3rd August 1798: Battle of the Nile ends with a British victory during the French Revolutionary Wars

The Battle of the Nile was the climax of the wider Mediterranean campaign of 1798 that saw an expeditionary force under General Napoleon Bonaparte invade Egypt in an attempt to disrupt British access to India. The British fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, was ordered to locate and destroy the French, thereby isolating Napoleon’s army in North Africa.
After an extensive search, Nelson’s fleet of 14 ships of the line found the French fleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, anchored in Aboukir Bay on 1 August 1798. He immediately devised a bold plan to attack the French by splitting his own fleet into two divisions, sending one part between the shore and the French ships while the other sailed on the seaward side. The British divisions were therefore able to fire devastating broadsides at both sides of the French fleet.
Throughout the night, the British fleet systematically attacked the French ships. The turning point came when the French flagship, L'Orient, caught fire and exploded. The massive blast illuminated the night sky and demoralized the French sailors. The explosion of L'Orient also caused significant damage to nearby vessels, further tilting the battle in favour of the British.
By the morning of 3 August, the British had secured a decisive victory. Of the 17 French ships of the line, eleven had either been destroyed or captured. This established British naval supremacy in the Mediterranean and cut off Napoleon’s army from supplies and reinforcement, forcing him to abandon his ambitions in the Middle East and contributing to his eventual decision to return to France.