a //} .::F0% \^y AMM!^;;; AIR' -/ s^ . I ^i V /^r- //- V ,/ .^ ^^ '/l..yV^^ ^^' ^^-it-V-t. .v>;#v^ '''iAvman v/i^mai bylJ^"/'^ T JLIEUT o GJEITEMAI. Ki]ii^!at of tine OrdeE-of liieJBatk W / in lliif" >.k^dil -eTr.aiiPiiii . ^'fi!S drsii^fri,' sit pud.r uut modus '/'am f'ur/ raydis ''' Jfor.- - HISTORY OF THE BRITISH EXPEDITION TO EGYPT ; TO WHICH IS SUBJOINED, A SKETCH of the PRESENT STATE of tliat COUNTRY AND ITS M:tANS OF DEFENCE. lUuftratod with iMaps^ and a Tortrait of SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY. BY ROBERT THOMAS WILSON, Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry in his Britannic Blajefty's Service, and Knight of the Imperial Military Order of Maria Therefa. VOL, I. Tngens, insigne, reccns, adhuc Judicium arc alio. HoR. Carm. Tin: I'OL'inii kdh lox. LONDON: Pr-n>tcdhij C.Roworth, BdlYm-d, FhjtStrrct; AND SOLO BY T. ECKKTON, MILITAUY LIBUAKY, NEAR WHIXmiALL. 1803. l>o FIELD MARSHAL HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF YORK, COMMANDER IN CHIEF, ^r. efc. ^c. SIR, Placed in the army, and honoured by your protection, 1 have ever considered that the utmost energies I was capable of exerting should be di- rected to obtain your approbation. Pri- vate feelings would therefore have in- duced me to dedicate my work to your Royal Highness, had you not, Sir, a claim on every military production. A claim not arising only from your high situation, but founded on the universally acknow- ledged fact, that, under your auspices, the British army has attained a character, a 3 which ( vi ) tc^liich was never outrivalled in the most brilliant aera of the English history. When your Royal Highness assumed the command, abuses had disordered the ser- vice. Your judicious regulations, impar- tially executed, instantly checked their pernicious influence, and soon recovered to the profession that respect which for a time had been denied, finally establishing it on the basis of honour, emulation, and merit. This language. Sir, strictly represents the general sentiment of your countr}^, whose honest eulogies must be much more gratifying than all the panegyrics which adulation could indite. To you. Sir, must also be attributed those arrangements and that impulse of zeal, which, notwithstanding the severe losses in the war, placed at the disposal of go- vernment, to carry on a ninth campaign, the force which composed the Egyptian army : ( vii ) armj ; an army which, whilst manifesting so conspicuously that national valour, which your Royal Highness has so often witnessed, and animated by your presence, appropriates to itself a celebrity for unri- valled discipline. I am aware. Sir, that I have undertaken a very difficult task, and with anxiety await the result ; vet T trust, that if in the enquiry I have pursued, some opinions may appear indiscreet, your Royal High- ness's candour will prefer a work on such a subject, when written with freedom, ra- ther than one circumscribed by restraint. My object has been to write truths, to avoid flattery or calumny ; nor should a statement of some facts introduced into this History be imputed to the latter motive. If the narrative be approved, I shall in- deed feel pride in having faitlifully re- corded the events of their illustrious cam- a 4 paign ; ( viii ) paign ; and at all events I shall hope, that zeal will excuse, in some favourable degree, any want of ability. With every sentiment of gratitude, and with the ardent hope thatyour Royal High- ness may long live to command the Bri- tish army, and see its glories extended, I remain Your Royal Highnesses Most devoted Servant, ROBERT WILSON, Lt. Col. Hotnpesch's Huss. PREFACE, PREFACE. W HEN a military man hazards a publication, he fhould, if poffible, avert the feverity of criti- cifm from his work ; and the author hopes, that an appeal to the confideration anrl good nature of the learned will in this inftance procure him their indulgence, fmce he does not prefume to rank himfelf in their number, nor can the writ- ings of a foldier affedt the credit of literature. As none of the Univerfities provide an official hiftoriographer, which is much to be lamented, the details of a campaign can only be communicated to the public by perfons attached to an army. Certainly the charge of vanity may be pre- ferred againft me, for appointing myfelf to a poft of fo much difficulty and danger ; but my ex- cufe rcfts on the apathy fliewn by others, whofe talents ( X ) talents capacitated them more fully for the duty. Perhaps I may alfo be accufed of having ex- ceeded the limits of a military treatife, by enter- ing into defcriptions of places and fimilar digref- fions : yet I fubmit to the candour of every man, whether the omiffion would not have excited greater difpleafure. Such a country as Egypt is too interefting to be paffed over without obfer- vation, and the accounts hitherto pubUfhedhave not fatiated curiofity. My plea then is a wifh to afford as much amufement as poffible, where it was neccflary fome notice fliould be taken ; and I adopted the ftyle of hiftory, imagining that a narrative would be more entertaining than a journal, fmce the events of each day do not ex- cite an equal intereft. With refpe6l to my curfory examination into the difeafes which afili6ted the army, the medical department will, I feel confident, excufe fuch an interference, when the motive is confidered, which induced me to give an outline of maladies, diftinguifliing Egypt to the world as an almoft uninha- ( xi ) uninhabitable country. The phyfical profeffion is much too liberal to feel irritated, where the object is public fervice, and they will rather en- courage any attempt which may tend to promote the end defired. As an apology for all inaccuracies of compofi- tion, it muft be mentioned, that I did not fubmit my work to the corre6lion of profeffed fcholars, liaving heard formerly that Lord Lyttelton had fixty pages of errata returned to him, and there- fore being afraid that my whole writings would be blotted out. A younger brother, and Mr. Roworth my printer, whofe talents and information have in- deed rendered me very confiderable alTillance, are the only perfons who have feen the manu- fcript, or made any alterations in the proofs. Under the apprehcnfions of having the off- fpring of my brain, vrliich Montaigne fa\s is as dear as the child of one's bofom, perilli ])rema- turelv; ( xii ) turely, I preferred ufhering the cheriflied objeft into the world, uncultivated as it may be, de- pending on a kind reception for the virtues it re- prefents for imitation, rather than any inherent qualities, which the fondnefs of many parents might imagine to exift, and prefume on. As to the contents, I folemnly declare to the Britifh nation, that I have endeavoured to relate a faithful narrative of a campaign, which, com- bined with the naval vi6lories, and their own magnanimity, have elevated the glory of our country to the proudeft altitude. Nor ihould England pride herfelf on the military fervices of the Egyptian army alone ; throughout the war her troops have fought with equal gallantry : but ihe may alfo boaft that the moral conduct of that army has exalted her fame on a foundation more durable than victory, ere6iing her monuments of honour upon the gratitude and admiration of mankind. It was impoffible to travel through a country (unat- ( xiii ) (unattended by any efcort,* as was frequently the cafe, experiencing the kindeft attentions df friendihip from every individual of a people hof- tile by religion, prejudice, and former ill ufage to Europeans) without reflecting with confiderable gratification on the caufes which produced thefe a6ls of hofpitality in favour of Englifhmen. There was a vanity juftly indulged in refle6ling, that a Frenchman could never venture to pafs through the fame tliftrl6^s, even when the French army ruled with uncontefted dominion, unlefs guarded by a force fufficient to command his fecurity. In the Deferts of Lybia, and throughout * No intreaties could induce a Mameluke or a Turk to ex- ceed a walk in travelling, therefore officers who carried dif- patches, preferred going alone, as by great exertion they could then force their horfes about feven miles an hour ; but in crof- ling the Delta I had a very fine horfe, given me by the Vizir, die, after a journey of twenty miles, although he had been three hours pafling that diftance. The Egyptian horfes, how- ever, are capable of great fatigue, and with a walk of about five miles an hour, would on a long journey beat perhaps any horfe in the world 5 beyond that pace they are abfolutely good for nothing. Egypt, ( xiv ) Egypt, a Britifh uniform was equally refpe6ted with the turban of Mahometanifm, and the A\'ord of an Englifliman efteemed facred as the Koran. To the Egyptian Army I muft plead my zeal to render juftice to their merits, as an apology for. naming myfelf their hiftorian ; and I hope that they will kindly judge of any errors which may appear, remembering what difficulties op- pofe themfclvcs to the colle6lion of complete in- formation ; and I truft that the navy will treat any inaccuracy relating to themfelves with the fame confideration. Although no great naval a6lions immediately connefted Avith the expedition were to be re- corded,* ftill the navy is intitled to the higheft applaufe, and one univerfal fentiment of admira- tion pervaded the army, at the zeal, perfeverance, * Captain Barlowe's capture of L'Africaine, although a fhip deftined for Egypt, and Lord Cochrane's gallant aftion, as they did not happen on the coaft of Egypt,, were not within the con- fines of my hiftory, and ( XV ) and vigilance, which, without exception, they difplayed; for theirs, as General Hutchinfon ftates, was not the labour of a day, or of a week^ but for months together. Thofe naval officers who ferved with the troops on fliore had more opportunity to render them- felves confpicuous ; and they well maintained the reputation of their fervice. But throughout I have anxioufly endeavoured to avoid indifcriminate praife; as in the firfl .place there -would be a confiderable degree of prefumption in me to affume the too fafcinating power of diftributing the laurel crowns ; and fe- condly, an avcrfion to thofe frequent honourable mentions which originated in a perufal of the Gazettes, pubhilied during the Iriili Rebellion, has not fiiice been removed. Yet where Fortune prcfcnted marked opportunities to the gallantry of individuals and corps, it became my duty to particularize the diftinguilhing traits; and if I have omitted to mention any whofe fervices en- titled ( xvi ) titled them to be noticed, I beg them to accept this aflurance, that the omiflion proceeded from ignorance of the circumftances, or failure of me- mory, and that the earheft opportunity Ihall be courted to acknowledge and re6lify every error. To the army colle6lively, I have ventured to fubmit my work, as one recording events, which in themfelves muft animate with pride and emu- lation. If any inftru6llnn {hould he derived from the remarks, my own gratification would of courfe be confiderable. To thofe who may imagine that my reprefen- tations of General Buonaparte's condu6l in the feveral inftances referred to are imprudent and improper at this moment to be brought forwards, I muft premife, that if they are concerned only for the chara6ler of that general, I am happy to afford them an occafion to be better acquainted with this celebrated man, who, by his great for- tune and uninterrupted career of victory, (with one exception of Acre, that glorious monument of ( xvii ) of Britlfh conduft), has dazzled the underftand- ings of the mass of maiikmd, and prevented the refults of thofe enquiries having proper influ- ence, which thofe, with whom the opinions of the day do not pafs cuirent, have inftituted on his pretenfions to the admiration of pofterity. To thofe, Mhofe motives of difapprobation proceed from a regard for tranquilhty, exciting the wifli that a general amnefty of obUvion might be extended to the paft, firft I will fay, that the dillemination of this principle would tend to pro- duce more wickednefs in the Morld than has ever been yet committed ? For what is there to inti- midate ambition, in full poffeffion of power, but the pen of the hiftorian ? What can guarantee mankind from the atrocities of a licentious dcf- potifm, but an aifurance that the memory of great crimes is perpetuated in the records of liiftory. If the charges arc not founded, the man yet lives to exonerate h's injured chara6ler. If he Vol. I. b cannot ( xviii ) cannot refute them, then muft he link into his grave loaded with tlie heavy weight of fuch of- fences, and the miferable prefcience that execra- tion fhall attach to his memory, inftead of the fame he coveted. That on his cenotaph pofte- rity will infcribe, ille voiend Colchicd et quicquid ufquam concipitiir nefas traSiavit. Secondly, I fliall aflfure them, that they need be under no apprehenfions from any public con- fiderations, for I do not impeach Napoleone Buonaparte, firft Conful of France, but the gene- ral who bore fuch a Chriftian name, until he turned Muffulman, and who was guilty of the crimes alleged, w^hen commanding an army of the Republic of France, at the time her execu- tive power was committed to a dire6lory of five members, and when in the adminiftration of her government he had no legal or acknowledged authority. I have accufed that officer who wrote the fub- joined order againft the gallant and generous Sir Sydney ( xix ) Sydney Smith,* that officer who can have no fimilarity of chara6ter with the firft Conful of France, * The General in Chief to the Chief of the Etat Major General. " The cdmmander of the Englifti fquadron before Acre hav^- ing had the barbarity to embark on board a veflel which was infefted with the plague the French prifoners made in the two Tartans laden with ammunition, which he took near CaifFa j having been remarked at the head of the barbarians, in the fortie which took place on the l8th, and the Englifli flag hav- ing been at the fame time flying over many towers in the place, the barbarous condu6t which the befieged difplayed in cutting off the heads of two volunteers which were killed, mufl be attributed to the Englifli commander, a conduct which is very oppofite to the honours which have been paid to EnglilTi oflScers and foldiers found upon the fit-Id of battle, and to the attentions which have been flievvn to wounded and to prifoners, " The Englifh being thofe who defend and provifion Acre, the horrible condu6t of Dgezzar, who caufed to be flrangled and thrown into the water, with their hands tied behind their backs, more than two hundred Chrittians, inhabitants of this country, among whom was the fecretary of a French conful, muft be ecjually attributed to this officer, fince from circum- ftances the Pacha found himfclf entirely dependant upon him. " This officer having befides refufed to execute any of the articles of exchange eftabliflied between the two powers, and his propofalsin all the communications which have taken place, and his condu6t fjnce the time that he has been cruizing here, b 2 having ( ''>' ) France, fmce the latter at his levee the other day defired the brother and filter of Sir Sydney to af- furc having been thofe of a madman ; my defire is, that you order the different commanders on the coatl to give up all communi- cation with the Englifli fleet adually cruizing in thefe feas. (Signed) " Buonapakte." Such accufations many perhaps will think too contemptible to be noticed ; but there are others, who infatuated with Buo- naparte, might find in filence grounds for recrimination. I therefore fliall briefly obferve, firft as to the maffacre of the Chriftians, that Dgezzar Pacha, previous to the difembarkation of any individual from the Englifli fhips, caufed thirty men in the French intereft to be ftrangled, forefeeing that refiftance would be made to the act if not perpetrated before Sir Sydney's landing ; that the embarkation of the prifoners in veflels in- fected with the plague is a ludicrous charge, for would Sir Syd- ney, in that cafe, have placed an Englifli guard on board over them ? So contrary however is the fact, that fome French fick embarked afterwards at Jafta, for Damietta, in eight or ten Tartans, having heard of the kind treatment their comrades experienced, flood out to the Tigre then cruizing ofl^, and fur- rendered themfelves. The charge about cutting off* the heads of dead men is frivolous ; befides how could Sir Sydney, in bis fituation, abolilli the practice j and it is urged with fome ef- frontery by the man who a fliort time before butchered in cold blood near 4000 Turks. The abufive part is too low to be no- ticed ; but I will exalt the victorious adverfary of Buonaparte even higher than his character has yet reached, by relating, that when Sir Sydney found the French had raifed the flege of Acre, ( xxi ) fure him, that lie had ahvays entertained the higheji efteemjor Jiim, a declaration wliich fuf- ficiently proves that the lirft Coniul cannot be, nor would he wiih to be thought the fame per- fon with him who wrote the dilhonourable order alluded to, much lefs the man who committed barbarities more heinous even than thofe with Avhich Sir Sydney is charged. The firft Conful himfelf has ftrongly marked the diltinction, and every one othcrwife would refpecl too much the dignity of conftituted authorities to infmuate that a criminal is invefted with the robes of fupreme mao'iftracv. *&' Acre, he infiantly failed for Jaffa, off which place he flood clofe in to the fhore, and faw a body of the enemy filing into the town. Immediately he cannonaded what he fuppofed was an enemy, and his iliot evidently did confiderable execution ; at laft by his glafs he perceived that the column he was attacking confifted only of wounded and fick men riding on camels, al- mort: all of the foldicrs having bandages on fome of their limbs, wilt n he directly ordered the firing to ceafe, and allowed the whole convoy to pafs unmolefted : a trait which muft procure for him the gratitude of Frenchmen, and the love of his own countrymen. 1) 3 There ( xxii ) There is another perfon whom I have frequently mentioned, as having written a publication which he prefents to the world as a narrative of fads, but which is written with the palpable obje6l of detra6ling from the fame of the Britifli army, by charging it coUeclively and individually with a want of courage, talents, and enterprize, there- fore a work refpeding which there cannot be a divided opinion amongft the unprejudiced in every country. Had General Reynier confined himfelf to the vindication of the honour of the French army, fuch an attempt would have been natural and praife-worthy ; but when perfonali- ties and illiberal afperfions mark every obferva- tion, which is alfo as replete with error as invete- racy, indignation cannot be too ftrongly ex- preffed, and the maxim urged, which General Reynier Ihould have known better to appreciate, " that the calumniation of an enemy is no evi- dence of courage. " When an officer writes, he Ihould remember that his military charadler is involved, and that no ( xxiii ) no violence of party can juftify a wilful perver- fion of truth. As a man of honour, he fhould be above demeaning himfelf, by unjuftly tradu- cing the condud of his enemies. The Englifh Gazettes, and General Hutchinfon's orders, might have dire6ted General Reynier to a nobler line of condu6t. Is there an officer in the French fervice bold and wicked enough to fay, that on the day of landing the Britilh troops lay down in the boats (the folly of which aflertion is palpable, unlefs they could have been packed as old clothes) ; that, on the 13th, he faw two battalions throw down their arms ? The concluding allertion of General Reynier is however his own, " that the Englilh neither fhewed courage, boldnefs, or ta- lents in the field;" the infmuation is alfo his, that the merit of the landing was due only to the navy. The events of the camj:)aign will refute the firft charge : and the Britilli failors will not accept his compliment, for their fame does not require the whole portion of laurels, Avhere others b 4 fliared ( xxiv ) lliared in acquiring them. Yet after all, with every attempt to tarniih the glory of that expe- dition, what does General Reynier recite? An uninterrupted feries of fuccefles on the part of the Engliili ; vi6lory in every battle to them, and general difafter to the French, Le feu bien nourri par les Anglois, la cavalerie Fra?7^aife cid" butee, rinfanterie repoujjee, are the details of each a6lion. It is true, he reprefents the Englifli force as much more confiderable than it actually was ; but when military men learn that the Bri- tifh army which landed amounted only to ] 5,330 men, including 999 fick, they will judge for themfelves if thefe troops behaved well. When General Reynier fpeaks of the timidity of the movements, boafting that the French army run over in four days a fpace which the Englifli creeped over in forty, he ihews a confiderable want of candour; for ignorant he is not of the obftacles which oppofed themfelves to the Britifh advance, of the degrees of difficulty between an army ( XXV ) army accuflomed to the climate, retiring on its depot, palTing through a country it had fo often traverfed, and one which had juft arrived, fufFer- ing from cUmate, totally ignorant of the carte du pays, obliged to draw all fupplies of provifions and ftores from the fleet, over a boccage fome- times for nine days together impaflable, and where, in fmall boats, one hundred fouls periflied ; an army which had at the fame time to oppofe its progrefs a formidable enemy, and whofe feeble refiftance could not have been anticipated. If the Ensi'li^i had maintained their armies as the French have done this war, by robbing, pillaging the inhabitants, and never paying for a fmgle ar- ticle, certainly their movements might have been more rapid ; and if the execration of mankind is not a counterbalancing difadv^antage, their pre- fcnt fyilem is indeed a prejudicial honefty. In the returns of ftrcngth, nothing can be more inaccurate than General Reynier, as a few will He ( xxvi ) He dates the following to have been the num- ber of particular corps in Egypt : Corfican Rangers - 400 True return 20Q Huffars of Hompefch 300 - - 140 1 1th regt. of dragoons 500 - - 55 Marines - - 2000 - - 400 Britiih artillery with ^ the Vizier, includ-> 500 _ , - 39 ing artificers 3 Sailors doing duty"1 in the batteries I 4200 1143 With regard to his ftatement of the combined force a6ling againft Egypt, his obfervations are very fuperficial, fmce no confiderable part of General Baird's army reached Coffir before the 8th of June ; for Colonel Murray's arrival at the latter end of May with a few men cannot be deemed a reinforcement, on the fcale General Reynier wifhes to make the application ; nor did the Indian army join General Hutchinfon until after ( xxvii ) after the fall of Alexandria. The Britifh troops therefore who conquered Egypt, taking the fur- render of Cairo as the epoch when the country was reduced, and which mufi; be fo confidered, were thofe who originally landed under the com- mand of Sir Ralph Abercromby, to whom, inde- pendent of 1000 me^ who came from Malta at the latter end of May, and the detachment of the S6th regiment from Suez, 1 50 men, no rein- forcements arrived, and which army the French nearly doubled in numbers, exclufive of the vafl fuperiority M^iich poffeffion of the country, a powerful cavalry and artillery aftbrdcd them. The Turks certainly altogether mull not be ex- cluded from a Ihare in the triumph ; but General Reynier exaggerates their numbers ; and al- though they did contribute greatly to the fuc- cefs, ftill we mufl remember that this is the firft occafion where their hordes have been honoured with any rcfpeftful attention by the French ; yet alfo muft we confefs, that there is more reafon after General Belliard's defeat, which affair how^- cver a fupcrior general officer defcribed with much ( xxviii ) much humour, " as a parcel of fheep running from clogs without teeth." Still, notwithftanding General Reynier's injuf- tice, I cannot conclude theie remarks without adding what is due to his talents, that the world has much reafon to regret that General Reynier did not exert his commanding abihties to invef- tigate and relate fa6ts, and that various preju- dices have prevented the military fervice from receiving that information which no officer was better qualified to give. Since this work firft went to prefs, Vivant Denon, one of the Savans who accompanied Ge- neral Buonaparte to Egypt, has publiflied what was advertifed to be a fcientific expofition of the antiquities of that country, and which confe- quently was a labour warmly to be encouraged. Unfortunately, the philofopher proves himfelf a moft obfequious courtier, ufing that bombafl in the relation of the battles he was a fpedator of, which has rendered every pubhc French difpatch during ( xxix ) during the war, with fome very few exceptions, ridiculous ; and he at laft terminates many ex- aggerations ^\ith the round alfertion, that at Al)oukir Buonaparte deftroyed twenty thoullind Turks, fix thoufand heing kiik^d, two thoufand taken, and the remainder droM'ncd, whilft the Turkifli force altogether confifted but of eight thoufmd men, as the reader ^ill afterwards find. Such a perverfion of fact, by a man of Monfieur Denon"s characler, will make no favourable im- preffion in honour of his countrymen ; but if he has forgotten what is due to truth, the world will not forget that this Savan was the diftinguilhed favourite of Buonaparte ; for that general, almoft immediately previous to his leaving Egypt, fcnt the reft of the rommifiion into Upper Egypt, con- trary to a facred promife, that v/henever he re- turned to France, they lliould accompany him, and felecied this man to he the companion of his fortunes. Tiic boon was confidcrable, and Monf. Denon endeavours to rej)ay his ])atron; but per- haps his former alTociates may not be lb ob- (cquious, irritated particularly as they mult be at this fecond march being ftolen upon them, by a pub.i- ( XXX ) publication which certainly anticipates, in fome degree, yet will not eventually leflen the value of theirs, fome deftined parts of which have been fhewn, when I had the good fortune to be pre- fent, and which furpafs, in elegance and execu- tion, all works of a fnnilar nature which have yet appeared.* I have now to return my thanks to the officers who fo kindly favoured me with the communi- * Fourier, a gentleman of moft confiderable information* who made the difcovery of the declination of the Zodiac in the Temples of Upper Egypt, and who propofed, in order to avoid diftracting the world with any new theories, to publifh his ob- fervations on that fubjeft in Latin, for the difcuflion only of the fuperior order of fociety, has undertaken the compilation of this voluminous and extentive work, for the benefit of all the artifts who contributed to its formation : Nouet gives the aftronomical part ; Redouti the natural hiftory, and nothing can exceed the beauty of his drawings ; Fourier the mathema- tical divifion ; and other men of fcience the various other branches. The public will alfo hereafter probably be gratified by fome accounts on a fmaller fcale from Mr. Hamilton, fe- cretary to Lord Elgin ; Lieutenant Hayes of the Engineers, and Captain Legge of the Artillery, who, fince the conquefl; of Egypt, have penetrated further than any of the French, pro- ceeding near lOO miles beyond the Catarads. cations ( xxxi ) cations I required, and to exprefs particular ob- ligations to Captain Marley, of the ftaff corps, an officer Avhofe zeal and abilities rendered very great fervice to Colonel Stuart in the Delta, with whofe column he a6led as quarter mafter general, for the maps of Egypt he furnilhed me with, and which fo well exemplify his talents, thofe of Ma- jor * Birch, and the officers of the military col- lege, by whofe united labours the original work was perfeded during the campaign, notwith- flanding the feverity of their other duties. To Mr. Hopner, who, without the fmalleft hefitation, accorded me pcrmiffion to have an engraving from a pi6lure drawn by him of Sir Ralph Aber- cromby, the world as well as myfelf muft acknow- ledge a debt of gratitude, fmce the portrait re- prcfents to life a hero, who is the pride of the Britifli fervice, and " an honeft man, which is the nobleft work of God." * Major Birch was fenior officer, and under his immediate and aftive fuperintendcncc the coiintry was reconnoitred, and tlie plans traced. HISTORY HISTORY OF THE EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. JlT is not my intention to difcufs whether the direction of a Britilh force to Egypt, under the circumftanccs that Europe then prefented, was tlie moft judicious difpofal of it. That queftion would invohe too huge a fphere of pohtics; but certain it is, tiiat any pofitive object was prefera- ble to indeterminate counfels and feebly exe- cuted plans, which wafte the foldier's health and fpirit, compromife the honor of the army, and fo materially prejudice theintereft of a country. After the attempt on Cadiz was abandoned, it became abfolutely neceirar}- to employ more ad- vantageouily an army, which might jultly be regarded as the corps d' elite of England, and which had been kept as a difpofable force at fu great an ex pence. Vol. I. B The 3 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The troops from fo long a continuance at fea, in weather as violent as the oldell: failor ever re- membered,* began to fink in mind and ftrength, and their unmerited failures tended ftill more to deprefs them. Sir Ralph Abercrombie fympathized in the gallant feelings of the foldiery, was fenfible to the expectations of his country, and did not Ihrink from the refponlibility of his fituation. Italy again and Spanifli America for fome time occupied his attention. But the news of the convention at Kohenlinden annihilated the iirft proje61, and the furrender of Malta directed his views to Egypt, rather than to tlic fecond. At length, on the 25th of 06lober, orders from England arriving to undertake that expedition, part of the fleet failed on the 3d of November for Minorca, and the remainder, with Sir Ralph Abercrombie, direcl for Malta, where it arrived on the 30th; and Lord Keith, with the divifion from Minorca, joined on the 14th of Decem- ber. * It will be fufficient to mention, as a proof of the bad wea- ther, that the fleet loft SO anchors in Tetuan bay. At EXPEDITION TO EGYPT* 3 At Malta, the troops partially difembarked, while the Ihips were cleaning, in order to under- go thp infpeftion of the Commander in Chief, a duty which this excellent officer never omitted. The abundance of frelh provifions, the comforts which the beautiful city La Valette afforded, tlie luxury of the fcenery, foon re-animated the troops, and rendered them completely fit for fer- vice. An addition was here alfo in fa6t made to the army, by the enlifung of Maltefe to the num- ber of five hundred, who engaged to a6t as pio- neers; and officers were encouraged to hire others for fervants, government allowing each one llfiUing per day; but being then unac- quainted v/ith the fidelity and honefty of theie people;, few chofe to engage them.* Requifite * An arrangement which on all fcrvices would be advanta- geous, as fuptniumerary men of inferior ll:ature with lefs pay- might always be enlifted as bat men. Officers on their prefent allowance cannot aflbrd to keep hired fervants. An anecdote wliich occurred to one of the belt inid mod giillant cavalry of- ficers in the fervice may confirm this. A man alked of him eighty pounds per annum wages. " Do you know, my friend," faid the major, " tiiat you alk more than is given to a fubaltern officer, who muft live like a gentleman, and exp(;fe himfelf alfo to all the levcritics and dangers of the fervice?" '"Ah, Sir," was his ingenuous reply, " I do indeed know their dit- trefs, and I pity the poor gentlemen from my heart." n 2 ftores, 4 EXPEDITION" TO EOYTT. flores, Sec. having been collected, orders were if- fued for the re-embarkation of the army ; and on the 20th of December the firft divifion failed for IMarmorice, where it arrived on the 28th. The fecond divifion followed on the 2lfl of Decem- ber, and arrived on the ift of January. It may be a qucftion why the army did not fail direct for Egypt, and the event juftifies the fuppofition that it would have experienced lefs refiflance, fmce the Egyptienne, Juftice, Regeneree, and Lodi, which carried out the important fuccours^ of troops and ammunition, had not at that time efcaped into Alexandria. But it is to be an- fwered, that the co-operation of the Turks, from the influence of their religion on the inhabitants, was highly effential, and that they had moreover promifed to furnifli gun-boats, horfes to mount the cavalry, and troops under the immediate command of the Captain Pacha, provided the BritilTi fleet rendezvoufed in Afia ]\Iinor. The refult indeed proved that dependance on thefe fuccours to effe6l a landing was not advantage- ous. Lord Keith's divifion in going to jMarmoricc fell in with fome polacres coming from Alexan- dria, laden with rice, and on board of one of which was the celebrated Tallien. No particu- lar EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. a lar information was obtained from them, or ra- ther the eftimate they gave of tlie French force in Egypt was confidered as grofsly exaggerated. It had been the intention of Lord Keith to rendezvous hi the Bay of Macri, but finding that port was too open, and that Rhodes did not ad- mit of the entrance of large fliips of war, he re- connoitred the coaft, and difcovered Marmorice Bay, one of the iineft harbours in the world, the entrance of which was fo narrow and retired, that it could not be perceived till within a cable's length of the coaft. The furprizc, the pleafure of thefoldiers can fcarce be defcribed, when they found themfelvcs in a moment embayed by mountains, which formed the grandeft fcenery imaginable, and failing in fmootli water, although the inftant before the fleet was labourino- in a heavy gale of wind, and rolling about in a tre- mendous fea. Even fliips which could not carry outlide a top-gallant-fail, were now fuddenly be- calmed, and obliged to be towed up the harbour by the boats of tlie fleet. The fick were immediately landed and en- camped ; for the little town at Marmorice, at the head of the harbour, afforded no accomuKJ- dation. llci^imeiits were alio fucceffivc'.y dilbm- 33 3 baiL'wd^ 6 EXPEDITrON TO EGYPT. barked, wliilft the iliips Arere cleaning, and the whole army frequently exercifed to that manoeu- vre they were lliortly to pradife before the ene- my in landing. The cavalry were kept on Ihore to receive the horfcs expected from Conftanti- Bople, and officers were partially employed in the purchafe of others.