About six o’clock in the morning of the 13th of March, the British army advanced to attack the enemy’s position on the heights in front of Mandora, the NINETY-SECOND being directed to lead the left column into action. The enemy having opened a most destructive fire from his artillery, enfiladed the column to its whole depth: orders were consequently given to deploy into line. The enemy thought this a favorable moment, and immediately advanced to the attack. The NINETY-SECOND, being in advance of the line, was exposed to a very galling fire of grape-shot, and at the same time was attacked by the 61st Demi-Brigade; the regiment, however, continued unshaken in its advance to the very muzzles of the guns, and succeeded in taking two field-pieces, and one howitzer, completely routing the enemy who defended them, and possessing itself of the right of his position. He was forced, therefore, to retire to the fortified heights of Nicopolis, under the walls of Alexandria, to which they form the principal defence from that side.
Lieut.-Colonel, afterwards General Sir Robert Thomas Wilson, in his History of the British Expedition to Egypt, stated that—
“The British had not advanced out of the wood of date trees, which was in front of Mandora Tower, before the enemy left the heights on which they had been formed, and moved down by their right, commencing a heavy fire of musketry, and from all their cannon, on the NINETY-SECOND regiment, which formed the advanced guard of the left column.” After eulogising the gallantry of the ninetieth regiment, which formed the advanced guard of the right column, Lieut.-Colonel Wilson, added:—
“The conduct of the NINETY-SECOND had been no less meritorious. Opposed to a tremendous fire, and suffering severely from the French line, they never receded a foot, but maintained the contest alone, until the marines and the rest of the line came to their support.”
The gallantry and good conduct of the regiment this day were most conspicuous, and in commemoration thereof, the NINETY-SECOND afterwards received the Royal Authority to bear the word “Mandora” on the regimental colour and appointments.
His Majesty’s service, and the NINETY-SECOND regiment in particular, sustained a great loss in the death of Lieut.-Colonel Charles Erskine, who was mortally wounded early in the action, when the command of the regiment devolved on Major Alexander Napier.
The following officers were wounded: Captains Hon. John Ramsay and Archibald McDonell; Lieutenants, Norman McLeod, Charles Dowle (mortally), Donald McDonald, Tomlin Campbell (mortally), Alexander Clarke (mortally), and Ronald Macdonald; Ensigns, Peter Wilkie and Alexander Cameron; twenty-two rank and file were killed, and seventy-seven were wounded.
On the 14th of March, the army occupied the position, from which the enemy was driven the day before, and the troops were employed in throwing up works. On this day, General Sir Ralph Abercromby thanked the troops for their soldier-like and intrepid conduct, in the action of yesterday, and particularised the NINETY-SECOND regiment. It may not be irrelevant to state, that he selected the regiment to furnish the guard at his head-quarters from his first landing in Egypt, to the hour of his death; and the regiment was continued by Lieut.-General (afterwards Lord) Hutchinson, on that duty, until its final departure from that country.
In consequence of the reduced state of the regiment from sickness, and the casualties of the 13th of March, it was ordered on the 20th of March (with the exception of the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard), to march at three o’clock next morning to relieve the battalion of marines at Aboukir Castle; where the following Brigade Order was issued:—
“Major-General Coote feels extreme concern, that the NINETY-SECOND regiment is ordered to march to Aboukir; he hopes they will soon return to the army, and cannot part with that corps without requesting, that the officers and men will accept his best thanks, for their attention to their duty since they have been under his command.”