Alexandria expedition of 1807 The Alexandria expedition of 1807 or Fraser expedition ( Arabic : حملة فريزر ) was an operation by the Royal Navy and the British Army during the Anglo - Turkish War ( 1807 – 1809 ) of the Napoleonic Wars to capture Alexandria in Egypt with the purpose of securing a base of operations against the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean Sea . It was a part of a larger strategy against the Ottoman - French alliance of the Ottoman Sultan Selim III . The people of Alexandria , being disaffected towards Muhammad Ali , opened the gates of the city to the British forces , allowing for one of the easiest conquests of a city by the British forces during the Napoleonic Wars . However , due to lack of supplies , and inconclusive operations against the Egyptian forces , the Expedition was forced to embark the transports again , and leave Alexandria , not having reached any specific goals towards influencing the Ottoman Empire ' s improving relations with France . The Expedition commences . The Expedition began in mid - February 1807 when a force of British troops deployed in Calabria and Sicily was ordered by General Fox in Messina to embark on transports with a mission rumoured to be destined for Constantinople while John Thomas Duckworth , appointed second in command of the Mediterranean Fleet , sailed for Constantinople , but he failed to provide effective support for Dmitry Senyavin ' s Imperial Russian Navy in the Dardanelles Operation . After departure from Constantinople , as an Admiral of the White Squadron he was to rendezvous with the transports in Aboukir Bay . However , by 17 March the fleet of transports with nearly 5 , 000 British troops embarked on board approached off Alexandria under the command of General Alexander Mackenzie - Fraser . Occupation of Alexandria . The appearance of the British transports off Alexandria was unexpected , and two Ottoman frigates , Uri Bahar ( 40 guns ) and Uri Nasard ( 34 guns ) and corvette Fara Numa ( 16 guns ) were taken as prizes on 20 March by HMS " Tigre " . HMS " Apollo " with nineteen other transports had separated on the 7 March , and were not present during the initial landings . The sole garrison of the city at this time consisted of Albanian troops , which the French Consul - General Bernandino Drovetti attempted to force to repel the British landing west of the city . Despite the high surf , almost 700 troops with five field guns , along with 56 seamen , commanded by Lieutenant James Boxer , were disembarked without opposition near the ravine that runs from Lake Mareotis to the sea . These troops breached the palisaded entrenchments at eight in the evening on the 18 March . It was fortuitous that serious resistance was not offered because the lines stretching from Fort des Baines to Lake Mareotis included eight guns in three batteries , and thirteen guns in the fort on the right flank . British casualties were light , however the Pompey Gate was barricade d and defended by about 1 , 000 troops and armed volunteers , forcing British troops to set up camp to the south . Two detachments were sent to occupy Aboukir Castle , and the " Cut " , Qaitbay Citadel , a castle in Alexandria between lakes Maadia and Mareotis , to prevent Ottoman reinforcements reaching the city . On the next day 20 March the rest of the transports appeared off Alexandria , and an Arab messenger was sent with an offer of capitualtion that was accepted by the city authorities . Sir John Thomas Duckworth also appeared on the 22 March off Alexandria in his flagship HMS " Royal George " with a part of his squadron , further bolstering the confidence of the British troops . On the occupation of the city , Fraser and his staff first heard of the death of Muhammad Bey al - Alfi , upon whose co - operation they had founded their hopes of further success ; and messengers were immediately despatched to his successor and other local Bey s , inviting them to Alexandria . The British Resident , Major Missett , with support from Duckworth , was able to convince General Mackenzie - Fraser of the importance of occupying Rosetta ( Reshee ' d ) and Rahmanieh ( Er - Rahhma ' nee ' yeh ) to secure supplies for Alexandria because they controlled the canal , by which supplies were brought to the city via the Nile . Attempts to supply the expedition . 