* The quarter mafter general of the army, Colo- nel Anftruther, who had been fent from Minorca to prepare the Turks for the reception of the Englifli, had not been able to procure a fufficient fiipply of frefli provifions to fave the ilfue of the falted ftores; but goat-flefli \vas yet obtained in fufficient abundance by individuals, and poultry alfo was plentiful,'!' The Englifli, however, found * One of the expeditions had nearly proved difiiflrous to fome officers lent to the rebel Aga of Cudjas, whofe attendants wiflied to take liberties, -which, though not unnatural to them, were highly repugnant to Briti fii ideas. Another was more advantageous, fince Major Moore, of the 2fith dragoons, at Maori, an acient city of the Greeks, obtained as a prefent from 'the Aga three gold coins lound there, and in the molt perfetil prcfcrvation. Two of them are of Pyrrhus, and one of Lyfi- maehus. f A Turkifli market place is fufficient to genei-ate a plague. It is never cleaned, and blood fiows on blood until aconliftency of corruption is formed. The fcene at Marmorice, where the butchery was fo confiderable, is indefcribable. that EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 7 that their character had preceded them from Europe, for every article was advanced in price four hundred per cent. The horfes for tlie cavalry at length arrived, and expectation was raifed with eager hope to receive fome of that fpecies for which Turkey is fo celebrated; but the mortification was excef- five, to fee animals naturally fo bad, and in i\ich a wretched condition, as to make the dragoons feel liumiliation in being ordered to take charge of them. Every commanding olhccr folicited rather to ferve with his corps as infantry; but the nature of the fervice the army was about to be employed on, rendered even fuch more vlefi- rable than none. However, out of fcveral hun- dred horfes, finally only two hundred were left for the cavalry, about fifty for the artillery, and the remainder ihot, or fold for a dollar apiece. Aliferable indeed would have been the fratc of the cavalry, had it not been amended by the horfes j)urchafed in the neighbourhood ; l)ut this fupply Mas fmall, iincc it v.as a meafure not preil'ed vigorouil\' till too kite ; previoufly adopted it would have rendered the whole of the dra- goons an efiiective force, and faved an enormous expence. B 4 On 8 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. On the 8th of February commenced the moft violent thunder and hail ftorm ever remembered, and which continued two daj^s and nights in- tennittingly. The hail, or rather the ice ftones were as big as large walnuts. The camps were deluged with a torrent of them, tM^o feet deep, which, pouring from the mountains, fwept every thing before it. The fcene of confufion on ihore by the horfes breaking loofe, and the men being unable to face the ftorm, or remain ftill in the freezing deluge, furpalles defcription. The iliips in the harbour were in no lefs diforder; from driving, lofs of mafts, &c. and the Swift- fure was ftruck by lightning. At night the firmament was, from the increaling flafhes, in a ftate of conftant and vivid ihumination. To add to the terrific grandeur of this concuffion of elements, fignal guns of diilrefs were frequently heard, and the bowlings of wolves, jackalls, &c. re-echoed throuo-h the mountains at the back of the camp in the intervals, whenever the thun- der ceafed. It is not in the power of language to convey an adequate idea of fuch a tempeft. On tlie l6tli of February General !Moore, who liad been fent from Marmorice on the 4th of January to the Grand Vizii's army at Jappa, returned with the fame niclancholy account of its EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Q its wretched ftate, as Colonel Murray had brought in December. Weak as to numbers, without difcipline, and infeded with the plague, its co-operation fcarcely offered an apparent advantao-e.* The appointed time for the arrival of the Cap- tain Pacha and the gun-boats had long elapfcd. Only a few of the latter had joined; and it ap- peared evident from the continued delays, that tlie Turkilh armament could not be ready for fome time. Every moment became of moft fc- rious import, and particularly fmce the intelli- gence was confirmed of the efcape of two frigates into Alexauflria, whilft our Ihips, pre\ioLifly cruizing off, M'cre catering at Cyprus. This news 'svds really alarming, fmce it had already been afcertained that the Trench force in Egypt confifted of a nnicli greater ftrength than govern- ment fuppofcd it to be, wliillt the unexpected ftate of the 'i'urkilli army conliderably Aveakened the projected me.ms of attack. But the order * Tlie Grand Vizir wiflicd to mufter the troops; but as each chict drew for as many rations as he cliofe to demaiKi, which tliis inrpcclion wovild have checked, a few fliots were fired at his highne/s's tent in the morning it was to take place, which hint was well uuderftood, and the mutter was immedi- ately countcnuai.dcd. was 10 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. was pofitive, the obje6l urgent, and the charac- ter of the Britifli army relied on tlie attempt. The weather had been very violent for fome time, and all the pilots, accuftomed to the Egyp- tian coaft, declared that till after the equinox it "would be madnefs to attempt a landing. They were till then unacquainted with the daring of Britifli feamen, and law, to their aitoniinnient, the army all embarked on the 20th of February; yet it was not till the '13d that the fleet could weigh anchor, when it failed ^^ith a very freffi breeze. The number of veO'els was fuch, about 175 fail, as to require a complete day for the whole to alTemble in the roads. A nobler fight could not be beheld. The greatnefs of the armament, tlie gaiety of the brave men on board, exciting reflections on the awful deftiny of the expedition, not only as re- lating to thofe immediately acting in it, but as affe6ting the deareft interefts of Great Britain, afforded a fcene for contemplation, in the higheft degree gratifying and imprelfive. To the credit of the army during its ftay at Marmorice, no complaint had ever been made by the inhabitants; ou the contrary, the Turks feemcd EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 11 feemed to be infpired, for the firft time, Avith an efteem for Chriftians.* The army wanted for many comforts, which that part of Afia INIinor could not produce; al- though feveral vellels, taken on their way from France to Alexandria, had aiforded a very fea- fonable fupply, they being laden with all the epicurean luxuries, which flie could fend out.f The greateft misfortune was the total want of information refpe^iing Egypt, Not a map to be depended upon could be procured, and the ])eft draught from M'liich information could be formed, and which was diftrihuted to the gene- rals, proved lidiculoufly incorrecl. Sir Sydney Smitli was the only officer who knew at all the locality of the coall, and he cer- tainly, as far as he had feen, gave perfe6l infor- * The ladies of the army might boaft of animating them with the tendered; fentinnenis of attachment. Some attempts were made at tlie embarkation to furprife and carry off feveral; and a French lady, taken on her way to Egypt, had a very nar- row efcape. t It is but too ch; raderiftic of the French, that on board of thefe fliips, amongft many otiier fantallical packages, was a cargo of fanSj moft ingenioufly indecent. mation. 12 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. mation. But he had never been in the interior of the country. Captain Boyle, at Minorca, had given an idea of the difpofition of the French army, which, confidcring the caution it was neceffary for him to ufe, and the vigilance which guarded him, did his zeal and addrefs great honour.* Mr. Baldwin, the Britiih conful at Alexandria, who had been fcnt for from Naples by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, on account of his refpe6table character and influence in Egypt, could not be fuppofed to give much militaiy information. It is, however, a pofitive fa6l, extraordinary as it may appear, that fo little was Sir Ralph Abercrombie acquainted with the ftrength of the enemy he was preparing to attack, that he rated their force at thegreateft calculation, at only ten thoufand French, and live thoufand auxiliaries, then exceedino' the number ftated in the official information fent from home, and on which the expedition was originally formed. * Captain Boyle was wrecked in the Cormorant off Dami- etta, when on his way to iVlexandria in a cartel^ and made pri- ibner, conti'ary to the ufagcs of war. The EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 13 The BritiHi army confirted of the following regiments, amounting to 15,330 men, including 999 fick, and 500 Maltefe, and all kinds and defcriptions of men attached to an army except officers. Its effedive force in the field could not be therefore, at the higheft computation, above twelve thoufand ; and indeed that number, within two hundred, was the return given in to the Commander in Chief. Guards 1 ft or Royals 2 Battalions 54th 9^d 8 th 13 th 90t]i 2d, or Queen's 50th 79th 18 th 30th 44th 89th Minorca l)e llolle's Dillon's ^Nlajor General Ludlow Major General Coote ^Vlajor Gen. Craddock ^lajor Gen. Lord Cavaii Brigachcr General Doyle Major General Stuart Rfsehve. 14 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, Reserve. 'Major General Moore 40th Flank Comp. 23d 28th 42d 58th Corfican Rangers Detach, nth Drag. Do. Hompefch's Regt. 12th Dragoons 26 th Dra^-oons Artillery and Pioneers, Brigadier General Lawfon } Brigadier General Finch It muft be allovv^ed, even at the calculation of the fuppofed itrength of the enemy, that to at- tack with fiich a force the pofTeffors of a country, ftrengthened by the advantages of ftrong for- tified pofts, a numerous cavalry, powerful ar- tillery, and a perfecl acquaintance with thofe few points where a debarkation was practicable, was an cntcrprife of the moft audacious charac- ter. What then niuft be the aftonilhment of all military men at the faccefs of the expedition, when the real ^orce of the enemy is afcertained? The fleet had not ftood long on its courfe, before EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 15 before one of the Greek velTels, laden with mules, founflerecl, and one man alone was faved. That this was t!ie only accident is furprifmg, confi- dering the Itate of tliefe Ihips- They v,ere, how- ever, incaj u!)]e of beating up with the men of war and the EngliOi tranfports, or were afraid to keep at fea, confequently moft of them fepa- rated, which was a ferious difafter, as on board of thele veffels tlie cavalry and artillery horfes were chiefly embarked.* February the 26th a convoy from England with provifions, under the efcort of Captain Young, of La Pi(iue, fell in v/ith the fleet. On the J ft of iSIarch the leadin<^ frigate made a fi<>-nal for land, which proved to be the coaft near Arabs Tower, and on the next morning the whole fleet anchored in Aboukir Bay; the men of war riding exactly where the battle of the Nile was fought, for the Foudroyant chafed her cables againit the L'Orient's Avrcck, whole an- chors ihe afterwards lilhed up. The melancholy intelligence of the death of Major ^lakarras, and capture of Major Fletcher, * Some uf the pohcres li'.id neither quadrant nor log on board. of l6 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. of the Engineers, Avas here firfl: announced. Thefe officers had been fent in the Penelope, before the fleet failed from Marmorice, to recon- noitre tlie coaft ; but w hen off Alexandria they got into the Petterel, and in her boat in the night of the 27th of February, proceeded into Aboukir Bay, in order to difcover the proper point of landing. In vain was Major Makarras advifed not to enter too much into the cid de fac of the bay. His fenfe of duty and enterprifmg fpirit urged him to advance, and he even landed on the fubfequent ground of debarkation. At dawn of day, as he was returning, a French gun- boat, full of foldiers, the commander of which had been informed of their reconnoitering, and who had exprefsly failed with her out of the lake Maadie, where flie had been ftationed, ap- peared to windward, and inftantly bore down, commencing at the fame time a fire from her carronade and fmall arms : a fliot foon difabled the Englifli boat from continuing under fail ; and a mufquet ball having killed Major M'Karras, the mafter of the boat, as the gun-boat came along fide, furrendered her. JVfajor Fletcher and the boat's crew were then all allowed quarter, and carried as prifoners into Alexandria, and from thence to General Menou at Cairo. The death of EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 1/ of Major Makarras was, as well as the fevereft private lofs, a public misfortune; his ability juftly obtained the greateft confidence, and placed him in the high ftation he held in the army. His former fervices juftified the hopes of his ac- quiring ftill greater chara6ler; and while the man was mourned by his friends, the lofs of the officer was univerfally deplored. The ftate of the weather was fuch as to pre- vent the poffibility of landing, which appeared a fatal misfortune, fince, on the capture of the boat, containing officers of engineers, no doubt could be fuppofed to remain on the minds of the enemy, as to the intentions of the EngliHi ; and the prefent delay gave them ample leifure for preparation. But if they had not already ob- tained fufficient information, another untoward occurrence mufthave aifured them of every par- ticular they could require. On the morning of the 2d of March, a frigate was feen handing into Alexandria. Purfuit was unavailing; flie reached the harbour, and hoifting French culouis, proved unequivocally her na- tion. It will fearccly be credited that a French frigate, V'oL. I, c unex- 18 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. unexpe6leclly finding herfclf in the midft of an Engliili fleet, fliould have been fo capable diredly to difguife herfelf, as to continue unfufpe6ted on her coLirfe ^vhh it, which ilie did the whole day before, anfwcring the various fignals made, and yet never attra6l the fmalleft fufpicion; neverthe- lefs, it is faft, and muft remain on record, as an honourable anecdote to the credit of the French captain of the llegeneree. During the night the brig the Lodi alfo entered, but which was not then known. On the 7th, the weather moderating, the gene- ral went in a boat t0 reconnoitre the fliore. Sir Sydney Smith at the fame time, with three armed launches, proceeded to the entrance of the lake ; but whilft he was gone in his own boat to another point, a fignal was made for the men to land. Lieutenant Brown, of the Foudroyant, with his party, inftantly jumped on fhore, and drove off about fifty men, who defended the block-houfe at the entrance of the lake Maadie; but a body of the enemy coming down. Lord Keith, who was on board the Fury bomb, view- ing this affair, threw out a fignal for their return. They confequently came off, bringing with tliem fome poultry and the ferryman as their EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. IQ their trophies. They had attempted to hurn a gun-boat at the entrance of the lake, but the fire did not catch, and then they tried to fcuttle her, in which alfo they failed : the next day flie was taken. The ferryman could not give much information ; he had never troubled his head with any thing but aqua dente, a pernicious brandy, made of dates. The wind continuing moderate, and the Avell of the fea fubliding, on the morning of the 8th, at two o'clock, the firft divifion of the army, confifting of the referve under the orders of i\Ia- jor Gen. ^loore, the brigade of Guards under Major Gen. Ludlov/, and part of the ift brigade, compofed of the Royals, ift battalion of the 54th, 200 of the 2d battalion, the whole amount- ing to about five thoufand five hundred men, under the command of Major General Coote, affembled in the boats, the remainder of the ift and 2d brigade being put into lliips clofe to the Hiore, that a fupport might be (|uickly given after the firft landing Mas effecled. At three o'clock the fignal was made for their proceeding to rendezvous near the Mondovi, anchored about gun-ihot from the fliore; but the extent of the anchorage was fo great, that the alfem- bling and arrangement of the boats could not be completed till near nine o'clock. And hci*e let c 2 the 30 EXPEDITION TO EGYPTi the reader paufe for a moment, to dwell on this folcmn fcene, and imagine to himfelf the feehngs, the impatience, the fuipenfe which agitated every mind; the hopes and tears which dillra6led the fpeftators; the anxiety of the gallant Sir Ralph Abercronihy for the fuccefs of this hardy enter-* prize, and the fate of the intrepid men who fo chearfuUy engaged to execute his orders. The heart of the brave man will beat high with enthu- fiafm; and may thofe who have hitherto regarded with indifference the fervice of the army, front this moment pay it that tribute of refpeft which is the recom pence of the foldier. iMay thofe young men who are devoted to the military life ferioufly confidcr its important duties, and feek to render themfelvcs capable of commanding, ever remembering that in the courfe of their fervice the fame and lives of fuch foMiers mufl be hazarded to their judgment. The right flank of the Ijoats M-as prote6^ed by the Crueilc cutter and the Dang-ereufe and Ja- iiiiTary gun vciiels ; the left by the Entreprenant cutter, Malta Ichooner, and Ncgreffe gun velfel ; on each flank were aho two launches of the fleeet, armed to fupply the place of the Turkifh gun boats wliich had llpa rated on the paffage. Sir Sydney Smith, with a detachment of feamen di reded EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, 21 dire6ted to co-operate with the army, had charge of the launches, whicii contained the field artil- lery. The Tartarus and the Fury bomb velfels were placed in their proper fituation, to cover with their fire the landing; and the Pcterell, Camelion, and Minorca were moored with their broadfides to the iliore. At nine o'clock the fignal was made for the boats to advance. They fprung forwards at the fame inftant, and the whole fcene became animation. The French, to the numbej" of two thoufand men, pofied on the top of the fand-hills, forming the concave arch of a circle on the front of about a mile, (in the centre of which elevated itfelf a nearly perpen- dicular height of fixty yards, apparently inac- cefliblc,) had looked down with wonder at the preparation, and fince confefled tliat they could not believe the attempt would even have been made ; but when they faw the boats moving with extraordinary rapidity to the fliore, and the armed vclfels opening their guns, they could no longer doubt the ierioufnefs of the intention, and directly poured a)! the fire which their artil- lery on the heights (12 pieces) and the cattle of Aboukir could diicharge. The quantit\ of liiot and thells, and as the boats approac'it'd, the iliower of gra()e and mufcjuetry, ieenied fo to plough the furface of the water, that nothing on c 3 it 22 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. it could live ; for a moment it even checked and compelled fome of the boats rather to clofe upon the left;* but the im])ulfe returned with increafed ardour, and preffing through the ftorm the row- ers forced to the beach. The referve leaped out of the boats on the ihore, and formed as they advanced ; the 23d and 40th regiments ruflied up the heights with almoft prasternatural energy, neverfiring a iliot, but charging with the bayonet the two battalions which crowned it, breaking them and purfuing till they carried the two Nole hills in the rear, which commanded the plain to the left, taking at the fame time three pieces of cannon. The 4 2d regiment had landed and formed as on a parade, then mounted the pofi- tion, notwithftanding the fire from two pieces of cannon and a battalion of infantry. The mo- ment they gained the height, tM'o hundred French dragoons attempted to charge them, but were as quickly repulfed. The boats of the Guards had fcarce felt the beach, and the men began to jump out, before the fame body of cavalry, who had rallied behinf I * This little diforder was alfo occafioned by fome of the boats being ftruck and finking^ when others flopped to fave the men. the EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 23 the fand liills, charged fuddenly upon them. This unexpe6led attack caufed a momentary dif- order, but the 58th regiment, formed ah-eady on their right, by their fire cliecked the enemy, and gave time for the Guards to prefent a front, when tlie cavahy again retreated with confider- able lofs. The 54th and Royals,*'' from being in tranfport boats, (hd not reach the fliore fo foon as the others, but landed at the inftant a column of fix haiKhed infantry was advancing with fixed bayonets through a hollow^ agaiuft the left flank of the Guards. The French on feeing them heiitated, then firing a volley, retreated. This moment of exultation cannot be defcribed, but the molt callous mind mult be fenfible to its efrcd. The French finding the Britilh in full poffefTion of the heights, and Crcneral Coote advancing with the Guards and his brigade, ran from all points of their pofition, Luit in the rear fand hills maintained for about an hour and a half a fcat- * It is to be regretted lliat no provlfion is made for the Tai- lors in the traiiTport lerviee who are wounded, or extraordi- nary encouragement given to them when employed on lueh dangerous duty as the dilembarkation of troops. The meafure would be politic and jult. c 4 tcrcd ^4 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. tercd fire, when they M'ere finally obliged to retreat, having loft three hundred men, eight pieees of cannon, and many horfes. The boats returned immediately for the remainder of the army, m hieh, by the great exertions of tlie navy, were all landed before night. Sir Halpli, im- preffed with the ftrongeft feelings of gratitude and admiiation, came on fkore, and took up a pofition, diiiant about three miles, v, illi his right to the fea, and left on Jyake Maadie; at tbe fame time occupying the battery on the tongue of land at the entrance of the lake, but not in time to prevent tbe efcape of eighty French over tbe ferry. The lofs of Britifli amounted in this affair to near five hundred men, amongfl whom v\T]-e feveral gallant officers.* General Reynier afferts, that the infantry laid down in the bottom of the boats, Avbilft the failors, indifferent to the Trench artillerv, rowed with visfour to the fliore. What kiud of boats muft thofe flats have been, which would have allowed of fuch an extenfion ? Is it pofiiblc that any one can be ignorant of the necclTity of troops in all debarkations, wedging as clofe as polfible together in an upright pofi- * Captain Warren of the Guards^ the fon of Sir John Bor- lafe Warren, was particularly lamented^ as one of the moft pjornifing young men in the army. tioUj EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 25 tion, or how could fifty men be carried in each boat? Malignity iliould aiwa3"s thus defeat it-' felf. No Britiili foldier would detract in the fmallefl degree from praife juftly conferred on the navy ; but the feamen themfeives will indignantly reje6t fuch ungenerous and malevolent applaufe. From a confideration of the cncmv's ftreno-th, and an obfervation of the map, military men muft pronounce that a landing in the face of fuch a pofition was nearly impracticable, where both parties did their duty; but it would be un juft to infmuate that the French did not behave with fpirit and refolution. Their defence Avas ftrictly good, and the conqueft one of thofe fm- gular phoenomena, which occafionally occur to animate the brave with a confidence, that bril- liant exertions, fupportcd by pcrfevering cou- rage, may furmount mathematical impiobabi- lities, and fnatch a vi6tory where cold calcula- tion vvould predict a certain defeat. The event, however, does not in all cafes juftify the coun- cils ; but Sir llalpli Abercrombie's peculiar fitua- tion muft be confidered, and weigh heavily in the enquiry. JJad he Ix'en alarmed at the for- midable appearance of the pofition, it is too much 2(i EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. irnicli to be feared, that his prudence, however JLilt, would liave involved hinifelf and army in eternal and irretrievable oblo(}uy. Aboukir Bay was the only port where the de barkation could have been made on the Egyp- tian coait, for there only could the ihipping- re- main in fafety; and it was abfolutely necehiiry that the communication with the fleet, even daily, fhould be prelerved, for on it the army was not only to dej)end for provifions, ftores, &c. but, as it was iirft fuppofed. for water. It is true Buonaparte landed near Arabs Tower, and trufted to his foitune; but he had no Euro- pean force to difpute liis progrefs, and he well knew the paltry refiitance which Alexandria could then oppofe to him.*' * The aut!ior does not write to detraft from the French; but it is the dvity of an hiftorian to corre6l falfe ftatements. The boalled afiault of Alexandria was a contemptible as well as cruel aSlon^ unworthy altogether of Buonaparte's fame. Policy may excufe the gafconade of his difpatches^ but not the wanton (torm of a city, for the fake of ftriking terror, and fix- ing an imprelhon of the French name throughout P^gypt. The murder of the garrifon was a barbarous violence, and the in- dulgence granted to his troops, of a three hours' facking of the place, an at of unjultiliable inhumanity. Some EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 27 Some may fuppofe that the Bay of Jaifa of- fered a fecurer point of debarkation; but the ftate of the Grand Vizir's army muft be confi- dcred, and the obftacles which tlie Defert pre- fented to Europeans, unaccuftomed to the cU- mate. Sir Sydney Smitli, who had landed and recon- noitred this ground the year before, propofed that the battery at the entrance of Lake Alaadie* fliould be maintained, when carried in tlic evening of the 7th, or its aflault combined at all events with the operations of the landing. Such a manfruvre would certainly have been mafterly, as in either cafe its advantages muft have been deciiively great. If fifteen hundred men had paftcd into the lake, and made for the narrov/ neck of the ifihmus, about half a mile in breadth, and to which our advanced pofts were pullied on the evening of the 8th, the French muft have abandoned their polition at Aboukir, or expofed thcmfelves to be taken in the rear, and have their retreat cut off; had only gun-boats forced * Tlic paflagc is about two hundred yards wide, and was made about eighteen years ilncc by the fea breaking down the dylce, whicli had been built ages back to recover from the ocean that country now Lake Maadie. in 2S EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. in on the morning of the landing, the French would have fiiffcred moil feverely from their fire in croffing tb.e plain a good mile in extent, im- mediately in rear of their pofition. Sir Ralph Abercrombie was aware of this reafoning, but feared to divide his force, not knowing the num- bers of the enemy which might oppofe the land- ing at Aboukir, and the boats not being fuffici- ently numerous to admit of his detaching from that principal fervice. After the action, the army employed itfelf in digging to find water, as Sir Sydney afiured the troops that wherever date trees grew, water muft be near. The fact proved fo, and the Comman- der in Chief found liimfelf relieved from an anx- iety which might othcrwife have determined him ftill to relinquilli tlic enterprize/'' The French commander of Aboukir caftle rc- fufing to furrendcr, the Queen's and 26th dif- mounted drao-oons Mere ordered to blockade it. On the qth of March the arm}' advanced its po- * An Arab came to Sir Sydney Smith, and fliewed him a well, which he laid had been clofed by him ever fmce the French landed. An a6t of frjendihip which augured favorably of the general difpolition. fitiou EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 2^ fitlon a fliort way, and were polled in three lines. On the J 0th feme fkirmilhing between the ad- vanced pofts took place; twenty Corfican Ran- gers were taken, and the furgeon of the corps, INIr. Smith, by the fudden advance of a body of cavalry; Colonel Spencer, who had been out re- connoitring with General Moore, and Captain Money, of the 11th dragoons, narrowly efcaped. On the 10th Captain INIarley, with Captain Stuart of the jNIondovi, went in a boat up Lake Maadie, and landed on the canal of Alexandria, near to the ifthmus, and afcending the height on which the citadel of the Britifli entrenched camp was afterwards confiru6ted, they difcovered the rear of a column palling into the lines before Alexandria. Having completed their reconnoitring at this point, they pafied acrofs the lake, and landed at Arifch, but obtained there no intelligence, from Avhence they returned to camp. The neceilary ft(jrcs being brought on ihore, a depot formed, and an hofpital efLabliilied on the beach, Sir Ralph Abercrombie moved the army on the 12th to ?tfandora Tower, about four miles, M'here it encamped in three lines. A body of I'rench ca- valry IkiriJiilhed the whole of the way witli the adviiaced 30 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. advanced guard, but no ferious oppofition was made. On the 13th the army marched to attack the French, polled on the ridge of heights, which the Britifli afterwards encamped on during the blockade of Alexandria. The enemy had re- ceived a reinforcement of two half brigades of infantry, and a regiment of cavahy from Cairo, and other corps from Rofetta, making their total force about fix thoufand men, of which fix hun- dred were cavalry, with between twenty and thirty pieces of cannon. Their pofition was on very commanding ground, the approach to which formed a fine glacis for the whole range of fire from their numerous artillery. As Sir Ralph Abercombie determined to turn their right, their left being refufed, the Englifh army marched in two lines and column of regiments from the left, the referve covering the movement on the right and keeping parallel with the firft line. Captain Hillyarhad the command of the launches in the lake. It had not advanced out of the \vood of date trees, which was in front of Mandora Tower, be- fore the enemy left the heights on which they had been formed, and moved down by their right EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 31 right, commencing a licavy fire of mufquctry, and from all their cannon, on the 92(1 regiment, which formed the advanced guard of the left column. At the fame time the cavalry, under the orders of General Bron, charged down a height on the QOth regiment, forming the ad- vanced o-uard of the rio-ht colum.n. This rem- ment, undifmayed, firmly maintained its ground, and allowing tlie cavalry to approach, fired fuch a volley as completely altered their direi-lion, and compelled them to fkirt along the front and then retreat with the greateft precipitation. A few of the dragoons, however, reached the ranks, and were bayonetted in their attempt to break tln-oiigh. Colonel Latoiir Alaubourg was him- fclf defperately wounded, and the lofs of the whole very great. The difciphne and fteadinefs of -the 90th regiment v,ere moft honourable and praife-w'orthy; and if even the charge of tlie French had been more vigorous, their intrepi- dity and firmneis wouUl have rivalled tlie con- duct of the Wellh Fuzileers at the battle of Alin- den. Major Cleneral C'raddock inftaiitly formed his brigade, who executed the manamvre, not- withftanding the hea\y fire they were now under, with the molt regular order and precifion. T]]c conduct of the 92d had been no lels meritorious. Oppofed to a tremendous lire, and fuficjing ie- vcrcJv 32 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. vercly from the French Ihie they never receded si foot, but maintained the conteft alone until the marines and the reft of the line came to tlieir fupport ; and yet thefe are the regiments which General Reynier impudently accufes of laying down their arms. The army now formed in two lines ; the re- ferv^e continuing in column on the right, the Guards in rear of the right of the fecond line, as a fupport to tlie centre, and General Doyle's bri- gade moving in the rear of the left, in column. In this order the army puilied on with the greateft vigour, preferving always the ftrideft re* gularity; whilft the foreign brigade emulated the Britifh. The French kept up a conftant fire of muf- quetry and artillery, but did not oppofe after- wards in line, only as tirailleurs. Had there been a few more cavalry with the army, the enemy muft have lolt all their artillery, and their retreat would have been probably cut off, or fo inipeded that the conquerors might have entered the works before the town v.ith the fugitives. 'O As tlie army perfevcred in its advance, the French were compelled to quit their pofition, and EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 33 and retreat over the plain into their own hnes on the heights before Alexandria; but before they could wholly effeet this, Dillon's regiment, who had moved to the left, charged vith the bayo- net, and carried two guns placed on the canal of Alexandria, turning them imincdiately againfl the enemy. Their conduct, intrepidity, and fteady advance, obtained the admiration of Sir Ralph Abercrondiie, who in the general orders next day particularized this corps. Sir Ralph Abercrombie, wifliing to follow up his fuccefs, and by a coup de main to carry the important pofition the French had nowretircd on, advanced acrofs the plain, ordering .General llutchinibn, with the fccond line, to move forwards to the left, and fecure a projecling lifng ground; Ge- neral Moore was directed to tlie right, that both flanks might be alfaulted at the fame time. The fnir line remained iu the ])lanc rather to the right. General Ilutchiuibn advanced upon the green hill, and occupied the whole of it: then detached the -14th regimer.t in front to carr\' a Inidge on the caiud of Alcxandiia, in tlie bottom between the hill and the IVench pofition. A poft of in- fantry and ca\alry defended it with two guns, but the 44th charged them with the bayone'L, and occupied the bridge. '\\\v enemy now began to ))lay from all their field artillery and lieaxy \'oj,. I. D ordnance. 