HMS Vanguard (1787) to Sicily via Asia Minor. Convinced that the French were going to Egypt he set sail once more for Alexandria. On the evening of 1 August 1798, half an hour before sunset, the Battle of the Nile began when Nelson attacked the French fleet which was moored in a strong line of battle in Aboukir Bay with gunboats, four frigates, and batteries on Aboukir Island to protect their flanks. was the leading ship and, followed by four others, she broke through the French line to anchor and fight from the shoreward side. "Vanguard" remained on the seaward side and soon
Action of 22 October 1793 of Farinole from the Corsican irregulars. Corsican irregular forces had held the bay at San Fiorenzo and might have opposed the French landings, but Linzee had recently disarmed the Corsican-manned Torra di Mortella, which was recaptured. In December 1793 the French army recaptured Toulon and Hood was forced to withdraw. An invasion of Corsica was planned in 1794, with successful sieges at San Fiorenzo in February, Bastia in April and Calvi in July–August. During these operations, during which Nelson led the naval detachments ashore and lost an eye to cannon-fire at Calvi, all of Perrée's squadron, except "Hazard", was captured