1800
In the spring of 1800, the regiment was withdrawn from Gibraltar, to join the armament preparing for active service in the Mediterranean: it proceeded to Minorca, where the land-forces were assembled, and in the summer sailed under the orders of Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby for Genoa, to co-operate with the Austrians; but the victories gained by the French in Italy occasioned this enterprise to be abandoned, and the EIGHTEENTH returned to Minorca.
The regiment afterwards sailed with the expedition against Cadiz, and it had entered the boats of the fleet for the purpose of effecting a landing and attacking Cadiz, when orders were received to return on board the shipping; the attack of this place having been relinquished in consequence of an infectious disease of a fatal character ravaging the city; and the armament sailed to Gibraltar.
After some delay, the EIGHTEENTH regiment again proceeded to Minorca.
In the meantime a powerful French army had taken possession of Egypt, with the view of colonizing that country, and making it the base of future conquests in the east, and the ROYAL IRISH regiment was called from Minorca to take part in the expulsion of the boasted invincible legions of France from Egypt. The regiment accordingly quitted Minorca without landing, and sailed to Malta, where it joined the armament under Lieut.-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, and was formed in brigade with the thirtieth, forty-fourth, and eighty-ninth, under the orders of Brigadier-General Doyle. The troops were soon restored and reanimated, after having been so long at sea, by the abundance of fresh provisions which the island of Malta afforded, and the comforts of the beautiful city of Valetta, and on the 20th of December the fleet sailed for the bay of Marmorice, in Asiatic Turkey, where it arrived in nine days.
1801
In this bay, environed by mountains covered with the foliage of trees, the troops remained several weeks, while preparations were being completed, and a plan of co-operation was arranged with the Turks, whose tardy proceedings detained the expedition some time. On the 23rd of February, 1801, the fleet again put to sea, presenting a splendid sight; the magnitude of the armament, and the gaiety of the brave men on board, being calculated to excite emotions of an interesting character. On the 1st of March, the armament arrived off the celebrated city of Alexandria, and anchored in the bay of Aboukir.
Early on the morning of the 8th of March, five thousand British troops entered the boats to effect a landing in the face of an adverse army, and the ROYAL IRISH regiment, having joined the second brigade under Major-General Cradock, entered some small Greek ships to be in readiness to support the gallant men who should first land on the shores of Egypt. A rocket gave the expected signal, and the clear silence of the morning was instantly broken by the deep murmur of a thousand oars urging forward the flower of a brave army, whose polished arms gleamed in the rays of the morning sun. Suddenly the thunder of artillery shook the ground, and a tempest of balls cut the surface of the water; but the British soldiers speedily gained the shore in the face of this tempest of war, and, rushing forward to close upon their enemies with the bayonet, soon decided the contest and forced the French to retreat with loss. The EIGHTEENTH regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Montresor, was one of the first corps which landed to support the leading division, and to participate in this splendid triumph of British valour.
Advancing towards Alexandria, the British troops encamped near Mandora Tower, and on the 13th of March they proceeded through a wood of date-trees to attack the French forces posted on a ridge of heights in front. The ROYAL IRISH deployed under a heavy fire, with the other corps of their brigade, and executed the manœuvre with admirable order and precision; and, advancing upon their adversaries, compelled the French to retire from their position. A strong body of French cavalry charged the leading corps of the British right column, but was repulsed. Under the cover of some sand-hills, a body of French dragoons rode towards the British second brigade, and attempted to penetrate the interval between the EIGHTEENTH and the regiment on their left: the French troopers were checked by a prompt and well-directed fire from the light company of the EIGHTEENTH, which was followed by a rapid platoon fire from the regiment, and the French horsemen made a precipitate retreat. They belonged to the eighteenth French dragoons, and had been mistaken, by one British battalion, for a foreign corps in the English service.
The French, having been driven from their post, fell back to an entrenched position before Alexandria; and the British, after reconnoitring the ground, encamped in front of the enemy's lines. Speaking of the conduct of the army, on this occasion, in general orders, Sir Ralph Abercromby stated that he felt it "incumbent on him particularly to express his most perfect satisfaction with the steady and gallant conduct of Major-General Cradock's brigade." The conduct of the brigade was also commended in the General's public despatch.