, and _Swiftsure_, took position a-breast of the
fourth, fifth, and sixth ships from the van; by which arrangement it
was left for the _Bellerophon_ to attack the French admiral’s ship,
_L’Orient_, of three decks:[12] nor was the undertaking shrunk from,
because of the apparent inequality of the contest: the _Bellerophon’s_
stern-anchor was dropped on the outside bow of _L’Orient_, whose
collection of heavy batteries was reserved for the closing. The effect
of these will be best judged of by the reference to the list of killed
and wounded of the hardy assailants, in which stands enrolled the names
of almost every officer of that ship. By that time the day was so much
closed, as to obscure from general view the conduct of each ship;
particularly towards the centre, which was covered with the clouds
of smoke blown thither from the van, by the light breeze which yet
continued. Under these circumstances, the _Majestic_, who followed the
_Bellerophon_, had to grope for an antagonist; in doing which, it is
said, she found her jib-boom had entered the main rigging of one of the
enemy’s ships a-stern of their admiral; by whom, she was most severely
treated while thus entangled: but, after some time, she swung clear,
and avenged herself completely on another of the enemy farther astern.
Having thus got all the ships into action, that had formed the body
of the squadron, the _Culloden_, who had been detained by the towing
of the wine-vessel, may now be looked after; also the _Alexander_ and
_Leander_, who had been thrown out a-stern, by their having been on the
look-out towards Alexandria.
It was with extreme mortification observed, before the day had closed,
that the former had run a-ground on a shoal, which was found to extend
N.E. from the point on which the castle stood. It may be better
imagined than described what were the feelings of the gallant commander
and crew of that ship, to be so arrested in their passage to the
participation of the fatigues and glory of the combat then depending.
The loss of the assistance of such a ship, on so important occasion
too, must have excited emotions of deep regret among those engaged,
many of whom had witnessed, on an important and splendid occasion in
the preceding year, how eminently that ship, under the command of the
same officer, and with the same crew, had been distinguished.--Great as
the loss of this ship’s assistance was, it yielded some consolation to
conclude, that her running a-ground served as a beacon to induce the
two ships (_Alexander_ and _Leander_, then to the westward of her) to
hawl more out to the offing than they might otherwise have done, from
an anxiety to be as soon as possible up to the assistance of their
companions; in which case the assistance of two ships would have been
lost instead of the _Culloden_. The _Mutine_ brig made towards her, and
remained to render her assistance in getting off the ground; and the
_Leander_, in passing, had communication to know if she could render
her effectual aid: that being judged impracticable, she followed her
companion, the _Alexander_, who, having rounded the end of the shoal,
was then steering for the centre of the enemy, under all sail: nor
did she shorten any, until closed with the French admiral’s ship, whom
she passed and anchored in a most judicious position inside of that
tremendous ship, whom she attacked with a briskness, and maintained
with such vivacity, as indicated the impatience of the crew in having
been thrown out so long from entering into the action.
Without pretending to minute accuracy with regard to time, this may
be stated to have taken place about, or soon after eight o’clock.
Soon after, the _Leander_ ran in under the stern of the fifth ship;
and, anchoring there, took a position whereby she could, without
annoyance, fire her guns of one side in the stern of _Le Peuple
Souverain_, and those of the other side into the bows of _La Franklin_.
It is unnecessary to remark on what must have been the effect of so
destructive a raking fire, even from a ship of the _Leander’s_ small
force.
Thus did each of the British ships enter into action. The result
shews the manner in which each performed its duty. By the time the
last-mentioned ships got placed in their respective positions, those
which formed the van of the enemy were silenced, and some had struck.
Their submission had extended as far as the fourth ship, about nine
o’clock. And, soon after, _L’Orient_, in their centre, was discovered
to be on fire, which spread with such rapidity that she was soon
in a general blaze, and precluded even a shadow of hope for her
preservation. The cannonade was, in the meantime, maintained with
equal briskness by the British ships, whose opponents had not yet
surrendered, while some of them, very much sickened, were barely able
to maintain resistance.
