Battle of Alexandria The Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope , fought on 21 March 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie , took place near the ruins of Nicopolis , on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir , along which the British troops had advanced towards Alexandria after the actions of Abukir on 8 March and Mandora on 13 March . Prelude . The British position on the night of 20 March extended across the isthmus , the right wing resting upon the ruins of Nicopolis and the sea , the left on the lake of Abukir and the Alexandria canal . The line faced generally south - west towards the city , the reserve division under Major - General Sir John Moore on the right , the Foot Guards brigade in the centre , and three other brigades on the left . In the second line were two infantry brigades and the cavalry ( dismounted ) . Battle . On 21 March , the troops were under arms at 3 a . m . , and at 3 : 30 a . m . the French attacked and drove in the outposts . The French army now moved forward with great rapidity in their usual formation of columns . The brunt of the attack fell upon Moore ' s command , and in particular upon the 28th ( North Gloucestershire ) Regiment of Foot . The British repulsed the first shock but a French column penetrated in the dark between two British regiments . A confused fight ensued in the ruins , in which the 42nd Black Watch captured a colour . The front and rear ranks of the 28th were simultaneously engaged , whereby the soldiers received the order " Front rank stay as you are , rear rank about turn " and the conduct of the regiment won for it the distinction of wearing badges both at the front and at the back of their head - dress . Other regiments that assisted in the overthrow of the French column were the 23rd , 40th and 58th . In a second attack the enemy ' s cavalry inflicted severe losses on the 42nd . Sir Ralph Abercromby was here engaged in personal conflict with some French dragoons , and about this time received a mortal wound , though he remained on the field and in command to the end . The attack on the centre was repulsed by the cool and steady fire of the Guards , and the left wing maintained its position with ease , but the French cavalry for the second time came to close quarters with the reserve . About half - past eight the combat began to wane , and the last shots were fired at ten . The real attack had been pressed home on the British right , and the " History of the Queen ' s Royal West Surrey Regiment " gives no undue praise to the regiments of the reserve in saying that " the determined attack would have been successful against almost any other troops . " Technically , the details of the action show that , while not markedly better in a melee than the war - seasoned French , the British infantry had in its volleys a power that no other troops then existing possessed , and it was these volleys that decided the day even more than the individual stubbornness of the men . The 42nd , twice charged by cavalry , had but 13 men wounded by the sabre . Part of the French losses were caused by the gunboats which lay close inshore and cannonaded the left flank of the French columns , and by a heavy naval gun which was placed in battery near the position of 28 March . The forces engaged on this day were approximately 14 , 000 British to about 20 , 000 French , and the losses were : British , 1468 killed , wounded and missing , including Abercromby ( who died on 28 March ) , Moore and three other generals wounded ; and the French , 1160 killed and ( ? ) 3000 wounded . Aftermath . The British advanced upon Alexandria and laid siege to it . The French garrison surrendered on 2 September 1801 .