the anchorage under the protection of the fort of Aboukir.  All the van were attacked on both sides by the enemy, who ranged close along our line.  They had each an anchor out astern, which facilitated their motions, and enabled them to place themselves in the most advantageous position.  At a quarter past six, Le Franklin opened her fire on the enemy from the starboard side; at three quarters past six, she was engaged on both sides.  L’Orient, at this time, began firing from her starboard guns; and, at seven, Le Tonnant opened her fire.  All the ships, from Le Guerrier to Le Tonnant, were now engaged against a superior force:  this only redoubled the ardour of the French, who kept up a very heavy fire.  At eight o’clock at night, the ship which was engaging L’Orient on the starboard quarter, notwithstanding her advantageous position, was dismasted; and so roughly treated, that she cut her cables, and drove farther from the line.  This event gave Le Franklin hopes that L’Orient would now be able to assist her, by attacking one of the ships opposed to her; but, at this very moment, the two ships that had been observed astern of the fleet, and were quite fresh, steered right for the centre.  One of them anchored on L’Orient’s starboard bow; and the other cut the line astern of L’Orient, and anchored off her larboard quarter.  The action, in this place, then became extremely warm.  Admiral De Brueys, who had at this time been slightly wounded in the head and arm, very soon received a shot in the belly, which almost cut him in two.  He desired not to be carried below, but to be left to die on deck:  he lived but a quarter of an hour.  Rear-Admiral Blanquet, as well as his aid-du-camp, were unacquainted with this melancholy event till the action was nearly over.  Admiral Blanquet received a severe wound in the face, which knocked him down; he was carried off the deck, senseless.  At a quarter past eight o’clock, Le Peuple Souverain drove to leeward of the line, and anchored a cable’s length abreast of L’Orient:  it was not known what unfortunate event occasioned this.  The vacant place she made, placed Le Franklin in a more unfortunate position; and, it became very critical, from the manoeuvre of one of the enemy’s fresh ships, which had been sent to the assistance of the ship on shore.  She anchored athwart Le Franklin’s bows, and commenced a very heavy raking fire.  Notwithstanding the dreadful situation of the ships in the centre, they continually kept up a very heavy fire.  At half past eight o’clock, the action was general from Le Guerrier to Le Mercure.  The Admiral De Brueys’s death, and the severe wounds of Admiral Blanquet, must have deeply affected the people who fought under them:  but, it added to their ardour for revenge; and the action continued, on both sides, with great obstinacy.  At nine o’clock, the ships in the van slackened their fire; and, soon after, totally ceased:  and, with infinite sorrow, we supposed they had surrendered.  They were