The French Revolution in 1792 ignited a prolonged conflict across Europe, lasting for a generation. This war, characterized by shifting alliances, was primarily a contest for dominance over Europe and the world, fought on both land and sea. Among the many rivalries, the most enduring was between France and Britain. While Britain couldn’t match France’s military might on land, its Royal Navy was unmatched at sea, much like Napoleon’s prowess on land. In this era of skilled British naval commanders, Horatio Nelson emerged as a standout figure. Known for his boldness, inspiration, and brilliance, Nelson became a national hero and a legendary figure in British history. This article delves into one of his most significant battles.
By 1798, in the sixth year of the French Revolutionary Wars, France was gaining the upper hand. General Bonaparte’s victories in Italy had forced Austria to seek peace, and Spain had shifted from being an enemy to an ally of France. Britain remained the only major power still at war with the French Republic. The British Royal Navy’s strength made a direct invasion across the English Channel impossible for France. Thus, the French government devised a plan to indirectly weaken Britain by sending an expedition, led by General Bonaparte, to conquer Egypt. Success in Egypt would significantly undermine British influence and trade in the region.
In the previous year, the British had defeated a Spanish fleet at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. However, the Royal Navy had no significant presence in the Mediterranean, leading the French to believe they could safely sail to Egypt. When the British learned of a large French fleet assembling at Toulon, they dispatched Rear-Admiral Nelson with three ships-of-the-line to investigate. Unfortunately, Nelson was driven south by storms just as the French fleet, consisting of 13 ships-of-the-line, several frigates, and numerous transports, set sail. Bonaparte had managed to evade the British.
Nelson was soon reinforced with 11 additional ships-of-the-line. Learning that the French had captured Malta, he correctly deduced that Egypt was their destination and set off at full speed to intercept them. Despite the British fleet’s superior speed, they missed the French fleet on a foggy night, passing within a few miles of each other without detection. Unaware of this near encounter, the British continued their pursuit to Egypt.
Upon arriving in Alexandria, Nelson found no trace of the French and continued his search northward, missing Bonaparte’s fleet by just 24 hours. The French landed safely in Egypt and marched inland, achieving a notable victory at the Battle of the Pyramids. Meanwhile, the French fleet remained anchored in Aboukir Bay. Over a month later, Nelson received word in Sicily that the French fleet was in Egypt. Racing back to Alexandria, he arrived on August 1st, quickly locating the French fleet and preparing for battle.
The French fleet was under the command of Admiral Francois-Paul Brueys d’Aigalliers, a seasoned commander with experience from the American Revolution. Recently promoted to Vice Admiral, Brueys was known for his personal courage and strategic caution. His primary objective was to preserve his fleet, as Bonaparte’s army depended on his ships for communication and supplies from France. When Nelson arrived, a significant portion of Brueys’s crews were ashore gathering water and supplies. Brueys decided to fight a defensive battle, anchoring his fleet in Aboukir Bay, just under a mile from shore.
Brueys ordered each French ship to secure itself to its neighbors with heavy cables, forming a formidable wall of ships ready to repel any attack. He was well aware of Nelson’s reputation. The previous year, Nelson had been celebrated for his role at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, but he had also lost his right arm in a failed attack on the Spanish at Tenerife. After recovering ashore, Nelson was determined to engage and destroy the French fleet.
Nelson had strategic reasons for a high-risk attack on the French. Destroying their fleet would strand the French army in Egypt, leading to the failure of Bonaparte’s expedition without a single British soldier setting foot ashore. Nelson commanded 13 third-rate ships-of-the-line, along with the 50-gun Leander and a small sloop for communication. Facing 13 French ships-of-the-line and four frigates, the forces were evenly matched, though the French flagship L’Orient, with 120 guns, was the most powerful warship present.
Nelson planned a night attack to exploit Brueys’s caution. He intended to advance along the seaward side of the French line, and when his vanguard reached L’Orient, his ships would drop anchor. His entire fleet would engage half the French fleet, with northerly winds preventing the remaining French ships from joining the battle. Nelson’s plan was bold and straightforward, but it did not unfold as expected.