34 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, ordnance. General Ilutcliinfon's column found Ibme flielter from tlie inequalities of the ground, and the referve Mas proteded by the broken fur- face of the foil on the right, although the French advanced two field pieces to the Nole hill in front of the left againft them. The centre re- mained totally expofed. Whilft Sir llal])h Aber- crombie reconnoitred, the army continued under the molt terrible and deftrudive fire from the enemy's guns, to which troops were ever expofed. The work of death Avas never more quick, or greater opportunity^ afforded for deilruction. The French, no longer in danger, had only to load and fire. Aim was unnecelfary, the bullets could not but do their office, and plunge into the lines. For feveral hours did the Englilb remain patiently fuifering this exterminating lire, and never betrayed the leaft irrefolution. If a M'ord was heard, it contained only a wifli to be led on to the alfault. At length Sir Ralph Abercrom- bie deemed it prudent not to attempt the forcing of the heights, fuppofmg tliat they were com- manded by Fort Cretin, in wliich cafe, for the want of artillery, he was not prepared to main- tain them; the army was therefore withdrawn at fun-let, ftill marching as if on parade, and ordered to re-occupy that poiition Vrhich was fo fnorth EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 35 fliortly to be the theatre of its glory and re- venge. This action had been highly creditable to the gallantry and difcipline of the Britiili, whofe movements ^vere executed with the fame fteadi- nefs and accuracy as if at a review in England. The conduct, exertions, and animating example of the general officers univerfally, were never exceeded; and when it is remembered, that the guns were dragged by failors tlu'ough a deep and burning fand, the rapidity of their movements and their fuccefs is highly meritorious. Happy AV'ould it have been, however, that the army had never advanced Ijcyond the firit captured po- fition ; as far as that it had glorioufly triumphed. The lofs wliich it had fuftained, though con- fiderablc, was unavoidable; but it was a fatal movement in the event which brought it fo con- fiderably within cannon lliot of the fccond pofi- tion, and where it was haUcd fo long. If inftead even of finally abandoning fo important an ob- ject, j)art of the army had been marched to the left, c)bli(}uely over the ground which lay be- tween Lake Alaadie and Lake ]\farcotis fub- fe(piently inundated, and then formed to the right when the left reached the line of Pompey's Pillar, thus attacking the fouth front of the po- fition, whilft the right of the caftern front was D 2 attacked 35 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. attacked at the fame time, no doubt can now exift of its liaving been eafily carried, and moft }3robably the towns of Alexandria, Old and New. Forts Cretin and Caifarelli could have oppofed but little refiftance; and if they had held out, muft have furrendcrcd lono- before the arrival of General jNIenou. Let it not be objected, that this knowledge was only acquired at the fub- fequent furrender of the city. Had not the ap- pearance of that ground, from the nitrous fait upon the furface, and partial fappinefs, been deemed evident proofs of its total marfliy nature, its examination would have opened the weak part of the pofition, and rendered the movement ob- vious; but the eye was then unacquainted with the phoinomena, and the deception was natural. The lofs of the En<>;liili was about 1100 men killed and wounded. The Frencli of courfe did not fuffer fo much, but above 500 of them were put hors de combat: four field pieces were alfo taken, and a great quantity of annnunition. Sir Ralph Abcrcrombie in the aftion had a lx)rfe fliot. The pofition now occupied by the BritiYh was by nature ftrong; the right was projccled a quarter of a mile, on very high ground, and ex- tended to the large and magnificent ruins of a palace, built in the time of the Romans, within fiftv EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 3/ fifty yards of the fca. The breadth of this pro- montory, as it may Ijc called, of find hills and old ruins, was not more than three hundred yards; it g-radu;dly doped down : an intermediate valley of an eciual diitancc lay between it and the receding- fand hills, which formed the reft of tlie pofition, excepting that near the canal of Alex- andria ^ras level ground. The front of the po- fition formed from the right of the ground ou which the Guards were encamped, an ol)lique line to the left. On the extreme point of the left, and about a quarter of a mile on the canal, two batteries were ordered to be conftrufted as the point d'appui of the left of the whole pofition. Lake Maadie protected the rear of the left, bv flowing clofe to the canal. The extent from the fea to the lake was about a mile. In front of the right was a continuation of the uneven ground. Before the centre a flope deicended into the plain, which commenced in front of the left, and extended as far as the French pofition. On this plain cavalry might well act, although as it approac'hed the fh-itifii iiiies the ground was covered with large frones, and ruins, the feitc of the whole having- been oriiiiuallv tluit of a Ro- man colony. On the projecting ground of the ri^iit were D 3 pyficd 38 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. poftecl the 58tli and 28th regiments, which corps defended the ruins and redouhts. Thefe were fupported by the 23d regiment, the 42d, 40th, and Corfican Rangers. In the interval and flat between thofe heights and the right of the cen- tre, were the cavalry of referve, then the Guards on the hill. On their left, forming echellon were the Royals, 92d, 2d 54th, and ift 54th; then the 8th, 18th, QOth, 13th, alfo in echellon to their right brigade. At right angles, with their left throM^n back facing the lake, and to protect the canal, M^ere the 27th, 79th, and 56th pofted. The fecond line was formed from the right, by the Minorca, De Rolle's, Dillon's, the Queen's, 44th, 89th, 30th; the difmounted cavalry of the I2tli dragoons, and then the mounted part of this regiment, and the 26th. The marines had marched to Aboukir, and the Queen's replaced them. On the right, and within a hundred and tifty yards of the fliore, were ftationed four cutters ; and the fleet cruized conftantly off Alexandria. The French pofition was parallel, but flill more formidable. A very high and almoft perpendi- cular ridge of hills, extended from the fea near to the canal of Alexandria, where, gradually doping to its level, they formed the main pofition of EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. SQ f this front; but in advance of their right, they occupied a tongue of land, which projected a mile parallel to the canal of Alexandria, and which obliged the Englilh advanced pofts to be thrown back confiderably, thus forming an obtufe angle. In the centre of the principal line rofe with deceit- ful grandeur Fort Cretin, in the left of its rear ap- peared Fort Catfarelli, Ponipey's Pillar on its; right, Cleopatra's Needle on the left, and the city of Alexandria extending into the fea, and at the extremity of a long neck of land the Pha- ros. At the back of the town the mafts of the shipping in the Vv'cftern harbour wevc vifible. In the eaitern harbour, formed by the Pharos and fome rocks, on one of which is built a tower, called the JMiarillon, were two or three polacres and gun-boats. The whole prefentcd the moil intereiiing appearance, in an hiftorical as well as Jifditary point of view; for \vbofe mind could be infenfible to the fenfations which ground fo ce- lebrated muit infpire? Wherever the eye could meaCure, objects of the greateft chara^'fer, even fome of the wonders of the world, attracted its attention, and the very ruins under the feet were facred frfjni their anti(iuity. The army, independently of its fevere military duties, was ikjw incelfantly and molt laboriondy D 4 at 40 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. at work in conftiucling the batteries, bringing up tlie guns, and forming a depot of heavy ar- tillery and ammunition; but the want of horfes and camels wasmoft diftreffmgly felt. The pro- vilions were obliged to be daily brought by the men from the magazines, diftant a mile and a lialf. The heavy caiks of fpirits required great labour to roll through the fand, and the date tree for fuel was brought from a confiderable diftance, and Avhcn obtained it would fcarcely burn: the fmoke of it was alfo dreadfully pun- gent to the eyes. Water, however, was found in abundance, and very good. The 13th regiment dug into an aqueduct of running frelh water, well arched over, but the fource or outlet of which was never afcertained; the Arabs them- felves could give no information refpecting it, and feemed loft in aftonilhment when regarding this valuable difcovcry. A market with Ibme difticulty was eftabliilicd, and legulatcd by tlie aifiduous care and ability of Mr. Baldwin, whofe affiftance proved of great fervicc to the army ; ftill tlie fupply of fhecp was precarious, as the Arabs brought them M'ith great hazard to them- felvcs, General 3,ieR0u having given orders that any one detected in tlie attempt lliould inftantly be lliot; notwitiiftanding which the Auri facra fames overcame the frrong fenfation of fear even in EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 41 ill the moit timid and abject Avretcbcs in the ^vorld, for fuch certainly are Egyptian peafants. Tents were now ordered to be brought up. Hitherto the army had no covering but tlieir blankets or great coats, although the nights had been intenfely cold, and the damp exhalations of the ground piercingly chilly. The thermo- meter Mas frccpiently below 50 degrees. On the 10th a report having been fent in from the advanced guard on the left, that a pa- trole of the cnemv was advancing- the major of brigade l)r()ught orders for the cavalry to turn out. As the greater part were gone to water, Colonel Archdale could onl}' collect hxty men, with which he marched, but when he reached the pic(juet, he took that aH'o on with him, ^\ Inch in- crealed his force to eighty men. With thefe he afh'anced brilkly for about three mik^s, till he came up with the enemy, ^\ho, accordiug to Ck'ncral Keyiiier, coiifiiicd of a company of iiifiutiy and fifty huifars ; their total number wa-i about one Imndi'ctl and iiftv men (which tlicy acknowledged themic hes to bcj under the com- mand of (iencral D'l'.llin. Colonel Archdale, (r)nceiving tliat he had orders to charge from General rinch, who was coming up, and who had 40, EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. had fent his brigade major forwards, inilantly detached Lieutenant Lewinlbn, with tMThe men, to attack the left flank of the cavalry, while he charged in front with the main body. General D'Eftin pofted his infantry from the lake to the left of the canal, and drew up the huffars on the fubfequently inundated ground, a little in the rear of his infantry. Colonel Archdale with his fmall detachment preffed on to the attack with the greatefl ardour, and breaking through the infantry, who fired a volley, palled on to the huffars, Avho as immediately fled. The Britifh cavalry purfued, killing and \vounding feveral of them, but the main body, being better mounted, efcaped. The dragoons M'ere returning in file, with their horfes blown, confiderably reduced from the enemy's fire in the firft attack, by which Colonel Archdale had loft his arm : ima- gining that the French infantry were prifoners, and forgetting that no guard had been left over them, fince all had inconfiderately followed in the purfuit, they advanced within twenty yards of the French again, when General D'Eftin ordered his men to fire, which they did v/ith fevere effect. The cavalry, thus furprifed, in- ftantly inclined away to their left, and halted out of the reach of the fire. Thu: EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 43 Thus terminated an affair, which coft the army two officers wounded and three taken ; feven men kiUcd, fix wounded, and twelve taken ; 42 horles killed or wounded. Although there had hecn confiderable gal- lantry dilplayed on the parts of the officers and men, Sir Ralph Abercrombic in the orders ex- preffed his diipleafure : he admired the fpirit, but ^\as obliged to reftrain an excels of zeal, which oftener would prove difaftrous than ad- vantageous. Partial affairs were not an object, when fo lliortly the utmoft energy of a concen- trated force was to be exerted. The fame day the death of Colonel Bricc, of the Guards, was announced by the return of a flag of truce, which had been lent into the French lines to cncpiire alter his I'ate. On the night of the !4th he had been field officer on duty, and when going his rounds miHed his way, which it was impofliljle almolt to j))-event, as tlie mirage fo decci\ed the light, ^\'andering into the French line (jf ])oils, he was attacked, fevcrcly wounded, and robbed. For three davs lie lingered in great })ain. The intelligence of liis deceaic, aggra\-ate(l by the manner of it, threw a melancholy over the army. To alleviate thefe 44 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. thefe regretSj however, on the fame day Aboukir Cafrle fuirendered, and the Capitain Bey, with two fail of tlie line, fe\eral frigates, and fniall Turkifh veilels, having on board the remainder of the cavahy, arrived. Tlie Caftle of Aboukir had not been befieged before the 13th, as powder and Ihot in Egypt ivere vaUiable artick^s, and tliis fortrefs ^\'a.s not a very effential poll; ; but Sir Ralph Abcrcrombie at laft decided on attacking it, and particularly as the French contri\ed to fend fupplies to the garrifon from Alexandria in boats. Thefe boats were conftantly paffing to aud fro, and the navy could not intercept them. Two batteries were erected againft the fort, and fome bomb ketches aided the attack. Round the caftle is a ditch of imcommon depth, which made it difficult to af- f^iult even where a breach was made ; but the com- mandant did not render that meafure neceffary. On the fifth day he furrendered : the fame engi- neer now commanded the place, who had di- rected the fiege, when the Turks defended it for eight da} s, after the defeat and havoek of their army in the year 1799. Aboukir Cafde is a moft wretched place, the rooms abfolute dun- geons : in the fort twelve French guns and abundance of ammunition M'erc found. The garrifon EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 45 garrifon amounted to ipo men, altliougli the Gazette return, from Ibme error, ftates only 140. It ^vill not be totally irrelevant to corre(5l Buonaparte's account of the victory he gained over the Turks at Aboukir, which defcribes their force as amounting to feventeen thoufand men, the whole of \\hich he ftates to have been cither killed or taken. Tlie confeqncnt importance of fucli aconqncft attached certainly much credit to the com- mander, aiul from the circumftanccs of the times pro\'ed of inlinite advantage to his interefts. Ihit this, like moit otlicr rrencli difpatches, had no other authority than the ipfc dixit of the writer to juftify it. Inftead of feventeen thou- fand, there were not (juite eight thoufand, four thoufand of which were killed and v.oundcd in the acfion, near two thoufand were carried off by the boats at the time, or during tl)e (iegc of the cafile, and tbe remaiiulcr caipituhitcd in the fort. Such is the fact, and I'o iias tiie world been deceived ! On the ICjth the fupply in the market altoge- ther failed, iroui the advance of Geueial Alcnou, whole 46 Expedition to egytt. M^hofe patroles had fallen in with and killed feve- ral Arabs bringing iheep. On the 20th a column of infantry and cavalry was perceived palTuig over the ground adjacent to Lake ]Mareotis into Alexandria; and an Arab chief lent in a letter to Sir Sydney Smith* ac- quainting him of the arrival of General Menou with a laro-e armv, and that it was his intention to furprife and attack the Britilli camp the next morning; but much confidence Mas not placed in the conmiunication at head-quarters, although Sir Sydney was convinced in his own mind of the honefty and truth of the information, and aifured his friends of that event taking place. On the night of the 20th the pofition of the army had been ftrengthened by a battery not clofed in the rear, erefted a little in front and to the left of the ruins of Ptolemy's Palace, from whence the fpace to the fea was open, and no works filled up the broken apertures in the exte- rior wall of the ruins. In front of the right of the Guards was a redoubt ; on their left a large battery, where the fignal ftaflf was hoifted, which was afterwards called the citadel ; on the left of * See the Appendix, the EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 4/ the line a redoubt, and on the canal of Alexan- dria two works. On the M^iole line were two 24 pounders, and 34 field pieces. General Rey- nier ftatcs the pofition to have been defended by 42 pieces. On the memorable 21 ft of iNIarch the army as ufual was under arms at three o'clock in the morning ; all was quiet till half paft three o'clock, when the report of a mufquet was heard at the extremity of the left. Inftantly aftci-- wards a cannon fired, fcattered mufquetiv fuc- ceeded, and then two more guns. For a mo- ment attention was (hrcctcd to tliat quarter. All were convinced thiat a general attack was commencing, but it was ini mediately evident that the fuing was too feeble on tb.e left, to believe that to be the point of the enemy's feri- ous object. Indeed this was the univerfal fen- timent; and Oeneral ?\f()orc, who as gciicral officer of the night, on the firft alarm ])roceedcd to the left, was i"o impreiliLcl v.ith this idea, that he turned bach to the right. For a \v\v minutes all was frill ; Init it was the awful i'liljjenfe {;f anxious expectation, not of apprehenfion. Every eye was ])ainfully ex- tended forwards through the gloomy niifr of the atmoi'phere: 48 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. atniofj)licrc, and tlie ears ftralned to catch the fmallelt found. Occafionally the eaftern liorizon was anxioully regarded; but though the grey of the morning was perceptible, it feemed reluc- tantly to break. On a fudden loud fliouts were heard in front of the right, which fully certi- fied the enemy's intention ; a roar of mufque- try immediately fucceeded, and the action there became general. The enemy, covered by the unequal furfacc of the ground, had advanced unperccived as far as the videttes, and continued to prefs on with them and the retiring piquets of infantry to the main pofition with all poffible celerity ; one column directed itfelf upon the ruins where the 5Sth were pofted, the front of which was confiderably more extenfive than the front of the regiment; but fomc. parts of the wall ftill ftanding, it admitted of the regiment's dividing itfelf, but fcarcely notwithftanding did the troops fill up the different openings. Colonel Houfton who commanded, faintly perceived the colunui of the eneni}' advancing with beat of drums and huzzas ; but fearing left the Englifli picquets might be preceding, he allowed it to ap- proach fo clofe that tbe glazed hats v/erc clearly diftinguilhed, when he ordered the grenadiers to fnx% EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 4Q lire, which was followed by the whole regiment, and repeated with feveral rounds. Thefe con- tinued and well-dirc6ted difcharges not only checked but made the enemy's column retire quickly into a hollow fome diftancein their rear, Allien it iliortly afterwards AV'heelcd to the right, and endeavoured' to force round the redoubt in front of its left, with another column, directing its march upon the battery. The 28th regiment ftationed there opened a licaA-y fire on that part of the enemy which attempted to ftorm the re- doubt in front; but the main body of the two columns now joined to a third, forced in behind the redoubt, and whilft fome remained to attack it thus in the rear, the reft penetrated into the ruins. Colonel Crowdjye, who commanded the left of the 5Sth, obferving their advance through the openings, wheeled back two companies, and after two or three rounds of fire advanced on the enemy with the bayonet. At this inftant the 2,3d regiment appeared to fupport, having moved for that purpoie from its ftation, and the42d alfo advancing on the exterior fide of the ruins, to cover the opening on the left of the redoubt, fo cut off the troops which had entered, that after a fevere lofs they were obliged to furrcnder. The 28th regiment had ])refcnte(l, as well as the 58th, the extraordinary fpeCtacle of troops lighting at Vol. I. K tl^g 50 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. the fame time to the front, flanks, and rear. Although thus furroundcd, the 'iSth regiment remained fixed to the platform of the parapet, and preferring its order continued a conteft un- exampled before this day.* The advance of the 42d reheved the 28th for a moment from this unequal attack : but as that regiment approached the right of the redoubt, the firft line of the enemy's cavalry, paffmg by the left of the redoubt, floundering over the tents and in the holes dug in the encampment of the 28th regiment, charged en maffe, and overwhelmed, the 42d : yet, though broken, this gallant corps was not defeated ; individually it refifted, and the condu6t of each man exalted ftill more the high character of the regiment. Colonel Spencer, who with the flank companies- of the 40th had taken his ftation in the intervals f the ruins, was for fome feconds afraid to or- der his men to fire, left he fhould deftroy the 42d, fo intermixed with the enemy. But the cavalry paffing on, and directing itfelf again fl? that interval, he was obliged to command the * Colonel Chambers had the honor of commanding. Co- lonel Paget having been wounded at the commencement of the aEDITION TO EGVPT. In this battle the French ftandard was taken. The 42(1 regiment, and a private of the Minorca, by name Anthony Lutz, claim equally tlie tro- phy. Major Stirling firft obtained polTelhon of it when the42d fo gallantly advanced to relieve the 28th and 58th : this ojfficer gave it to the care of Serjeant Sinclair, who in the fubfcquent charge of the French cavalry loft it. When the Mi- norca advanced to relieve the 42d, and routed the enemy, the French had recovered the colours ; but Lutz perceiving the ftandard, advanced from the ranks, and fired at the officer who was carrying it, and who was fome way behind his men. The officer fell, and Lutz feizing the ftandard, reloaded his piece, and was proceeding to join his regiment, when two dragoons rode at him. He fired and killed the horle of one, then ruflied upon the rider, whofe foot was en- tangled in the ftirrup ; but the man begging his life and furrendering his arms, Lutz granted him quarter, and carried the prifoner with the colours to his officer. Lieutenant Markoff', who ordered him to head-quarters, M'here he received the regulated reward, and the certificate to be feen in the Ap- pendix.* General Reynier ftates, that the bat- talion * The ether dragoon who had rode to attack Lutz fled when he faw the horfe of his comrade fall, Thefe fafts have been properly EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. SQ talion to which thefe colours belonged was com- pofecl chiefly of Copts ; but how Copts came to carry a ttandarcl, on Avhich le Pajfage de la Se rivia, le PajTage da TagUamento, le PaJJhge de V Jfonzo, la Prife de Graz, le Pont de Lodi, are infcribed, General Reynier can only explain. The lofs of the Englifli was fix officers and 233 men killed; 6o officers, 11 go men wounded; three officers, 29 men miffing. The Enghfli tents were torn to pieces by the ffiot, and thoufands of brafs cannon balls M-eregliftcning in the fands. Several fervants had been killed in the tents, properly attefted and proved in a Court of Enquiry which fat exprefsly to inveftigate the affair: extracts of the documents are inferted in the Appendix, Since the firft edition of this work has been printed, the capture of the flandard has become an objeft of confiderable difcutlion, but the faft is, that the 42d had pofleflion of the flandard, which the enemy recovered, and that Lutz certainly obtained his trophy in the manner above defcribed. Whoever attends, in the pcrufal of this narrative, to the relative fitua- tion of the 42d and Minorca regiments, during the adion, will find every reafon to credit the prefent ftatement, and give to Lutz the merit of a fplendid individual aft of gallantry. Nor can any one draw any inference from this account to the prejudice of the 42d regiment, a corps wiiich in this and every other aftion during the war has added to the renown of the Britilh charaftcr. and 60 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. and many miraculous efcapes of the Hck lying in them are to be told. Where the condu6l of all was fo diftinguiliicd, it is difficult to particularife merit ; but it would manifeft ignorance or prejudice not to fpeak of General Moore with thole fentimcnts of admi- ration which the whole army felt and exprelled. His exertions, perfonal courage, and ability contributed much to the fuccefs of the day, and enhance that chara6ter which his former brilliant fervices acquired him. ^youn(led early in the action through the kg, he refufed to quit the field, and continued in an activity almoft beyond belief, when the nature of fuch a wound is confidered.* Brigadier General Oakes follow- ed fo meritorious an example, and alfo feverely wounded early in the morning, ftill remained. To General Stuart's movement the army was much indebted, as it certainly decided the ac- tion. Colonel Spencer's conduct was confiftent with that Y.hich gained him in Holland a fame * General Moore in Holland was wounded three times before he left the field. Every where he has gained the admiration of the army, exalted the honour of his country, and given pledges of his being one day ranked amongft the moll illuftri- ous officers of the age. never EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 6l never to be obliterated or oiitrivallccl. General Ludlow's coolneis and dilpofition prelerved the centre, until General Coote"s movement; in ihort, wherever opportunity prefented itfelf, every thing was done ^^'hich gallantry, zeal, and ability could perform. Sir Sidney Smith, wound- ed early, was always in the hotteft lire, and moft active in rendering every afiiftance. The cap- tains of the navy on IJiore, ferving with the ar- tillery in the great battery, exerted tliemfelves to the utmofr ; and the failors, who could be fpared, were of the greateft fervicc in carrying up the ammunition M'herever wanted. Some Turks were alfo employed on this fervicc, hul unacquainted with cannon iliot, they could never advance above ten pac(\s at a time without drop- ])ing it to crouch from the balls, ^'et this was not a deficiency of courage in them, but of habit and difcipline. 'J'he conduct of the troops cannot but excite wonder in military uumi, ol'whatcvei' nation they may be. Surrounded, ])artly broken, without annnunition, hill to continue the contefr, and remam concpierors, is an extraordinary evidence of" intrepidity, dili^'ipline, and inlicrent courage. The Ih-itid) Icrvice uia\- rot oniy ])ri(le ilicH" on that day for the battle gained, but as it fervcs for 62 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. for the ground-work of future glory, and If its detailf? are properly impreifed, mull univerfally diffufe inftru6iion and confidence in danger. The battle of the 21 ft admits, however, of more obfervations, which Ihould not be deemed arrogant, as information, not perfonality is the object. The chief error of General Menou con- fifted in the precipitation with which he decided on the attack. His eagernefs to be the aggref- for checked thofe councils, which a more dehbe- rate confideration muft have produced. If he was induced from the impreffion that to wait to be attacked Avas diflionourable to the French name, fuch vanity was defervedly fatal. If he defpifed his enemy, the inftance muft be added to the lono- cataloo-ue of misfortunes which this w^aknefs has occafioned. Whatever were his. motives, from whatever impulfe he a61ed, as far as general reafons extend, the attack was inju- dicious; the advantage in one cafe was dubious, in the other pofitive. It was obvious that the mere occupation of the barren ifthmus of Aboukir could not be the ultimate obje6l of the Britiili general ; tliat his offcnfive operations could not be long retarded ; that wlienever he advanced againll; Alexandria, he not only had to attack a fuperior army, but one poOed on Iieights fo de- fended, EXPEDITION TO >.GYPT. 03 tended, as to be almoft impregnable ; that this attempt mult, however, be made, or the enter- prize in tliis point abandoned, and thus the fuc- cefs of the Sth and 13th rendered nugatory, be- fide the probability of opportunity prefenting it- felf to attack favourably during the re-embar- kation. The wifh of France was to preferve Egypt, not fight for victories, bought at an cxpence in the event as ruinous as defeat. But in quitting his pofition, General Menou refigned all the advantages he poffeiied, and led his army to attack with every difadvantage, ailing as if the fimple conqueft of fuch an EnglilJi force was not fufficicntly g-lorious. Had he waited forty- eight hours, Sir Ralph iVbercrombie intended an aifault by night, which perhaps would have been the moft precarirjus ever hazarded ; but the cafe was dcfperate, tlie die irrecoverably call. Sir Ralph never was fanguine enough to allow a hope that an attack might be made en him, and therefore could not credit fuch a report ; but had he directed the operations of the enemy to enfure his conqueft, this would have been the movement. General Menou's orders for the difpofition of his army were excellent, and difp]a>'cd great abilities, which he undoubtedly poii'elibs, Init their 64 EXPEDlTIOl^ TO EGYPT. their application to the Britifli pofition was not exa6lly correft. The divcrfion on the left was too feeble, and not begun early enough to attra6l the attention of the army to that point. Colonel Cavalier, with his dromedary corps,* did all Mhich could be done, and more than could be expe6led, as he completely carried the firft batter}^ with one piece of cannon, killing or taking every man which defended it; but he had not fufficicnt force to perfevere, or the alarm would have been very great, as the canal once forced, the rear of the left was totally expofed ; and certainly, from the ground in front, fo favourable for the ene- my's fuperior force in cavalry, the left was the weakeft part of the pofition. The advance of General Lanuffe's column was too quick after the fning on the left was * It muft not be fuppofed that this corps a6i:s as cavalry. Tlie dromedaries are only ufed for the fpeed of conveyance, and the men difmount when arrived at the fcene of aftion. The idea did not originate with the French, but was the cuftom of the Mamelukes and all Africa. The French did not even improve the faddles, which are the moft inconvenient and uncomfort- able for an European tight drefs imaginable. heardj EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT^ 65 heo.rd, if that diverfion had heen more powerful, which indifputably it lliould have been. It cer- tainly was not General Menou's faidt that the sreneral attack did not beo;in fooner. His order fhews that fuch was his intention, but accidents aim oft always happen to retard. When the charge of cavalry was made, it iliould have been fupported by a heavy body of infantry: and it was a fatal miftake in whoever commanded the movement of the cavalry, (it is faid General Roiz three times refufed, from a knowledge of the danger, to charge) to direct them fo immediately on the redoubt, as even if the tents had not checked and l.^ruken their charge, the iharp M'heel which they had to make round it muft have enfeebled itsimpetuofity. If the cavalry, or any part of them, had advanced in the flat between the right and centre, and preffed on through the fecond line, the conFu- fion would have been alnioft irretrievable, ibr tlic infantry would have fufficiently occupied the firft line. It is true, that the cavaliy of referve were placed in this flat, but their iiiiwibers, they knew, could not have oppofed, M'ith every allowance for gallantry, a probable refUiance : it is tf) be confidered alio, that the French were accjuaiuted with every part of the ground, and iVom their Vol. I. F coniUiUnding (56 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. commanding heights could diftindly view every work which had been made by the Enghfh, and the whole diilribution of their force ; but thefe are contingencies from which few battles are ex- empt. The great fault was in the attack itfelf, not in the manner of conducting it. General Reynier, whofe hiftory is from begin- ning to end a tilfue of untruths, attempts to in- fmuate " that General Hutchinfon improperly remained a tranquil fpedator of the a6lion, with 6000 men oppofed to 800;" but had General Hutchinfon made a movement with the left wing, he would have broken the pofition, and merited every difafter. His duty was to remain, in fuch an adion, where the fuperiority of cavalry and artillery was fo prodigioufly in favour of the enemy, on the defenfive; and nothing could have juftified the quitting of his hnes, but a po- fitive order from the Commander in Chief for a combined general movement. How many bat- tles have been loft by an indifcretion, the non- exiftence only of which in this inftance General Reynier has a right to deprecate. His aifertion is juft, that the battle Avas fought by the right of the Engliih army only, and he thus entangles himfelf in bellowing praife where he meant to traduce. The French army, accord- EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, 6/ ing to his account, was nine tlioufand feven hun- dred men ftrong, including fifteen hundred ca- vahy, with forty-llx pieces of cannon. The Britifh force, reduced by their loffes in the ani- ons of the 8th and 13th, by the men taken away for the care of the Mounded,* by the abfence of the marines, and 26th difmountcd dragoons, at Aboukir, did not yield an effeci:ive ftrength of ten thoufand men, inchiding three hundred ca- valry. The half of that niunber refifted the con- centrated attack of the French army, exclufive of 600 men on its right, and by their own im- mediate valour and exertions gained the battle. But General Reynier will not find an univerfal fentiment of approbation as to tlie condu6t of the French right on that day even in his own army. The moil diflinguifiied officers have coincided with what was apparent to the Englifli, that the right did not fupport at any moment (and there were fome advantageous opportunities) the ex- ertions of the left, or cover its discomfitures. But * In a former edition T ftated the 92d as being abfent, but tlie niil'tatce originated in that regiment's liaving been ordered to Abonkir the lame morning, and which order was executing, but Colonel Napier, much to his credit, on hearing the firing, returned with the regiment to its original ground, and the corps, in the aition afterwards, loll forty-men. I- 1 perhaps 68 EXPEDITIO>f TO EGYPT. perhaps the Gazette account, which ftates that the French right was always kept refuled, has goaded General Reynier, who commanded it, and who thus without equal foundation retorts. General Menou directed the right to be thrown back only until the left and centre were warmly engaged ; and even if his orders were not fo ex- plicit. General Reynier muft know, that in an attacking army no pofitive arrangement can be made, and that a general muft and fliould a6l frequently on his own refponfibility, from mo- mentary circumftances. It is in vain he attempts to detra6l from the honour of this vi6tory, nor will his mifreprefcntation of the 42d regiment, crouching "ventre a terre under the cavalry, find credit any where, fmce the bravery of the Scottifli regiment has this war been too frequently wit- nefled. With more implicit faith will it, how- ever, be believed, that many of the French troops were in a (late of intoxication, a habit which has been too frequent tliis war, and which originates in the iffue of fpirits always before a pre-arranged attack. Ikit no excufe can be formed for the officers, one of whom, and of rank, M'asfotipfy when taken, as to be the object of general derilion. It muft, however, be ftated, that the conduct of the French foldiers, whatever might be the incitement, Mas extremely gallant, and EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. CQ and amongfl; the wounded, feveral traits of heroifm were difplayed. But notAvithftanding the importance of this viclory, it by no means decided the fate of Egypt. Not an inch of territory was acquired ; the French ftill retained their pofition, and had an army coniiderably more numerous tlian the Britilh in the country ; indeed, calculating tlie mutual loffes by an inverfe ratio, their ftrength had increafed by the diminution of the previous inferior number of their enemy ; yet one imme- diate benefit rcfulting, independent of the con- fidence it infpired in the troops, was the imprelTion made on the inhabitants and Bedouin Arabs, thoufands of wliom had witneffed the battle, and fuch a battle as their fathers never recorded to them. The market was inuuediately fupplied with every article, and a direct communication eftablifhed with the interior. Still the army was, however, obliged to live on fait pork, as the troops did not choofe, although an allow ance was offered to them for their rations, to truft to the fupply of frelh meat, and the commiffary dare not under- take it. Its duties were very fevere. By night the out-pofts were (Irong, and the Avhole laid witn their accoutrements on, always turning out at three o'clock in the morning. The day was occupied in bringing the provifions from the F 3 dep6t, 70 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. depot, dragging guns, ammunition, wood, &c. and all this was neceffarily done by men's labour. The camp Avas being regularly fortified, and bat- teries and lines railed, wherever they could add to its flrength. In digging, many curious an- tiquities were found, and particularly cifterns, baths, &c. one of which was fo perfe6l as to have the pipe which condu6^l;ed the water remaining, and the water mark of its dripping perfedly dif- cernible. On the evening of the 13d of March Sir Sydney Smith went with a flag of truce to the out-pofts, and demanded to be admitted to the commandant of Alexandria. Whilft the officer fent an exprefs to his head-quarters, a conver- fation commenced between him and the fol- diers refpeccing their fituation, and the affair of the 21 ft; from which it appeared that they by no means fought for Egypt, becaufe they wiilied to continue in the country; indeed they pitied the Englifli, who had now fo fair a profpe6l of poifeffing it. The affair of the 21ft they regretted as moft fatal, and particularly to a number of principal officers; amongft thofe fmce dead of their wounds, they mentioned Ge- nerals Lannuffe and Bodet: they further ftated, that General Menou had his horfe iliot under him, EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, 71 him, and that moft of the officers of his ftaff had been wounded ; that the advice-boat "wdiich had left Alexandria on the nig-lit of the 21 ft, was fuppofed to have failed with difpatches to de- mand inftructions from Buonaparte. The anfwer having returned, that no perfori could be allowed to pafs the out-pofts. Sir Sydney Smith fent in his letter as from Sir Ralph Aber- crombie and Lord Keith, propofmg an evacuation of Egypt to the French, by which they might return to France, without being confidered pri- foners of war, but that their fliipping, artillery, &c. fliould be furrcndered to the Englifli. The letter was addrcHl-J purpofcly to the Commander of Alexandria. The next morning General Friant returned a note, in M'hich he exprelfed great furprife that fuch an offer, fo difrefpeftful to the army of the eaft and himfelf, fliould be made, fmce circumftances by no means warranted the propofal, and that the French were deter- mined to defend Egypt to the laft extremity. During tlie night a very heavy gale of wind had driven one of tlie cutters on lliore near the palace, but all tlie crew were laved. The wea- ther by day was very violent, blowing right on ihore, and occafionally the ftorm lafted forty or F 4 fi-'^ty 72 EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. fixty hours unremittingly, when the fleet off Alexandria was obliged to ftand out to fea, but re-appeared the firit poffible moment, to the great pleafure of the army, as on the blockade