British Briefing

The Battle of Alexandria

21st March, 1801
 Intelligence Briefing
Background:

The British Corps, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir

Ralph Abercrombie, had been sent to Egypt to remove the French
garrison from the region, following Napoleon's departure in August
1799. On the 1st of March 1801, the British Corps, originally
consisting of 15,300 men but much affected by disease, carried by a
fleet of 175 ships, arrived at the natural harbour of Abu Qir, (known
to the British as "Aboukir Bay"), some 23 kilometres (14 miles) from
the port city of Alexandria.

On 8 March, the British vanguard of 5,500 came ashore by boat,

opposed by a French force of some 2,000 drawn up on the sand
dunes overlooking the landing beach, an action known as the Second
Battle of Aboukir. The outcome had essentially been decided in the
first 20 minutes of the landfall, when Major General John Moore,
commanding the centre of the British line, carried the main French
position on a sand dune with a bayonet charge; the French were
forced to retreat and the whole British corps had landed by nightfall.

Having established a depot and field hospital on the beach, the

British besieged and captured Aboukir Castle from the French and
began preparations to move against Alexandria. On 12 March, the
British began their cautious advance towards Alexandria along a
narrow isthmus between the Mediterranean and Lake Maadie (later
known as Lake Aboukir). When they reached a feature called
Mandora Tower, they made camp for the night.

British troops landing at Abu Qir (Aboukir) bay on the 8th

March, 1801
 Intelligence Briefing
Battle of Mandora:

A personal reconnaissance by Abercrombie had shown that a French force of nearly 5,000 men under General François Lanusse were holding a ridge
of high ground which crossed the western end of the isthmus; their line rested on the ruins of the Nicoplois of Alexandria at the north and the
Alexandria Canal at the south, and had been strengthened by the construction of a redoubt. Accordingly, the British began their advance at first light,
in two lines. The French unleashed a fierce fire from their artillery and muskets on the 92nd Regiment of Foot which was leading the left column and
mounted a cavalry charge against the 90th Regiment of Foot which was leading the right. Few of the French cavalry reached the British line, most
being driven off by an effective volley of musketry. As the British lines continued their advance, the French began to withdraw to their fortifications on
a further ridge just outside Alexandria; Dillon's Regiment (composed of various foreign troops and French émigré officers) captured two French guns by
the canal in a bayonet charge.

Having secured the former French positions, Abercrombie, who was determined to take the French fortifications outside Alexandria by a coup de main,
began a further advance across the plain that separated the two ridges. General Hutchinson was ordered to take a hill overlooking the plain from the
south which was successful, the 44th Regiment of Foot capturing a guarded bridge over the canal in the process. However, General Moore,
commanding the right hand column, was met with intense artillery fire to which they were totally exposed. Halting while a reconnaissance was
conducted by Abercrombie, during which his horse was shot from underneath him, the British eventually withdrew at sunset to the line which they had
captured earlier in the day.

Prelude to the Battle:

The British set about further fortifying their new position, landed heavy guns from the ships offshore and brought up supplies with the intention of
blockading the French garrison. 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.

It is against this position that the French counterattack has been launched during the early hours of the 21st of March…
 Order of Battle
British Army of Egypt, Commander-in-
Chief: Sir Ralph Abercrombie

British Gunboats: Captain Frederick Lewis

Maitland.

Note: On 15th July, 1815 Napoléon would surrender

himself to Maitland (by then Commander Maitland)
aboard HMS Bellerophon after the fateful “100 Days
Campaign”.
 Order of Battle
British Left Wing:

1st Brigade: MG Coote

1st (Royal), 54th (West Norfolk) & the 92nd

(Highland) Regiments of Foot

2nd Brigade: MG Craddock

8th (The King's), 13th (1st Somersetshire), 18th

(The Royal Irish) & the 90th (Perthshire
Volunteers) Regiments of Foot

3rd Brigade: MG Lord Cavan

27th (Royal), 50th (West Norfolk) & the 79th

(Highland) Regiments of Foot

Cavalry Brigade: BG Finch

11th, 12th & 26th Light Dragoons

 Order of Battle
British Right Wing:

Guards Brigade: MG Ludlow

Coldstream & Scots Foot Guards

4th Brigade: BG Doyle

2nd (Queen's Royal), 30th (Cambridgeshire),

44th (East Essex) & the 89th Regiments of Foot

5th Brigade: BG Stuart

Minorca, De Roll & Dillon Regiments

Reserve Brigade: MG Moore

23rd (Royal Welch Fusiliers), 28th (North

Gloucestershire), 40th (2nd Somersetshire), 42nd
(The Royal Highland), 58th (Rutlandshire)
Regiments of Foot & the Corsican Legion
Scenario Map (4ft x 3ft - 16 x 12BW):
The Roman Ruins are 1BW in size and can be garrisoned.

The marshy area behind the French line can be crossed by infantry and cavalry only (difficult movement).

The depression on the south of the map is the dry bed of Lake Mareotis along the norther edge of which
runs the Alexandria Canal (dry at this time of year). This terrain feature has the following effects:

Movement - Only cavalry can traverse the dry lakebed and canal. Cavalry units must halt when they
touch the edge of the lakebed regardless of any remaining movement they may have. They can then
cross at difficult speed the following turn.

Combat - charge movement is across the dry canal is limited to the difficult movement range (i.e.
2BW for cavalry) superseding the rule on pg. 41 which states “The movement allowance of a charge is 2BW
for an infantry unit, and 4BW for an cavalry unit, the same as a unit’s full movement allowance.”
 British Dispositions
No. 1: 2nd Brigade - Cradock (Left Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map in a line between the edge of Lake Aboukir and the hill in the centre
of the British position.

No. 2: 3rd Brigade - Cavan (Left Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map, approx 1BW east 2nd Brigade.

No. 3: 1st Brigade - Coote (Left Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map in a line running north along the southern part of the hill in the
centre of the British position.

No. 4: Cavalry Brigade - Finch (Left Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map, approx 1BW east of 3rd & 4th Brigades.
 British Dispositions
No. 5: Guards Brigade - Ludlow (right Wing) with Sir Ralph Abercrombie attached.

Set up as indicated on the map in a line running north along the northern part of the hill in the centre of the British
position.

No. 6: 4th Brigade - Doyle (Right Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map, approx 1BW east of the Guards Brigade.

No. 7: Reserve Brigade - Moore (Right Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map, approx 1BW east of the Roman Ruins.

No. 8: 5th (Foreign) Brigade - Stuart (Right Wing).

Set up as indicated on the map, approx 1BW east of the Reserve Brigade.

No. 9: British Gunboats - Capt. Maitland.

Available at any point along the coast on the British 1/2 of the table.
 Scenario Notes
British Special Rules:

No. 1: All British units can use the “rally” rule (pg. 87)

** Special: This ‘artillery” unit is to represent the British Gunboats under Captain Maitland that were sitting just off the coast which provided fire
support during the battle. They use 3 dice for all attacks and have an unlimited ammo supply; however hey gain no canister benefit for firing at close
range.

The gunboats have a range of 4BW and can move to any point along the coast, within the British 1/2 of the table, when activated. The unit can is
activated for a cost of 1 MO but cannot be activated “by command”.

Victory Conditions:

British: The British win by breaking the French morale before the end of the game.

French: The French win by breaking the British morale before the end of the game.

Other Info:

Momentum : French = 3 dice, British = 3 dice.

Game turns : The game lasts 29 turns. The game starts at 03:00 (turn 1) and ends at 12:00 (Turn 29). One turn is about 20mins.