The British fleet began its final approach at 6 PM, under full sail, in line astern. The 74-gun HMS Goliath led the way, followed by HMS Zealous and HMS Audacious. The wind was from the northwest, and the seas were calm. The British lacked reliable maps of the bay, posing a real risk of running aground. HMS Goliath had to take careful soundings to check the sea’s depth. As Goliath rounded the entrance to Aboukir Bay, the British turned south to sail with the wind towards the French line.
The French had been observing the British approach, and at 6:20 PM, as Goliath came within range, they opened fire. Nelson encouraged his officers to use their initiative, so when Captain Foley, commanding HMS Goliath, saw a gap between the French ships and the shoals, he made a snap decision to sail down it. Goliath’s course was followed by Zealous, Audacious, Orion, and Theseus. Nelson’s flagship, HMS Vanguard, would now lead the rest of the fleet down the seaward side of the French line.
Captain Foley’s bold decision exploited a critical oversight by Admiral Brueys, who had assumed the shoals made it impossible for an attack from the landward side. Now, not only would his vanguard be attacked on both sides, but French guns on the landward side were not even ready for action due to a lack of sailors to man them. As Goliath passed across the bow of Guerrier, she fired a raking broadside into her, with each following British ship delivering similar blows.
HMS Orion took a wider track to avoid the melee developing at the head of the French line, bringing her past the French frigate Sérieuse in the shallows. Conventionally, ships-of-the-line did not fire on frigates during fleet actions, but when the captain of Sérieuse fired on Orion, he waived this protection. Orion held her fire until she passed the French frigate, then returned fire at point-blank range, devastating the French frigate.
The British landward column dropped anchor to engage the French vanguard, while the seaward column, led by Nelson aboard HMS Vanguard, arrived to attack the French from the other side. Each ship’s captain singled out a target and dropped anchor alongside: Vanguard alongside Spartiate, Minotaur against Aquilon, and Defence against Peuple Souverain. Five French ships were now under attack from eight British ships, most of them from both sides.
HMS Bellerophon and Majestic joined the battle, heading for the center of the French line. Bellerophon aimed for Franklin but overshot, coming alongside Admiral Brueys’ formidable flagship, L’Orient. HMS Majestic also misjudged her approach, becoming entangled with Tonnant and fighting two French ships simultaneously. By 7 PM, the light was fading. Two miles north, the last British ship, HMS Culloden, could not make out the edge of the shoals and ran aground. HMS Leander and the sloop Mutine diverted to try to tow Culloden clear, but it proved a futile task.
Culloden’s fate highlighted the narrow margin for error during the British approach. The French vanguard had been under heavy attack for 30 minutes. Conquerant had been completely dismasted, her captain was dying, and a third of her crew were casualties. She was the first to strike her colors. But it was not all one-way traffic. HMS Bellerophon was heavily outgunned in her contest with L’Orient, with 200 men, a third of her crew, killed or wounded, and she lost her main and mizzen masts. Her captain ordered the anchor cable cut so the ship would drift out of the firing line.
Around half past eight, two British stragglers, HMS Swiftsure and Alexander, joined the battle late. In the smoke and gloom, they passed the drifting hulk of Bellerophon and nearly fired on her by mistake. Swiftsure and Alexander broke the enemy line on either side of L’Orient, pouring raking fire into the French flagship. Aboard Vanguard, Nelson was hit in the forehead by a splinter. His face streaming with blood, he thought it was the end. “I am killed,” he announced, “Remember me to my wife.” But he was soon stitched up by the ship’s surgeon and back in command.
