Quote Originally Posted by csadn View Post
Funny -- most of the maps and other depictions I've seen don't show any of the British cutting the line. Closest I've been able to find is some depictions of _Leander_ slipping in between _Peuple Souverain_ and _Franklin_. I suppose there might have been some "line cutting" as a result of the British ships which went around _Guerrier_'s prow attempting to get clear of the shoal water; and/or as a result of _Heureax_ and _Mercure_ going adrift and running aground, leaving a hole through which the Brits could pass.
When we did our research for the 200th Anniversary several of the "classic" sources showed this so we went back to the drawing board - the original logs.

James, Laird-Clowes and Tracy all show Audacious sailing straight through. Books published after 1998 are more accurate - Lavery's 'Nelson and the Nile' has lots of supporting detail, the Osprey volume on the Nile published last year is very nice. If you are after the French side then Michelle Battesti's 'La Bataille d'Aboukir' has many references not available anywhere else.

Best regards,

Mark Barker
The Inshore Squadron