Battles of the Egyptian–Ottoman War
1839–1841 · 3 battles covered, in date order. Click a battle on the map for its summary.
Battle (size: ships engaged)
British movement
Ottoman movement
Routes are approximate.
11 September – 10 October 1840 · Beirut and Jounieh Bay
Bombardment of BeirutAllied victory; Beirut abandoned by the Egyptians
While Ottoman, British and Austrian troops landed at Jounieh Bay north of Beirut and stirred up a revolt in the mountains, the allied fleet bombarded the Egyptian positions in Beirut. Steamers carried troops and arms up and down the coast faster than Ibrahim Pasha's army could march. After a month of bombardment and fighting in the hills, the Egyptian garrison abandoned Beirut on 10 October.
26 September 1840 · Sidon, Lebanon
Capture of SidonAllied victory; Sidon stormed
Napier took a small force of steamers, a ship of the line and Austrian ships down the coast to Sidon. After a short bombardment British, Austrian and Ottoman troops stormed the town and its sea castle; Archduke Friedrich of Austria led one of the landing parties. The Egyptian garrison of more than 2,000 surrendered.
3 November 1840 · Acre (Akko), Syrian coast
Bombardment of AcreDecisive allied victory; Acre taken
Acre had held out against Napoleon in 1799 and was thought one of the strongest fortresses in the east. Stopford's fleet anchored off its sea walls in the early afternoon and opened fire, the steamers shelling from further out. The Egyptian gunners aimed too high and did little damage. At about four o'clock a shell set off the main powder magazine, which blew up and killed more than a thousand of the garrison. The survivors left in the night and the allies marched in next morning. British losses were 18 killed and 41 wounded. Steam and shell fire had shown what they could do against stone walls, and Muhammad Ali's hold on Syria collapsed.