The wounds of French commander Admiral Brueys aboard L’Orient were far more serious. Horribly injured in the face and hands, he was then hit by a cannonball that removed his legs. He still refused to leave his post on deck and died there. As darkness fell, Guerrier and Spartiate, which had been under heavy fire for more than two hours, both struck their colors. Around the same time, HMS Leander, having given up her attempt to tow HMS Culloden free, broke the French line between Peuple Souverain and Franklin, raking both.
The battle was turning decisively in the Royal Navy’s favor. Aquilon fought hard, turning herself to rake the British flagship, HMS Vanguard. But in turn, she was raked by HMS Minotaur and hauled down her colors at 9:25 PM. Peuple Souverain tried to escape by cutting her anchor cable and drifting down the French line. L’Orient mistook her for the enemy and opened fire. Minutes later, the flicker of flames was seen through the lower deck gunports of L’Orient. The fire spread, deck by deck, until the massive French flagship was ablaze from stem to stern.
Every onlooker knew that deep within L’Orient’s hold lay her grand magazine, containing 30 to 40 tons of gunpowder. All ships in the vicinity took emergency measures. Gun ports were closed, and ship sides, decks, and sails were soaked with water in anticipation of the explosion to come. French ships Tonnant, Heureux, and Mercure cut their anchor cables, hoping to drift to a safe distance. Around 10 PM, the fire reached L’Orient’s grand magazine. The warship was obliterated in a colossal explosion, killing everyone left on board and many who had jumped overboard to save themselves. More than 90% of the ship’s crew were killed—around 1,000 men. The sheer force of the explosion spared nearby ships as flaming wreckage was blasted up and over them.
Stunned, both sides stopped firing to gaze in horror at the spectacle. British ships lowered boats to rescue the few survivors. After a ten-minute lull, firing resumed. But after the destruction of their flagship, the French were running out of fight. Swiftsure and Defence turned their guns on Franklin, soon forcing her surrender. Tonnant, having cut her cables and unable to maneuver, drifted helplessly into the French rearguard. These three ships, unable to sail into the wind to join the action, looked on impotently as the carnage unfolded.
Dawn on August 2nd revealed a terrible scene of death and destruction. Jon Nicol of the Goliath was a witness: “I went on deck to view the state of the fleets, and an awful sight it was. The whole bay was covered with dead bodies, mangled, wounded, and scorched, not a bit of clothes on them except their trousers.” The entire French vanguard had been captured or destroyed. Heureux and Mercure had run aground in their panicked attempt to escape the explosion of L’Orient. The four surviving French ships-of-the-line would now attempt to fight their way clear. Two ran aground. Only the Generaux, Guillaume Tell, and two frigates escaped the devastation. The captain of the Guillaume Tell, Pierre Villeneuve, would face sharp criticism for failing to play a greater part in the battle. Seven years later, as fleet commander, he would face Nelson again at Trafalgar.
British losses were 218 killed and 678 wounded. Three ships were badly damaged: Bellerophon, Majestic, and Culloden. French losses were around 1,700 killed and more than 3,000 taken prisoner, many of them wounded. Two ships-of-the-line and two frigates were sunk, and nine were captured. Of these, three were damaged beyond repair and burned. The remaining six entered service with the Royal Navy. To cap it all, most of the French treasury that General Bonaparte was relying on to fund his Egyptian campaign had been lost with L’Orient.
Nelson’s brilliant victory at the Nile had major consequences. The balance of naval power in the Mediterranean shifted dramatically in Britain’s favor. General Bonaparte’s expeditionary force in Egypt was cut off, and though its commander slipped back to France the following year, his army was forced to surrender in 1801. The French garrison of Malta also surrendered, with the island becoming a British protectorate. French defeat encouraged her enemies to form a new Second Coalition and renew the war. Nelson was the hero of the hour, celebrated in royal courts from London to St. Petersburg and Constantinople. He received jewels, medals, ceremonial swords, and his long-coveted peerage—Baron Nelson of the Nile.
The Nile was one of the most decisive and crushing naval battles in history. Some historians argue it was the most significant battle Nelson ever fought. However, the battle with which Nelson’s name would be forever linked would be fought seven years later off Cape Trafalgar.