every thing depended. March the 25th, the Captain Pacha, with fix thoufand men, arrived in the bay of Aboukir, and the next day landed and encamped at a little didance from the beaj:h. Near them were lying the remains of four thoufand of their coun- trymen, who had perifhed two years before. The corruption of that field of battle was ftill intoler- able ; almoft wherever a horfe trod, the impreffion of the hoof laid bare fome corpfe with the clothes ftill on. On the 23d Lord Keith withing to occupy the caravanfary, of Avhich the French had made a poft, as commanding the entrance into Lake Edko, Captain Beavor of the navy was detached with fome failors and marines for that purpofe. The French fired a few fliots as the boats ap- proached, and then ran away, throwing the two guns off the battlements. Its occupation was of great importance, particularly to the premedi- tated movements; and theretore the next day three hundred Turks, under Mufiapha Aga, who earner EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 7^ came with the Capitaiii Bey, were marclied to AboukiF, and there embarked for the caravan- fary; but it was nearly dark before they could pafs the boghaz at the entrance of Lake Edko. When they were landed, a party was ordered in advance of the caravanfary, where they con- tinued about an hour, and then returned, nor could any efforts prevail on them to quit the fort during the night. Two marines had de- ferted in the courfe of the day, M'liich caufed fome alarm, left the account they might give of the fmallnefs of the force fliould induce the French to attack the garrifon. Thefe marines were foreigners, and it is faid had never landed for fix years before, being always fufpeded mem The next^morning Captain INIarley, of the ftaff corps, whofe inftruclions were to reconnoitre Lake Edko, proceeded with Lieutenant Wright of the navy in the Tigre barge, attended by one gun- boat. From the courfe of the channel they were obliged to keep near the fliore, and when at a little dilhmce from the caravanfar}', obferved a party of French cavalry watching them, who moved in a parallel direction until they reached the village of Edko, oppofite which the boats lay a fhort time. The Sheik and the principal per- fons of this little place immediately waded to them, exprelling the greateft joy at feeing the Euglifh, 74 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. . Englifli, and the utmoft abhorrence of the French. The inhabitants of this village, at the iirft land- ing of the French, had committed fome a6l of hoftiUty againft the detachment fent to occupy Rofetta. Baonaparte in his difpatches to the dire6lory mentions this circumftance, and adds, that having given orders for the redudion of this town, it was affaulted accordingly ; he then pro- ceeds to applaud the gallantry of the troops who ilormed, in as pompous a maimer as if another Ifmael had been taken : whereas this village had not even the mud wall which furrounds all the others in Egypt. As a proof of the refiftance, 3 50 men, women, and children were put to the fword, and not a Frenchman was hurt; yet, no doubt, the banner of Edko is fufpended in the Temple of i\Iars at Paris. Thefe poor people were eager to give every in- formation in their power, and reported the exaCl amount of the ftrength of the enemy at Rofetta. The cavalry which had followed the boats, they faid was a patrole, who went daily from Rofetta to the caravanfary, fmce the appearance of the Britiili fleet. Some of the inhabitants v.ent to the fouthern point of thclake with Captain Marley, who com- pleted EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 75 pleted his reconnoitring, and on his return to Edko, the inhabitants brought flieep, eggs, filh, and fowls as a prefent; but Lieutenant Wright infifted on paying hberally, having Sir Sydney's directions for that purpofe. On the 2Qth Sir Sydney Smith, accompanied by jMajor IVIontrefor and Ifaac Bey, the friend and interpreter of the Captain Pacha, a chara6ler well known from his long refidence in France, Ruffia, England, &c. and a man of fuperior ta- lents, Avent with a flag of truce to the out-pofls, as on the part of the Captain Pacha, Lord Keith, and Sir Ralph Abercrombie; being refufed ad- mittance into the town, they were at laft obliged to fend in their difpatch; to which no anfwer was ever received. It WMS on the morning of this day that the death of Sir Ralph Abercrombie was knoMni ; he had borne painfid operations with the grcatell firmnefs, but the ball could not l^e cxtrafted. At length a mortiiication enfued, and he died in the evening of the 2Sth, having ahvays exprelfed the gieatclt fohcitude for tliearmy, and irritating his mind from the full moment with the anxiety to relume his conunand. His lofs was a fevere one; his death univerfally mourned; he was Ijc- loved 76 EXPEDITION^ TO EGYPT. loved by the troops for his kindnefs and atten- tion to their weitare, and his courage was their pride and example. His age, combined with his fei vices, exertions, and manners, rendered him an objeft of enthufiafnc admiration; but every culogium is unM'orthy of his fame, except con- veyed in the pathetic and elegant fentiments of his friend and fuccelTor. "Were it permitted for a foldier to regret any one who has fallen in the fervice of his country, I might be excufed for lamenting him more than any other perfon ; but it is fome confolation to thofe who tenderly loved him, that as his life was honorable, fo was his death glorious. His me- mory will be recorded in the annals of his coun- try, will be facred to every Britilh foldier, and embalmed in the recollection of a grateful pofte- rity." At night a French deferter came in from the huffars, and an artilleryman who had advanced too forward was taken. The French and Eng- liiii videttes communicated together; but to prevent this, General Menou direded that with each vidette fJiculd be placed a Mameluke, or rather Syrian Horfeman, in French pay. On EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ^'J On the night of the 30th there was an alarm of an attack, which kept a confiderahle part of the army under arms ; but the fact was, that the French aho apprehenchng one, made that move- ment which caufed the uneafinefs. On the 31ft eleven Arab Chiefs came to Sir Sydney Smith ; they were all very intelligent n:en, with uncom- monly fine phyfiognomies, and well clothed ; but the people v.ho accompanied them were ill- looking fellows, had only a cap on their heads, a loofe pair of hnen pantaloons, and a coarfe bkinket cloth thrown round them, which alfo formed a hood. It was impolTible to regard thefe Chiefs without thinking of the Wife Men of the Ea^r, and to fee tlieir limplicity of man- ners, without remembering the Patriarchs; for no civilizing innovation has been introduced amongft the tribes fmce their time; although it is not by tliis meant to inhnuate that there has not been a corruption of morality, as thefe peo- ple are now common robbers. At night a deferter came over, and reported that a hulfar had been ihot tlie evening before, liaving been caught in the attempt to defert. Whilft the army remained in this ftate of inac- tivit}, the mind of General 11 utchinfon, on whom the command devolved, was moft anxi- ouflv 78 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ouflv ap-itated. He found himfelf fucceedino: to I/O o a lituation unexpe6ledly, under circumflances the mofi; unfavourable. The previous victories muft have infpired hopes m England and Europe, nay almofl; pofitive confidence of the fuccefs of the expedition, if common prudence direded the operations ; and Egypt after the battle of the 2111 he was aware would be confidered as con- quered. His trophies could probably therefore be few, whilft his refponfibihty was great : he faw, however, that the campaign was but com- menced, affuredly with favourable aufpices, but no deciiive fuperiority. A greater army than his own was ftill to be combated, ftrong places to be taken, climate to be endured, fupplies to be obtained from the interior, communication to be eftablifhed with the Vizir and the Indian army ; and, independently of thefe formidable difficulties, the plague and other difeafes me- naced to reduce to his force. Lord Keith alfo affured him, that after 061;ober he could no longer remain on the coaft with the fliipping, on account of the weather and ftate of the velfels. To abandon the enterprize was infamy ; to complete it with glory a precarious profpe6l ; an attack on Alexandria was too defperate an enter- prize to be undertaken, but to remain inert v/as impoffible; EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 79 impoflible; the fleet wanted water, the troops frelh provifions ; he therefore determined to make an eifort, wliich, if fuccefsful, might pro- cure the pofleffion of Rofetta, and command of the Nile. After the loffes of the Britilh it was impoffible to detach away any conhderable force, but the 5Sth regiment and the 40th flank com- panies, with a detachment of Hompefch's Huf- fars, confifting of thirty men and eight pieces of cannon were fpared for this fervice. With this corps four thoufand Turks, who had arrived with the Captain Pacha, and now put under the orders of the Caia Bay, Mere dcftined to act Colonel Spencer commanded tlie whole. April the 2d, the corps marched for 7\boLikir, where it was to crofs the ferry, and join the Turks. On the fame day the Captain Pacha, accom- panied by Lord Keith, came to vifit the grand camp, and the line was turned out to receive him. His appearance was ftriking, his dark eye was exprellive of that energy ami charac:ter for which he is fo diftinguilhed, and although he feemed to have bad health, he did not look more than 35 years of age : his face was handfome, and his fine black beard beaLitiihl ; his manners were remarkably elegant, and at the fame time dii2:r,ified. 80 EXPEDITtON TO EGYPT, dignified. At the mopient he was palTins:, a French Mameluke deferted, who was brought to him ; he received the trembUng apoftate with a gracioufnefs which made a pleafing imprelTioti on all the beholders ; then gave him, in confe- quence of his contrition, and the intelligence he communicated, a handful of fequins. The Ma- meluke, unable to reflrain the emotion of grati- tude, and breaking through the regulations of their decorum, fnatched at his hand to kifs it; but the Captain Pacha withdrew it from his grafp with a grace and fraile of kindnefs, which Lord Chefterfield would have confidered as the model of amiablcnefs. When he came to the market, the Arabs fhouted, and he fent them handfuls of gold. The appearance of the army delighted him, and the fcene was more interefting from being reviewed in the field of battle. As the Com- mander in Chief's tent was not large enough for his reception, the Captain Pacha had fent two very fine Turkifli ones to the general as a pre- fent. Their tents are made of coloured cotton, richly worked in the interior, very large, always cool, and perfectly adapted to a country where thei'e is little rain. After being refrefiied there fome time, he returned to his own camp. April EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 81 April the 3d a violent gale of wind com- menced, which lafted three days. The fleet was obliged to leave the coaft, and feveral boats were loft in the bay ; the tents and every thing v/ere covered and filled with fand, although the wind blew north- weft. On the 5th the news arrived of the L'Africaine having been taken, which was foon communi- cated to the French. On the 6th, certain intelligence having been obtained that the French had detached to Ro- fetta, the 2d regiment or Queen's were ordered to the fupjjort of Colonel Spencer. On the 7th, IVIajor Willbn was fent with a flag of truce to tlie general commanding the out-pofts, to declare, that unlefs the I'rench \idettes were withdrawn into the line from which they had advanced. General Ilutchinfon Mould be oblio'cd to be 2 under- 84 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. underftood, that thefe canals are not like tbofe of Europe, as they have no water in them, except at high Nile, the level of the country forming their bed, and the banks being raifed above it. They may properly be called canals of irriga- tion.* When the army fu'ft arrived on the banks of the Nile, a dgerm was feen failing up it from Ro- fetta, in which was the commandant. A great number of Ihots were iired at him, but he perfe- vered, and efcaped. The fame evening feveral Turkifh gun-boats forced the Boghaz, obliging the French dgerms, which defended the palTage, to fail away, and anchor under the walls of St. Julicn. The eafy conqueft of Rofetta was an obje6l of aftonifliment: it had been confidered fo import- ant an acquifition, that its capture was deemed very precarious ; indeed, Colonel Spencer's in- ftruClions were to abandon the enterprize, if he met with ferious refiftance. The French, had * The beds of the canals are frequently of a higher eleva- tion than the level of the country, that when cut, all the water may be let out. they EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 85 they fufpecled this movement, mJght have pafled a corps round Lake ]Maadie, and leaving a pofl at Beda, advanced on the ifdimus between that lake and Lake Edko, thus intercepting- his re- treat, \\hiHt an attack in front M'ould have placed him in a defperate fituation ; and had there been an enterpriiing partizan employed, he might liave made much advantage afterwards of that movement, and confiderably diftreifed the Engiifli, by deftroying the ferry-bridge, &c. &c. and this occafion offered until the 21 ft of May, when Beda was occupied by 450 men of the Coldftream, and the 3d Guards, 20 dragoons, with four pieces of cannon : M-hich detachment was commanded by Colonel Turner. April the 11th, towards e\'ening, the camp was thrown into fome alaim by the firing of heavy guns, wliich proved to be a falute to the hupe- rial, Itulfuin, and Sj)aniili colours, hoiftcd in the centre of the French polition, as a j)roof of France being at j)eace with thofe nations, and a lure to the fureigners in the Britilli army. The fame (hiy, as a iVencli ferjeantcame to a \idette, with the view of circulating a paper to feduce the troops, many of wh.icli had been diftributed, the vidette fired at, and Mounded liim. c; 3 April 85 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. April the 13th was a memorahle day for Egypt. The military pofition, commercial rela- tions, and climate of Alexandria, have from thence to date their new era. The pofition Avhich the army occupied, required fo large a force, that it was impoffible to maintain it, and profecute the new expedition. In General Roiz's pocket had been found a letter of Gene- ral Menou's, anxioufl}' expreffing a fear that the Englifh had cut the canal of Alexandria,* and thus let the waters of the fea into Lake Mariotis. From that moment it had become the favorite obje6l of the army, as, by fecuring the left and part of its front, the duty would be diminilhed, the French nearly cut off from the interior, and a new fcene of operations opened. But there were very ferious obje6lions to the mcafure. Firft, the mifchief it might do was incalculable. The Arabs could give no information Vv here fuch a fea would be checked: the ruin of Alexan- dria was probably a confequence, and whilft it llrengthened the Britifli left, it fecured the fouth * The canal commences at Rhamanieh, and pafles over fif- teen or fixteen leagues of country ; the bed of it is higher than the level of Egyptj but the land which lay between it and Lake Mariotis^ was confidcrably lower than the level of Lake Maadic. front EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 87 front of the French pofition, except from a new landing ; but the urgency of the prefent fervice at laft fuperfeded general philanthropy and more remote confidcrations. General Hutchinfon re- luctantly confented, whilft the army was in rap- tures ; never did a working party labour with more zeal ; every man would have volunteered Avith cheerfulnefs to aflift. Four cuts were made, of fix yards in breadth, and about ten from each other, a little in advance of the fartheft redoubt, but only two could be opened the lirft night. At feven o'clock in the evening the laft fafcine was removed, and joy was univerfal. The water ruflied in with a fall of fix feet, and the pride and peculiar care of Egypt, the confolidation of ages, was in a few hours deftroyed by the devaftating hand of man. Two more cuts were finilhed the next day, and three more marked out ; but the force of the water was fo great, aided by the removal of a few banking ftones Avorked out by the foot of an officer (who juftly thought that thel'e partial meafures would not complete the inundation for months) as foon to break one into the other ; and now an immenfe body of water rulJied in, which continued entering for a month with confiderable force ; it then found nearly its level, but from the fand abforbing the water, there wun always a fall of nine or twelve EDITION TO EGYPT. inches at the entrance. The firft boat which floated on this fea was one belonging to Lord Cavan, whofe efforts had contributed fo much to its formation. On the 13th, in confequence of tliis inunda- tion, the 18th, QOth, 79th, and detachment of 11th light dragoons, marched to fupport Colo- nel Spencer; on the l/th inftant, the 30th and 89th followed; on the 18th Generals Craddock and Doyle were appointed to commands in the divifion of the army at Rofetta. Colonel Spencer had continued in his pofition at El Hamed without any movement, except fending patroles forward as far as D^route to re- connoitre the enemy's pofition at El Aft ; and in the Delta, Sir Sydney, with fome dragoons, and Captain Marley, advanced to Scindioun, from whence they could diftindly view the ene- my's pofition. It was on one of thefe patroles the erroneous ftatement of General Menou Avas afcertained re- fpefting the canal of Birimbal, which he defcribed to Buonaparte as being now, during the whole year, navigable from Lake Bourlos to the Nile, and defcanted on the advantages to be derived from llXPEDITION TO EGYPT. SQ from tliis great work ; whereas there has not been a fingle improvement made by the French; ex- cept at high Nile, it is dry as all the other canals are, and four miles from Lake Bourlos it termi- nates, then running- under an arch-way like a drain. But Buonaparte himfelf began thefe tales of wonder, and General Menou copied the ftory of Birinibal from his romance of the canal of Alexandria. Sir Sydney, with an armed tlotilla, proceeded alfo feveral times up the Nile nearly as far as El Aft, cavalry patroles protecting his flanks. It was difcovered in thefe reconnoitrings, that the Trench had funk dgerms acrofs the exterior paf- fage of the Nile, formed l)y an ilkmd on the right of their polition, and that their batteries completely commanded the inner channel, it not being more thanlixty yards acrofs, which prepa- rations feemcd to intlicate refiftance. The difficulty ol" bringing up the heavy artil- lery from the depot, which was necelfaiily formed on the beach of the fea, three miles difrant, de- layed the operations again 11 the caille of St. .Julien* until the iOth, when the two batteries which * When Lord Dalhoufie inveftcd it, the Turks found in the go EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. which had been creded in the wood of date trees, within three hundred yards of the works, firft opened their fire againft the foiith-weft an- gle; at the fame time the Turkiih gun-boats, which had pafi'cd over the Boccage, and an- chored within cannon-lliot of the Englilh batte- ries, commenced a brifk cannonade; and the Captain Pacha, having ereded a battery Avitli an 18 pounder in the Deka, againft the north-eaft front, direcled and always fired it himfelf. Anxious to give an example of his courage and zeal, he night and day remained by this battery, animating by his prefence the crews of the Turkifii velfels, who kept up the cannonade with the greateft intrepidity, conforming them- felves to the orders of Captain Stevenfon and Captain Curry of the navy. The caftle of St. Julicn was defended by fifteen pieces of cannon, and four armed dgerms M^ere anchored under the walls. One of thefe on the firft day was fet on fire, and drifted to the caftern bank: inftantly Captain Curry in his the wood near it two Frenchmen, who had inadvertently llraggled out of the fort^ and whofe heads, after feverely mangling them whilft living, they cut off, and paraded through the ftreets of Rofetta. boat, EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Ql boat, not withftaii cling- a lieavy difcharge of grape, forced bv the caiile, with the view of favins: from the Arabs any men which might have been on board. Entering the dgerm, he found four Arabs with their knives drawn, anxioufly fearch- ing for fome concealed vi6lim ! He had fcarce quitted her again, towing off alfo thefe people, before flie blew up. When Captain Curry pre- fented the pennant he had taken from her to the Captain Pacha, his highnefs gave the crew forty fequins, and expreffed the ftrongeft admiration of their conduct. The Englifli batteries fired but flowly from the want of ammunition, and made no impreffion tlie lirft day on the fort, fmce they were obliged by fhot to open an avenue through the trees; the embrafures M^re alfo not correctly formed, and therefore during the night they were altered. As the obje6t was fo fmall, and the veflels and Englifli batteries were within each other's fliot, and in the line of fne, it would have been impof- fible, at any rate to continue the bombardment during the night: but fcveral gun-boats took that opportunity to pafs the cafilc. On the morning of the 17th the cannonade begain again. The Captain Tacha reluming his ()2 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. his ftation, fired with the gTcateft corre6lners and velocit}'. The French had, from the retinue ahoiit the fpot, difcovered that Ibme diftingiiilh- ed perfon was Oationed there, and lufpecting him to be tlie Captain Pacha, turned againft this work a 24 pounder and a mortar; but Ire an- fwered fliot for fliot Avith the fame undaunted- nefs. On the 18th the wall of the falient angle ex- pofed to the battery began to fall, and open the enemy's guns ; but they ftill Avorked them, al- though the Turks, creeping within fifty yards of the works, covering thenifelves by the felletl date trees which formed the glacis, maintained acon- flant fire of mufjuetry. Another French gun- boat had been funk, and now one was fet on fire by a fhell from the Turks, which blew up with a confiderable explofion, finking with her faUing yards the fourth and lafl. In the evening Sir Sydney Smith, who had been actively employed in fitting out four ^captured dgerms at Rofetta, fent them to attack the caftle at the fouth-eaft front ; after firing feveral rounds, the wood- work of the carronades broke from the recoil, and they were obliged to retire. Towards night a mortar battery which had been erected confi- derably to the right, within three hundred yards of EXPEDITION TO EGYTT. 93 of the Nile, and nine hundred of the caftle, under the directions of Caj)tains Lemoinc and Duncan, fired fome Ihells with extraordinary ac- curacy ; one of them pitched on the center of the roof, and tore away the flag -ftafi' and colours, which the French never dared to erecl again. On the morning of the IQth, at eight o'clock, a white flag Vv'as cautioufly elevated above the parapet of the caftle, when all fuing from the Juiglilh ceafcd, though not fo irtunediately on tlie part of the Turki il) gun-boats and Captain Pacha, who did not fee it for fome time. An of- ficer then came out with a letter from the com- mandant, who recpieited fix hours armiftiee, in <^)rder to fettle the terms of the capitulation. Lord Dalhoufie returned for anfvrer, that the garrifon nmit fiirrender prifoi^.ers of M'ar at dif- cretion, Ijut tlKit he uouid gi\e them j)rivate ])roperty, and fix hours to pack up their effects; which was agreed too ; and fbi-tunate was tlieir furrender, as in a lew houis the Turks, eager for llie allault, \\ ;)ii!d liave ftormed the ])lace. The defence of the gari'iibn had been \'cry An good, and did the connnandant much credit.* During this ficgc, an officer of the Queen's loil liis life !>/ liavin'T 94 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. An event now took place, which nearly de- ftroyed the harmony and co-operation fuhfifting between the Englifli and the Captain Pacha. The capitulation had been granted without con- fulting him, and he felt indignant at a treatment which he imagined might proceed from a wilful negle6i;. Sir Sydney Smith, who, as foon as he was informed that the terms were fettled without the Captain Pacha's being previoufly acquainted with them, forefaw what would happen, went in perfon to remedy the mifchief, but could only induce him by his reprefentations to fign the ca- pitulation, not accept the flag of the fort, or view the tranfa6lion in its real light : he complained that a former flag of truce had come out of the fort, with the nature of which he had been left unacquainted ; but was pacified as to this, when he was told that the communication h .d only re- lated to the reftoration of an Arab ciiild, which had been driven in a boat under the caftle walls ; and on Lord Dalhoufie going himfelf, and repre- fentino- that no nesclecl was intended, the memory having, at his out-pofts, given an order to the fentries to fire on any perfon who did not anfwer to the firit challenge during the night. A remarkable fatality converted this precaution into ..his own death warrant, of EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. QS of the tranfaction was obliterated, and this meri- torious officer was always after^\'ards a great fa- vourite.* Notwitliftauding: the o'ood fenfc of the Captaiu Pacha, he was jealous of thefe atten- tions, being then unacquainted with the cliarac- ter and frank integrity of his new allies. At three o'clock thcgarrifon marched out, and laid down their arms on the glacis, 'j/he okl re- fpeclable commandant, who liad been thirty years in the fervice, was vifibly affected when Ik,' ordered his people to ground their arms, and co- vered his face with liis hands. The number of men taken was 26s, of which lOo were well clothed and able foldiers, having recently come i'vom France ; the remainiler were invalids, but all capable of fervice in a garrifon. About forty men had been killed and wounded durino" the fie,^e. A Turk who had been taken was found in the f(.)rt ; and fevcral black ladies, | witli * Lord Dalhoufie had been appointed commandant of tlic fiege, with lull powers, by Colonel Spencer. I'hc Captain Pacha never announced his intention of being prefent, nor could it be fuppofcd that he intended to take the connnand. t An officer of the artillery afking how much a black woman cofl. Q6 expedition to EGYPT. with a pretty French woman, marched out. A comely face, and a white ftraw hat, m ith a wreath of flowers, was an af'Tceable fjght, wheic only flie monfters had been before feen. It was now found, that previous to the fiege on the eaft fide vv'as an almofl practicable breach, made by the former prelfurc of the Nile ag-ainft the M'all, but which the Captain Pacha's fire had confiderablv enlaro'ed. Amono-ft the guns were feveral of the Cormorant's carronades, and a beautiful French 24 pounder. The furrender of this caftle was an event of moment, fmce the fort fecured the command of the Nile, and removed much uneafinefs refpe6l- coft^ mentioned the word Efpagnol (fignifying Spaniili dollars), which reminding the unfortunate female of that term fo often made ufe of at her fale, ihe fufpedled a fecond barter, and giv- ing a dreadful yell, ran and hid herfelf, but her pleafure was as great to find that her mailer did not mean to difpofe of her. At the Alexandria camp, however, five failors clubbed and iaought a woman, brought by the Arabs to market, for feven dollars ; fhe cried much during the auftion, but when her lot was decided, quietly fubmitted to be led by a cord to the lake, where fhe was ftripped naked, fcrubbed well, then embarked in a boat, and carried off to their fbip, inir EX1EDITI0N TO EGYPT. 97 ing an attack to relieve it. Why fuch a poft, when abandoned to its fate, had fo confiderable a garrifon left, is a queftion not to be refolved but by the enemy. General Reynier obferves, that the Englifh ailvcd, on feeing only maimed foldiers march out, " where the gurrifon was ?" but either this is a Gallicifm, or the General has been grofly mifinformed. The facility with which Rofetta and St. Julien had been taken, infpired hope, and General Hutchinfon determined to prefs on his operations asrainft the interior. On the 23d therefore he O fent the Quarter Mafter General and his ftaif, and on the 26tli himfclf arrived at Rofetta, hav- ing on liis way paid a vifit to the Captain Pacha in Aboukir Bay, who had returned on board of his fliip. General Coote was left in the command of the army before Alexandria, a command which re- quired extraordinary vigilance, much judgment, and arrangement, v/ithout the pleafure of active fcivice, or the brilliancy of a fuccefsfnl warfare. His camp was now very bare of troops, and his lines too extenfive ibr the force; yet he was to be more weakened, and ftill expected to maintain himfelf Such was the necellity. Vol. I. 11 TJie QS EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The officers of the army who went to Rofetta. expe^ed to find Savary's glowing defcription of its beauties realized, as they had found fonie juf- tice in his remarks on that Defert, which fepa- yates Aboukir and Alexandria. Their mortifi- cation was extreme, to difcover that the boaftetl delights of this city only confifted in comparifon. The fight of verdure after that barren waftc is a gratifying novelty, "which pleafes and fafcinates the eye, in proportion to the previous fuffering of the traveller, relieving his defpondency, and charmins: the fenfes. For two or three miles immediately on the bank of the Nile, towards St. Julien, is certainly a luxuriant vegetation, but beyond that, and over in the Delta, the fcenery is bleak. To the fouth, hills of fand are only to be feen. llofetta is built of a dingy red brick ; a great part of the town is in ruin.s, many of the houfes having been pulled down by the French for fuel : the ftreetG are not more than two yards wide, and full of wretches, which the pride of civilized man revolts at to acknowledge human. The quan- tity of blind is prodigious ; nearly every fifth in- habitant has loft, or has fome humour in his eyes ; the erifypelas, thedropfy, the leprofy, the elephantiafis, all kinds of extiaordinary contor- tionSv EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 99 tions, and lulus naturae, conftantly offend the light. Filth, mufquitos of the moll dreadful fort, ver- min of every kind, women fo ugly, that, fortu- nately for Europeans, their faces are concealed by a black cloth veil,* in which two eye holes are cut, ftench intolerable, houfes almoft uninhabit- able, form the charms of Rofetta and Savary's garden of Eden. The quay is alone a handfome obje(5l, and this certainly might be made noble. On it General D'Eftaign had fitted up a houfe in the Italian ftyle, in which were the only clean apartments in the city, excepting a houfe be- longing to Mrs. D'Arcy. The Nile, the celebrated Nile, afforded, un- combined with its bounties and wonderful pro- perties, no pleafure to the fight ; the muddy Itream, rotten banks, putrifying with the fatnefs of the flime left from the waters ; its narrow * The Mahometan ladies confider their faces as the facred part oi' modefty, and are totally indifferent as to the conceal- ment of the reft of their perfans. Thcfe faces they are particu- lar in ornamenting on the forehead, cheeks, and chin, with large blue blotches, refembling the tattooing, which tailors ufe to mark themfelves with. ji 2 breadth, 100 EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT, breadth, not being more than a hundred yards acrofs, imprelTed with no idea of majefty ; but a refledtion on the mh'aculous quahties of this river, an anticipation of the luxuries which the very kennelly waters would afford, rendered it an objed of confiderable gratification. The baths at Rofetta were efteemed very fine, and Savary defcribes them as fuch ; therefore they muft be mentioned. The curious ftranger enters firft into a large faloon, where many peo- ple are laying naked in bed, or getting up, hav- ing performed their ablutions : he then paffes through narrow paflages, fmelling offenlively from the abufes allowed in them, whilft each becomes gradually warmer, till the fteam heat is almoft in- tolerable; when he arrives In the room where the baths are, he fees a number of naked people, in various attitudes, fomc in the water, others rubbing down by tlie attendants, with gloves jfilled with cotton. Their horrid fqualid figures, with their bald heads, excepting a little tuit of hair on the crown, and briftly black beards, made the place refemble a den of fatyrs. No fcene could be more difgufting ; and It Is afloniihing how any perfon could remain five minutes, fince the air is fo tainted and oppreffivc. Hundreds of Englifli, attracted by the delcription, attempted to EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 101 to get as far as the baths, but were obliged to turn back when tliey liad advanced a little way. The jMofaic pavement, with which, hov/ever, the floors are paved, is really beautiful, and repays fome inconvenience. In the town had been found large French magazines, and much private property. The commandant of tbo place, St. Foe, particularly fuffered, having been olliged to leave all his bag- gage behind. ]\I 'dame ]\lenou had retired in time, but feveral Egyptian ladies, wives to the French officers, \vere left, who all received the moft generous protection from the Englifh. By the greateft exertions, the town had been faved from a Turkiili pillage, only a few houfes being plundered, and thcfe but triflingly : amongft thofe who loft fome property, was Mrs. D'Arcy, the fifter of Wortly ^Montague's wife ; flie had re- fided at Ilofetta m;my }'ears, having married a merchant, by whom ilie has a fon, v/hofe learn- ing and refearches will probably one day throw much light on that interefting country ; unfor- tunately, Jlie had through apprehenfion left her houfe; the Turks Hnding it empty entered, but only took fome j^latc, and tlid not meddle v. itli a moft valuable library. II 3 The 102 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The day for advancing being fixed, the Cap- tain Pacha determined to move on with his troops, in which refokition he was much encou- raged, as his influence over his own army and the inhabitants would prove from liis prefence alone of great advantage, but when his zeal and a6livity were included, the meafure became of the firft confequence. Still he did not allow un- alloyed fatisfaclion at this intention to be felt. From unaccountable prejudices, he infilled on the recall of Sir Sydney Smith, the faviour of the TurkiHi empire. The Turks probably never for- gave that generous honefty, which would not betray an enemy, and they attributed to him the defeat of the Grand Vizir at Heliopolis.* Sir Sydney was endeared to officers and men by his condu6f, courage, and affability. With * Sir Sydney, on receiving Lord Keith's refufal to the con- vention of EI Arifli, inftantly fent off an exprcfs with it to Cairo, as he knew General Kleber was to evacuate that city immediately on the faith of that treaty; thus preferring the maintenance of his own and nation's honour to a temporary advantage. Tlie raeifenger arrived a few hours before the eva- cuation was to have been completed, and the confequences are well known. But certainly the Turks had fo fully de- pended on its execution, as to have advanced without artillery or ammunition. pride EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. l03 pride they beheld the hero of Acre ; with admi- ration they reflected on the convention of El Ariih ; they ha.'as an arrow made of an eagle's feather."* * Many rcafons forbid the publication of the whole of this interefliiig letter, but it is preferved as a very valuable document, .which hereafter will reflect couhderable credit on the charafter of our country, as efteemed at that time in Egypt. One pallagc will elucidate this Morad, after praying for the deftru6lion of the French, adds, " I have never been here a littJ!' i)cloj-c tln' arrival of the Turk';. :ir.