The 2nd battalion of the Royals was formed in brigade with the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 54th, and the 92nd Highlanders, commanded by Major-General Coote, and formed part of the van-guard of 5000 men, which entered the boats on the morning of the 8th of March, to effect a landing. At nine o'clock the boats moved forward, and as they approached the shore, the French troops poured down a shower of shot, shells, grape, and musketry, which cut the surface of the water into deep furrows, and sank several of the boats. Yet the undaunted Britons pressed forward;—the reserve leaped out of the boats on the shore and formed as they advanced;—the 23rd and flank companies of the 40th rushed up the heights in the face of dangers and difficulties sufficient to intimidate ordinary men;—the 28th and 42nd also formed and mounted the position;—while the Foot Guards and 58th prolonged the attack;—and the Royals and 54th pushed forward to sustain their brave companions in arms. A column of French infantry advancing through a hollow way with fixed bayonets against the left flank of the Foot Guards, encountered the Royals and 54th; the British pressed forward to engage their antagonists with their characteristic ardour; the French hesitated, fired a volley, and then retreated; and the Royals and 54th continued their advance. The regiments, which first ascended the enemy's position, had already gained considerable advantage, and when the Royals reached the heights and joined in the attack, the French retreated. They, however, maintained a scattered fire from the rear sand-hills for about an hour and a half, when they were obliged to retreat, with the loss of eight pieces of cannon and many horses. Sir Ralph Abercrombie expressed his approbation of the conduct of the troops in general orders in the following terms:—"The gallant behaviour of the troops in the action of yesterday claims from the Commander-in-Chief the warmest praise that he can bestow; and it is with particular satisfaction that he observed their conduct marked equally for ardent bravery, and by coolness, regularity, and order." The loss of the 2nd battalion of the Royal Regiment was—Lieutenant Lyster, 1 serjeant, and 11 rank and file, killed; Captain—— M'Donald, Lieutenants Graham and Fraser, 3 serjeants, and 40 rank and file, wounded.
In the evening after the action the victorious troops advanced three miles on the road towards Alexandria; on the 10th they advanced three miles further, and, owing to the depth of the sand, the men were three hours proceeding that short distance. On the 12th they encamped near Mandora Tower, and on the succeeding day marched through the wood of date-trees to attack the enemy on the ridge of heights in front. Some sharp fighting occurred, and the French were driven from their position, and forced to retreat over the plains to their lines on the heights before Alexandria. The Royals lost during this day's service 4 men killed and 21 wounded.
After this victory the British troops took up a position with their right to the sea, and their left to the canal of Alexandria; and the Arabs visited the camp and brought sheep, goats, fowls, eggs, and everything the country afforded, and appeared happy to engage in a friendly intercourse with their deliverers. On the 19th 500 Turkish troops arrived and encamped three miles in the rear of the army. The French at Alexandria having been increased in numbers by troops from the interior, advanced on the 21st of March to attack the British, and the Royals had another opportunity of acquiring laurels on the distant shores of Egypt. The battalion, being on the right of the 1st brigade, had its post in the centre of the front line, on the left of the Foot Guards. As soon as the day dawned a column of French grenadiers advanced, supported by a heavy line of infantry, to assault this part of the position. The Foot Guards threw forward a line of skirmishers; these being driven in, and the French column near, the brigade opened its fire with great precision. The enemy attempted to turn the left flank of the Guards, but was checked; and the Royals, with the remainder of their brigade, coming forward at the moment to engage the enemy, the French grenadiers were driven from their ground and forced to retreat. A crowd of French sharp-shooters afterwards advanced against the Royals and other regiments at this part of the field, and the French artillery played incessantly. But the British stood their ground manfully, and repelled the attacks of the enemy with a constancy and valour which redounded to their honour. The French were repulsed at every point of attack, and forced to retreat; and at 10 o'clock A.M. the action ceased. The splendour of the victory was, however, clouded with the fall of the British commander, Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who was wounded in the action and died a few days afterwards. The loss sustained by the 2nd battalion of the Royal Regiment was—9 rank and file killed; with Captain Goodson, Lieutenants Gordon, M'Pherson, and Johnstone, 1 serjeant, and 68 rank and file, wounded. Four days after the battle, between five and six thousand Turks arrived. Soon afterwards a body of British and Turks traversed the country to the city of Rosetta, situated near the mouth of one of the great channels of the river Nile, a place distinguished by the beauty of its environs, being completely embosomed in a grove of date, banana, sycamore, orange, lemon, and pomegranate trees, while the lofty palm-tree, towering over all, added magnificence to the landscape. This place was soon captured; but the fort of St. Julian held out, and, while the siege was in progress, the Royals marched across the country to Hamed, on the Nile, five miles above Rosetta, where they arrived on the 12th of April. A small force of British, Turks, and Greeks, assembled at this place, to cover the siege, several skirmishes occurred, and the Royals had two drummers and eight private men killed.