Have you ever wanted to hear more from the ordinary soldiers and sailors of the Napoleonic Wars? What did combat look like from the front rank of the Grande Armée or Wellington’s army in Spain? What was it like to charge into the breach at Badajoz or face Spanish partisans in the guerrilla war? In our next video, Epic History is bringing to life a score of dramatic eyewitness accounts from the Peninsular War—from French, British, Spanish, German, and Polish veterans.
If you want to be the first to see this new documentary, you can head over to the prestige streaming service, Nebula. Nebula is a streaming service built by creators to offer a superior experience to other video platforms. Here, there are no ads—just hand-picked creators you can trust, working hard to create original, quality content. It’s the most interesting, fastest-growing independent video platform on the Internet. Because it’s owned and run by creators, the emphasis will always be on creating more thoughtful and ambitious content as the platform grows.
Nebula also fairly rewards its creators, so if you sign up, you’re actively supporting channels like ours. There are hundreds of great content creators on Nebula across all genres. So whether you want to learn or laugh, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love. Believe it or not, we sometimes like to take a break from historical content, and right now we’re enjoying Nebula Original, ‘The Getaway.’ Part gameshow, part social experiment, this wildly entertaining series challenges six creators to complete tasks, build their cash pot, and weed out the snitch among them in a bid to win $10,000. The twist? They’re all the snitch. The show becomes just as much about the producers’ ability to hide the truth as the contest itself, and the format had us hooked from the start.
The Getaway is one example of the ambitious, original content Nebula empowers creators to make, and there’s plenty more. With Nebula’s category homepages, you can quickly find whatever you’re after, from original movies and podcasts to documentaries across true crime, tech, entertainment, and, of course, history. The history homepage shows just how much Nebula has to offer, including more Nebula Originals only available to subscribers. On Nebula, you can watch our entire catalog ad-free and see new content at least a week before it’s released on YouTube.
All this, and a massive discount for Epic History viewers. The link in our video description gets you 40% off the annual plan—that’s just $36 a year for ad-free viewing, exclusive content, and the knowledge you’re helping your favorite creators build a sustainable platform for the future. Even better, the Nebula lifetime plan offers lifetime access, no strings, for $300.
Thanks to all our existing Nebula subscribers, and a big thanks to Drachinifel for expert research and advice throughout our series on Nelson’s battles. For anyone with an interest in naval history, his YouTube channel is essential viewing, packed with profiles of historic warships and expert discussion of naval technology and operations. Thanks as always to the Patreon supporters who help to make this channel possible—from builders to citizens and heroes. Join their ranks by joining us on Patreon, where you’ll get early, ad-free access to new videos.
Engage in a 3D simulation of the Battle of the Nile. You’ll take on the role of a naval commander, making strategic decisions to either replicate or alter the historical outcome. This activity will help you understand the tactical maneuvers and challenges faced by both the British and French fleets.
Participate in a debate where you assume the roles of key historical figures such as Horatio Nelson, Admiral Brueys, or Napoleon Bonaparte. Discuss the strategic importance of Egypt and the implications of the battle on the French Revolutionary Wars. This will enhance your understanding of the political and military strategies of the era.
Analyze historical maps of the Mediterranean and Aboukir Bay. Identify the strategic positions of the fleets and discuss how geography influenced the battle’s outcome. This activity will improve your skills in geographical analysis and historical interpretation.
Examine primary sources such as letters, diaries, and official reports from the Battle of the Nile. Discuss in groups how these documents provide insights into the experiences of sailors and commanders. This will deepen your appreciation for historical research and firsthand accounts.
Create a short story or video from the perspective of a sailor or officer involved in the Battle of the Nile. Focus on personal experiences and the emotional impact of the battle. This creative exercise will help you connect with the human aspect of historical events.
