Those brave fellows were truly sensible of their defect in point of discipline, but a generous spirit of emulation pervaded the whole of them, and under the able superintendance of Lieutenant Colonel Smith, and Major Minto, this mixed body of men, in a very few days, might have vied with any regiment in the field. They meritedly gained, and repeatedly obtained from the Commander in Chief and Major General Coote, under whom they were brigaded, the highest encomiums for their soldier like appearance, steady conduct, and the good order of their encampment, when in front of Alexandria. It was their destiny to be entrusted with the defence of Aboukir Castle, and its vicinity, which precluded them from displaying their rapid improvement in evolution, or of sharing in the laurels acquired by the Army, on the glorious 21st of March; a day upon which every British Soldier may well exult, but not without mingling with his proud joy, an unfeigned sigh over the memory of that great and good man who led, and whose honorable life was sacrificed at the shrine of victory.
The Marines, as constituting a material proportion of the strength of Lord Keith's fleet, formed no part of these detachments which penetrated the interior, but their duties were confined to the blockade of Alexandria, where they might be ready to re-embark in case of emergency, at the shortest notice.
The brilliant details of the Egyptian Campaign, are well known to the world. They have been given in a stile highly adapted to yield general information, and to rouse, within our Armies, an emulous zeal.
If it was not the lot of my corps to stand on the annals of splendor by an active co-operation with those bodies who conquered Rosetta, Rhamanich, and Cairo, still their effective presence tended to enable the Commander in Chief to achieve these distant and important objects. Attached to the brigade of Major General Coote, they were withdrawn from the defence of Aboukir, and continued to discharge, with an unrelaxed discipline, the duties of investment, with but little variety, until the 5th day of August, when the previous arrival of reinforcements from England and India, the return of the forces from the recovery of the internal posts in Lower Egypt, and at the express desire of Lord Keith, they were struck off the shore details, and next day were re-embarked on board their respective ships.
With such an accumulated Army General (now Lord) Hutchinson was empowered to push the siege of Alexandria, which was carried on with so great ability and success, that it surrendered on the 30th of August.
It would be a wide attempt for me to embrace a discussion of those movements that led to the expulsion of the French from Egypt, and I am too humble by any panegyric of mine, to add a single mite to the well earned fame of those distinguished Officers, those intrepid Soldiers and Seamen, by whose united talents and valour, such momentous results were obtained. Every individual is registered upon the grateful records of his Country, carries about with him a memorial of his own deeds, which reminds him and every one of his military comrades, that an Englishman is as terrible in the field, as he is upon the ocean.
The solid merits of my corps were such that I cannot omit the following high testimonials, which bespeak them in much more forcible terms, than any I can advance:
"Foudroyant, Bay of Aboukir, 5th July, 1801.
"Sir,
"I have had much satisfaction in receiving the commands of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to make known to you, their Lordships approbation of your conduct, and of that of the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Privates of the Marine battalion, landed from the ships in the squadron, to co-operate with the Army on the coast of Egypt, and I have to request that you will, with the permission of Major General Coote, communicate the approbation which their Lordships have been pleased to express to the Officers and men serving under your command.