After the surrender of St. Julian, General Hutchinson, who commanded the British forces in Egypt, having left a body of troops before Alexandria, advanced with the remainder, on the 5th of May, along the banks of the Nile, through a rich country, abounding in rice, sugar, wheat, barley, and other necessaries and luxuries of life, and on the 7th of May drove the French from the post of El-Aft. He also forced the enemy to quit their fortified post at Rahmanie, and to retire through the desert to the city of Cairo, the metropolis of modern Egypt. The Royals had three men wounded in the skirmish near Rahmanie. The British and Turks continued their route along the banks of the Nile, and arrived, on the 1st of June, within sight of the Pyramids. On the 8th they encamped within a few miles of these stupendous structures, where they halted several days; then advanced to Cairo and commenced the siege of the city, and in a few days the French surrendered the place.
The capture of the capital of Egypt added additional lustre to the British arms; and the brave men, whose skill and prowess gained these honours, were rewarded with the approbation of their Sovereign and the thanks of Parliament. From Cairo the British and Turks retired down the Nile, and proceeded to the vicinity of Alexandria, and, having driven in the French out-posts, besieged the city, which was surrendered in the beginning of September. The Royals had one serjeant and seven private men killed before Alexandria, and also sustained considerable loss from the effects of fatigue and climate.
The nations of Europe had witnessed with anxiety the progress of this important struggle, and, when the veterans of France were overpowered, the dawn of liberty appeared above the distant horizon.
The British troops having, by a display of gallantry and heroism which exceeded the most sanguine expectations of their country, overcome the boasted "Invincible" legions of Bonaparte, and forced the French "Army of the East" to evacuate Egypt, from whence its ambitious and tyrannical leader had vainly imagined he should be able to extend his conquests throughout Asia, King George III. conferred upon the Royals and other corps, which had thus exalted the military fame of Great Britain, the honour of bearing on their colours the Sphynx, and the word "Egypt," as a distinguished mark of His Majesty's royal approbation of their conduct.
1st Batt.
The 1st battalion had, in the meantime, marched from Scotland to England; and it sailed on the 1st of January, 1801, from Portsmouth for the West Indies, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Nicholson. A combination had been entered into by the courts of Sweden, Denmark, and Russia, to support the principles of an armed neutrality, contrary to the stipulations of treaties, and injurious to the interests of Great Britain; orders were in consequence issued for the attack of the Swedish and Danish islands in the West Indies; and the Royals joined the expedition, commanded by Lieut.-General Thomas Trigge, at the island of St. Bartholomew, on the 22nd of March. On the 24th the troops made good their landing on the Danish island of St. Martin. After landing, the Royals, with the 11th and 2nd West India regiments, proceeded to the French quarter and took possession of Lee Hill, which commanded Fort Chesterfield. The artillery was dragged up the heights, and preparations made for commencing the attack, when the governor surrendered.