Battle of Alexandria (1801)

Battle of Alexandria
	Part of the French invasion of Egypt and Syria
	; The Battle of Alexandria ; Philip James de Loutherbourg, 1802
Date	21 March 1801
Location	Near Alexandria, Ottoman Egypt31°13′N 29°57′E / 31.22°N 29.95°E
Result	British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	France
Commanders and leaders
Ralph Abercromby (DOW) ; John Hely-Hutchinson ; John Moore (WIA) ; Eyre Coote ; John Doyle ; John Stuart ; Sidney Smith	Jacques-François Menou ; François Lanusse † ; Jean Reynier ; Antoine Rampon ; César Antoine Roize †
Strength
12,000–14,200 ; 35 cannon ; Several gunboats ; 1 naval cannon onshore	10,000–16,000 ; 46 cannon
Casualties and losses
243 killed ; 1,253 wounded ; 32 missing	1,700–5,000 killed, wounded, captured or missing
	Location within Mediterranean

The Battle of Alexandria (also known as the Battle of Canope/Canopus) was fought on 21 March 1801, where the British army and naval forces repelled an assault by the French army as part of the French invasion of Egypt and Syria. Led by General Sir Ralph Abercromby, the British engaged a French force under Divisional-general Jacques-François Menou near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the Mediterranean Sea and Abukir. The British routed Menou's army after several hours of fierce fighting, though Abercromby was mortally wounded. About half of the French casualties at Alexandria were caused by British naval force. John Hely-Hutchinson, who replaced Abercromby, led the British army to Alexandria and laid siege to the city, which surrendered in September.