While Napoleon Bonaparte was withdrawing to Egypt from his repulse at Acre in May 1799, a Turkish expeditionary force of 18,000 men under Mustafa IV landed at Abukir, east of Alexandria, on July 15. Napoleon hurriedly regrouped his Egyptian forces and moved against The Turkish positions on the Abukir peninsula with 7,700 men. On July 25 a fierce French assault cracked the first Turkish defense line in an hour, shattering the force of 8,000 enemy troops. Continuing their artillery-supported attack against the second line the French rolled up the position as well, killing or scattering another 6,000 Mustafha's men. Pressing on up the peninsula, Napoleon destroyed the entire enemy, except except for a few thousand that held out in Fort Abukir until august 2. In all, Turkis losses were 2,000 killed, 10-11,000 drowned trying to escape, and 3,000 captured. French casualties numbered 150 killed and 750 wounded.
Learning that the armies of the French directory had been suffering defeats in Italy and Germany, Napoleon embarked for France on august 22. He left Gen. Jean Kleber to command the army in Egypt.