1500 troops of the 31st Foot and the Chasseurs Britanniques were detached , accompanied by a section of Royal Artillery , under Major - General Patrick Wauchope and Brigadier - General Meade , on a mission to secure the Abourmandur Heights outside the city . They force entered Rosetta without encountering any opposition , but as soon as they had dispersed among the narrow streets , the garrison opened fire on them from the latticed windows and the roofs of the houses . They retreated on Aboukir and Alexandria , after a very heavy loss of General Wauchope , three other officers and 185 men killed , and General Meade , nineteen other officers and 281 men wounded . The heads of the slain were fixed on stakes on the sides of the road crossing the Ezbekia in Cairo . Manoeuvring against Muhammad Ali . Muhammad Ali , meanwhile , was conducting an expedition against the Beys in Upper Egypt ( he later defeated them near Assiut ) when he heard of the arrival of the British . In great alarm lest the beys should join them , especially as they were far north of his position , he immediately sent messengers to his rivals . Ali promised to comply with all the Beys demands if they should join in expelling the invaders ; this proposal being agreed to , both armies marched towards Cairo on opposite sides of the river . Occupation of Rosetta . The possession of Rosetta being deemed indispensable , Brigadier - General Sir William Stewart and Colonel Oswald were despatched there with 2500 men . However , a deputy of Muhammad Ali of Egypt , Umar Makram , had begun to rally the local population and bring troops from Cairo in the attempt to slow the British advance towards the capital . They fought a running battle for fifteen days against superior Turkish forces , including a thirteen - day cannonade of the town without effect . On April 20 , news arrived from the advanced guard at Al Hamed of the arrival of 50 - 60 large vessels with reinforcements to join the besieged by Nile , and General Stewart was compelled to retreat . A dragoon was despatched to Lieutenant - Colonel Macleod , commanding at Al Hamed , ordering him to fall back as well , but the messenger was unable to reach the British position . On 21 April , the advanced guard , numbering 733 and comprising a detachment of the 31st , two companies of the 78th , one of the 35th , and De Roll ' s Regiment , with a picquet of dragoon s , was surrounded . the survivors , who had expended all their ammunition , became prisoners of war . General Stewart regained Alexandria with the remainder of his force , having lost over 900 men , killed , wounded and missing . Hundreds of British heads were exposed on stakes in Cairo , and the prisoners were marched between these mutilated remains . However , this time the British prisoners were well treated , and officers were given quarters in the Citadel . Siege of Alexandria . The defeat at Rosetta forced Mackenzie - Fraser to reconsider his position , and British troops were ordered to reoccupy Alexandria which was soon besieged by the Arab and Mamluk troops from Cairo . Using his feigned good will as a pretext , Muhammad Ali then offered the British the freedom to receive supplies from Duckworth ' s transports as well as a grain trade agreement with an added assurances of security for any trade routes to India in return for recognition of his independence from the Ottoman Empire . The grain agreement was accepted , and supplies continued to be delivered to the British troops in Alexandria . However , formal recognition of independence was not given by the British Government , which had no intention of seeing the Ottoman Empire dismantled at this time . Departure from Alexandria . Colonel Dravetti , now advising Muhammed Ali in Cairo , was able to persuade the dictator to release the British prisoners as a good will gesture , sparing them the usual fate of becoming slaves to their captors . In September , when no further use could be gained from occupation of Alexandria , General Mackenzie - Fraser was permitted to surrender the city and withdraw to Sicily on the 25th . Expedition Order of Battle . The Royal Navy HMS " Royal George " ( 110 guns ) Vice - Admiral Duckworth ( flag ) , Captain Richard Dalling Dunn HMS " Canopus " ( 80 guns ) HMS " Repulse " ( 74 guns ) HMS " Pompee " ( 74 guns ) HMS " Thunderer " ( 74 guns ) HMS " Tigre " ( 74 guns ) Captain Benjamin Hallowell HMS " Apollo " ( 38 guns ) Captain Fellowes HMS " Wizard " brig - sloop ( 16 guns ) Captain Palmer 33 transports The British Army detachment , Royal Staff Corps detachment , Royal Artillery detachment , Royal Engineers Sir John Burgoyne 3rd Squadron , 20th Light Dragoons 1st Battalion , 31st Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion , 35th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion , 35th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion , 78th Regiment of Foot Regiment de Roll Chasseurs Britanniques Sicilian Regiment