While the flames were consuming _L’Orient_, great were the exertions
made by the _Alexander_ to remove to such distance as her captain
judged necessary to save her from danger of being covered with the
wreck of her unfortunate antagonist. About ten o’clock, the fire
had reached _L’Orient’s_ magazine, when she blew up with a most
tremendous explosion, by which fragments of her wreck were thrown to a
considerable distance on every side; and those ships who were nearest
to the place of the explosion, were for some time completely obscured,
by the thick column of smoke which spread around. The cannonade at
that moment ceased, and a silence ensued, strongly expressive of the
awe with which the minds of the combatants were impressed by that
dreadful event.
That impression appeared to be effaced, by the recollection that
there was still duty left to be performed; for, in about ten minutes
after, the cannonade was renewed around the spot where _L’Orient_
had exploded, and in a few minutes was maintained with vivacity, and
continued with little abatement until after midnight, when it became
slacker, with some intermissions, indicating the exhausted state of the
combatants, by the fatigue already undergone;[13] but the firing did
not entirely cease until three o’clock.
_Thursday morning, the second of August._--When the day opened, how
different was the prospect from that which the preceding evening
had closed! The greatest part of the ships, which formed the van of
the French line, dismasted, and all struck! Not a vestige of their
admiral’s ship to be seen! The frigate (_La Sêrieuse_), whom the
_Orion_ had silenced the preceding evening, now sunk! The _Bellerophon_
was observed several miles to the eastward along shore, at anchor,
dismasted. Some of the British ships, which had attacked and defeated
the van, now shifted more towards the rear, and others moving thither,
to complete the conquest of the enemy’s ships. In that part, this led
to a recommencement of the cannonade, in the outset of which, a frigate
(_L’Artémise_), in the centre, displayed a conduct mean and unworthy
of the squadron to which it was attached. After firing a broad-side,
she struck; but, before she was sent to, by any of the British ships,
was observed to be on fire, and the crew making for the shore in their
boats, where they were so ill received by the natives, that a remnant
of them were fain to return, and trust to the generosity of their
enemy, whom they had so recently offended by a flagrant breach of the
laws of war.
Without entering into any further detail of the whole, after the
cannonade had been long maintained, with some intermissions, it
was closed with the surrender of _L’Heureux_ and _Mercure_, and
dismasting of _Le Tonnant_. The two rear ships, _Le Guillaume Tell_ and
_Genereux_, observing all their companions either surrendered, or in
a disabled state, prepared to get under sail, which they did, without
interruption, before two o’clock, and were accompanied by _La Dianne_
and _Justice_ frigates, neither of whom had been annoyed. _Le Timoleon_
made an attempt to follow, but, casting with her head into the bay, and
not being alertly managed (probably, not in a manageable state), her
head was not got out to the offing, but ran ashore at a little distance
from whence she had laid, in the south-east part of the bay, where they
set her on fire. The _Zealous_, who was under sail when the rear ships
of the enemy left the bay, stood after them; but, as there was not any
other then under sail, to accompany and support her, she was called in
by the admiral.
There yet remained to be taken possession of, _Le Tonnant_, entirely
dismasted, but who had not struck, and had shifted a considerable
distance to leeward from her original position. In that state,
incapable of moving or helping herself, a message was sent, to demand
her surrender, which the captain refused, without the condition of
vessels being furnished to carry him and his crew (which he stated to
be then 1,500) to France. This requisition was communicated to admiral
Nelson, who desired him to be informed, that the surrender must be
unconditional, else force would be employed, against which resistance
would not avail. These communications were not exchanged till late in
the evening of the second, owing to the distance.
Friday morning, the third of August, the French flag was observed to be
still displayed on the stump of _Le Tonnant’s_ main-mast. The admiral
made signals to the _Theseus_ and _Leander_ to attack her. It appeared
they had, in some measure, recovered from their late fatigues, by
the alertness of their movements. They were soon under the necessary
sail; and, on the _Theseus_ approaching her rear, the flag of truce
was hoisted. An officer was then sent from the _Theseus_ to desire the
colours to be struck unconditionally, which was complied with. Thus was
the close put to that distinguished battle.
Whether a retrospect is had to the unremitting perseverance in
continuing the search after the enemy, to the promptness of decision
in attacking them when found, or to the skill and intrepidity with
which the attack was executed, it is difficult to decide which has the
highest claim to admiration. The renown of this action has reached to
every part of the globe, and been re-echoed back with the high praises
so justly merited.