The Battle of the Nile 1–2 August 1798

This naval battle took place on 1–2 August in Aboukir Bay, off the coast of Egypt. It was between British and French fleets and ended in a British victory. General Napoleon Bonaparte mobilized ships in the region, in an attempt to cut off vital British trade routes, obstructing Britain’s access to its Indian possessions. Admiral Lord Nelson’s British squadron of 11 ships sighted the French fleet of 13 ships at Aboukir Bay on 1 August. Four of Nelson’s ships adopted the surprise tactic of attacking the French fleet on the landward side with the fifth ship, the Culloden, running aground. Six ships attacked led an intense bombardment of the seaward side, joined by the British ships Swiftsure and Alexander. The French vessel, L’Orient, hammered by fierce broadsides, caught fire and sunk. Three ships, under Admiral Villeneuve, managed to escape. Nelson’s squadron captured or destroyed the rest of the French fleet, taking 3,000 prisoners.