Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt; - Destruction of Revolutionary Crocodiles; - or - The British Hero cleansing ye mouth of ye Nile (caricature), by James Gillray, H. Himphrey. Published 6 October 1798. Repro ID: PAF3893 ©National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, LondonNapoleon and his fleet sailed for Egypt on 19 May 1798. He planned to conquer the country before a possible advance to India.

The British knew that the French were mounting a major expedition but they did not know its purpose. Nelson's task was to find this fleet and destroy it. He spent two months searching the Mediterranean. On 1 August 1798, he finally found the French fleet in Aboukir Bay, at the mouth of the Nile. Napoleon had already captured Alexandria and Cairo.

Horatio Nelson, 1807, by William Beechey. Reproduced with the kind permission of The Worshipful Company of Drapers of which Nelson was an illustrious memberNelson decided to attack immediately. At 17.30, he signalled to his ships to form a battle line. As the head of the French line was anchored too far from the shore, the Goliath could slip around the leading ship and attack from the unprepared side.

Others followed: the assault was devastating. The British took or destroyed 11 of the 13 French ships of the line. Napoleon's army was isolated in Egypt and the balance of power in the Mediterranean had been reversed in Britain's favour.

The hero of the Nile >>