I am reading Mahan’s *The Life of Nelson.
*
The expected frigates, hearing of the damage to his flagship put into Gibraltar.
How did they hear of it, and why did they put into Gibraltar?
Nelson does not wait for them and pursues the French fleet.
How did he know where they were going? Other things that I have read indicated that he blundered into them after a lengthy search.
The Battle of Trafalgar was near Gibraltar, the Battle of the Nile nowhere near it. Nelson’s ship was specifically attacked at Trafalgar (and he mortally wounded of course), I’m not aware he was so targeted at Alexandria. He did not have to pursue the French fleet at the Nile, they were sitting at anchor (although there had been a pursuit across the Med beforehand). So I’m guessing your title refers to the wrong battle?
Nelson was wounded at the Nile and sent the bulk of his fleet under Saumarez to Gibraltar. Although wounded Nelson took a smaller squadron to Naples. Meanwhile, the late arriving frigates showed up off of Alexandria and after being initially mistaken for French warships were intercepted by HMS Swiftsure which informed them that the fleet had set sail for Gibraltar where they (incorrectly) expected to find Nelson.
Thanks, Elmer. 