**Sanitized Transcript: An Epic History / Drachinifel Collaboration**
In 1792, the French Revolution sparked a European conflict that would last a generation—a struggle for mastery of Europe and the world, fought on land and sea. In this war of shifting alliances, the most enduring rivalry was between France and Britain. Britain could not challenge France on land, but at sea, it was a different matter. Britain’s Royal Navy was dominant on the waves, as Napoleon was to prove on land. In an age when Britain had many skilled naval commanders, one stood out above the rest: Horatio Nelson. Bold, inspiring, and brilliant, he became a national hero and legend for the British. These are the stories of his greatest battles.
In 1798, during the sixth year of the French Revolutionary Wars, France was winning. General Bonaparte’s brilliant victories in Italy had forced Austria to sue for peace. Spain, once France’s enemy, was now an ally. Britain was the only major power still at war with the French Republic. British naval power made a cross-Channel invasion impossible, so the French government decided to strike at Britain indirectly by sending an expedition, led by General Bonaparte, to conquer Egypt. If the French succeeded, they would strike a powerful blow against their last major enemy by destroying British influence and trade in the region.
The previous year, the British had defeated a Spanish fleet at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. However, the Royal Navy currently had no major forces in the Mediterranean, leading the French to believe they could sail to Egypt in relative safety. When the British learned that a large French fleet was assembling at Toulon, they sent Rear-Admiral Nelson with three ships-of-the-line to investigate. However, he was driven south by gales just as the French, with 13 ships-of-the-line, several frigates, and hundreds of transports, set sail. Bonaparte had given the British the slip.
Nelson was reinforced with 11 ships of the line and, learning that the French had stopped at and captured Malta, correctly deduced that Egypt was their destination. He set off at full speed to intercept. The British warships were much faster than the French invasion force, but they overtook their quarry on a foggy night. Though the two fleets passed within a few miles of each other, neither side spotted the other. Unaware of their near miss, the British raced on to Egypt.
Arriving at Alexandria, Nelson saw no sign of the French and headed north to continue the hunt, missing Bonaparte’s fleet by 24 hours. The French landed safely in Egypt and marched inland, en route to a famous victory at the Battle of the Pyramids. The French fleet remained at anchor in Aboukir Bay. More than a month later, word finally reached Nelson in Sicily that the French fleet was in Egypt. Racing back to Alexandria with his squadron, he arrived on August 1st, quickly locating the French fleet and preparing to attack.
The French fleet was commanded by Admiral Francois-Paul Brueys d’Aigalliers, an experienced commander who had seen action during the American Revolution. Recently promoted to Vice Admiral, he had a reputation for personal courage mixed with strategic caution. Admiral Brueys had one objective: to preserve his fleet, as Bonaparte’s army relied on his ships for communications and supplies from France. When Nelson arrived, almost a third of his crews were ashore foraging for water and supplies. Brueys concluded he must fight a defensive battle. His fleet, consisting of 13 ships of the line and 4 frigates, would remain anchored in Aboukir Bay, just under a mile from shore.
Brueys issued orders for each French ship to secure itself to its neighbors with heavy cables, forming an unbreakable wall of ships ready to resist any attack. He was well aware of Nelson’s reputation. The previous year, Nelson had been celebrated for his heroic role at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, but five months later, he lost his right arm following a failed attack on the Spanish at Tenerife. After convalescing ashore, he was determined to engage and destroy the French fleet.
Nelson had sound strategic reasons for a high-risk attack on the French. If he could destroy their fleet, the French army in Egypt would be stranded far from home, leading to the failure of Bonaparte’s expedition without a single British soldier stepping ashore. Nelson had 13 third-rate ships of the line, plus the 50-gun Leander and a small sloop for running messages. Facing 13 French ships-of-the-line and four frigates, the two forces were evenly matched, though the French flagship L’Orient, with 120 guns, was the most powerful warship present.
Nelson decided on a night attack to exploit Brueys’s caution. He would advance along the seaward side of the French line, and when his vanguard reached L’Orient, his ships would drop anchor. His entire fleet would take on half the French fleet, with northerly winds preventing the remaining French ships from joining the battle. Nelson’s plan was bold and simple, but it would not go as intended.
