In 1801, Abercromby was sent to
Egypt to help drive the French out of that country. When the English army
landed at Aboukir Bay on 2 March 1801, 5,000 English soldiers faced a large
French force under the command of General Louis Friant. Historian George Bruce
writes: “The landing [of the English] was effected under a heavy musketry and
artillery fire, which cost the assailants 1,100 killed and wounded. The French
were driven from their positions with a loss of 500 men.”
Aboukir is known to historians as an important English military victory. After this success, Abercromby advanced to the important French threshold of Alexandria. In the midst of the battle on 21 March 1801, Abercromby was hit in the thigh by a rifle ball. He was taken from the field and placed on the English flagship Foudroyant, but surgeons were unable to remove the ball. As Abercromby lay dying, according to one account, one of his men placed a blanket under his head. “What is it you have placed under my head?” he inquired. When told it was a soldier’s blanket, he replied, “Only a soldier’s blanket? Make haste and return it to him at once!”
Seven days after being shot, Abercromby succumbed to his wound at the age of 66. His body was moved to Malta, and he was laid to rest there. The battle of Alexandria, where he lost his life, was a significant one for the French, who found the English troops to be their equal and whose casualties were extremely heavy. The English lost 1,464 men, including Abercromby.
Size of the image: 169 mm. high x 217 mm. width / 6.65 inch. high x 8.54 inch. wide.
Size of the mount: 260 mm. high
x 308 mm. width / 10.24 inch. high x 12.13 inch. wide.
· 19th century. Hand colored steelengraving. Some wear to the margins and the paper. Some discolorations of the paper. Overall in good condition.
Will be packed between acid free materials. Ready to be framed. Mounted in cardboard mount. The back of the engraving is protected by acid free paper.
We ship with Canada Post, a reliable shipper. We pack thoroughly. When the actual shipping and handling costs are less, we will reimburse the customer.