(! was again obliged t(; fly. '.riie 128 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The intelligence of Mr. Keith's death, secre- tary to Sir Sydney Smith, was brought this day : he had JLift embarked at Rofetta, when the dgerm upfet, and although his body was foon found, his life could not be faved. It is remarkable, that he was an excellent fwammer, and that the Arabs all efcaped, but a Turkifh interpreter was alfo drowned. In jMr. Keith, Sir Sydney loft a moft valuable friend, and the world an excellent man; he was well known, and much refpeded in the French army, having been at Cairo arranging the convention with General Kleber. At Acre he had particularly diftinguilhed himfelf, and M'as always folicitous to merit the efteem of his illuf- trious protector. On the morning of the Qth the army marched towards Rliamanieh, Colonel Stuart at the fame time moving towards Deflbug. Colonel Murray, Affiftant Quarter-Mafter General, proceeded with an advanced guard, and approached clofe to the canal of Alexandria, which originates at Ilhama- nieh. Some horfemen were on the banks near the village of Mehallet Daout, who came for- wards waving their fwords ; they proved to be friendly Arabs, who eagerly feized the hands of Colonel Murray and fome officers with him, and kiffed them, a token of refped and amity which was EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 129 VLis bv no means agreeable, particularly fince it was known the plague raged in every village now before the army. Colonel ^Murray with Major Birch went along the canal towards the right of the French poli- tion, and Major Willbn, with feme Arabs pro- ceeded obliquely to its left, and advanced within four hundred yards of the village of Rhamanieh, forcing the enemy's videttcs to retire a little. In ten minutes the Arabs, always on the look-out, difcovering the French cavalry were mounting in the camp, and part moving out towards the Englilh army, obliged him to retire, and the French palling a diviiion along the canal towards Mehaliet Daout, nearly cut off Colonel ATurray and the putrole. I'he Connnander in Chief could fcarcely credit the report that the French had taken up a polition with the right, centre, and left on the banks of the Nile; but they feemed anxious to correct the ei ror, as about fix hundred cavalry now appeared on the right of the front of the canal. Ihe army h:;d halted, the Tutks beino" on the left, and the Britilh in two lines on the right. The Syrian cavahy had advanced and ikirmilhed cloiely and Ihaiply with the French, who on their part o[)ened two guns againft them : at the fame time the gun-boats, by a bree/e Vol. I. iv fpriiig- 130 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. fpringing up, were enabled to come into a6lion, and open a heavy fire upon the polition. The 12th dragoons were advanced, after fome tune, with two guns, to fupport the Syrians, and prevent the French making any movement; on the artillery unlimbering, the French opened from feveral guns fuch a fire as to force the ca- valry to take ground to the right, the firft fliot having carried off Captain King's leg, and killed three horfes ; the fecond alfo had ftruck in the fquadron. The Britilli artillery, however, re- mained firm, maintaining the cannonade until pofitive orders were brought for them to retreat. As the enemy feemed only inclined to cover themfelves, not to make a ferious attack, the general remained on the ground he had firft halted on : partial fkirmiflies continued between the advanced guards, and the Turkifli and Eng- lifli gun- boats kept up an incefi'ant cannonade. During the affair a French fliell had fet on fire a corn field, which burnt furioufly, threatening to extend all over the country ; happily it was ex- tinguiflied. An unfortunate chance fliot took off the leg of Colonel Thompfon of the artillery as he was riding to the left. He died afterwards- at Kofetta, exciting univerfal regret. Colonel EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 131 Colonel Stuart had proceeded towards Def- Ibiig, changing his order of march, as the SQth, and the Englilli dragoons, with artillery, now pre- ceded the Turks l',)nie May, the colonel antici- pating an attack. At half pall live in the morn- ing Colonel Stuart had perceived a patrole of the enemy, whom fome officers Hioitly joined, and M'ho, after attentively reconnoitering the Biitifli colunin, returned to Rhamanieh, Unfortunately this morning there was an univerfal failure of wintl, fo that the gun-hoats could not get up the river; hut Colonel Stuart moved on, and j;ro- ceeding himfelf to reconnoitre, was joined hy the Sheik of Delfoug,* who headed a hody of Arahs. The French having afcertained the force of his column, pufhed acrcjfs the Nile ahout 300 of the infantry, fome cavalry, and light artillery. Co- lonel Stuart feeing this, halted his troops to await the co-operation of the gun-boats, Mhich might cut off the retreat of the detachment, and to gain time for t]}e combined attack of Gcneial ilut- chinion, left the enemy might fend acrofs a very * This mai) proved of Infinite fervice to Colonel Stuart af- terwards, in procuring for him information, pruvifions, \'C. and the Grand Vizir, on Colonel Stuart's recommend '.lioUj gave him a confiderablc poll in the country. K 2 fuperior 132 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. fuperior body, and overpower him. On General Hutchinfon's advancing, and a detachment of Albanefe coming up, he feat the latter forwards to Delfoug, when a brifk fire of nmilvetry com- menced. At about eight o'clock, the breeze fpringing up, the boats made fail, the French batteries, as foon as they came within their range, attacked them, nearly fmking, almoft direclly, one commanded by Lieutenant Hobbs, of the Delft, who was killed by a 24-pounder^ which entered in at the bow, ftriking off the heads of two failors, and wounding two more. Colonel Stuart then direded Lord Blaney to advance with the grenadiers of the SQth regi- ment, and fix light guns, to take up a pofition along the Nile, within half-mulket-lhot of the batteries. The enemy oppofed in their front, refifted for about a quarter of an hour, then lied to their boats, covered by the fire of two heavy batteries on the ifland, commanding the entrance of the harbour of Rhamanieh, where the Nile was not piflol Ihot acrois. The grenadiers of the 89th regiment, notwith- ftanding the conftant difcharges of grapo, march- ed fteadily on to the dyke running panillcl to the Nile, behind which Colonel Stuart direaed tliem EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 133 tliem to lay down; at the Hime time Captain Ach'e, placing his guns on the moft eligible points, continued for Ibme time, expofed as he was, contending with the fuperior weight of metal, and the covered batteries of the French: but as General Hutchinfon was not attacking the pofition, Colonel Stuart directed that Captain Adye fhould difcontinue the cannonade, and place his men out of fire. By the bold movement of the 89th, the French dgerms, above feventy in number, which were endeavouring to efcape, had been forced back into the harbour, and one gun-boat funk. The Turks, who had feen with a(hniration this ad_ vance, could fcarce find expreflions to explain their fenfe of fuch conduct. " Bono John!'" was vociferated whenever any officer croffed over from the ^^Tftern bank, and " * Tieb .^'' with the thumb raifed, was re-echoed by the Arabs; indeed, the gallantry of that movement, and the judicious (hfpofition of Colonel Stuart, muft ever reflect the highcft credit on him, Lord Blaney, Captain Adye, and the corps. * Tiib llgn'ales excellent. John was the Turks confwnt. appellation of an Englilhman, who added buiw, fuppofing it to fee the Englilh interpretation of their word, lignifyinggood. K 3 The 134 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The Turks moved down afterwards ; they were polled on the riglit and left of the Britilh, but no repvefentation rould induce them not to fix their ftaiulards.* Although thefe of courfe attra6led tlie fire of tlie enemv, fhewing; them where their guns Ihould he directed, prejudice and habit overcame reafon and fear. During the whole of tlie evening, the French fired their cannon occafionally againfl them, and whenever they faw officers puffrng to and from Deffoug.'j' The action with the gun boats and batteries continued inceifantly, in which the Turks be- haved with the greateft intrepidity, the Captain Pacha encouraging them from the fliore, and al- ways taking opportunities of expofmg himfelf to danger. At four o'clock in the evenin"- General Hut- * With every ten men is a ftand of" colours. The Turks always plant thefe on the little parapet they throw up wherever they flop, and behind which they fit, the ditch being in the rear, confiilent with their principle of doing every thing con- trary to Europeans. + They fired occafionally at a mofque, near the village, in which the wounded were placed. As the furgeon of the 89th was drefliPg them, a cannon ball broke through the dome, whirled round it, and fell upon his back, without doing him the leall injury. chinfon EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 135 chinfon, imagining that' the enemy might endea- vour to retreat on Alexandria, moved the army forwards, that the canal might be completely gained. Colonel Spencer with the advanced guard marched on in column, as the French cavalry covering the canal were alfo in column, with fe- veral pieces of cannon near them, which opened their fire on him ; as he perfevered the French retired, and Colonel Spencer gained the canal and the \illage of iNlehallet Daout, into which he detached the dragoons and Corfican Rangers. General Ilutchinfon advanced with General Craddock's and General Doyle's brigade in line, inclining to the right, as he approached the ca- nal refuling his left, to appui that flank upon the Turks : at the fame time Colonel Spencer formed on the rio;ht the 40tli and 58th res-iments, leav- ing the Queen's in column. The French cavalry, when they faw the ar- my advancing, dcj)loyed into line, taking poil between Lacana and ^Vfehallet Daout, fo as to menace in flank and rear any movement made acrols the canal. During this deployment, two Britiili guns cannonaded them. K 4 General 136 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. General Hutchinfon feeing this movement of the cavahy, and having fucceeded in his firft obje6i:, determined to delay all further offenfive meafures until Colonel Stuart had been enabled during the night to erecl batteries, which muft force them to leave their camp ; Captain Brice, who had been fent acrofs there, having returned with the report that in eight hours the guns would be covered, and that when they opened, the French troops could not remain half an hour in the pofition. The French tirailleurs kept up a very fmart fire, M-hich galling the Britifh line, flankers from each regiment were fcnt out to co- ver the front, and the two Britifli guns placed on the canal fired frequently ; the Turkifii artil- lery was alfo active ; the French cavalry in the plain maflied their cannon, and only detached fkirmifiiers to the front, againft which theBritilh cavalry was oppofcd. T' As nio-ht M^as now advancino'faft, and the flalli of each mufquet became vifible, General Hut- chinfon was anxious to put an end to this ineffec- tual firing, he therefore ordered the Turks who had crawled up within a hundred yards of the works, where they laid behind a bank, to retire ; inf^ead of falling back in a difperfed order, they affembled together, being fohcitous to move in a manner EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 137 manner which they fancied to be more confiftent with Enghlh tacti(|ue. When the formation was completed, they fet off running. The French conceiving they were flying from them through fear, purfued, ihouting in triumph. General Hutchinfon, afraid that the Turks would fuffer feverely, found himfelf obhged to move his hne to the left, particularly as between them and liim was a confiderable interval. The French feeing his intention checked their purfuit, but before the Britilli movement could be completed, night fet in, and the army halted on the march without entering into the new alignement. The exertions of the generals, officers, and ftaff, could not remedy the confufion, fo that the troops remained uncertain of their pofition. To add to this misfortune, the Turks on a fudden, after every thing was tranquil, began a fliarp fire of fmall arms, which ahnoft increafed to vollies, caufing in the army feme uneafmefs, left a night attack might he intended ; this alarm proved to he only extreme precaution on their part, as they would not allow a fliadow to be feen, without afcertaining its fubftance ty fliot. Colonel Stu- art's corps remained quiet till about eleven at night, when a French gun-boat attempting to efeape out of Rhamanieh, the 89th and Turks recommenced firing, which the enemy returned. In 138 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. In the refult, flie was obliged to put back. Afterwards, during tlie night, Captain Curry, with the Enghlh hght boats, gallantly paffed, and took a ftation beyond Ilhamanieh. The Ibldicrs of the main army, tired with the exceffive fatiij-ue of the dav, laid down to reft on the ground without care ; but this was an anxi- ous night for thofc w^ho had the refponfibility of their welfare. A confiderable time before day-light, the whole was under arms. As foon as day dawned the troops moved to occupy the appointed pofi- tiou previous to the attack. Whilft this was arranging, Captain Brice, who had been acrofs the Nile to infpect the new bat- teries which had been completed, with the guns mounted in them, returned, bringing the in- formation that a French officer had come out of the fort of Ilhamanieh with a flag of truce, and that the entrenched camp was evacuated. As foon as morning brok^, a white flag had been perceived on the fort, and an officer carrying one in a boat palled down the Nile. The Turks v/ith Colonel Stuart inftantly firing, compelled liirn to come over to that lide. When the na- ture EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ISQ ture of the flag of truce was explained to them by Colonel Stuart, he was allowed to pais on, but the Captain Pacha's troops, on his landing on the weftern bank, infilled on his going to their commander. At length he reached the pfcneral, to whom he ofllered to furrender the fort at difcretion, which of courfe was accepted, and, in addition, prefervation of private property was accorded the garriibn.* An order was inftantly iirued to forbid any perfou going into the village of Rhamanieh, as this oiiicer reprefented that the plague raged there violently. The precaution was too late, tlic Turks had crawled up at day-light clofe to the jjolition, entered without refiftance, and pro- ceeded on to the village in the hopes of plunder, ranfacking even the hofpitals. Some fears were entertained, left they might wifli to deftroy the garrifon, but they did not commit any violence. During the time the French officer was with Colonel Stuart, heavy ar^liery had been heard in advance, which proved to be Captain Curry * Captain Proby was fent to the Captain Pacha for his ap- proval, wlio was much plcafcd at the attention, which con- vinced him ftill more of General Hutcliinfon's confideration and refpe6t. cannonadino; 340 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. cannonading the French column of cavalry in their retreat, hy which they loft feveral men. The French had left eighty dgerms in the har- bour, but had funk all the gun-boats, overturn- ed the artillery on the batteries into the river, deftroyed the ammunition, and had done all the mifchief poflible. The wreck of property left, was a futlicient evidence of an unexpefted and precipitate retreat. In the fort into whicli Britiili officers were ad- mitted, were found very large magazines of bif- cuit, aqua dentc, and flour, which could not be fpoilt in fo Ihort a time. ThejCaptain Pacha v,as extremely angry at the French bavins: left thino-s in this ftate, and al- moft regretted that a capitulation had been granted to the garrifon of the fort ; indeed, where mercy was to be fought, fuch conduct was extremely unhand fome. The place ought to iiave been abandoned altogether, or left in fuch a Itate as is ufual for works to be refigned in at a capitulation. Whilft the occupation of the camp was going forwards, Colonel Browne, of the 1 2th dragoons, arrived EXPEDITION TO EGFPT. 141 arrived at bead- quarters, with the report that an officer of his reoiment had fallen in with a French detachment of cavalry, all of whom he had made prifoner8. They prefently appeared, about fifty in number, of the 22d dragoons, the bcft and heavieft regiment in the army of Egypt. The ftory of the French captain is the beft to give- on this occafion, Inice there was no inducement for liim to make a French difpatch. " He had left Alexandria four days fmce, with his party, as an efcort to an aid de camp of General Bron, carrying difpatches from General Menou, and at the fame time he conduced the poft. About a, mile from the right of Mehallet Daout, he was attacked by a party of Bedouin Arabs, who ihot a feijeant, feverely wounded the aid de camp, who fell from his horfe, and five dragoons, but who with aihftance were enabled to proceed. Piefently afterwards he faw, to his great afto- nifliment, a party of Englilh dragoons advan- cing, for he had no idea of the allied armies be- ing in the neighbourhood, fmce the inhabitants allured him that they remained at Ilofetta, and that the firing he heard the da\- before proceed- ed from thence. 1 wa^ liru.ck, ikid l;e, with the gallantry oi' the young oflicer who hcadcil the detachment : he came on in the moll lictcM ::iicd manner, and relllTance, from e\'erv c'lcmiifuince. 142 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. being ufelefs, I held out a white handkerchief, and furrendered." The party of thirty dragoons of the 12th re- giment, under the command of Lieutenant Drake, had gone out to water their horfes ; hearing fome firing, they proceeded to the fpot, and happily arrived in time to have the credit of the fuccefs, and pleafure of faving the hves of fo many men, who certainly would have been facri- ficed by the Arabs. From this little affair a lef- fon is to be repeated, " that at no time, in an enemy's country, fhould cavalry go out in wa- tering ord r without fide arms." The 15th at Lannoy, in the year 1793, from this precaution, was engaged in a very brilHant rencontre. Some men were fent to find the aid de camp and ferjeant ; the latter's body was difcovered, but the head was taken away. The aid de camp had been more fortunate, and was brought into camp living; obferving there was an anxiety expreffed refpe6lingthe difpatches he carried, he folemnly affured the officer, that " in the buftle of the affair he had dropped them ;" fearch was, however, in vain, although the officer who went to find them picked up the poft letters, which were of courfe opened and read ; no news was gained EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 143 gained by the perufal ; they all mentioned that poUtics and pubhc fubjeds were interdided in. converfation and Mriting; nor did they even ex- plain the caufe of the aneft of Generals Reynier and Damas by General Menoii in Alexandria, who had in tlie night of the 5th of May fent them on board two veifels, which failed dirc6tly for France : the Lodi, carrying General Hey- nier, efcapcd, but the vellel in which General Damas embarked M^as taken, fortune again fa- voring one of her moil defcrving candidates, Captain Young,* of La Pique frigate, by giving him above fix thoufand pounds in fpecie, which was on board the veflel, and wlncli was faid to be General Kleber's property; to General Da- mas Captain Youiig handfomely rcitorcd one hundred and iiftv })ounds, and to liis officers their refpe6Hve claims. The French govern- ment, of courfe, would reimburfe General Kle- ber's widow, if the expint of fpecie was not con- trary to General Menou's orders. This circum- ftance it is fuppofed will furnifli grounds for liti- gation in France. General Doyle, with the 12th dragoons and * Captain Young fliared for the capture of the rich giillcon, taken off Cadiz ,-ijd 144 IXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. a regiment of infantry, made a reconnoif- fance during the day to Damanhour; he found that none of the enemy had retired that way; General Hutchinfon had conje6lured that pof- fibly General Lagrange might have made a feint as if going to Cairo, then changed his dire6lion, and turned to Alexandria. At three o'clock in the afternoon the garrifon of the fort marched out, amounting to one hun- dred and ten men, commanded by a chef de bri- gade. It had been the intention of the French general to leave only fifty ; but the troops broke open the liquor magazines, got drunk, and the furplus number could not walk away. Thelofs of the Britiih in the affair of Rhama- nieh amounted to four officers wounded, fix men killed, and nineteen wounded. The Turks fuf- fered more confiderably. The French loft about one hundred men. Their force had been augmented by troops from Alexandria fince they quitted El Aft, and the number, as then afcertained and confirmed by the French generals afterwards, amounted to four thoufand ijnfantry, eight hundred cavalry, with thirty-three field pieces. The Britifn army was E5CPEDITI0N TO EGYPT, 145 V/as under four thoufand men, including the Corps in the Delta, ficknefs having; begun to break out amongft the troops. The Turks were five thoufand, including thofe with Colonel Stu^ art; yet from the want of difcipline, their ftrength cannot be rated as equal to more than fifteen hundred Europeans. The French officers dined with the general ; and neither they nor the foldiers feemed to regret their deftiny.*' The cavalry officerii; were particularly pleafed, being allowed to difpofe of their own horfes. On the fame day an Arab came from Major IMoore, who ^ith the patrole had paffed from the camp before Alexandria to Birkit. The pofition of Rhamanieh merits a particular defcription, as on the circumftances which oc- curred there much difference of opinion has arifen, and independent of this, as the moft im- portant military ftation of the interior, it de- mands attention. At Rhamanieh commences the canal of Alex- andria, which at high Nile is filled with water, * General Doyle met amongft the officers one who had fcrved againft him in America^ and whom he had known there. Vol. I, L svhen 146 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. when the cifteriis of the latter city are replenidi- ed. At all other leaibns of the year the can-^1 is dry. From Rhamanieh it runs parallel with the Nile, about three hundred yards, then takes a direction at right angles to the village of Mehal- let Daout, whilft one branch opens again into the Nile, from Mhich this part is then diftant about one hundred and twenty yards. This cer- tainly was the line of defence which ought to have been chofen, hnce the maintenance fecured a retreat upon Alexandria, nor could it eafily have been turned, as a boggy bed of a rivulet, originally the Canopic branch of the Nile, ran nearly in a right angle from the left to Lake Edko, in attempting to ford which an ofticer had nearly been loft ; even allowing that this po- rtion had been forced, the one the French did occupy would have been always open for them, by throwing back their left. This pofitiou had its right appuied upon the llioulder of the angle the canal formed, its left on Rhamanieh ; in the centre was a fort (with nine guns), furrounded by a deep ditch ; much fwampy ground was m front of the fort, and before the whole ran the canal of Alexandria. Thus far the pofition was good ; yet as its depth from the Nile was not a hundred and fifty yards, and the Nile not a hun- dred wide, no troops could poflibly remain, when EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 147- when batteries were ereded in the Delta. Grape would have reached any part, and the troops could only have been llieltered by running into the canal, from whence they could not have op- pofed the front attack. Since the operations of the gth inftant have excited fuch variety of opinions, and many be- lieve that the whole of the French force at Rha- manieh might have been taken, there would be great prefumption in an inferior officer to pro- nounce pofitively whether the movements were dictated by judgment, and an impetuous ardour properly reftrained ; if more might have been done, or the retreat of the enemy altogether pre- vented : therefore the arguments on each fide iliall be fairly given, which, M'ith the previous account, and an accurate attention to the ground plan, will enable every one in this inftance to form his own idea, nearly as well as if he had been prefent. Wlien the Connnandcr in Chief advanced towards llhamanieh, his intention had not been to attack, conceiving that the French pofition muft be too Itrong for a coup ck main, for he knew that a fort had been conftruCied, and the camp entrenched. When therefore he found that L 2 the 148 EXBEDITION TO EGYPT. the pofitlon, although not fo good as was ex- pe6led, ftill was tenable againft an affault with- out great lofs, but that Colonel Stuart could during the night ere6l batteries which would de- ftroy the fort, and oblige the enemy to abandon the pofition, with the only alternative of fight- ing in the field or furrendering, he did not wifli to facrifice troops by an unneceflary premature attack. To prevent the enemy's retreat was, however, an obvious confideration. The occu- pation of the canal cut them off from Alexan- dria ; but to inveft completely the pofition of Rhamanieh, required an extenfion of the line fo as to appui each flank on tlie Nile. So extend- ed, did the circumvallation offer a fufficient re- fiftance to oppofe any fortie during the night ? It was impoflible to change altogether the front, throwino; the ris^ht on the Nile, and left on the canal, as then the gun-boats, dgerms, &c. would be expofed to certain deftru6lion, and a route left open for the French to Rofetta or Alexan- dria, round Lake Edko ; and with troops who could make the march they afterwards did, it is manifeft, that if they had once gained the lead, the Britifli could never have overtaken them. If the French obtained an advantage by this fepa- ration, the confcquences would have been highly difaftrous, even the fate of the campaign proba- bly EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 149 bly changed, fmce the united force of the Bri- tifh army was fo inferior, as not to admit of any unprofitable diminution. Such was the reafoning which induced the general not to attack, or make any movement, except for the occupation of the canal ; and in the evening, when the Turks retired, every one faw, from the interval then left between them and the Englifli, what danger mud have accrued had there been {till a greater. When the army in the evening moved for- wards, and the French fo jiidicioufly pofted their cavalr}^, was it pofhble to have executed the in- veftment? Would not tlie jjofition, fo well chofen, in which the eight hundred cavahy with their cannon formed, have rendered any movement acrofs the canal dangerous ? Certainly the French cavalry, afting with the greateft advantages, had been beaten by infantry on the 8th, 13th, and 2lft ; but was what had been the furprifmg effect of defperate emergency to juftify a general's de- Ipiling his enemy ? On the other hand there are officers who af- fert (certainly on prefumptive prcmifes), that the French, from the choice of their pofition in the L 3 morning, 150 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. morning, fliewed their inclination to furrender, if this could be done with any tolerable pretence of juftification ; that the Turks and Britifli were numerous enough to have affaulted or invefted the place; and that as for the cavalry, former fucceffes jufufied the inference that their attacks were not to be dreaded ; that the general move- ment in the evening was ufelefs, if fuch was not the objedl; and, in fhort, that Rhamanieh might have been the theatre of as much brilliant fuccefs as the ifthmus of Aboukir. The queftions may be refolved into two. Ought General Hutchinfon to have attacked the entrenched pofition of Rhamanieh, defended by 4000 infantry, 800 cavalry, 33 field pieces, and 17 pieces of pofition, without waiting for Colonel Stuart's co-operation by the erection of Latteries in the Delta? or was he enabled to have invefted the camp, and maintained the blockade during the night, after the neceffary extenfion of his Hne three miles, with the force he had under his command? The French unfortunately combine with their opinions fo much national vanity, that from them an honeft judgment can with difficulty be ob- tained ; EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. 151 tamed ; they however unanimoufly ridicule the idea of an inveftment or attack : and a French general of charafter has declared, that on the contrary, he propofed attacking the Turks and Brithli when the interval between them was firft obferved. General Reynier, who has faid every thing he could ao'ainft the Eno-lifh, never accufes them for their conduct on this day ; he is indeed wrong in defcribing- a corps as palling by Damanhour, and turning the canal, fmce although the movement v/ould have been judicious, the force of the army did not admit of the neccifary detachment ; he is equally inaccurate in alferting, that General Hutchinfon prevented a movement of General Doyle's in fupport of the Turks. Others pretend as an additional reafon for the attack or inveftment, that the French troops began to evacuate the pofition during the day. The account of the French thcmfelvcs afterwards confuted this report, and therefore thofe troops which were feen palling up the Nile, could only be detachments occupying villages and other pofts, to fecure the retreat. Cut whatever difference might exift on this L 4 fubje<5l, 152 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. fubjeft, the poffeffion of Rhamanieh was in itfelf moft important, acquired alfo with a facility be- yond the moft fanguine hope. The armies of Generals Menou and Belliard were now divided by a vaft extent of defert, combined offenfive operations rendered impCiTible, the command of the Nile fecured, and a communication with the whole interior of Egypt eftablillied. Confiderable, however, as were thefe advan- tages, much remained to be done. The French had retired, if repulfed, not weakened ; their con- centrated force from Cairo might alwa3^s ad- vance ; they had loft a pofition, yet ftill polfeffed the capital and principal fortrefs of the country. Great fucceffes had been gained certainly, but the fate of the campaign was by no means fixed. On General Hutchinfon's judgment was to de- pend its illue. Should he purfue to Cairo, or return to Alexandria, was the anxious alterna- tive. On the one hand, he had to confider, what would be the probable confequences of expofing the Turks under the Grand Vizir to the attacks of the French, then not confined in their opera- tions by any fear of the advance of the Englifli? Whether the Mamelukes, who had as yet not openly avowed their alHance, would be friendly or EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. J 53 or hoftile, if he did not move to their affiftance, as Morad Bey had declared wasneceiTary? Whe- ther the Indian army Avould not be fubje6ted to difafter, if he tamely allowed the French to op- pofe them with their whole force ? Whether the jiin6lion with the Grand Vizir, the IMamelukes, and his army, did not enfure fuccefs at Grand Cairo? If, on the contrary. General Ilutchinfon returned to Alexandria, could he befiege the place? Had he men enough to defend the Nile, the entrenched camp before Alexandria, and to admit of his detaching a corps to the weftward, M''hich was deemed abfolutely necelfaiy for the ficge, and which corps would have not only to refill the fortle (>f the garrifon, but any attack which (jieneral IjcUiard, with his army, might make from the fide of the Defert? On the other hand it was maintained, that the march to Cairo cnfin-ed ruin, fmce there were no magazines formed: that the army nuift live on fait provifions, as frcili meat could not be cn- fured, and the ftate of the Boccage rendered that fLipj)ly even precarious; that the difeafes of plague dyfentry, and blhidnefs, the heat of the climate the fatigue to be undergone, the want of flioes^ &c. muftfoon reduce the troops, and even if any number did arrive at Cairo, they would be inca- })acitated 154 EXPEDITION TO EGyPT. pacitated to fight the enemy, or begin the fiege of what was thought a ftrong fortreis, the citadel ; finally, the conqueft of Cairo was not decifive: for folong as the French retained Alexandria, fo long were the Englifh in i'-dtt not mafters of Egypt; whereas if Alexandria was taken, Cairo muft be glad to capitulate. Thefe objedions diftrafted for fome time the Commander in Chief's mind ; he was aware of the truth of the laft argument, but could not himfelf difcover, or had pointed out to him the means of attacking Alexandria, while General Belliard's army remained in force. He dreaded the difficulties which were to be furmounted by the troops under his command, but at laft he decided that the movement m^'is in- difpenfible. " My natural habits and prefent ftate of health would perfuade me not to attempt a march where fuch exertion muft be necefiluy, and in which, probably, I fiiall fall a facrifice to the climate ; but my duty to my king, country, and the gallant men M'ho have been employed in this expedition, determine me to undertake it. If I fucceed, great will be my fatisfaclion to find that my capacity did not betray their interefl:s: if I fail, the confcioufnefs of integrity, and the mo ft EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 155 moft ardent devotion for their glory and welfare, will fupport me in retirement." Such was the language which accompanied this decifion; and even thofe who difagree with his opinion, muft applaud his zeal, The oppofition to the meafure was confiderable; but General Hutchinfon, notwithftanding, con- tinued firm to his decifion, fhewing that per- feverance, where he thought himfelf right, was a quality he amply poflefTed. The entrenched camp of Rhamanieh was given up to the Turks, who left a garrifon of about three hundred men in the fort, the dgerms taken were divided amongft them and the Englifh, \vhich proved a valt benefit, fnice they enabled, in two or three days, the quarter mafter general to convey the men's knapfacks by water, and facilitated the conveyance of tlic ftores. Hi- therto the troops had carried every thing them- fclves, nor had the officers any more baggage tlian v/hat was placed on their own backs. This of courfe was not much on a march, where the thermometer was never lefs than C)5. A fliirt pulled oflt', and dried in tlie fun, under this ne- ceflity, became a real luxury. On 156* EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. On the morning of the 11th of May the army- advanced, paffmg through a fine corn country aheady ripe. The Turks were guilty of ex- cefles, which the Caia Bey attempting to re- ftrain, he was hooted at, and obliged to defift. The Englifh officers, however, prefer ved fome authority over them, and by their exertions checked the diforders; but they had already done the great mifchief, rifling the peft-houfes, whofe wretched tenants were abandoned to die, The people of the villages with gratitude crowded around their deliverers ; they beheld with wonder the Britilli columns follow in regular order the Ottoman troops, and preferve the ftri6left difci- pline, fmce they had, by fatal experience from Mahometans and Chriftians, expefted a very different conduct. The Britiili foidiers only required water, fre- quently even rewarding the trembling natives who brought it, and whofe only prayer but feeble hope had been to efcape ill ufage. All language is infufficient to give a juft idea of the mifery of an Egyptian village; but thofe who have been in Ireland, may heft fuppofe the degree, when an Iriih hut is defcribed as a pa- lace, in comparifon to an Arab's ftye, for it can be called by no other name. Each EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 157 Each habitation is built of mud, even the roof, and refembles in iliape an oven : within is only one apartment, generally of about ten feet fquare. The door does not admit of a man's entering up- right; but as the bottom is dug out about two feet, when in the room, an erect pofture is pof- fible. A mat, fome large veffels to hold water, which it is the conftant occupation of the women to fetch, a pitcher made of fnie porous clay, found beft in