It was on the morning of the 12th of March, that the Marines of the fleet were landed in the Bay of Aboukir, consisting of 35 serjeants, 32 corporals, 22 drummers, and 500 privates, besides Officers. It may be well conceived how difficult, yet how honorable was the duty of fitting, for immediate service, this heterogeneous body, drawn from 30 different ships, unknown to one another, and a great many of them totally ignorant of every military evolution. The battalion, however, was formed between the hours of 12 and 3 upon that day, under a scorching sun, and on a burning sand, after which one half was detached to fill bags for the batteries, whilst the other was marched a considerable distance, all the while nearly knee-deep in sand, and laden with their comrades musquets and knapsacks. After such labours, during the day, orders arrived at seven in the evening for the whole to join the main body of the Army, then 15 miles distant, which they effected, after much fatigue, at one on the morning of the 13th of March. At five they were again under arms, with a view to have attacked the enemy, advancing towards him in two lines by the left, in order to have turned his right flank. But anticipating the movements of the British, he descended from the heights which he had occupied, and struck at the leading brigades of both our lines. The battle began on the right at seven, and those on the left instantly formed. It cannot be supposed that this detachment of my corps, hitherto untrained to military tactics, could evince that regularity and precision in manœuvre which so much distinguished those veteran Soldiers with whom they served. But if they failed in the minutiæ of discipline, they were not behind them in valour. The engagement becoming warm and general, they were somewhat crouded in their ranks by the alignment of the regiments on their right and left, owing to the narrowing of the Peninsula upon which they acted, and at the moment when they sustained their severest loss. Although not perfectly regular to command, they still, under a gallant impulse, rushed forward in charge towards the enemy, and acquired, for their conspicuous bravery, the appellation of the _Bull Dogs_ of the Army. The French were driven at last, with an irresistible impetuosity, to take shelter under the fortified heights, that constitute the chief defence of Alexandria. The details of loss were fully proportionate to those of their brethren in arms, being 2 Officers and 22 rank and file killed, 4 Officers, 2 Serjeants, 2 Drummers, and 27 rank and file wounded. Amongst the former were Lieutenants Paul Hussey, and Linzee Shea, holding rank as Captains in the Marine battalion, and Captain Minto, with that of brevet as Major, besides Captain Robert Torkington, 1st Lieutenant John Parry, and 2d Lieutenant George Peebles.