[H.M.S.  ALEXANDER’S  MARINE-­‐GRENADIERS  RE-­‐ENACTMENT  UNIT  (PART  OF  H.R.G.M)]  

                   H.M.S.  Alexander      1798-­‐1800  

 

Andrea  Portelli  

[13.02.2011]    

 

 

A  short  essay  about  the  contribution  by  74-­‐Gun  H.M.S.  Alexander  during  the  Mediterranean,  particularly  at  the  Battle  of  Aboukir  Bay  and  in  Maltese  waters.      

1  

 

 Table  of  Contents:  

 

Origins  -­‐  Page  1  

H.M.S.  Alexander  in  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Battle  of  Aboukir  Bay  –  Pages  2-­‐7  

Siege  of  Malta  –  Pages  8-­‐10  

Action  on  18th  February  1800  –  Pages  10-­‐11  

End  of  H.M.S.  Alexander  Page  12  

Bibliography  Page  13  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2  

 

Origins:  

 

HMS  Alexander  was   designed   by   Sir   John  Williams   and   constructed   at   Deptford   Dockyards   in  

England.   She  was   launched  on  8th  October  1778.   1   The   vessel  was  named  after  Alexander   the  

Great.    

 

HMS   Alexander   in   the  Mediterranean   and   the   Battle   of   Aboukir  

Bay:  

 

Prior   to  1798,   there  was  no  British  naval  activity  going  on   in   the  Mediterranean.  However   the  

British  authorities  felt  that  a  naval  presence  was  necessary  for  many  reasons;  The  presence  of  

an  allied  fleet   in  the  Mediterranean  could  have  shaped  diplomatic  relations  by  coaxing  Austria  

back  into  the  war.    Subsequently  the  need  for  the  Royal  Navy  to  sail  to  the  Mediterranean  was  

precipitated  even  further  when  the  intelligence  reports  were  coming  in  that  there  was  a  strong  

French   army  and  naval   presence   in   Toulon   and   the  North   Italian  ports,    with   the   intention  of  

sailing  to  Egypt.  From  there  the  French  would  have  marched  on  to  India;  Britain’s  crown  jewel  

and  major  possession  in  East.  2  

 

This   had   prompted   Sir   George   John   Spencer,   First   Lord   of   the   Admiralty,   to   recommend   the  

recently  promoted  Rear-­‐Admiral  Sir  Horatio  Nelson  to  sail   into  the  Mediterranean  with  a  naval  

detachment  under  his   command,   to   scout   and   investigate  what   the   French  were  up   to   in   the  

Mediterranean.3    By  the  orders  issued  to  Nelson’s  Superior,  The  Earl  of  St.  Vincent,  on  2nd  May  

1798,  Nelson  set  sail  into  the  Mediterranean  with  the  sloop  HMS  Bonne  Citoyenne,  frigates  HMS  

                                                                                                                         1  http://bob.plord.net/Ships/Period1/GreatBritain/Alexander.html  2  Robert  Gardiner,  Nelson  against  Napoleon  :  From  the  Nile  to  Copenhagen  ,  Chatam  Publishing,  London  1997  p.  18  3  Ibid.    

3  

 

Caroline,  HMS  Flora  ,HMS  Terpischore,  and  three  74  gun  vessels  HMS  Alexander,  HMS  Orion  and  

HMS  Vanguard  (Nelson’s  flagship).4    

 

It   is  during  this  mission  that  HMS  Alexander  displayed  an  act  of  great  service  to  the  squadron,  

when   on   20th   May   1798   the   squadron   encountered   a   rough   storm   leaving   the   Vanguard  

dismasted   and   almost   lost   to   the   seas.   However   HMS   Alexander,   Commanded   by   Captain   Sir  

Alexander  Ball,  hooked  a  series  of  lines  onto  the  ship  and  managed  to  tow  it  safely  to  a  Sardinian  

bay.5  

 

 

  HMS  Alexander  (background)  towing  HMS  Vanguard  (foreground)  to  safety  following  the  storm  

After  receiving  word  that  Napoleon  had  sailed  off  for  Egypt  in  June  1798,  Nelson  gave  chase  and  

sent  HMS  Alexander  and  HMS  Swiftsure  ahead  to  scout.  6  However,  Nelson  had  discovered  the  

presence   of   the   main   French   Fleet   off   Aboukir   Bay   on   1st   August     1798,   and   so   one   of   the  

greatest  naval  battles  in  history  was  to  take  place.  The  battle  raged  on  for  the  whole  day,  and  as                                                                                                                            4  Ibid.    5  Ibid.  6  Ibid  p.  30  

4  

 

it  was  getting  dark,  HMS  Alexander  and  HMS  Swiftsure  joined  in  the  battle  after  returning  from  

their  previous  reconnaissance,  only  to  discover  the  French  fleet  ahead  of  them.  7  

 

The   French   fleet   was   positioned   in   a   defensive   line,   with   shoals   right   ahead   of   them,   thus  

making  them  unable  to  manouevre   .    Upon  returning  from  its  reconnaissance,  HMS  Alexander  

sailed  and  anchored  off  alongside  the  gap  between  L’Orient  (Napoleon’s  flagship),  and  Franklin.  

HMS  Alexander  eventually  sailed  between  the  gap  of  L’Orient  and  Le  Tonnant  and  anchored  off  

at  port  quarter,  thus  rendering  L’Orient  ineffective  and  unable  to  return  fire.  8  

                                                                                                                         7  Ibid  p.  33  8  Ibid.    

5  

 

 

 

The  Battle  of  Aboukir  Bay  1st  August  1798  at  around  8.30pm  (note  HMS  Alexander)  

6  

 

 

 It   was   during   the   Battle   of   the   Nile   that   Captain   Ball   achieved   a   distinction   and   was   also  

wounded  during  the  engagement,  which  testifies  courage  and  loyalty  towards  the  King’s  navy.9  

 

HMS   Alexander   and   HMS   Swiftsure  were   now   focusing   their   fire   on   L’Orient   and     Swiftsure’s  

Captain  Hallowell  noticed  that  a  fire  broke  out  on  L’Orient  at  around  9pm.  The  fire  had  reached  

the   powder   magazine   below   and   the   L’Orient   blew   up   with   an   ear-­‐shattering   blast.     HMS  

Alexander,  which  was  still  close  by,  was  set  on  fire  by  the  flaming  debris  but  the  fire  was  soon  

put  out  by  sailing  into  the  wind  and  by  a  series  of  bucket  brigades  organized  by  the  crew.  10  

 

Captain  Ball  later  claimed  that  the  fire  broke  out  on  L’Orient  as  a  result  of  an  incendiary  device  

thrown   by   one   of   HMS  Alexander’s   lieutenants   and   as   a   result   had   prepared   his   ship   against  

incendiaries  and  the  inevitable  hail  of  fire  by  L’Orient:  

 

“All  the  shrouds  and  sails  of  the  ship,  not  absolutely  necessary  for   its   immediate  management,  

were  thoroughly  wetted  and  so  rolled  up,  that  they  were  as  hard  and  as  little  inflammable  as  so  

many  solid  cylinders  of  wood;  every  sailor  had  his  appropriate  place  and  function,  and  a  certain  

number  were  appointed  as  firemen,  whose  sole  duty  it  was  to  be  on  the  watch  if  any  part  of  the  

vessel  should  take  fire.”11  

 

In  the  end,  the  Battle  of  Aboukir  Bay  was  a  heroic  victory  by  the  Royal  Navy,  were  almost  every  

single  French  vessel  was  either  destroyed  or  captured.    

                                                                                                                         9  Michael  Galea,  Sir  Alexander  John  Ball  and  Malta:  The  Beginning  of  an  Era  ,  PEG  Publications,  Marsa  1990  p.  6  10  Gardiner,  Op.  cit.  p.  35  11  Nicolas  Tracy,  Nelson’s  Battles:  The  Art  of  Victory  in  the  Age  of  Sail,  Chatam  Publishing,  London  1996  p.  118  

7  

 

 

A  drawing  depicting  the  heroic  victory  by  the  Royal  Navy,  Nelson  and  his  officers  at  Aboukir  Bay  August  

1798.  Captain  Alexander  Ball  of  HMS  Alexander  is  depicted  in  the  top  row,  2nd  from  right.    

8  

 

 

 

A  Portrait  of  Captain  Sir  Alexander  Ball  (Captain  of  HMS  Alexander)  dated  c.  1805  

 

The  Siege  of  Malta:  

   

The  Maltese  initially  accepted  their  new  French  Republican  masters  in  June  1798,  however  the  

subsequent  pillaging  of  Maltese  Churches  which  ensued  had  enraged   the  pious  Maltese.  Thus  

on   2nd   September   1798   the  Maltese   openly   rebelled   against   the   French  Garrison   stationed   at  

Mdina  and  established  a  National  Assembly  to  request  for  foreign  assistance.  12  

   

                                                                                                                         12  Patrick  Moiné,  A  Great  Coxcomb…,  Trafalgar  Chronicle  (July  22nd  2002)  p.  9  

9  

 

On  19th  September  1798  a  Portuguese  Squadron  under  the  command  of  Admiral  De  Nizza  Reale,  

originally  meant  to  sail  for  the  Nile  to  reinforce  Nelson,  appeared  off  Malta.  On  the  4th  October  

1798  Nelson  had  ordered  Captain  Ball  and  HMS  Alexander:  

 

“You  are  hereby   required  and  directed   to  proceed   in  His  Majesty’s   Ship  Alexander,   under   your  

command,   off   the   Island   of   Malta,   taking   with   you   the   Ships   named   in   the   margin   (HMS  

Terpischore,   Bonne   Citoyenne   and   Incendiary),  whose   Captains   have  my   orders   to   follow   your  

directions,  and  to  use  your  endeavour  to  blockade  the  Ports  of  that  Island,  so,  as  to  prevent  the  

escape  of  French  Ships  now  in  that  place....."13  

 

Subsequently  the  Kingdom  of  Naples  had  promised  to  aid  Malta  in  the  form  of  vessels  carrying  

provisions.  Nelson  later  instructed  Ball:  

 

“You   are   hereby   required   and   directed   to   take   under   your   command   His   Sicilian   Majesty’s  

Frigates  the  Sirena  and  Retuza  whose  captains  have  my  orders  to  follow  your  directions,  and  the  

stores   which   they   have   on   board   for   the  Maltese   people   you   will   order   to   be   landed   in   such  

places  on  the  Island  as  the  General  or  Elect  of  the  Maltese  people  may  require”.14  

 

Although  the  French  had  locked  themselves  up  in  the  3  cities  /  Grand  Harbour  area  following  the  

popular  Maltese  revolts,  Gozo  still  featured  a  French  garrison  based  at  the  Citadella  in  present  

day   Victoria.   The   commandant   of   the   Citadel,   Lieutenant-­‐Colonel   Lochey,   had   refused   to  

capitulate  despite  harassment   from  all   sides  by   the   local  militia.    Nelson  had  ordered  Captain  

Alexander   Ball   to   sail   HMS   Alexander   to   Gozo   to   send   an   offer   of   surrender   to   the   French  

commandant   stationed  at   the  Citadel.  The  offer  was  accepted  on  28th  October  1798  and   John  

Creswell,   the   Captain   of   HMS  Alexander’s  Marines,   had   assumed   temporary   command   of   the  

                                                                                                                         13  Ibid.    14  Galea,  Op.  Cit.  p  29  

10  

 

Citadel15   until   the   day   after   when   the   deputies   of   the   Island   took   command   and   hoisted   the  

colours  of  King  Ferdinand  of  Naples.  16  

 

On  April  25th  1799  a  French  fleet  of  25  men-­‐of-­‐war  (heavily  armed  battleships)  had  managed  to  

sail  out  of  Brest  and  avoid  the  Royal  Navy  in  the  English  Channel.  This  fleet  was  to  sail  to  Malta  

to  reinforce  the  French  Republican  forces  stationed  there.  This  was  an  alarming  affair   for  Lord  

Nelson   who   had   to   temporarily   lift   the   blockade   of  Malta   by   calling   HMS  Alexander   and   the  

other  vessels  to  Sicily.17  However,  the  affair  seems  to  have  been  a  false  alarm  as  the  French  fleet  

never  made  it  to  Malta.  Thus  HMS  Alexander  sailed  back  to  Malta  on  30th  June  1799  to  resume  

the  blockade.18    

 

Action  on  18th  February  1800:  

 

A   crucial  battle  was   in   store   for  HMS  Alexander   and  her   fellow  vessels   in  1800.  Word  got  out  

that  a  French  squadron  had  left  from  Toulon  for  Malta  on  7th  February.  This  squadron  had  been  

sent   to   relieve  the  French  Garrison   in  Malta  with   the  necessary  provisions,  which  consisted  of  

food,   ammunition   and   around   4000   soldiers.   The   French   squadron   was   made   up   of   74-­‐gun  

Généreux,  28-­‐gun  Badine,  20  gun  frigates  Fauvette  and  Sans  Pareille,  and  the  cargo  ship  Villes  De  

Marseilles  along  with  some  smaller  vessels.19  

 

                                                                                                                         15  Carmel  Testa,  The  French  In  Malta  1798-­‐1800,    Midsea  Books  Ltd.,  Valletta  1997  p.  385  16  Moiné,  Op.  Cit.  p.9  17  Ibid.  p.  12  18  Ibid.  19  Testa,  Op.  Cit.  p.  726  

11  

 

Thus  HMS’  Foudroyant,  Lion,  Audacious  and  Northumberland  were  ordered  to  patrol  around  the  

Maltese   archipelago   and   intercept   the   enemy   on   sight.   HMS   Queen   Charlotte   defended   the  

grand  harbor  entrance  whilst  HMS  Alexander  defended  the  Marsaxlokk  area.20  

 

HMS  Alexander  now  under   the   command  of   1st   Lieutenant  William  Harrington   (since  Cpt.  Ball  

was  ashore  at   the   time  being),   spotted   the  French   ships   coming   from   the  South  West  on  18th  

February  and  immediately  intercepted  them  to  prevent  their  entry  into  the  Grand  Harbour.  HMS  

Alexander  immediately  opened  fire.Thus  the  first  enemy  ship  to  strike  its  colours  was  the  Villes  

De  Marseilles  at  around  8  a.m.    The  other  patrolling  Royal  Navy  vessels  soon  came  into  contact  

with   the   enemy   fleet   and   by   1.30pm   all   the   French   ships   had   lost   formation   and   were  

desperately  fleeing  in  all  directions  to  avoid  capture.21  

 

The  Généreux,   the   largest   vessel   of   the   squadron¸   found   itself   under   attack   by   HMS   Success  

which  gave  HMS’  Foudroyant  and  Northumberland  enough  time  to  arrive  on  the  scene  of  battle.    

A   cannon   ball   from   the   Northumberland   killed   the   French   Rear-­‐Admiral   Perrée   and   so   the  

Généreux   hauled   its   colours   down.22   The   Badine   and   the   other   vessels   managed   to   escape,  

however   a   16-­‐gun   vessel   was   captured   by   HMS   Alexander   along   with   around   2000   French  

Soldiers  who  were  taken  as  POW’s  and  later  transferred  to  Naples.  23  

     

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                         20  Ibid.  21  Ibid.  p.727  22  Ibid.    23  Ibid.  

12  

 

End  of  HMS  Alexander:  

 

General   Pigot   of   the   British   Army   and   Captain   George   Martin   had   negotiated   with   General  

Vaubois   the   French   surrender   of   Malta   on   5th   September   1800,   following   a   successful   naval  

blockade  with  starved  the  French  troops  into  submission.    

 

As  a  result  Pigot  became  Civil  Commissioner  as  of  February  1801  and  Captain  Alexander  Ball  was  

thus  relieved  of  duties  in  Malta.  His  naval  career  at  sea  also  came  to  an  end  as  Captain  Manley  

Dixon  assumed   command  of  HMS  Alexander  where   she  arrived  at  Portsmouth  on  13th  August  

1802  and  was  put  out  of  commission  at  Plymouth  in  1803.  24  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                         24  Moiné,  Op.  Cit.  p.  17  

13  

 

Bibliography:  

 

Ø Gardiner  Robert,  Nelson  against  Napoleon  :  From  the  Nile  to  Copenhagen   ,  Chatam  Publishing,  London  1997      

Ø Galea  Michael,  Sir  Alexander  John  Ball  and  Malta:  The  Beginning  of  an  Era  ,  PEG  Publications,  Marsa  1990      

Ø Tracy  Nicolas,  Nelson’s  Battles:  The  Art  of  Victory  in  the  Age  of  Sail,  Chatam  Publishing,  London  1996    

Ø Testa  Carmel,  The  French  In  Malta  1798-­‐1800,    Midsea  Books  Ltd.,  Valletta  1997    

Ø Patrick  Moiné,  A  Great  Coxcomb…,  Trafalgar  Chronicle  (July  22nd  2002)  pp.  1-­‐26    

Ø http://bob.plord.net/Ships/Period1/GreatBritain/Alexander.html  [accessed  5.2.11]