X'pper Egypt, near Cunei, and in which the water is kept very cool, a rice pan and coffee-pot, are all the ornaments and utenlils. Here then a \\ hole family cat and deep, without any confuleration of decency or cleaniinefs, being in regard to the latter worfe even than the beads of the held, who natural h' refpect their own te- nements. It was fcarcely pollible to witnefs this difgufting fcenc, to behold men, women, and clhldren fo wretched, l"o hideous, and fo abje6t, without refleclions not very conforming to doc- trines, which for the happinefs of the world fhould be inculcated ; and the beautiful reafoning of the philofooher and poet was fcarce fuihcient to check the preliimptuous difcontent: ilefpefting man, wliatrvcr wrong we call, May, mull be right, as relative to all. When the proud Oced iliall know, why nr.m rcftrainf Ilia fiery courflj or dri'.es him o'er the plains: When 158 EXPEDITION T6 EGYPT. When the dull ox, why now he breaks the clod. Is now a viftim, and now Egypt's God : Then iliall man's pride and dulnefs comprehend His actions, paffions, being, ufe, and end. Why doing, luff 'ring, check'd, impell'd, and why This hour a flavcj the next a deity. All the villages have high mud walls, flanked with little towers of the fame material, to prote6l them from the Bedouin Arabs. At night a con- flant guard is mounted, and the faithful dog, who in Egypt is treated with fuch babarity, pro- tects the thankleis mafter's property ; for the ma- gazines of corn are formed on the outlide of the walls, otherwife they would be too extended for the inhabitants to defend. The property of each village is depofited in one place, every individual owner heaping up his own rick, and keeping it diftind from his neighbour's, by preferving a path round. Thus the depot rcfembles a corn field in England, only more comprelfed, pre- vioufly to its produce being carried into the barns: but the interior regulations of thefe little independent ftates, and general fyftem of govern- ment in the country, are beyond the limits of this work; nor could they be fo well defcribed as General Revnier has fucceeded in doino- who has exemplified thefe details in a very inftru6tive and able manner, fmce his knowledge and talents were EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. IdQ were not, as in his jNIilitary Iliftory, fettered with prejudice. A pcrulal of his work is well worth the attention of e\Try man to whom legif- lation is interefting. The army halted on the banks of the Nile, at Shibraghite, about twelve miles diftant from Rha- manieh, and Colonel Stuart took up a pofitioii between Sasfle and Alehallet Dye. A Sirocco wind had raged the whole day, and inflaming the atmofphere, parched the troops almoft to fuffocation. IMajor IMontrefor was fent from hence to the Grand A'^izir's army, which it was underftood had arrived at Balbcis, and with dif- cretionary inftruclions to proceed on to Suez, to which place 7\dmiral Blanket at laft had been able to beat up, with one Iniiidrcd and fifty men of the 86th, not the Indian army, as General Kevnicr ftates. The army niarched again the next morning to Kaffa Ilaudcig, palling over the ground where tlic .Mamelukes exj)(rienccd their lirft defeat. Tiie Sirocco wind I'lill continuing, the dgerms and gun-])oats could not get up to the army, and tlicrcforc (icncral llutchinjon halted on the 13rb; Cobnicl Stuart contiimed alfo in his poli- tiun at the canal of Ftrallak. In l6^ EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. In the evening IMajor Wilfon was fent with difpatches to the Grand Vizir, to reprefent that fi-om the extrordinary march of the French, it was probahlc they intended to attack his Iligh- nefs, and to intreat him not to rifque an aftion, which might compromife fuccefs, ah-cady ob- tained, and which the delay of a few days would enfure from mutual co-operation. lie arrived there on the 15th, and found the Turkifli camp already in movement, from an account juft brouo'ht of the French havins: in force advanced from Cairo. A conference was inftantly held, at which were prefent the Grand Vizir, the Reis Effendi, Colonel Hollowell, Major Wilfon, and Captain Hope. His Highnefs having been ac- quainted with the difpatches, and heard the rea- fons urged to ftrengthen their obje6t, paufed a few minutes, and then declared, " that the ad- vice could not be followed, fmce his army only the day before had Ihewed ftrong fymptoms of difcontent, becaufe they had not been allowed to advance to Cairo ; that fuch a retreat would be utter ruin, for his troops would difband in defpondency and difguft; that if the French amounted only in number to the moft authentic report of their force, a retrograde movement would be difgraceful to the Ottoman arms, and the co-operation of fuch feeble allies afterwards could EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. l6l could offer no advantage to the Englifli general ; that if at lait a retreat was compelled by the fu- periority of the enemy, tlie difafter could not be aggravated by the delay, fmce the French dare not purfue far." Xo perfuafion could induce liini to ftrike a tent, or make the fmalleft prepa- ration for the probable event. He objeded that fuch precautions would create alarm, and the value of his equipage did not counterbalance fuch an unfavourable prepoffeffion. His refolu- tion was taken, and his reafoning not to be re- fifted. As accounts now came that the French had abfolutelv advanced bevond Elhanka, Taliir Pacha was fcnt with a confiderable corps of ca- valry to keep them in check, and harafs them during the night: and another corps was alfo detached into the Defert to watch their move- ments, and attack them if they attempted to pafs by that route. ]\Iajor Wilfon then went back with the (jrand \'izir's determination, and arrived in the Britiili camp in the night of the lOth at Algam. 'J1ie army had moved forwards on the 14th to Shabour, and Colonel Stuart pofted his corps at Kafr Zayad. (Jn their march they had fallen Vol. r. M in^ l62 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. in with a valuable convoy, which had come from Cairo down the canal of Menoiif, by which route they milTed General Lagrange's retreating army, and knew^ nothing of the capture of Rha- manieh. For two days the Arabs had followed, and kept firing on the French, who with mufquetry and fome Iwivels protected themfelves. It was this cannonade which gave the firft notice of their approach to the BritifJi and Turks, and who prcfied forwards to afcertain the caufe, whilft the army on the left bank for fome time attri- buted it to an attack made on Colonel Stuarfs column. The French, to the number of one hundred and fifty men, feeing the Turks, landed from the boats, and threw themfelves into a date wood on the left bank; but the Turks of Co- lonel Stuart's army obliged by mufquetry the Arabs in the boats to brin.f:; them over to their fide, when they began pillaging them, whilft thofe of the Captain Pacha's advanced guards iliortly afterwards furrounded the wood, and fired into it. 'iliG French made a defpcrate reHftance, untij . tlicv EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. l63 they faw feme Englifli light dragoons, who un- der Lieutenant Diggins formed the advanced guard of the Englilli army, approaching, when the officer who commanded the French, and who was wounded, came forwards and faid he would furrender, if the Englifli would affure them of protection, which being pledged, they gave them- felves up ; but fome Turks ftill fired at them whilft marching away. Several of the French before had been killed or wounded; the Turks had alio fome wounded, amongft which was the commandant of ca\'alry, a very accomplilhed man and zealous foldier, who liad come with the Captain Pacha, and commanded about a hun- dred horfenuii. The convoy was very valuable, and muft have been, from the nature of its ftores, a confiderable lofs to the enenn', On board were all kinds of clothing, wine, ipirits, Sec. feveral heavy guns intended for the defence of Alexandiia, and about five thoufand pounds in money. The Turks were irritated at lb many prifoners having efcaped their fabres, but they confoled them- felves with the (hjlkirs, of wliich they contrived to get the greatelt j)art. Wliilft tho priibners were waiting in tlie rear ' M 2 to l64 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. to be embarked for Rofetta, the Captain Pacha palled, and diicovering two black guls, compa- nions of the French foldicrs, he defired the Eng- lilh officer to deliver them up to him. This Lieutenant Diggins refufed; as being placed under his charge as prifoner^, he could not dif- pofe of them without an order from the Britilh general. The Captain Pacha was very mucli irritated, but at length obtained an order to re- ceive them, fmce the French did not choofe to take them to France. They probably were ftrangled, as connexion Avith Europeans was al- ways a crime, and with Frenchmen now one of unpardonable heinoufnefs. On the morning of the 15th the army marchetl, and encamped between Zo waff and Zaout el Ba- har. Colonel Stuart moved to Zara. On the l6th the armv marched to Ab'am ; Colonel Stuart to Nadir. In front of Algam were the ruins of a village, facked and deftroyed by the French, the inhabitants of it having at- tacked and killed a French general when palling down the Nile ; an hoftility which no fyitem of terror could, however, influence the Arabs to dif- continue. On EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, l65 On the 17th fome Arabs came in to report, that a confiderable body of the French were ad- vancing tD the fpot where the boats of the Cap- tain Pacha were lying, about a league in the rear of the Enghih head quarters, not having been able, on account of the little wind the day before, to beat up farther, and the Captain Pacha fent courier after courier with the fame intelli- gence. The commandant of the French convoy, who had encamped the fame night within four miles of the Captain Pacha, as foon as he per- ceived the boats, fufpected that the army muft be near, and retired into the Defert. General Doyle, M'ho had zcaloufly urged and volunteered to purfue the convoy, was ordered to take out the lith and a detachment of the 26th dragoons, amounting to 250 men; two held-picces and his brigade of infantry was di- rected to follow him, whilft General Craddock, with a brigade, moved along the banks of the Xilc. Colonel Abercromby and Major Wilfon gal- iupcd on to find the enemy's column, which was ]iot then perceptible, attended only by the wild \raL-, >vho (locked from all parts of the Defert. M 3 When l66 EXPEDITrON TO EGYPT. When they had gone about feven miles, they came up with the convoy, and reconnoitring it attempted to make the Arabs attack tlieir front and right flank, whilft Lieutenant Sutton of the Minorca regiment, and aid de camp to General Doyle, who then alfo arrived, ufed his utmoft exertions to eife6l the fame fervice; but the French tirailleurs kcjjt them completely at a diftance. At length Major Wilfon pro])ofed to Colonel Abercromby that he might be allowed to oifer the commandant of the convoy a capitu- lation, fmcethe ftratagem might fuccced, and at all events the delay of the negociation would o'ive time for the arrival of the iniantrv. Colo- nel Abercromby confented, and Major Wilfon, after fome delay for an handkerchief, during which time General Doyle arrived with the ca- valry, and aj)piOvcd of the meafure, rode up with a Mhite handkeichicf on his fword, and approaching Vvithin twenty yards, demanded to fpeak with the commandant. Colonel Cavalier came forwards, and ailvcd him ^hat he re- quired. He anfwercd, that " he was fent by tiic Commander in Chief to olfer, before circum- ftances might render his fubmiff.on ufelefs, terms for the furrender of his convoy, which were, that the troops iliould lay down their arms, and be fent dire6tly to France." Colonel Cavalier vio- lently EXPEDITION' TO EGYPT. iQj lenlly ciicdout to him to retire inftantly, for he Icarcelv knew whether he ousfht not to order his people to lire. Major WiUbn anfwered, that it was tlie humanity of the general M'hieh induced him to offer tliefe terms, and reminded Colonel Cavalier of the refponfihility which now attaches! to him, and the facrifice he Mas ahout to make. To this Colonel Cavalier feemed to pay no atten- tion, and Major \\'ilfon was proceeding towards General Doyle, when an aid de cam.p from the French galloped after jNIajor Wilfon, and re- quired him to return to Colonel Cavalier, who aflied for the propofed conditions to he repeated, and then requefted that he M^ould wait the event of a confultation with his officers. An evident fenfation of joy v.as perceptihle in the troops, and their actions hetrayed their inclinations ; but the manner in which they were drawn up, pre- fented a formidable refiftance ; a corps of in- fantry formed the front and rear line, whilft three divifions of the dromedary corps and heavy nglifli oiTiccrs, Mr. Ilutchinfon, Colonel Cole, Major Wilfon, and Captain Proby; Ibraliim Bey and the great oificcrs of flate (landing. The cavalry, to the number of about three hun- dred, were drawn out to form three fides of a fcjuaie. ISO EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. fquare. The moft expert horfemen then darted out of the ranks fucceffively, throwing the dgiredde, whilft from the feverity of the bit and brutal ufe of their Hiovel ftirrup fpurs, the blood fireamed profufely from the moutlis and fides of their horfes. When this exercife had lafted about two liours, the Grand Vizir, Captain Pa- cha, &c. mounted their horfes, and moved to re- view the main army, tlie attendants fliouting the M'hole way, " Alia achbar, Alia achba?^, Praife be to God;" but before the cavalcade arrived at the camp, the Grand Vizir feized a dgiredde, and, manoeuvring his horfe with dcxteritv, threw it at the Reis Effendi. The conteft now became general amongft the moft exalted perfonages ; Ibrahim Bey rode with much grace; the Reis Effendi and Mahommed Pacha entered the lifts, and the Captain Pacha,* with a commanding dignity and admirable Ikill, manoeuvred in the circle; but Solyman Aga, the pride of the Ma- melukes, for the beauty of his countenance, the elegance of his manners, his excellence in all the martial exercifes, rufhing forward with a long * The Captain Pacha was much diftrelTed to think that the Englith might be ridiculing; and when the fool appeared he could not help exprefling how {hocked he was, but excufed the whole from the cuftom of the country, fpear EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ]87 fpear in his hand, excelled beyond competition, and extorted univerfal admiration. Yet with the abiUty of the moft refined Itatefman, he feemed to dread his pre-eminence, and, with the cnnning of the moft artful courtier gratified the vanity of the Vizir.* In the midfl of this fmgular and already lu- dicrous fccne, rode in a fool mounted on a wretched horfe, himfelf perfeftly naked, with a bell round his neck, and ftraws in his hand; thefe, as javelins, he direfted againfl the Vizir, and againlt him alone, as the only objeft worthy * The attendants when hit pretended to be hurt, and from repeated blows afFedcd to be unhorfed ; but when on the ground, tliey looked at the Britilh offieers, lolling out their tongues as a (Ign of the quiz they were playing. The dgiredde is a Itick which is held behind the thigh until the hoife is ch(x-kcd up tuddenly from full fpeed, when at the fame mo- ment it is darted againll the adverfiry ; but it requires a ftrong arm to give it force, and f )me dexterity to make it lirike with the point. The bit is the nujft fcvcre which can be made, and a horfe is never thrown on his haunches fuddenly without the blood flowing from his nvaitli; the confcfjucnce is, that their mouths are fo liardcncd, tliat in a Icfs fcvere bit they hang dead upon the liand. The ilirrups are exadly (imilar to the pan of a Ihovel, the end of which is very fliarp, and kept conliantlj prelfing againft the horfe in his gallop, fo that his flanks are not pricked, but abfolutely fcored. his 188 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. his arms. Nor did this ftrange fcene produce any ienfations among the Turks; he was allowed to continue unmolefted his attacks, and even from the Vizir himfelf received a handful of fe- quins.* At length the Grand Vizir arrived at his camp, and with feeming pride and approbation, rode alono^ the wretched line drawn out to receive him, for he had not then feen better troops, whilft the Captain Pacha fuffered much morti- fication. In the evening an Arnaut, who had been guilty of ill-treating a woman, an offence of the higheft nature amongfl Mahometans, was fliot. There was no public ceremony at this execution ; a fmall guard conducted him to a road immedi- ately on the left of the camp, and one of them, * In Egypt a fool is worfliipped as a faint, and at Cairo they have many particular privileges, but tlie mod Angular is the fuperftition which favours them fo as to make their children confidered the peculiar favourites of heaven ; therefore in the public ftreets the moft virtuous women have no fcruples to them, and paflengers, inftead of difturbing, pray over their union, A Avoman fo with child is highly efteemed amongft her own fex ; there is therefore fome excufe for playing the foul in that country, placing EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. ISQ placing a piftol at the right fide of his body, fired, when the man fell dead. He was left three days in th6 fame place, expofed to public view. General Hutchinfon having finally decided on his plans, and obtained a written declaration from the Grand Vizir, that unlefs his army was allowed to proceed immediately to Cairo, he was affiired the troops would dilband, left the camp on the 27th with the Captain Pacha, and with much pleafure, for he could not be very com- fortable amidft this fcene of diforder, and where, as is ufual in a Turkilh camp, the mufquet balls were continually whizzing ; but notwithftanding tlie remonftrances of the Vizir, and the cuftom even of the Englifii officers attached to the mif- fion,"^ he always rode out during his fiay unac- companied l)y any Janilfary guard, which was heretofore deemed necellary to protc6l an Euro- pean from infr.li, if not violence, but in the event this confidence nmch pleafed the Turks themfelvcs. * The Britilli artillery, however, regularly had public prayers every Sunday in the midft of the Turkiih camp; and during the whole time of their being attached to that army, were never moleftcd or interrupted in the fervice. The 190 EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. The extraordinary difficulties in obtaining the neceflary fupplies and (lores, added to the certainty of the French fleet's being at fea, def- tined for Alexandria, a corvette of which had entered on the IQth into that port, and the con- tinued oppofition in the army to the movement, the ravages daily made by the dyfentery and blindnefs, the abfolute want of money, four months pay being due, rendered it extremely neceflary for the Commander in Chief to have additional grounds befides his own opinion to juftify his perfeverance. The Captain Pacha now engaged to fupply the army with bread, for which purpofe ovens were eftabliihed at Menouf, and likewife agreed to provide a certain proportion of buffaloes, which he obtained from the inhabitants by re- quifition.* On the ^gth of May, in the evening, a Mame- luke came from the Caia Bey, or general of Of- * Buffalo meat is extremely coarfe ; it is an animal almofl amphibious, for the whole day the buffaloes lie in the water, looking like great porpoifes ; the natives contlantly alfo tie on their horns the clothes or articles they wifh to carry acrofs the Nile_, jump on their backs,, and ufe them as ferries. man EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. IQl man Bey, to announce his arrival with the ad- vanced guard at Terrana. ]\Iajor Wilfon was directly fent to congratulate him, and allure him of prote6tion. He found him to be an /Ethio- pian, of a dark copper colour, with a M'hite ftubby beard, extremely ugly, yet with a moft penetrating look, very fenfible, enquiring, crafcy, and fufpicious. Ofman Bey of courfe feleded an officer of the greateft intelligence, when he committed the lives and fortunes of himfelf and followers into his hands. An exact Syphax in perfon, cunning, and intrigue, he became greater from his attachment to his niafter. He appointed four o'clock in the morning, and a village in front of their army as the place of rendezvous, from whence he was to proceed to the Englifh generafs tent, but anxioufly ftipu- lated that the Captain Pacha was not to know of the time of his coming : however, lb great was his dread of being betrayed by the Turks, who accompanied ]M9Jor Wilfon,that inftead of keep- ing his appointment, he at three o'clock marched, and, ftriking into the Defert, came by the rear of the camp, after a confiderable detour, to the ge- neral's tent, where he was alfured by General Hutchinfon in perfon of his proteftion, and that th^ Captaiu Pacha lliould confirm thofe ftipula- tions IQ2 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. tions he had in the name of the Grand Signor al- ready pledged.* From thence he went to the Captain Pacha, who received him with apparent pleafure and cordiahty. In the evening General Hutchinfon's brother, Captains Taylor and Proby, returned with him to the camp of Ofman Bey. On the ift of June the army moved forward to Miflilei ; Colonel Stuart's corps remained at Birchamps. The great delay which had retarded the ope- rations for fuch a time, it is by many believed might have been in fome degree avoided ; but as a Commander in Chief mufl conform his movement to that ftate of preparation, which the various departments of the army, elTential for its maintenance and fervice, will allow of, the abfo- lute occalion of the delay muft be fought for in the difficulties which prefented themfelves to render the efforts of the commifTary unequal to * When he faw Major Wilfon in the tent afterwards, he anxioully explained his motive for not keeping his appoint- ment. In the late tumult at Alexandria in the boats he was killed, having defended himfelf with the utmoft defperation, and before he fell being nearly hacked to pieces. the EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. IQS the affurance of a certain fupply, when the ftate of the boccao-e caufed a fcarcitv in the mas^a- O I/O zines, the want of camels before the convoy was taken, and the deficiency of ftores, Sec. from the fame reafons, and a \\'ii]i for General Baird's co- operation, who was daily expeded. But that no farther delays might impede the oifenfive opera- tions, General Lawfon of the artillery, and Cap- tain Brice, who commanded the engineers, were fent back to Rofetta, in order to foward, with every exertion, the heavy artillery, &c. required for the fiegc of Cairo ; and their exertions proved moft beneficial to the fervice, as well as honour- able to themfelves. The next evening Mr. Ilutchinfon, &c. re- turned from the ?>Iameluke camp, then fix miles diitant, and fpoke in the higheit terms of their reception, the order, appearance, and manners, which elevate the ^lamehdvcs lb much above the Turks. The next morning Ofinan Bey Tambourgi,* attended by fe\en others, came to vilit the gene- * Tainbourgi, fo cnllcd from havini^ Ijcen a drummer After Alorad Ley's deaths he allumcd tint name of Crcbir, or chief. \'oL. I. o ral, IQ"! EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ral, and were highly pleafed with his frankncfs and unequivocal declaration of his I'entimcnts with regard to them. They had been by ar- rangement, for fear of giving offence, previoufly with the Captain Pacha, who exerted hiinfelf to remove from their minds all apprehenfion and fufpicion. Ofman Bey was a handfome lufty man, of fifty years of age, ornamented with no diftinguilhing infignia, except a valuable diamond hiked dag- ger, which belonged to his mafter, benefactor, and prcdeceffor, Morad. Under his command were eleven Beys ; but their united efficient force, not including their numerous followers, did not amount to above twelve hundred men.* Thefe were all richly dreffed, well mounted, ap- pointed, and armed. Individually, without doubt, they are fuperior to any cavalry in the world ; but colle6tively, Britidi dragoons muft, from their phyfical fuperiority of ftrength, m eight, and velocity, overpower in a charge more than an equal number of them. The Mamelukes generally are fine men, and * In Upper Egypt had been left about eight hundred to take care of their farms. feemed EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 105 feemed likely to continue fo another generation, if judgment might be formed from the beautiful young Georgian boys in their poffeflion. No air of forrow appeared in any face, except in the countenances of fome Frenchmen who had de- I'ertcd or had been taken, and who were afraid of being expofed to the Ihame of returning amongft tlieir comrades, after the abufe which they had fuflered, and therefore ftill continued in the fer- vice of their unnatural matters.* Still the fenti- ment of love for their native country M^as not to be fubdued, and they miferably pined in their ilavery. The Beys were men of abilities. IVIohammed Elfi, fo called from Morad having paid 1 100 dol- lars for liim, which is an honourable diftin6iion now attached to his name, and who has fmcefled into Upper Egypt, was particularly cle\'cr. Of- man Bardici, afterwards feverely wounded, M'as * It niuft be undcrftood that the Mamelukes are all f- Egyptinns and Turks are alio ; but the former neceflarily from their fyftem muft be, and when they become princes, they continue from inelinalion what in their early youth may be confidered an involuntary a6l of fubmidion ; however, there is an anccdotj of Olhian Bey Bardici's refinance to ^Nlorad, which muft exculpate him from voluntarily encouraging this unnatural vice. o 2 the IgO EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. the iiiofl aftive, and llaflan Bey the moft en- (loMcd with tlie knowledge of European pohtics, being- an Italian by birth, and having been an lioftage for the fealty of Morad Bey to the French, by M'hom he had alfo been raifed to the dignity of a Bey. General Ilutchinfon now faw that two great objects of his march were acconipliflied ; an union with the Turkilh army, and the jundion of the Mamelukes, who, from their influence fecured the country, and left the French deftitute of re- fource. Intelligence having alfo been received that Colonel Murray had landed at Coflir, with a few hundred rnen, and that he entertained the momentary expectation of the remainder of the army joining, the General was relieved from the fear of General Belliard's retiring into Upper Egypt, a movement which v^ould have been the moft difailrous to the Englilh, as purfuit there was almoft impraclicable, from the lickly ftate of the troops. On the 4th of June the army marched, and took u[) a poiition in front and rear of Lochmas. Colonel Stuart the fame day croiTed the water from Birchamps, and halted on the banks of the Nile. The gun-boats had been fent through the canal EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, IQ7 canal of ]\Ienouf, as the Nile was too fhallow to allow of their proceeding further in the Rofetta branch. Hitherto the Captain Pacha in his vef- fel, which, in comparifon with the fize of thofe ufed in the Xile, might he called a frigate, had been to\red by men through the mud, and forced over banks which no ihij) of equal burthen had ever palfed before. But this trait was confiftcnt with the character of this extraordinary man, as it gave him opportunities to difplay his power and muniiicence. The next day the army advanced to Verdam, about ten miles, and Colonel Stuart moved to Sh libra Shaab'i, where the Grand Vizir had taken a pofition, and who received the colonel with every mark of affection, and that diftinftion which his important and gallant fervices entitled him to expect. The ficknefs of the troops now alarmingly in- crcaied, there being at this time one thoufand who had returned to Rofetta, or were in two days afterwards in fucli a ftatc as to render ex- pedient the eftabliflnneiit of an hofpital camp on tlic point of tlie Delta. 'ilie Kngliih army marched again on the 7th, o 3 and IQS EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. and encamped beyond El Gatta, at Eilioue,* where the Nile divided into two branches. The Mamelukes here firft formed a part of tlie grand camp, and for the firft time pitched tents with any regularity, which the general infifted fliould be done. On the Qth the army moved to Burtos, and the Vizir to Charlahan. On the 15th the EngliOi army advanced to Tinaili, and the Vizir encamped in rear of Baflbus. On June the ]5th General Hutchinfon fent privately a French Mameluke, who had formerly been a merchant in Egypt, and was then in the fervice of Ofman Bey Bardici, to General Bel- liard, with a letter, begging of him to confider the dreadful fate to which he expofed the inha- bitants of Cairo, by holding out the place^ and fubjecting it to an affault by the Turks, and at the fame time offering him a capitulation on the moft honourable terms. The Mameluke was not allowed to enter the town ; he v. as met by a French officer, who carried the letter to General Belliard, and then returned with a pofitivc re- fufal to enter into any neo'ociation. * On this march the Defert, for a confiderable part of the way, reached down to the banks of the Nile. Oil EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. IQQ On the iGtrli the army moved oppofite to Shubra, and the Britifh, under Colonel Stuart, advanced beyond the Tmks to the canal in front of Shubra. The Vizir's army continued in the rear of Baifous. The Turks, under the Captain Pacha, had this day removed to the right, form- ing a line with the Biitifli, and the Mamelukes occupied the villages of Conlachnar, Bafliteel, and Imbaba.* This arrangement did not pleafe the Captain Pacha, who had always encamped with his troops on the banks of the Nile ; but he was fatisficd, Mhcn the iiecefiity of the move- ment was explained to him. The good of the fervice was his great object, and to promote that Iiis pride. It being abfolutely necclTary (to infure an cafy communication between the two armies) that a f^ridgc of boats ihould be thrown acrofs the Nile, the army had taken poft here to cover its erection. No fooncr were the tents pitched, and fomc Knglilli officers appeared near Imbaba, ^ Imljaba is a villngc, in front of which Morad Bey was defeated by the French. This affair has been dignified, in order to imprcfs a falfc confecjucnee, with the name of the battle of the Pyramids^ although Imbaba is diftant from them fevcn miles. o 4 ^vlio 200 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. who had preceded to reconnoitre, than heavy guns were heard on the left of Cairo, which proved to be a feu dejoie, as all the batteries in the citadel and entrenched camp fucceffively fired. If the number of cannon awed, the vaft extenfion of the line to be defended by the then eftimated ftrength of the garrifon counteracted the impreffion ; and the opinion was univerfal, that if the object of the enemy was to infpire ter- ror by the difplay of ftrength, the effect was dia- metrically oppofite. A variety of fpeculations were made on this fmgular celebration, as any unfortunate difafter, affecting the Engliili before Alexandria, muft have been known of courfe before the garrifon of Cairo could have been acquainted with it; but in vain was the wildeft guefs at the caufe of 2ifeii de joie, Mhich was ordered " for the cap- ture of Ireland." Ridiculous as this ftory ap- pears, it is facredly true, and this conceit has been dignified amongft the French with the juf- tifying term of a y^iife de guerre. In the evenino^ intellio-ence arrived of Admiral Gantheaume's having anchored off Cape Dime, and of his having put to fca again with unac- countable EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 201 countable precipitation and voluntary lofs of anchors. June the 1 ith an officer was fent with fomc INIamelukes to patrole to Giza, which he efFeded, reaching the tree within a quarter of a mile of Morad Bey's houfe, which formed the defence of the north front. On his return, he reported that the bridge of boats from Old Cairo to Giza might from thence be deftroyc-d, but that the bridge itemed lefs covered by the town on the other tide of Giza. He had wiihed to have af- certained this, but the Mamelukes refufed to go round. About the fame time Captain Lutchins of the lull dragoons, with Captain Brice of the Engineers, paffing throngh the Defert, reached the heights of Mokattan, advancing even as far as tlie old mof{jue, immediately above the citadel. The French attempted to cut them off, but did not fucceed. Hiis patrole was very creditable to the party employed, and beneficial from the information it obtained. In the c\ening a Alaltefe defcrter came in, and reported that fome I'Vench troops were going into l'i)[)cr I'-g} pt lor pro\i lions, and that the J'cu 202 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. feu dcjoie wa.s fired for the caufe before mentioned, this news having: been fent by General Menoii, and brought by fifty of the corps of diomedaries, who had come by the Defert, and entered Cairo on the evening of the 12th. June the 17th the Captain Pacha and General went as far as Dockee to reconnoitre. In the evening a ferjeant major of French huffars de- ferted, and pro\"jd a very intelligent man. Tb.e prince of Fez alfo brought fome pajjers, found on an Arab, who was killed in the purfuit, and who was o-oino' to Alexandria with a letter from Ge- neral Belliard, in which he claims a confiderable victory at Elhanka, as killing five hundred men, two Beys, and taking four pieces of cannon. Another letter reprefented, that the coup-'^' ck baton having been inflicted on the Sheiks of the villages, the contributions would quickly come in. This was written by a general who had com- manded in the Delta, and who defcanted on the advantages to be derived from this mode of col- lecting the income tax. June the IQtli orders were iliued for the march acrofs the Nile on the next morning : the bridge, compofed of fixty dgerms, and about one hun- dred and eighty yards wide, being completed, fome EXPEDITION TO EGYPT, 203 Ibme of the guns were evTn palTed acrols, the ge- i:( lal ha\ iug been perfuaded from fome informa- ;oii that a (hiert attack on Cairo would haften irs fall rather fooner than by the previous reduc- rioi! of (jiza; but at eight o'clock in the evening counter orders were ilfued, as General Hutchin- fon and General Cradtlock's fubfequent opinions coincided, that a total inveftment was necelfary, and the poifenion of Giza was indifpenfable, con- fideiing that if the army crolfed the Nile, and the gates of Giza were left open to the French, a fortie might be made, the garrifon efcape by the Defert over the plain, or his ttte da pout at- tacked during the night, poflibly carried, and thus the army be cut off altogether from the left bank ; and the French ierjeant major's informa- tion, whofe abilities were very I'uperior to his ftation, confirmed the general in his refolution. This change of movement rendered the delay of a day neceifary ; the (i rand \'izir was inftantly fent to, and recpiefted to counter-order alfo his march; but his army would not be dilappointed. At day-break they hruck their tents, and moved forward in the molt tumultuous and dilbrderly manner tf) uithin cannon-ihot of Cairo, mIicu ^hey thought proper again to pitch their tents. I'r 204 EXPEDITION TO pGYPT. By the great exertions of Captain JNIarley, their pofition at laft became corre6led, and even good ; for he threw the firft hne on the canal, which runs between Ehvoile and Elmini, in the rear of which latter village Colonel Stuart's brigade was afterwards pofted, Tizir Pacha's divifion was polled at Izawoi, Ibrahim Pacha's at Shubra, and the Vizir's body of troops at Dimiet. Ne- verthelefs, expofed as they were, Colonel Stuart, who had remained according to orders in his poft, was obliged to march to their fupport, and en- camped on their right. The next morning, the 21 ft of June, the Englifli army advanced to "svithin a mile and a half of Giza, encamping in two lines, with their left on Dockee, and the right on Zaneen, The Turks encamped in two lines, threw forward their right to Tahourmis, and the Mamelukes were pofted in their rear. Some Mamelukes, who had advanced under Ofman Bey Haffan and Mahommed Bey Elh, attacked the enemy's poft of cavalry in front of Giza, and charged it in a very handfome manner, purfuing within one hundred and fifty yards of the w^orks of the place; and although the French fired i]-iar])ly with their cannon at them, killing and wounding feveral horfes, they retired again in perfect good order. This EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 205 This aftai]-, if not brilliant, from the lofs of the enemy, four or five only being killed and two taken, frill was honourable to the Mamelukes, and alfured the Englilh that their reputation was juftly earned ; and their oecupation of Sachat- michle, a village within 300 yards of the works of Giza, immediately after^wards, was an im- portant movement, meriting the higheft com- mendation. Captain Brice having reported that from a wood in front of this village the attack upon Giza and tlie bridge Jiiould be made, an Englilii olTticer, with five hundred Arnauts, was at ten o'clock at night detached to occupy it. The filencc v.hich they prciervcil during the march, and re'j,ularity with which they took up the fe- veral poits allotted them, gave a hrong proof of their improved difciplinc, and how foon good ex- ample, with zealous comuianders to fuj)ciintend, mav organize even barbaiians. 