The British fleet began its final approach at 6 PM, under full sail, in line astern. The 74-gun HMS Goliath was in the lead, followed by HMS Zealous and HMS Audacious. The wind was from the northwest, and the seas were calm. The British did not have reliable maps of the bay, meaning there was a real risk of running aground. HMS Goliath had to take careful soundings as she went, checking the sea’s depth. When Goliath rounded the entrance to Aboukir Bay, the British began their turn south to sail with the wind towards the French line.
The French had been observing the British approach, and at 6:20 PM, as Goliath came within range, they opened fire. Nelson encouraged his officers to use their initiative, so when Captain Foley, commanding HMS Goliath, saw a gap between the French ships and the shoals, he made a snap decision to sail down it. Goliath’s course was followed by Zealous, Audacious, Orion, and Theseus. Nelson’s flagship, HMS Vanguard, would now lead the rest of the fleet down the seaward side of the French line.
Captain Foley’s bold decision exploited a disastrous oversight by Admiral Brueys, who had assumed that the shoals made it impossible for him to be attacked from the landward side. Now, not only would his vanguard be attacked on both sides, but French guns on the landward side were not even ready for action due to a lack of sailors to man them. As Goliath passed across the bow of Guerrier, she fired a raking broadside into her, with each following British ship blasting Guerrier in the same fashion.
HMS Orion took a wider track to avoid the melee developing at the head of the French line, bringing her past the French frigate Sérieuse in the shallows. According to convention, ships-of-the-line did not normally fire on frigates during fleet actions, but when the captain of Sérieuse fired on Orion, he waived this protection. Orion held her fire until she passed the French frigate, then returned fire at point-blank range, smashing the French frigate to pieces.
The British landward column dropped anchor to take on the French vanguard, while the seaward column, led by Nelson aboard HMS Vanguard, arrived to hit the French from the other side. Each ship’s captain singled out a target and dropped anchor alongside: Vanguard alongside Spartiate, Minotaur against Aquilon, and Defence against Peuple Souverain. Five French ships were now under attack from eight British ships, most of them from both sides.
HMS Bellerophon and Majestic joined the battle, heading for the center of the French line. Bellerophon aimed for Franklin but overshot, coming alongside Admiral Brueys’ formidable flagship, L’Orient. HMS Majestic also misjudged her approach, becoming entangled with Tonnant and fighting two French ships simultaneously. By 7 PM, the light was fading. Two miles north, the last British ship, HMS Culloden, could not make out the edge of the shoals and ran aground. HMS Leander and the sloop Mutine diverted to try to tow Culloden clear, but it proved a futile task.
Culloden’s fate showed just how small the room for error had been during the British approach. The French vanguard had been under heavy attack for 30 minutes. Conquerant had been completely dismasted, her captain was dying, and a third of her crew were casualties. She was the first to strike her colors. But it was not all one-way traffic. HMS Bellerophon was heavily outgunned in her contest with L’Orient, with 200 men, a third of her crew, killed or wounded, and she lost her main and mizzen masts. Her captain gave the order to cut the anchor cable so the ship would drift out of the firing line.
Around half past eight, two British stragglers, HMS Swiftsure and Alexander, joined the battle late. In the smoke and gloom, they passed the drifting hulk of Bellerophon and nearly fired on her by mistake. Swiftsure and Alexander broke the enemy line either side of L’Orient, pouring raking fire into the French flagship. Aboard Vanguard, Nelson was hit in the forehead by a splinter. His face streaming blood, he thought it was the end. “I am killed,” he announced, “Remember me to my wife.” But he was soon stitched up by the ship’s surgeon and back in command.
