1800
In May, 1800, the Queen's Royal marched to Plymouth, and embarked on board the Europa and Thisbe, on a flying expedition, under the command of General Sir Thomas Maitland and Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, which was employed in making descents upon the coast of France, and destroying batteries and small crafts. In this service, Major Ramsay, of the Queen's, led some successful attacks, and on one occasion (as recorded in 'Baine's History of the Wars') 'he seized several sloops and gun-vessels, and burned a national corvette of eighteen guns, by means of a detachment from the Queen's Regiment, assisted by the gun-launches under Lieutenant Pinfold.'
On the 15th of June, the regiment was encamped in the island of Houat, preparatory to an intended attack upon Belle Isle; but the plan was abandoned; the regiment re-embarked, and, with other corps, to the number of 5000 men, sailed, under the command of the Earl of Dalhousie, to reinforce Sir Ralph Abercrombie at Minorca, where it arrived on the 19th of July.
On the 29th of August, 1800, it was again on ship-board, forming part of the expedition against Cadiz, on the abandonment of which it became necessary to dispose of this force, which, although small, was considered the corps d'élite of England, and included almost the entire disposable force of the country.
The attention of Sir Ralph Abercrombie was directed towards the Mediterranean, and the reduction of Malta encouraged an expedition to that quarter. At this time Egypt was occupied by 30,000 French veterans, emboldened by conquest, and inured to the climate of the country. They had been taken from that army which, under Napoleon Bonaparte, had astonished Europe by its successes in Italy and in Germany, and they were now awaiting a favourable opportunity to forward the ambitious projects that had been planned for them by their great leader, who had exultingly named them 'The army of the East.'
The attention of all Europe was directed to the struggle about to take place, in which the ambition of Bonaparte was supposed to have attained a crisis, and the fate of Asia was to be decided on the shores of Africa, by the two most powerful European nations.
A British army, amounting to about 15,000 men, assembled under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, at Marmorice Bay, on the coast of Asiatic Turkey, towards the end of December, 1800.
1801
The Queen's Royal Regiment had proceeded from Cadiz to Gibraltar and Minorca, from whence it sailed to Malta, and now formed part of the above force. Some weeks were lost at Marmorice, in expectation of receiving reinforcements of Greeks and Turks; and the expedition did not proceed to its final destination until the 23rd of February, 1801. On the 1st of March it anchored in the bay of Aboukir, eastward of Alexandria; but notwithstanding all the exertions of the navy under Admiral Lord Keith's orders, the necessary arrangements could not be made for landing the troops, chiefly in consequence of unfavourable weather, until the 8th of March. On the morning of that day a signal rocket caused 150 boats, laden with 5000 men, to approach the shore. The clear silence of the morning broken by the deep murmur of thousands of oars urging forward the flower of a brave army, whose polished arms glittered in the rays of the morning sun, produced an interesting scene:—the floating battalions drew near the shore, which was crowded with French troops; a combat ensued; and the bay of Aboukir resounded to the roar of cannon.
A body of French troops, supported by several batteries, awaited the arrival of their enemies, but were forced to give way in defiance of every exertion, and after severe loss. The loss of the British amounted to 576 rank and file, in killed, wounded, and missing.