1 he higheil praife mult be given to C\jlonel kinderthal, who liad been njipointed to ad, as (Quarter Alafter General to tiic 'J'urk-i I'rom tlic liiil mo\ement at Klhauied. 'I'lie anai!gemeiit,-> he made, the abi- lity lie llie\\( (! on all (u caiiui:',, and the incellimt attentKJii he |)ai(l to tlirii- i;!:pi(j\'ement, cond)ine(l with the anxious l"iipp(j;t oi'the Caj)tain I'aclia, protluced 20Q EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. produced this aimoft incredible change in the wildeft of men. His talents, in the Quarter IMaiter General's department are well known, and need not beenlarii'ed on here. Night and day the greateft exertions were made to drag up the heavy cannon and requifite ammunition, the depot of which was formed at Talbia. Whilft the arrival of the 42d and 28th regiments from Alexandria, under Gen. Hope,* who had recovered from his wounds, and Bri- gadier General Oakes, diffufed new fpirits, Ge- neral Moore alfo, to the great joy of the army, reinftated in his health, joined, and his prefence alone was efteemed a valuable reinforcement. The o-eneral had intended to chano-e the front of the army, and take up an obhque pofition, fo as to approach with his right nearer the point of attack, when on the 22d oF June, in the morning early, a French officer, from Giza, with a flag of truce, was brought in to the general by Captain Taylor. He came from General Belliard, to require that an Englifli officer might be fent to a conference he propolcd. The general con- * General Hope requefted to have a brigade^ and Colonel Abercrombie fucceeded Iiim as adjutant general. fented. EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 20/ fented, and lent to know of what rank the offi- cer fliould be. The anfwer was returned, that, as the matter to be difeiiii'ed was of the higheft importance, it was requefted that a General Officer might be fent. General Hope was there- fore named, who met a French colonel of engi- neers, Touilfard, near Giza, and ftaid with him a long time. The next morning, by agreement, General IMoran and (General Hope met under the trees near Giza. Three tents were pitched for them and their attendants. A guard of honour, com- pofed of grenadiers and cavalry, attended each. General Pjelliard had at firft propofed, that eacli party fhould have an armed elcort ; but General Ilutchinfon anfwered, that between the trooj)s of ci\ilized nations, fuch a precaution could not be neccffary ; a repl\' \\hich hand- fomely maintained the dignity of his allies. No congix'ss was ever more interefting. Never, in the j>rei('nce of fiich an aimy, compofed of the troops or fo many nations, on fuch remarkable ground, on ;i more important i'ubjed;, was here- tofoi'c a mil;;:iry council held. General Moran unefjuivocally declared, tliat tlie 208 EXPEDITION TO EGVPT. the obje6l of his inftruciions was the evacuation of Cairo, and the return of that 2,'arriibn t France. To arrange which, General Hope on the part of the EngliHi, Ifaac Bey on the part of the Captain Pacha, Mahommed Pacha, for the Vizir, and Ofman Bey for the iMainelukes, Avere appointed; and on the part of the French, Ge- neral Donzelot, and Colonel Tarayre, chef de brigade, were the negociators. Captain Taylor officiated as fecretary. Late in the evening the conferences broke up, when a celfation of hoftilities for forty-eight hours was proclaimed. The reafon affigned for fo long an armiftice was the reprefentation made by General Moran, that General Belliard was obliged to call a council of war, which it was difficult to affeml^le, from the feverity of the duty of the fuperior officers. The conferences, notwithftanding, proceeded ; on the 24th the Hue of demarcation was fettled, but it required confiderable exertion to enforce the prefervation of it by the Grand Vizir's army. The French, aware of the difficulty, had ftipu- lated that a Britifli officer Ihould accompany the fuperior officer of his Ilighnefs's army, who might be named to take up the line of out-pofts. In EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 209 In confequcnce of this arrangement the Tibbldy Pacha and Major Birch met General Almeyras, who endeavonred to imprefs on the Turks the neceffity of maintaining the boundaries pre- fcribed, bv forewarnino; them of the difa2:reeable confequences which muil enfue from their en- croachment on the French hne.* The caution, however, did not influence their infubordination, for they had fcarcely been pofted, before they quitted their ftations, and reheved one another at pleafure; indeed eventually fome hundreds of the Turks advanced into the fuburbs, and clofe to the walls of Cairo. General Belliard found himfelf obliged to check this diforder, and there- fore lent three Tuiks, who were found in the French lines, as prifoners to the Grand Vizir, with a letter, in which he atfured his Highnefs " that perfonal regard for him alone prevented his inflicting that punifliment on ;he delinquents to whicii their conduct had fubjectcd them." For fonic days the prifoners were menaced witli death: but at laft the Grand Vizir forgave an act of licentioufnefs, which he felt had expofed his army, and himfelf to conflderable morti- flcation, fince not only difgrace had been re- * When the vidcttcs were pofted, they required pcrmiflioii w have with tlicm difinounted men to carry their pipes. Vol.. I. j> fleeted 210 EXPEDITION TO iGYPT. f]e6led on them, but from the fame caufe, French- men, the moll hated of all Chriftians, had gained an opportunity to difplay generofity, and inter- cede for the lives of Muliulmen. On the 26th the definitive articles were agreed to. The French had demanded, in addition to the terms, two millions of livres from the Turks, for the payment of their own debts in Cairo, and as the balance of revenue due to them from gypt; but this claim General Hope pofitively refufed to difcufs, and the Turkifh deputies re- prefented, that on the contrary, they muft de- mand from them a greater fum for the Ihips feized in Alexandria, at the infradion of the con- vention of El Arilh, and for the purfes advanced to General Kleber on the faith of that treaty. Two deferters of the huffars came in during the night. The general reprefentcd to them their folly; they refufed neverthelefs to go back, and afterwards defertcd ag-ain to the IMamelukes. o' On the morning of the 27th the capitulation was figned, but the articles were not publiflied to the EngliOi army until a copy, printed and circulated by General Belliard, was obtained from Cairo. An arrangement, not made public, was EXPEDITION" TO EGYPT. 211 WES' however ftipulated, that the French troops, embaiked in men of war, were to give up their arms to the cuftody of tlie captain during the paffage. The Turks made much oppofition to Madame Menou's leaving Egypt ; and the general was obliged decidedly to affure them that he would protect her perfon. On the 28th of June the fort of Soulkowfshi was taken poffeflion of by the 30th regiment, and the gate of Giza by the grenadiers of the line, and a detachment of the body guards of the Captain Pacha; a compliment paid by Ge- neral Belliard to him individually, as the French had exprefsly ftipulated, that no Turks were to take polfeffion of the forts. The fame dav Colonel Pao-et was fcnt as an lioitagc to the J'^rench, and they fcnt Colonel Langlois to the Pritifli camp, an officer of the fame rank to the V^izir, and Colonel Touiffard to the Captain I'acha. In the evening Arabs came in to report that fixty of the dromedary corps were paHiiig through the Defert to Cairo. The capitulation of Cairo crowned the daring r 2 march 212 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. march which General Hutchinfon's judgment planned, and refolufion perfevered in. Its con- queft fecured Egypt, and, without tlie moft improbable misfortunes, the fpeedy fall of Alex- andria. The fickly ftate of the army, the heat of the weather, the fatigue of a fiege, which muft chiefly have been borne by the Britifli, the ad- vance of the feafon, when the Nile overflows, were all anxious and ferious confiderations. Yet although every one rejoiced in the event, opinion was much divided as to the conditions ; and the more removed from the participation of thefe dangers were the arbitrators, the greater naturally were their furprize and refentment at them. The army before Alexandria even began to think that the army of Cairo bad unworthily terminated its career ; but the demand of the French commifTary for feventecn thoufand daily rations ftaggered thefe opinions; and although they believed the commiifariat had required un- reafonably, and that the employes were very nu- merous, ftill they could not but fufpeft tlic eife6tivc garrifon muit be very conliderable. The only real objedions which ought to have been made to the conditions were grounded on the long and dangerous repofc to offenfivc opera- tions, EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 213 tions, which the time allowed for the evacuation, muft occafion ; but then the two fieges of Giza and Cairo muft be calculated, which in cafe of refiftance would have confumed nearly the fame time. The furrender of the capital of fuch a colony, where private property was to be refpected, cer- tainly recjuired fome days before all could be ar- ranged ; but the extraordinary term here de- manded, excited fiifpicions that General Bel- hard's completion of the capitulation would de- pend on contingencies ; and as neither Fort Soulkowfshi nor the gate of Giza were tenable polls, much lefs connnanding forts, in the event of a renewal of lioftilities, the caution of the enemy almoft amounting to apparent duplicity, might naturally create jealoufy. Every one will foon, however, acknowledge that the Englifh had no right from any decided fuperiority to dictate harder terms. (^n the 2d, Colonel Montrcfor, an officer who well merited the diltinftion, was lent with the difpatches to England ; and the Erench officers, Avho were to go into Alexandria and arranjrc the embarkation, accompanied him down the Nile. p 3 111 214 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. In the night of the 4th of July, one hundred of the corps of dromedaries, with an aid de camp of General jMenou, coming from Alexandria, and paffing from the Defert within a few hundred yards of the Turkifli camp, entered in at the very gate of Giza which the Britidi occupied, who being only an interior guard, or in faft honorary prifoners, could not attempt to prevent their en- trance. The glaring negle<5l which had allowed a body of the enemy to pafs nnfeen, not only along the front of an army, but between its pofts, where a line of communication could with facility, and fhould have been indifputably efta- bliflied, notwithftanding the capitulation, jufdy deferved a fevere punifliment. Yet the humanity of General Hutchinfon would not allow him to prefer a complaint to the Captain Pacha, when the confequence would have been the difgrace, if not the lofs of the head of a moft zealous, brave, and aciive commander, who affuredly was rcfponfiblc, but probably not in fa6l culpable. Speculation was various as to the contents of thofe difpatches, which were afcertained to be anfwers to a letter from General IBelliard, fent by a detachment of the dromedary corps the night before the Britifli army moved to inveft Giza ; their EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 213 their contents are ftill only to be guelTed by events and rumours. It is however remarkable, that' this detach- ment ihould have arrived at the Pyramids early on the morning of the 28th, and perceiving the Englifli camp, remained there reconnoitring the whole day, and yet not be difcovered ; fince daily, from the firft conference, hundreds of fol- diers flocked to and afcended the top of the higheft Pyramid, from whence an horizon of twenty miles in circumference, and a level plain, without intermediate fwells of foil, was diftindly vifible. How their concealment happened, is unaccountable, unlefs no foldiers went there on that very day, which is equally fmgular; but every one mult agree, that as its fuccefs was aftoniihing, fo was the hardihood of the enter- prize worthy the greateft commendation, and par- ticularly, as they knew that their difcovery by the Turks muft inevitably have infured their de- ftruction. The general now ilfued orders, thanking the anny for that conduct, which had fo much dif- tinguhhcd it, and which orders arc to be feen at the end of this work. Certainly no troops had ever /licwn more rcfolution, patience, and p 4 fpirit. 2l6 EXPEDITI'ON TO ECVPt. fpirlt. The duty of the officers and men had been moft fevere, yet they bore every hardfhip without a murmur; and although four months in arrears of pay, never were guilty of the fmalleft excefs. Dyfentery and blindnefs had made great ravages amongfi; them, and they had no fhelter from the burning heat of the fun : their tents oppofed no refiftance to the rays, but rather con- centrated their force. Frequently they were obliged to drink only water, and wanting ilioes, had to tread on the fiery foil, and on the prickly furzes which covered the furface. All the departments of the army had exerted the utmofl zeal, and that of the quarter mafter general in particular bore the hardeft fervice. Every day, when the army after its march re- pofed, thefe officers were obliged to proceed in front, and reconnoitre the next encampment, frequently till night never tafting the fmalleft refrefhment Colonel Anttruther himfelf fet the example, being always the firft man on his horfe and the laft to take reft. Captain Marley, as the only officer of that department with Colonel Stuart's column, had very great feverity of duty, and as zealoufly exerted himfelf; whilft the offi- cers of the army in general were animated by the EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 217 the fame fpirit,* and no one quitted but in aftate that would have rendered it certain death to have remained, and many rilTved too much. This is not fulfome adulation, but truth which ihould be mentioned by a mihtary narrator. To relieve the ennui which the prefent indolent ftate of the army produced, and particularly as no permiffion was given to enter into Cairo, the Pyramids, diftant only about four miles, had be- come the conftant fubje6t of occupation ; and the v^ery foldiers in going there, feemed to find a re- compence for many of their toils, to exult more in their triumphs, and feel the enjoyment which travellers mult experience on attaining the ulti- mate object of their refearch ; their minds ag- grandifed with honeft pride, and honorable re- flections. The Pyramids, wdiich are confecrated from the moft remote antiquity, as forming one of the feveu wonders of the world, at a diftance impofe neither awe nor any idea of flupendous magnifi- * Lieutenant Rofs, of the 79th regiment, having loft his arm in the action of the LMft, refufcd to go to England, but as foon as he was nearly recovered, joined his regiment again at Rhamanieh. Sueli anecdote:;, honourable to the fervice as TvcU as to the individuals,, demand mention. cence : 218 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. cence : they are fituated on the immediate boi- der of the Defert, which elevates itlelf like a cliff above the cultivated country; their form, if one of the obje6ls of their conftruftion was to excite furprife at their grandeur and altitude, was the worft which could be conceived, but Mhen arrived at the very bafe of the great Pyramid, then its wonders require pofitivT vifion to credit. The mind is loft in the calculation, and the eye, unac- cuftomed to fuch maffes, cannot imagine to itfelf fuch dimenfions. The vaftnefs of the granite blocks, the quantity of labour which muft have been employed, the lever which muft have been necelfary to raife fuch ftupendous malfes of rock, its original beauty from the various coloured marbles, porphyry, and granite, with M^hich the fides have been cafed, iraprefs with unequalled fentimcnts of admiration and aftonilhment. When, however, reflection directs the thought to the furprifmg works of genius and learning of thofe ages in which thefe were conftru6ied, and contrafts the prefent abjed race of their pofte- rity, the mind cannot but lament the degrada- tion of fuch a portion of human nature, and con- fider the Pyramids as a monument for melan- choly inftru6lion. The height of the large Pyramid is at laft defi- nitively EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 21^ 4litively afcertained by the French to be fix hun- dred feet, the length of its bafe feven hundred feet. The quantity of cubic feet of fohd ftone is by them eftimated to contain a fufticiency for the building of a wall of four hundred and fifty miles in extent, three feet in height, and five inches in thicknefs. Near the top, part of the cafe ftill remains, on which are fuppofed to be liieroglyphics ; its pinnacle is about thirty yards fquare, on which the French Savants once dined, and which was now conftantly crowded with Englifh. The names of Bruce,* of Algernon Sydney, Vohicy, and feveral others, were carved on the ftoncs ; and it does them no fmall credit to have ventured as folitary travellers to the top of this gloomy pile. The view from hence is fiightfull}' barren ; an immeafurable wafte of Defert is only interrupted by the narrow flat of cultivated land which feparates the Deferts of Lybia and Arabia, nor can that arid foil, and the wretched villages in the valley, afl^brd any fcene piclurefque or gratifying. The eye can only reft with any pleafure on the waters of the * For the honour of Bruce it fhouldbe told, that every cir- cumftance tends to corroborate his veracity. The French made many enquiries, and unite in teftifying to his reputation j and many of the Abyilinians, who came with the caravans, remembered them in the country, Nile, 220 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Nile, the iflaiid of Rhoda, and fome fine orange trees in the neighbourhood of Giza, Thefe only can refrefh the aching fight ; and yet this view has fo fafcinated, as to make Savary beheve that the poets from hence muft have formed their ideas of Elyfmm,* and fo enraptured him as to excite his regrets that he could not remain during life in this garden of blifs. But Savary has proved himfelf a bad judge of the beautiful in country and women ; his paradife placed in Europe would be deferted like a wildernefs, and his houri's become antiquated virgins. The afcent to the top is very difficult, and re- quires refolution and ftrength ; each ftone is at leaft four feet high, and the only fteps are made by each fuperior one receding to form the pyra- mid, about three feet. The defcent is more un- pleafant, yet the foldiers went up and down, with- out any accident, perpetually. At the bafe of the north front is a door, over which are many hieroglyphics. This, Strabo affures iis, was ori- ^ Several great canals,, which feparated Memphis from the Pyramids of Sacarah^, did furnifli die Greeks with the idea of their infernal rivers, Acheron, Cocytus, and Letlie ; but it required Savary's imagination to place the Elyfian fields here on account of the beauty of the fcenery. ginally EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 221 ginally l^alf way up the Pyramid, and that tlie drifting fand has covered the bale fo high. This ftory would be abfurd to credit, if only fubje6l to the obfervation that fuch a quantity of drifting fand muft neceffarily encroach on the cultivated country alfo, which it has not done evidently ; but now the French, by digging at the four cor- ners, have afcertained the bafe, and found that no fuch alteration has taken place, fince it is erected on folid rock, and from the excavations around, there is evident proof that tlie bodies of the pyramids are conftrufted of this rock ; tlie liuge maffes of porphyry and granite ufed to cafe them were brouiJ-ht from the neic'libourhood of Coli'ir, on the Red Sea. By the door at the north front is the entrance into the interior of the pyramid, into the fanctum of the wonder of the world. The paifage at fnft is very nar- row and low, then afterwards enlarges. At tlie exti'emity of one branch is a well, tlie depth ofMhichwas never afcertained. Another pai- fage communicates to leveral chambers, in the largcft of which is a ftone coHin ; the lid is taken away, and feveral attempts have been made to break the farcophagus, fortunately the hai-dnefs of the ftoue refifted the gothic vi')k'iice. The Arabs ])rrttom of the moft licentious diforganization. However to the credit of the Vizir, who found means 236 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. means to control their mifchievous inclinations, independent!}' of one or two Cbiiftian merchants being obliged to ranfom themfelves, and a French lady's, houfe being pillaged, no aft of violence was perpetrated. There is a fiifpicion, however, that the Turkilli foldiers individuallv takinjrad- vantage of tlie panic of the inhabitants, and auo-mentino- the fears of an intended ";eneral facking of the city by the main army, perfuaded the fliopkeepers that they would prote6t them in that dreadful moment, but ftipulated that in the interim they muft be confidered as partners in their trade, and receive every night a moiety of the day's profits. Certainly the univerfal ap-> pcarance of a JanilTary fcated on the ihopboard of each houfe, earneftly M'clcoming cuftomers, Avas ftrong prefumptive, if not ])oiitive evidence, of the fact being as reprefented. At the houfe of Rofetti, the Imperial Conful, v>'erc aiiCMubled all the women of the Franks, about feventy in number, who had fled thither as .0 an afvlum, where in the event of the quar- ter of the Franks being lacked, they might find projection from refjjcCt to tlie Imperial arms. Their beauty did not correfpond with thole hopes the report of fuch an alicmblage naturally infpired, Expedition to egypt. 237 mfpired, and the ladies of Europe retained the influence of their attradions. The infpeclion of Grand Cairo was no lefs big with difappointment. The French had antici- pated on their arrival the fjght of magnificent buildings, grand fquares, funiptuous decorations, a general appearance of wealth, and riches, of commerce, the enjoyment of every luxury in all the profufion of eaftern fplendour, in fhort, a capital Vshere their recreations would amply compenfate them for the mifery they had fuf- fered on their route thither. This city they foiully fancied to have been the emporium, which was the object of the expedition, and the reward of France to them for their iervices in Europe. Great therefore was their difappoint- ment, when they faw none of thefe expectations realized, but, on tlie contrarv\ the defocrate certainty that they were im'olvcd in a Mrctched- nefs, from which tliey could not cicape. The I'lnglilh, infiru("led !)y their error, ex- {)CCted little, yet did not reduce their ideas low enough. The town of Ijoulac,\\ hich is tlic great fuburb ot Cii.io, was one heap of ruins. Iiaviiig been dellruyed 238 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. deftroyed by the French during the fiege in the infurredion in the year I7P9. A few wretched hovels, and two or three barracks, were the only remaining buildings of this once large and po- pulous fauxbourg. The city of Cairo itfelf is alfo very much fhat- tered at the different entrances ; the flreets are about two yards wide, the houfes very high, and built of brick, like thofe of Rofetta. The palaces of the Be^^s are large ; two or three of them are very fine buildings ; particularly Caffan Bey's, where the Inftitute was held, and the houfe in Place Bequier, in which Kleber lived, and in the garden of which he was mur- dered.* Place Bequier is a large open fquare, where moft of the Beys refided ; but many of their houfes have been deftroyed by the French ; in- deed, one whole fide is in ruins. This place has, however, been othcrwife improved by them, trees being planted on each fide of the roads, M-hich * He was ftabbed whilft walking on a terrace, and feveral drops of his blood ftill mark the railing againft which he ftag- gered. crofs EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 239 crols tlie fquare at right angles, and folfes hav- ing been dug to retain the water, with the view oF checking the dreadfid quantity of duft which flies from the fand and ruins always in the even in"'. To conceive the true nature of this infuffera- ble nuifance, the whirlwind of other countries muft be imagined as occurring every evening, and lining the whole atmofphere of Egypt with burning duft, and the light particles of rubbifh. Tiius the only part of the day which is tolerable from the diminution of heat cannot be taken ad- vantage of as the opportunity for exercife.* The Fiench had intended to have opened the frrects of Cairo, and formed through Place Be- ({uier a magnificent road from the citadel to Giza; but the diftraftion of the times did not al- low of thefe improvements being attended to, and thus the city bears irretrievable monuments of tlitir ravages, with very few indeed of their benefits. The bairas or exchanges, which the - Independent of this general ftatc of the atmofphere, large pillars of du(t and wind arc always vifible. Sometimes in the cirelc of the horizon twenty are to be feen, and Icarcely ever fewer than four or five. I'heir force is very greatj and the tents were infiantly blown Into the air by them. !iierchant> 240 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT* merchants occupy, are large fquare buildingS:* divided into little fhops, in which the treafures of the caravans were depofited. Since the arrival of the French none had come from Arabia, and even an unwafhed fhawl was not to be bought. The citadel, in which the Pacha was always kept as a kind of ftate prifoner, is a miferable paltry caftle, and the avenue of houfes leading to it is horrible. In the citadel is the celebrated well called Jofeph's, being dug in the time of a Vizir bearing that name. It is excavated in the rock, is two hundred and eighty feet deep, and forty-two in circumference. Winding flairs lead gradually to the bottom, and fome way down, oxen are employed in turning the wheels to raife the water, which is very brackiih. In the quarter of the Franks are two monafle- ries, which are kept in very good order. The Monks were extremely hofpitable, but the French almoft reduced them to abfolute want, and rob- bed their churches as well as their apartments of every thing which could be converted into mo- ney. By their neceffities or avaricious pillage, the French had always in Egypt fo vexed the people, that neither Turks, Copts, i\rabs, or even. Franlcs. were friendly to them. The latter had EXPF.DITIOX TO EGYPT. 241 iiad peculiarly iuffert'd from lines and iniprilon- nients: indeed lb much, that tiiev preferred tlie gT)vernnient ot the Mana'lukes, tor eucii n^.er- chant had tlicu hds patron Ecy. whom he lerved, and charg-ed againlt him again in i;oods thole lolVes power had extorted from him; tlius a reci- procal intereftar.d underfianding were euabliihed between them, by which tlie peifon ot the n'.er- chant Awas protected", whjht tlie Beys, r.ever thinking beyond their own imn-.ctliate v.anrs, contidered them as a kind of banker, wliom rliey might commantl at any time, and repay v. irh the exactions levied on otliers; an exciiaiiixe tiie * Travellers have deicribed w'.rh much indig-n^r-.^n the treatment which th.e Fr.r.-.k-; ex-.^trier.ced. r.r.a p.-.n'.c'.ii.irly mentioned the icidi^nitv ot' their bcinii obiiced in C.iro to ride onjack-aues ; but the lac^ is, t;:.it th.c M.?:p.e'.:kc? wiiliirg lo keep the good liorlVs to thcnilllvcs. m.:de thi^ rcgi""..it'cn : rcr is it at all Icvere, hnce thi^ anim.d. fo mv.c:: d; '."p-f. d in Eu- rope, ii in Egvpt b^autitid. \\;i'.; vcrv c^^^-i p.'.ce-;. l.i.'r mules are alio excellent, indeed bc:!i lb ce. d th.-t ro r:.:e about a town everv one w^uld prefer them. Tb.e w ivt,-- of the Eevb even ride on tlieni. To paf> tiie Defert. dronic .'..uie- .:re vA't;A : a:-.d to travel :,> Rofetta. the Xile i> tr.e mod a^^reeable pad'iiie. It wa-;. however, rather a ludierou? K\ne, toile the Britiui ir/antry oinccrs ridiu:;' on i.\ck-aife-, ar.d e\erv cue k-pt his Dapple, iKice an ord^ r wa> idfu-'d ' v ilie Cv\u- mander in Chief .uainit the purcha.e of h.Vie>, e\c.;t lor tlie cavalry and tl:e general fervice. \'oL. I. K Franks 242 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Franks knew how to convert into their own fa- \oiir : on the contrary, during the French go- vernment, enormous impofitions were laid on them ; they were repeatedly fent as hoftages to the citadel, and inftead of ohtaining the confe- quence they expe6led, were reduced to poverty, and t]-eated with infult. The circumference of the city of Cairo, in- cluding the fuburh of Boulac, is fix miles ; and yet this place, till lately, was confidered in the caft, and partially through Europe, as the largeft capital in the Avorld. The people were excefTively dirty, moftly af- fe6led in their eyes ; and fwarms of beggars, diftorted, or unnatural formed wretches, crowded the ftreets*. The manners and cuftoms of the inhabitants are fo well delineated in the Arabian * There were two very remarkable cafes, one was of a man who apparently had no body ; and the other of one who had a belly hanging down from his navel to his ancles ; a blue llcin contained his bowels, but which feemed fo thin as to be liable every moment to burft. The weight was enormous, and its fize appeared much larger than an ox's paunch. The unfor- tunate wretch was otherwife in good health, and crawled about^ gaining his bread by begging. Nights EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. 243 Nights Entertainments*, that every one has been agreeably made acquainted with them. The mihtary pofition of Cairo is not good; its citadel is commanded by the heights of Mokattam, which are perpendicularly elevated about a ftone's throw from the works, and com- pletely look into every battery, fo that mufquetry could play on any part. But to plant cannon on tliefe heights would have been extremely diffi- cult. The detour was very confiderable to reach them, yet necefiary, in order to avoid the forts, whilft the immenfe chafms and ravines in this part of the Defert, to go round mIiIcIi there was fcarcely a camefs track, rendered any attempt * It may aftbrd fome picafure to many readers, and parti- cularly the female part, for it is prefumed they will honour this work by a perufal, to know that Mr. Hammer, in Cairo, procured a complete edition of the Arabian Xights Entertain- ments in Arabic manulcript, containing many more flories than have as yet been publiflicd, and which he means to tranllate. Since the firft edition, I have afcertained that Mr. Clarke had the fortune to difeover this work, the only perfciSl and complete one extant in the world, and which Mr. Clarke has given to Jelus College, Cambridge. It is in four large vo- lumes quarto, and contains 1 7 'j tales, which are divided into one thoufand and one niglits. K 2 to 244 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. to bring heavy artillery almoftiiii))ofrible; and as the number of troops to maintain the poft muft have been proportioned to the itrength of the garrifon, the great want of water would have rendered its occupation nearly impradicable; yet if thefe obftacles could have been furmount- ed, the citadel was fo weak, that a very flight battery would have crumbled the whole into dull. The French, for tlie further defence of the town, conftru6ted on the high hills of rubbifh, which laid on the north and eaft fronts of it, fmall fquare flone toA\x?rs, at fuch diOances as to flank each other, and the line of eac h front was commanded by a principal fort, that to the north w^as called Fort Camin, that on the eaft Fort Dupuis. All of thefe towers were bomb proof, a deep ditch furrounded them, and a gun from the up- per ftory was worked out of a covered embra- fure*. Each was provided with a ciftern; the * Each tower was intended to be manned with fifteen men j it was fuch a tower as tliofc which at Corfica refifted for three days feveral men of war, one of which was fet on fire, and another difmafted; nor was it taken until a landing was mado by fome troops. EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 245 doorwasintbe centre, and a moveable ladder the means of afce.it : fo fortified, they defied affatdt, -.lid would have required the battering of heavy artillery, when they might have full refifted four or five days; but neverthelefs, as they eould be palled in an aflaultby night, they were to be confidered rather as a ih'ong chain of works to an entrenched camp, than the defences of a fortified citv. Behind thefe was a line of entrenchments, in front of which was dug a very deep ditch, and the Avails of Cairo formed the laft line of de- fence. The fouthern front was prote61:ed by an aque- duct (svjtli the cavity of the arches built up), extending from the citadel to a large building, on the banks of the Nile, and in M'hich were tlie works to throw up the water into the aque- duct, lliis buildino- was converted into a fort by the rrench. In front were feveral fmall de- tached forts, and the remains of Old Cairo*, ^vhich '* In Old Cairo, except the granaries of the Patriarcli Jo- fcph, whitli are only large pieces of ground enclofed by walls^ and divided into coraparttnents, there is nothing remarkable. B. J The 2l6 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. which place was not fortified except by a few batteries on tlie bank of the Nile, open in the gorge, confequently not to be defended againft an army which had crofled the river higher. Fort Ibrahim Bey and Fort Llnftitiite formed the fecond Hne. This was the weakefl; fide in re- gard of fortification, but ftrong from pofition, as the Nile was to be paffed, and the front was very contraded. The Meftern fide is defended by the Nile and the iiland of Rhoda, on which were feveral heavy batteries, particularly at the northern point. At the dry fcafon of the year, the inte- rior channel, which runs by the farm of Ibrahim The greater part of the place is in ruins. Here the Greek Pa- triarch refided, and v ho was a very fine venerable old man. Babylon, founded by Cambyfes, flood on the fcite of this city J a quarter ot the town called Baboul, marks now its po- fition. A large canal, fuppofed by fome to have been con- ftruSed in the time of Adrian, and by others in the reign of one of the Pharoahs, commences a little above Old Cairo, and crofles the middle of the new town from the weft to the north- eaft, but forms no defence j as it is only filled with water during the months of Auguft, September, and O6tober. A fplendid ceremony takes place when the water of the Nile is let into this canal. Bev, EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 247 Bey, is fordable in feveral places, fo that the Nile muftbe confidered then as the only river to be forced. The ifland of Rhoda is tlie prettieft fpot in Egypt; very fine fycamore trees grow along its banks, affordino- the nioft c'ratifvino- ihade, yet do not prove a fiifiicient barrier to the whirl- winds and clouds of duft, which, although having to pafs the Nile, are ftill here intolerable. On this ifland is the celebrated ?