The wounds of French commander Admiral Brueys aboard L’Orient were far more serious. Horribly injured in the face and hands, he was then hit by a cannonball that removed his legs. He still refused to leave his post on deck and died there. As darkness fell, Guerrier and Spartiate, which had been under heavy fire for more than two hours, both struck their colors. Around the same time, HMS Leander, having given up her attempt to tow HMS Culloden free, broke the French line between Peuple Souverain and Franklin, raking both.
The battle was turning decisively in the Royal Navy’s favor. Aquilon fought hard, turning herself to rake the British flagship, HMS Vanguard. But in turn, she was raked by HMS Minotaur and hauled down her colors at 9:25 PM. Peuple Souverain tried to escape by cutting her anchor cable and drifting down the French line. L’Orient mistook her for the enemy and opened fire. Minutes later, the flicker of flames was seen through the lower deck gunports of L’Orient. The fire spread, deck by deck, until the massive French flagship was ablaze from stem to stern.
Every onlooker knew that deep within L’Orient’s hold lay her grand magazine, containing 30 to 40 tons of gunpowder. All ships in the vicinity took emergency measures. Gun ports were closed, and ship sides, decks, and sails were soaked with water in anticipation of the explosion to come. French ships Tonnant, Heureux, and Mercure cut their anchor cables, hoping to drift to a safe distance. Around 10 PM, the fire reached L’Orient’s grand magazine. The warship was obliterated in a colossal explosion, killing everyone left on board and many who had jumped overboard to save themselves. More than 90% of the ship’s crew were killed—around 1,000 men. The sheer force of the explosion spared nearby ships as flaming wreckage was blasted up and over them.
Stunned, both sides stopped firing to gaze in horror at the spectacle. British ships lowered boats to rescue the few survivors. After a ten-minute lull, firing resumed. But after the destruction of their flagship, the French were running out of fight. Swiftsure and Defence turned their guns on Franklin, soon forcing her surrender. Tonnant, having cut her cables and unable to maneuver, drifted helplessly into the French rearguard. These three ships, unable to sail into the wind to join the action, looked on impotently as the carnage unfolded.
Dawn on August 2nd revealed a terrible scene of death and destruction. Jon Nicol of the Goliath was a witness: “I went on deck to view the state of the fleets, and an awful sight it was. The whole bay was covered with dead bodies, mangled, wounded, and scorched, not a bit of clothes on them except their trousers.” The entire French vanguard had been captured or destroyed. Heureux and Mercure had run aground in their panicked attempt to escape the explosion of L’Orient. The four surviving French ships-of-the-line would now attempt to fight their way clear. Two ran aground. Only the Generaux, Guillaume Tell, and two frigates escaped the devastation. The captain of the Guillaume Tell, Pierre Villeneuve, would face sharp criticism for failing to play a greater part in the battle. Seven years later, as fleet commander, he would face Nelson again at Trafalgar.
British losses were 218 killed and 678 wounded. Three ships were badly damaged: Bellerophon, Majestic, and Culloden. French losses were around 1,700 killed and more than 3,000 taken prisoner, many of them wounded. Two ships-of-the-line and two frigates were sunk, and nine were captured. Of these, three were damaged beyond repair and burned. The remaining six entered service with the Royal Navy. To cap it all, most of the French treasury that General Bonaparte was relying on to fund his Egyptian campaign had been lost with L’Orient.
Nelson’s brilliant victory at the Nile had major consequences. The balance of naval power in the Mediterranean shifted dramatically in Britain’s favor. General Bonaparte’s expeditionary force in Egypt was cut off, and though its commander slipped back to France the following year, his army was forced to surrender in 1801. The French garrison of Malta also surrendered, with the island becoming a British protectorate. French defeat encouraged her enemies to form a new Second Coalition and renew the war. Nelson was the hero of the hour, celebrated in royal courts from London to St. Petersburg and Constantinople. He received jewels, medals, ceremonial swords, and his long-coveted peerage—Baron Nelson of the Nile.
The Nile was one of the most decisive and crushing naval battles in history. Some historians argue it was the most significant battle Nelson ever fought. However, the battle with which Nelson’s name would be forever linked would be fought seven years later off Cape Trafalgar.
Have you ever wanted to hear more from the ordinary soldiers and sailors of the Napoleonic Wars? What did combat look like from the front rank of the Grande Armée or Wellington’s army in Spain? What was it like to charge into the breach at Badajoz or face Spanish partisans in the guerrilla war? In our next video, Epic History is bringing to life a score of dramatic eyewitness accounts from the Peninsular War—from French, British, Spanish, German, and Polish veterans.
If you want to be the first to see this new documentary, you can head over to the prestige streaming service, Nebula. Nebula is a streaming service built by creators to offer a superior experience to other video platforms. Here, there are no ads—just hand-picked creators you can trust, working hard to create original, quality content. It’s the most interesting, fastest-growing independent video platform on the Internet. Because it’s owned and run by creators, the emphasis will always be on creating more thoughtful and ambitious content as the platform grows.
Nebula also fairly rewards its creators, so if you sign up, you’re actively supporting channels like ours. There are hundreds of great content creators on Nebula across all genres. So whether you want to learn or laugh, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love. Believe it or not, we sometimes like to take a break from historical content, and right now we’re enjoying Nebula Original, ‘The Getaway.’ Part gameshow, part social experiment, this wildly entertaining series challenges six creators to complete tasks, build their cash pot, and weed out the snitch among them in a bid to win $10,000. The twist? They’re all the snitch. The show becomes just as much about the producers’ ability to hide the truth as the contest itself, and the format had us hooked from the start.
The Getaway is one example of the ambitious, original content Nebula empowers creators to make, and there’s plenty more. With Nebula’s category homepages, you can quickly find whatever you’re after, from original movies and podcasts to documentaries across true crime, tech, entertainment, and, of course, history. The history homepage shows just how much Nebula has to offer, including more Nebula Originals only available to subscribers. On Nebula, you can watch our entire catalog ad-free and see new content at least a week before it’s released on YouTube.
All this, and a massive discount for Epic History viewers. The link in our video description gets you 40% off the annual plan—that’s just $36 a year for ad-free viewing, exclusive content, and the knowledge you’re helping your favorite creators build a sustainable platform for the future. Even better, the Nebula lifetime plan offers lifetime access, no strings, for $300.
Thanks to all our existing Nebula subscribers, and a big thanks to Drachinifel for expert research and advice throughout our series on Nelson’s battles. For anyone with an interest in naval history, his YouTube channel is essential viewing, packed with profiles of historic warships and expert discussion of naval technology and operations. Thanks as always to the Patreon supporters who help to make this channel possible—from builders to citizens and heroes. Join their ranks by joining us on Patreon, where you’ll get early, ad-free access to new videos.
Battle – A military fight between groups, especially during a war – The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was a pivotal moment in English history that led to Norman control of England.
Navy – The branch of a nation’s armed services that conducts military operations at sea – The British Royal Navy was instrumental in maintaining the British Empire’s global dominance during the 19th century.
Egypt – An ancient civilization in northeastern Africa, known for its pyramids and pharaohs – Ancient Egypt’s contributions to mathematics and engineering are still studied by historians today.
Revolution – A fundamental change in political power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time – The French Revolution of 1789 dramatically altered the course of European history by overthrowing the monarchy and establishing a republic.
Fleet – A group of ships sailing together, engaged in the same activity, or under the same ownership – The Spanish Armada, a large fleet sent by Spain in 1588, was famously defeated by the English navy.
Power – The ability or capacity to influence or control the behavior of people or the course of events – The balance of power in Europe shifted significantly after the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs – Understanding the history of the Roman Empire provides insights into the development of modern Western civilization.
Commander – An officer in charge of a military operation or organization – General Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe during World War II.
Victory – The act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition – The Union’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the American Civil War.
Strategy – A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim – The strategy employed by the Allies during the D-Day invasion was crucial to the success of the operation.
