The regiment had Captain Chester, one serjeant, and fifteen rank and file killed; Captain Brown, Lieutenant Dolphin, and three soldiers, died of their wounds; Lieutenants Handcock, Copland, Serle, and Rich, Ensigns Hewson, Andrews, and O’Malley, three serjeants, and ninety-seven rank and file, wounded.
In general orders, issued on the following day, it was stated—‘The Commander-in-chief has the greatest satisfaction in thanking the troops for their soldier-like and intrepid conduct in the action of yesterday; he feels it incumbent on him particularly to express his most perfect satisfaction with the steady and gallant conduct of Major-General Cradock’s brigade.’ This brigade consisted of the eighth, Thirteenth, eighteenth, and ninetieth regiments.
The French forces at Alexandria having been augmented in numbers by the arrival of additional troops from the interior, General Menou advanced early on the morning of the 21st of March, and attacked the English position with great intrepidity; but the French were repulsed at every point of attack, and the British soldiers stood triumphant over Buonaparte’s “invincible” legions, at the close of the third engagement on the distant shores of Egypt. Sir Ralph Abercromby was wounded in the action, and died a few days afterwards, much regretted by the army: he was succeeded by Lieut.-General (afterwards Lord) Hutchinson.
After this victory, one division traversed the country to Rosetta, and captured the forts at that place; part of the army then advanced up the river Nile, and forced the French troops at the city of Cairo to surrender. The Thirteenth foot were, however, not employed in these services, but were engaged in the blockade of Alexandria.
A body of troops arrived in Egypt from India; the forces which had captured Cairo returned to the vicinity of Alexandria, and the siege of this city was commenced. The French were unable to defend the place, and they surrendered in the beginning of September. Egypt was thus delivered from the power of the French “Army of the East,” which was forced to quit that country, shorn of its laurels, and to return to France with blighted hopes.
The British soldiers received the thanks of Parliament, and the expression of their Sovereign’s approbation of their heroic conduct; and the “Sphinx,” with the word “Egypt,” on the colours of the Thirteenth Regiment, commemorates its gallant conduct on this splendid enterprise. The Grand Seignior established an order of Knighthood, of which the general officers were made members; and large gold medals were presented to the field officers, captains, and subalterns.
As a further proof of the estimation in which the Grand Seignior held the services of the British soldiers in Egypt, he ordered a palace to be built at Constantinople for the future residence of the British Ambassadors.
Names of the officers of the Thirteenth Regiment who received gold medals for service in Egypt:—