^Iekias, by which the height of the Nile is afcertained : a redoubt, with fix pieces of cannon, ferved as the iltc du pant to the bridge, which connects Ciiza. Ciiza is a dirty \illage, wbich the French have im- proved by buikling half a dozen houfcs, and cftablilliing in it their manufactories of arms, iliot, (Sec. Tbc cbicf ornament of the place is a palace of Morad Bey's, much in ruins; and an excellent coflee-houre kept by a I'Venchman, who remained ])ehind, was acknowledged to be Its molt agreeable embelliihment. Tbc works of (iiza are veiy contemptible; a wall ("uirounds the wbolc, except on the north- (rn iVf>iit, where Mf)rad l>e\-"s boule forms the detence. This wall is veiy thin, and not high enough to render an eicalade dilhcult; but to K 4 delay 248 EXPEDITIOX TO EGYPT. delay the immediate approach, a chain of re- doubts was thrown forAV ards about fixty yards ; yet the whole refiftance m ould have proved infig- iiificant, if the ftrength of the garrifon had not prevented an affault. Such were Cairo and its out-works. In this ftate, defended by ten thou- fand men, and with three hundred and fixty- three lerviceable pieces of cannon, including the fifty removed by the French, did the whole fur- render without the firino- of a fliot. Several queftions will naturally arife on which military men mull: form their own opinions, as one recorded here might be fuppofed to exprefs the general fentiments of the Engliih army, and thus prejudice the judgment of others not fo in- tcrefted. Four queries are mod important. Was Cairo, with the means the French pof- felfed, a tenable place againftthe army which at- tacked, until the rifmg of the Nile ? Or did the force of the combined army and the hoftility of the inhabitants fubjedl the garri- fon, in the event of holding out fome time, to the moral certainty of deftrudion ? Should at all events a commander, placed as General EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 249 General BellLard was, have refilled as long as poffible ? Or did the terms he obtained benefit his coun- try as much as a more vigorous defence ? Particular attention muftbepaid to the period when the Nile is fo incrcafed as to overflow its banks, and inundate the country, from which a certain time mult then be deduced for the march of an army, in order to avoid its being over- taken by the waters ; therefore as the Nile ge- nerally rills to its highft elevation in the begin- ning of Augult, the latter end of July will be the latclt moment until which an army could re- main in the neighbourhood of Cairo without conlidcrable danger. The animofity of the in- habitants is acknowledged; for they would, not- withftanding General Belliard had feized on the pcrfons of the principal Sheiks, have certainly rifcn on the tirft occalion, and from the defertioii of the auxiliary Coptic battalions (who after the fiiccefs of the Vizir concealed themfelves almofl to a nian'^J, many of them ^\(,>llld have had arms ; but whether his force was ltron!>- enouirh ^ Tlie Vizir maintalnfd a conilant corrcfpoudeace witJi (he hicfs of ihcfc corps. to 250 EXPEDITION- TO EGYPT. to have oppofed his exterior, and kept in fiib jec- tion the interior enemies, is a queftion which muft now refolve itfelf on that eftimate of ftrength which may be attributed to a concen- trated force of ten thoufand picked men, pro- vided with a powerful field artillery, and a con- fiderable cavalry (having the advantage of ftrong works, in acting againft which the alfailants muft be divided by a broad river), when oppofed to enemies thus fe])arated, whole total force did not exceed four thoufand five hundred Euro- peans, and twenty-five thoufand Turks, pro- vided with a very feeble field artillery, and a ftill weaker battering train. To refolve the third fubje6t of enquiry, the difcontented ftate of General Belliard's garrifon muft be placed againft its efficiency, which makes his a peculiar cafe ; and the laft muft reft on the degree of importance attached to the prefervation of Alexandria to France, and how far the furrender of Cairo, even with the advan- tages of the delay in the evacuation, accele- 4-ated the fall of that fortrefs. The French council of war which deliberated on the meafure afterwards adopted, was com- pofcd of eight generals, four of whom, Robin, LagrangCj EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 251 Lagrange, Duranton, and Bron, voted againft the furrender ; the ehefs des brigades were then called in, MJien a majority of voices decided for it. But Dupas, A\ho commanded the citadel, pofitively refufed to give it up, declaring that he had orders from General ]\lenou to defend that fort to the laft extremity, and that his opi- nion alfo coincided with his duty ; nor would he, till after repeated injunctions, fubmit to the orders of General Belliard. General Menou, in fending thus private inftruclions to Dupas, feemed to anticipate and difapprove of the decifion of the council of Mar ; indeed, his orders after- wards rcipecting the furrender were very fevere ; but, intereftcd as he was in the event, his opi- nion mult be received with caution. General Rcynicr juftifies the furrender on the previous grounds, adding, that there was a fear- city of ammunition, each gun having only one liundred and fifty rounds ; an argument by no means juh, for in all moral probability, a third only of thofe guns would have been in a61ion, as the points attacked could not have employed the fervice of more; and as 100,000 pounds of powder were found, independent of what was carried away by the gurrilon, this cannot be ad- mitted 252 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. mitted as a plea even for deliberation as to the fufficiency. He alfo reprefents a fcarcity of provifions : the magazines were on the contrary amply provided until the rihng of the Nile; and if they were not, he criminates indeed his friend, who had for fo long* a time an abundant country open to him, and yet did not fecLire a fnthcient fubfift- ence; for however he might have predetermined on the furrender, ftill he Ihould have been pre- pared in every pofTible way for his defence, fmce contingencies might always occur to change the face of exifting circumftances. General Bel- liard's cafe is indeed very hard, when he has thus to defend himfelf from friends as well as enemies. On the 14th of July General Hutchinfon pre- fented the oflicers of each Englilli regiment with a puncheon of Sicilian wine, which proved a moft agreeable donation to them, for many had not taited a drop of any kind lince their leaving Alexandria ; never, indeed, had an army before been fo abftemious, and confequently fo v/e\l conducted. On EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 253 On the 15th, at day-break, the French to- tally evacuated Giza, and with, the allied army began their march for Roletta. The Turks pre- ceded, the Britilli army followed ; then the French, ^ith flanking parties of tlieir own ca- valry on their left, and the Engliih cavalry, with two beydoms of jNIamelukes, clofed the rear. The Nile was covered with dg-erms, the French ufmg for their fick and baggage three hundred. The immenfe quantity of vellels, the variety of colours, &c. rendered the fccne extremely pidu- refque, and was akogether undoubtedly the handfomeft fight ever witnelfed in Fgypt. General Hutchinfon remained at Cairo, not only being ill, but wilhing to fettle the arrange- ments for the government of Egy})t, and rein- ftate the Mamelukes, as he was by treaty bound to effect. General Craddock being extremely unwell alfo, was obliged to ftop at Giza, and the command of the army devolved on General Moore. This march was perhaps the moft extraordinary ever niade. The variety of nations which com- pofed the ai-mies, with all the r'iative circum- ftances, rendered it pticuliarlv iniportant and jnterefting. Th- 254 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. The Captain Pacha had been reinforced from the Vizir's army by fifteen Imndred Arnauts, who engaged to proceed as far as Rofetta. The 30th had joined the main army, being replaced by the S6th, who remained nnder Colonel Stu- art's orders. The detacliment of the 86th, there being only one hundred and hxty rank and file, and fifty of the company's artillery originally embarked, but whom General Reynier augments into General Baird's armv, failed with Admiral Blanket (on his application for this force to at- tack Suez, in order to interrupt any eftabliili- ment of the French) from Bombay on the 28th of December, 1800. In the middle of January the admiral reached Moka, where he remained two days to get provifions, and arrived at Jedda in the beginning of February, from whence his fquadron was near three months in attempting to beat up to Suez, where they could not arrive un- til the latter end of April, when they occupied that town, the French having evacuated the place about the 13th of the fame month, in con- fequence of the events which had occurred on the iNfediterranean Ihores. During the palfagc a fever had broke out, and carried off"' many foldiers and failors. After the fiiccefs of the Engliili at Rhamanieh, and EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 253 and the advance of the Vizir, Colonel Loyd, who commanded the detachment, had fo often ex- prelTed an anxiety to fliare in the dangers and honours of the army, that General Hutchinfon confented to his paffing the Defert, particularly as at the liege of Cairo, which was then fuppofed to be a neceffary undertaking, the affiftance even of fuch a number was a defirable objecl. At fix o'clock in the evening of the 7th of June Colonel Loyd began his march, with an allowance of only three pints of water per man for forty-eight hours, and from the leaky ftate of the ikins, even that quantity could not be infured, Arab Sbeiks were the guides Avhom the Vizir had furnilhed, and made refponfible for the fafe palfage of the detachment. The dif- tance fiom Suez to Cairo is in a ftraight line not more than iifty-eight miles; but the conduclors, fearing that the French might endeavour to in- tercept the detachment, had informed Colonel Loyd that a detour of ten or twelve miles would be neceilary. The day had ])ccn very fultry, thermometer 100, which heat, as night drew on, (hminilhed to (J4. Ik'fore nine o'clock three officers, Captain Cu\ ler, and Lieutenants i\forfe and Coodlcllow, v.ere taken fo ill as to be unablr to proceed. At ele\en o'clock, altera march of twclvr 256 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. twelve miles, Colonel Loyd halted for two hours, when, as the thermometer fell to fsG, the troops moved again, and continued marching till feven o'clock in the morning. The day then hecanie fo intolerahly hot, that Colonel Lloyd, contrary to his firft intention, on account of the trouble and exertion neceffary to load and unload the camels, ordered tents to be pitched, that the men till evening might find fhelter from the fun. Twenty-fix miles of the journey were calculated to be paft, which made this reii: not altogether to be regretted. At ten o'clock A. M. the guides came to Co- lonel Loyd, and acquainted him that the troops fhould immediately advance, as the day threat- ened to be extremely hot, and if the camels refted on the fand, their limbs would foon be debilitated by the heat, and that they would require water before they could move again ; whereas, if kept advancing, they would neither be affefted by the burning ground, nor the heat of the atmofphere, in fo fatal a degree; adding alfo, that when the foldiers were afleep, they fufpectcd the camel drivers might fteal the M'ater, which they feared, fiom the ftate of the ikins, would now be found fcarcely futilcient, Thefe EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 25/ Thefe arguments, and a refle6lion that tlie guides being refponfible for the march iliould have their wilhes as much as poflible comphed with, determined Colonel Loyd to proceed. The tents were therefore ftruck, and at eleven o'clock A. M. the march recommenced, thermo- meter then 109. Captain Cuyler, who had pre- vioufly joined in a very feeble ftate, foon fainted again, and fell from his horfe ; when a camel with two men were left to bring him on. About one o'clock Colonel Loyd linding the men were dropping faft in the rear, halted the de- tachment, and with the wiili of affording relief to the fatigue and fufferings of the foldiers, cut off from the camels his own baggage, which ex- ample was followed by all the officers. As many men as could be carried were then mounted on the camels, and the whole proceeded. At two o'clock the thermometer rofe to ] 16, and at that time a camfcen or fouth wind began to blow. The dreadful fenfation of the atmoiphere when the wind is in that quarter has previoufly been defcribed, and here its effects Mere felt ao-- gravated with every horror. Colonel Loyd per- fevered till four o'clock P. M. when the fituation of the detachment obliged him to ftop. Many officers and foldiers were feized with giddinefs Vol. L i and 258 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. and lofs of fight, whilft others fell down gafping for breath, and calling out for drink. On examining the fkins, it was found that the fun had cracked them, fo that they leaked confi- derably, and the water remaining had become a puddle of a very thick confidence, and full of maggots. NeceiTity, however, required that this wretched drink Ihould be diftributed, and the men fwallowed it with avidity. Vomiting and violent pains in the bowels were the immediate confequences. Colonel Loyd finding this, di- rected that no more fliould be ferved. The officers had brought with them a certain proportion of Madeira wine, which they now di- vided amongft the foldiers, fome fpirits were mixed with the remaining water, and each man bad his proportion poured into his own canteen. The whole were then warned that every drop was in their poffeffion, that half the journey had not been performed, and that on their own pru- dence mufl depend whether or not they ihould be enabled to accomphfli the refl. The refidue of fpirits was fpilt on the ground, as Colonel Loyd dreaded that fuch temptation might produce fatal confequences. Thefe EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 25^ Thefe aiTangeraents occupied the time tillpaft fix o'clock, when the wind died away, and as the fun declined, the air became more temperate. Colonel Lloyd fuppofes that the thermometer (he had unfortunately loft his own when the baggage was cut away) muft have lifen in the courfe of the afternoon to 140. The wine had confiderably refreflied every body, yet flill a languor pervaded the whole. At feven o'clock the order for inarching was given. Seventeen men, unable to travel even on the backs of camels, were neceffarily left on the ground, and with them camels, that they might follow in two hours. At eleven o'clock at nio-ht the detachment again halted, after a march of fix miles, in which feveral officers and men, and Colonel Loyd alfo, felt the extraordinary fcnfation of feeing horfcs, camels, and all kinds of animals conftantly moving with the rapidcft tranfition before them, v.hich f\ilfe perception their judgment could not correft. The night was cxcelllively dark, and every one lb fatigued, that inconqueiable fleep feizcd upon all, during which the Arabs contrived to ftcal, amongft other tilings, a trunk, contain- ing monc}'. At four o'clock iu the morning the s 2 guides 260 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. guides awoke Colonel Loyd, and the foldiers formed with difficulty into order of march, as a very heavy dew having fallen during the night, their limbs were fo benumbed with cold that they could fcarcely move. The feventeen men had not joined ; but as the foldiers complained of great drought, and thirty miles of Defert ftill feparated them from the fprings, Colonel Loyd did not think it advifeable to lofe the advantage of a cool morning by waiting for that party. The camfeen beo-an asiain at the fame hour as the day before ; the foldiers were not, however, aife6led in the fame fevere degree. By great perfeverance, notwithftanding the intreaties of many to flop. Colonel Loyd, between four and fiV'C o'clock in the evening of the fame day reached the fprings of Elhanka, and the joy of the people M^as naturally very great ; there had been fome ftragglers, but by eight o'clock all the camels came up, and during the night, the men who from giddinefs had fallen from off their backs joined. The foldiers were not guilty of the exccfs in drinking water at the fprings, which it was feared would have been the cafe, but t\\o officers' liorfes breaking loofe, ran to the wells, and drank till they died on the fpot. What muft have been the EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. iQl the fufferings of thefe animals, deprived of food and water from the evening of the 6th till the evening of the 8th, during the greateft part of which time the lungs only inhaled fiery air ? No man had either tailed a morfel of any thing after quitting Suez, but food would rather have increafed the drought, and under this idea all the rations of fait pork were thrown away the iirft morning. It Av^as impoffible to have brought frefli meat, as none could be procured at Suez, nor would any have kept three hours on the march. The courfe of the firft forty miles had been N. N. W. over a hard fand, and the laft thirty N. W. by W. of which the iirft ten was over riling ground, and the laft twenty in a very deep heavy fand. During the whole march, no vege- tation whatfoevcr, bird or beaft, had been feen. During the day of the pth of June eight of the feventeen men left behind joined, but the remainder never have been heard of. As Cairo was only twelve miles diltant. Colonel Loyd halted till dark at the Iprings, not prefiunirg with ib iinall a force to rilk difeovciy. Afier marching all night, about eleven o'clock A. M. on the 10th of June he joined the Grand Vizir's s 3 armv 262 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. army encamped at Cbobra, and pitched his tsents with Colonel Stuart's divifion. Never were foldiers in a more pitiable condi- tion ; for in conicqiience of the plague, they had been obliged to burn all their uniforms, and on their march had loft their knapfacks, &c. but being uncommonly fine men, their appearance excited great intereft. Captain Cuyler, who had got fafe back to Suez, joined on the l6th of June, alfo Lieutenants Morfe and Goodfellow ; they had paffed the Defert with a caravan pro- ceeding into the interior. On the 14th of July the 86th and four com- panies of the Sgth occupied the Fort Ibrahim Bey. On the 15th the remainder of the 89th eva- cuated the citadel, and took poffefTion of Giza. On the 16th Lieutenant Budgin arrived from General Baird, with the intelligence of his liav- ing reached Cunei with a divifion of his army. General Baird had failed from India in the latter end of the month of December, with the view of co-operating with the army from Eu- rope deftined to invade Egypt, and a divifion of troops from the Cape were ordered to join him in the Red Sea. His object was to land at Suez, and EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 263 and a6l according to tbofe circumftances he fhould become acquainted with there, fince at fuch a diftance no pofitive operations could have been prefcribed. The hope was, however, al- ways entertained that he would arrive in time to affift the European army even in debarkation, by dividing the French force. Unfortunately, the monfoon had commenced before his entrance into the Red Sea, in the month of April, and it was found impoffible to gain his deliination ; but learning at Jedda the fuccelfes of the Englilh on the 21 it of March, which intelliorence had been tranfmitted to him by Admiral Blanket,* he de- termined to land at Cofhr, and brave the diffi- culties of the Defert, in the hopes of affording a conliderable fupport to General Hutciiinibn, and contributing to the final conqueft of the country. On the 8th of June he arrived at Coffir, and found Colonel Murray, the adjutant general, who had preceded him, and reached that port * A conftant communication had been maintained with Admiral Blanket, and a naval officer twice pafled from Lord Keith to Suez. The firft letter written by the Admiral to Sir Ralph Abercrombie, but which General Hutchinfon received at Rofetta, was in cyphers, the key of which was loft, and tbarefore could not be tianflated. s 4 "with 264 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. with a very fmall advanced guard on the 14th of May ; bat the greater part of the army was ftill miffing, and none of the troops from the Cape had arrived. Anxious, however, to pro- mote the general fervice, he employed himfelf in preparing the means for enabling his army to pafs the Defert, in which he was affifted by the Vizir's firmans, and in a fhort time he faw himfelf provided with five thoufand camels. Having made the necelfary difpofitions, he fet out for Cunei (or Kinneh), where he arrived on the 30th of June, and immediately arranged the march of the remaining divifions, facilitating their paf- fage by eftabli filing pofts at the different wells in the Defert, and digging others ; iffuing at the fame time the orders to be feen in the Appendix of this work, for the regulation of the march of eacli fucceeding column. It was not till the latter end of July that his army had aflfembled, and even then feveral detachments were miffing: the collected force, including the troops from the Cape, amounted to 5 '226 rank and file, and was compofed of the following regiments and corps : Royal artillery. Bengal horfe artillery. Bengal foot ditto. Madras EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 265 Madras ditto. Bombay ditto. Royal Engineers. Bengal ditto "^ Madras ditto /^ No men, Bombay ditto 3 Madras Pioneers. His Majelty's 8tli light dragoons. 10th foot. 6th ditto. 80th ditto. 86th ditto. 88th ditto. Bengal Volunteers, Native Infantry, ift Bombay Regiment, ditto. 7 th ditto, ditto. The refpeftive quota furniflied by the different eftablilhments to whicli thefe corps belonged, is thus to be divided : Men. Eaft India Company's artillery, &c. 448 Ditto ditto native troops - - 1040 King's troops - - - - _ . 2838 52'i6 To 266 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. To which muft-i 271 officers, of which 53 were be added / natives. 331 Serjeants. 125 Drummers. 440 Lafcars. 276 Servants not foldiers. 572 Public folloAvers. 305 Private ditto. 2320 Which makes a general total of 7546 perfons, including fick, &c. As the march acrofs the Defert, which fepa- rates Egypt from the Red fea, muft offer pecu- liar intereft to thofe who perufe the detail, with their attention at the fame time directed to In- dia, an account chiefly furniflied by Colonel Carruthers of the 61 ft follows, which it was thought better to infert here, that the ideas might not be interrupted, and particularly as no event of moment occurred to General Moore's army during the period which this narrative, in fome degree, too foon introduces. The cffeclive force ordered from the Cape to Egypt was to confift of about twelve hundred men. The EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 207 The Sift regiment, a troop of the 8th light dragoons difmountefl, and a company of Eng- iiili artillery, formed this ftrength. Sir Home Popham, with the Romney and Senfible, failed from the Cape on the 2Sth of February, 1801, having on board the two flank companies, and one battalion company of the 6llt, the difmountcd troop of the 8th, and a company of artillery. The remaining feven companies of the (3lft did not leave the Cape until the 30th of ^larch, in con(c(jiience of the jail fever having broke out in the lliips Sheernefs and Wilhelmina, which brought out the 6oth regiment, compoi'ed chiefly of boys, and which diftemper carried off a great number of them, as well as of the failors. The admiral, Sir 11. Curtis, apprehenfive of conta- gion, would not allow frelli troops to be em- barked in thefe i]iij)s until tlicy had been pro- perly fumigated and cleared out, the good ef- feds of which precaution the 6lft experienced, as they landed at Coffiron the lOth of July, then having been near fixtcen Meeks on boarrl, with- out having one fick man, although the ftrength of the regiment exceeded nine hundred men. At Coifir was found the Senfible, which had ar- rived 268 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. rived near three weeks. The troops were difem- barked, and encamped with part of the army from India, and with whom they had originally been deftined to co-operate. At Coflir the heat was very intenfe, the ther- mometer 96 and upwards ; the water very bad, being impregnated with a faltpetre tafte, caufmg violent vomiting and a fpecies of dyfentery, with excellive thirft. This complaint almoft every one on firft land- ing was attacked vvdth, but it did not prov^e fa- tal, and indeed was thought rather eventually to render fervice. General Baird had arrived from Jedda with Sir Home Popham at Coffir about three Aveeks before, had crolTed the De- fert, and was at this time at Kinnt^h, awaiting the arrival of his army, of which a great part had not yet made their way up the Red Sea. The 20th of July Colonel Carruthers left Cof- fir M'ith a divifion of lix hundred men of the 61 ft. Camels were appointed for the baggage and pro- vifions, from thole bought by General Baird ; but when water at night was not to be had, ca- mels from the laft wells accompanied with it, and EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 269 and then returned again tlie next day to their poit. The three th it days marcli the troops pafTed in a ravine, which feemed to be the old bed of a river, and wlilch commenced a Httle way from Coffir, and terminated at ^foilah. At Moilah and alfo Legaitta were pofts of feapoys, which General Baird had Rationed, and depots of pro- vifions, from ^\'hcnce tlie troops in paifrng were fupplied M'ith iliecp and bitcuits. The wells, ex- cepting two or three which the Arabs had form- ed, had been dug by the feapoys, thefe M'cre not deep. The foil M^as clayilli, the water brackilh, yet had not the eftect of that at Coffir. Although the troops marched by night, on account of the diminution of heat, as during the day the thermometer role to 1 10 and 1 15 de- grees, itill they fuffered greatly from thirft; for unlefs the frequent inclination to drinking was reliftcd, however painful the cfibit, it Mas foon afcertained that the indulgence but augmented the dehre. ^\'atcr alone, or infuied M'ith a little vinegar, was found the l)eit allaycr of thirft; a very fmall (puiutity taken at a time, and kept as long as polfible in the moulli, only occafionally wetting the throat, allbrded the grcatcll relief. The 270 E^^PEDITION TO EGYPT. The men fuffered alfo confiderably from an almoft irrefiflible oppreffion of lleep, which might be accounted for from the heat, llownefs of the marching, and its duration, generally eight or ten hours being required to perform the allotted diftances ; for although the route from Coffir to Kinn^h is ftated at only one hundred and twenty miles, there cannot be a doubt but that the ac- tual extent exceeds that calculation confider- ably. From Moilah to Barimba the Defert was ge- nerally of a very hard gravelly foil, with a very uneven furface. The route of the march conti- nued in ravines, but which preferved no longer the appearance of any river having ever flowed in them. Every where the cannon paffed with facility, the principal part of which was drawn by bul- locks, brought with the army from India. Barimba, or Bahconra, is the firft habitable fpot which is to be met with after leaving Coffir; not even the fmalleft hut had been previoufly feen. This little town lies on the borders of the Defert, and is rated at ten miles diftance from Kinn^'h, yet in facl it is nearer twenty. Here the EXPEDITION^ TO EGYPT. 271 the Arabs fold milk, eggs, and poultry, in great plenty, and very cheap. On the igth of July Colonel Carruthers ar- rived at Kinneh, with the lofs only of one drum boy, which good fortune muft be attributed to the pofitive orders given to the officer command- ing the rear guard not to allow of any man's ftopping behind, to enfure which necclfary re- gulation, camels were left with his party to bring on thofe who might fallfick. The foldiers, not- withftanding they knew their imprudence muft be dreadfully fatal to them, often attempted to conceal themfelves on the march, that they might lie down and fleep. Altogether many men were loft in this mife- rable way, for miferable indeed muft have been the manner of their deaths, and horrible the fuf- fcrings they experienced previous to their diifo- lution. The route of the army from Cofiir to Kinnch was thus prefcribed : Colllir to the new wells 1 1 miles, -water. Half way to ?\Ioilah 17 }ioA\;i.ter. Arabs poll called Moiiah 1/ provifjons & v.atcr. Ach'aiiccd 272 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Advanced wells g water. Half way to Legaitta ig no water. Arabs poft called Legaitta 1 9 provifions & water. Barimba 18 water. Kinn^h 10 the Nile. 120* An important obfervation muft be added, that there is good reafon to believe water may be ob- tained in any part of the Defert, and that it is in fuch quantities as to enfure a conftant fupply to the wells ; for when drank perfectly dry, in twelve hours they were replenifhed again. The troops from India brought mufkatts or leather bags to contain the water in, which pe- rifhed, and frequently occafioned much diftrefs. Water kegs or barrels alone were found to refift the heat. With the Turkifli army thefe mufkatts, or rather a pig's fkin fewed together, were ufed, and proved of vaft fervice. Being conftantly dipped in the Nile, they were kept always wet, which preferved them. When the Englifh army * A dromedary can pafs this diftance in twenty-four hours, but thirty-fix is the general time taken. was EXPEDITION TO EGYPT- 273 was on its march to Cairo, the foldiers were fre- quently fiiifering the mod extreme thirft, whiUt the Turks had always aiDundauce of water, as to each company was a water-carrier, who affixed one of thefe Ikins on each fide of a liorfe, and every man as he palied helped himfelf Indeed tliis was the heft arranged and conducted de- partment in the Turkilh iervice. General Hutchinfon found himfelf compelled to order General Baird to proceed to Cr.iro, al- though he much wilhed to have allowed of his re-embarkation with his army, as there m ere other very important objects for that body of troops to be employed on; but fmce it appeared evident from Admiral Gantheaume's near ap- proach to Alexanthia, that tlie French govern- ment were making frrong efforts to throw fuc- cours into Egypt, and as the country w;is not yet abfolutely concjucred, thefe with fome con- fidential reafons determined him in the opinion that he was not authorilcd to run any rifk by diipenfmg with fuch a powerful force, lent ex- prefsly to aid him : Lieutenant Budgin was there- fore fent back with thefe inltruclions, Crcncral Hutchinfon remained in the houfe of Rofetti, the Imperial Coniiil, at Cairo, and A^oL. I. T anxiouflv 274 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. anxioufly endeavoured to prote6l thofe whom liis country's faith was pledged to fupport. Morad Bey's widow had been turned out of her refi- dence by fomcTurkifli chieftain, and even Ibra- him Bey could not get admittance into his own. The general immediately infifted on their being put in undifturbed poifeffion, and not only fuc- ceeded in that demand, but obtained an unequi- vocal firman, declaring that the Mamelukes fhould be reinftated in all their rio:hts and digni- ties. He avowed at the fame time, that it was not either his wifh, or that of his government, to encourage rebellion againft the Porte, and therefore ftipulated that the Beys fliould pay their tribute regularly, and that the Turkifli Pacha ihould no longer be kept as an honorary prifoner, but command a body of troops fuflfi- cient to make his authority refpe(5table. This Magna Charta had been definitively figned, after much communication and firmnefs difplayed by the general; fdll the Mamelukes remained in the ifland of Rhoda, and refufed to enter the town of Cairo, dreading treachery whilftthe Turks continued there in fuch force. General Moore's army and the French had proceeded quietly towards Rofetta, encamping each EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 2^5 each night in the order they marched ; but on taking up the ground, the French always formed three fides of a fquare on the banks of the Nile, placing their artillery and baggage in the centre. Their mode of marching was extremely irre- gular and ftraggling, whilft the Briliih troops preferved the mofl correct order, exciring the admiration of the French officers. Indeed, the arrangement of the marcli was highly creditable to General JMoore, and the oldeft officers prelcnt of the French army declared, that it was tlirough- out a mod beautiful difpofition and move- ment. At D^route the French paffed the Englifli, in order to be ready for the embarkation. The real effedive ftate of their army was then afcertained, as the principal Englifli officers pofted themfelves at a narrow pafs to fee them file by* They could fcarcely, however, credit their own fight, when they beheld an army of above ten tliou- fand men, with fifty pieces of artillery and its complement of ammunition, defile before them, independent of the guards, &c. in the dgerms. It was now that, connecting this unexpectedly formidable power with the riling of the Nile, which at this time began to reach the top of its T 2 banks, 2/6 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. banks, the true importance of the capitulation was acknowledged. Nor could thofe in command reftrain them- felves from confeiTmor that the io:norance of the enemy's force had faved them many anxious nights; for the calculation of fecurity was to be formed on the ftrength which could command it, not in the faith of treaties and honourable confidence. The maxim of war is pofitive, ifi inimicis nulla fides. Amongft the French troops was the detach- ment of dromedaries, which had efcaped into Giza ; they did not chufe to rilk a fortie, and indeed were very glad to be included in the ca- pitulation, although their commanding officer was much vexed at their refufal to attempt a re- turn to Alexandria. Brigadier General Oakes had been fent from Cairo, to arrange with Lord Keith the embarka- tion of the French. By extraordinary exertion, tranfports were vi6lualled and jMepared for their reception againft the 31 ft of July. The armies had encamped atElhammed, within four miles of Rofetta, on the 28th, when that town EXPEDITION^ TO EGYPT. 277 town foon prefented a motley fcene of the greateft intereft and curiofity ; the Itreets were filled with French, Turks, Engliili^ Mamelukes, &c. Horles, fwords, and, notwithftanding the abo- lition of the (lave trade, hundreds of black girls were expofed to fale by the French officers ; but the traffic of females was fo dull, that the French were obliged to offi^r with them a pre- mium. Tile poor creatures fat weeping piteoufly the lofs of their mafters, and deploring the too cer- tain ])uniilnncnt they ihould receive from the Turks for their connexion with Chriftians. The ftricteft order was preferved in the town; but the Arabs could not conceal their deiiu"ht whenever they faw any French ^^cre marched as prifoners by the Engliffi guard for having be- haved irregularly. This was a triumphant ex- ultation, too natural to be checked altogetiier, yet every effi)rt was made to render it as little offenfivc as polhble. On the^gth CJeneral Ilutchinfon, who had re- ceived at Cairo the letter announcing his Ma- jefty's high apj)robation of his conchu-l, and of hh being decorated with the order of the Jkith, T 3 arrived 278 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. arrived at Rofetta; he came in a barge, provided by the Vizir, which was rowed the whole way by the fame people, who laboured at the oar with the moft aftonifliing perfeverance ; and as a conftantgale of wind blows up the Nile, during the day (and for the three days the general was on the water, it was particularly violent) the exertion w^as furprifmg, and proves of what la- bour thefe people are capable. A dgerm which failed at the fame time did not arrive for twelve hours afterwards, and for the firft two days the boat was confiderably detained to keep her com- pany. The general on leaving Cairo conceived that every proper arrangement had been made for the government of Egypt, confiftent with the pro- mifes of his government, and the Grand Sig- nor's ftipulations. He had fecured for the In- dian army its fupplies, and left the Mamelukes impreffed with gratitude towards him. In the houfe of Rofetti he had continued during his ftay, and was entertained with every attention and mark of hofpitality, which that accomplished, well informed, and generous man could laviih. