Alexandria expedition of 1807
The Alexandria expedition of 1807, also known as the Fraser expedition, (Arabic: حملة فريزر), was an unsuccessful attempt by the British to capture the Egyptian city of Alexandria during the Anglo-Turkish War. The aim was to secure a base of operations against the Ottoman Empire and the French Empire in the Mediterranean Sea. It was part of a larger strategy against the Ottoman-French alliance of the Ottoman Sultan Selim III.
| Alexandria expedition of 1807 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Anglo-Turkish War and campaigns of Muhammad Ali of Egypt | |||||||
Battle of Rosetta | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| United Kingdom | Egypt Eyalet | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
General Alexander Mackenzie-Fraser Major-General Patrick Wauchope of Edmonstone † Admiral Sir John Duckworth, 1st Baronet Brigadier the Hon. Robert Meade (WIA) |
Muhammad Ali Pasha Umar Makram Tabuzoglu Pasha Hassan Pasha Ali Bey Al-Slanki | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000–8,000 British regulars under Mackenzie-Fraser, +1500 British reinforcements under John Coape Sherbrooke, 5000+ mercenary troops of the Roll's Regiment, Chasseurs Britanniques, Sicilian, Greek and Balkan mercenaries | 4,000–6,000 infantry (Tabuzoglu division), 1,500 cavalry (Hassan Pasha division), 700 infantry (Rosetta's garrison) and an unknown but large numbers of Egyptian irregular troops and armed civilians (fellahin) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| +900 killed, 282 wounded and 520 captured (at Rosetta) (British Regulars and Roll's Regiment only), 3600+ prisoners (entire campaign) | Unknown but lighter than the British | ||||||
Although Alexandria was briefly captured and occupied, attempts to proceed inland were rebuffed, with British forces being twice defeated in battles at Rosetta (Rashid, the port that guarded the entrance to the Nile), at a cost of over 900 officers and men killed. Many were captured at the second siege of Rosetta alone. Captured British soldiers were marched to Cairo, where many hundreds of the severed heads of their slain comrades were displayed between rows of stakes. British captives were then condemned to hard labour or were sold into slavery.
The remaining British forces in Egypt were forced to retreat to Alexandria, where they remained besieged and unable to gather supplies. Using this trapped army and the numerous prisoners as a bargaining tool, Viceroy Muhammad Ali compelled the British commanders to cease further operations in Egypt. The British were then forced to embark on their transports again and leave Alexandria, not having gained any significant position of influence in Egypt or reached any specific goals towards influencing the Ottoman Empire's improving relations with France. In Egypt, the expedition had the effect of uniting the populace behind Muhammad Ali, who seized power in Egypt. It also convinced the British government to support Egypt remaining as part of the Ottoman Empire.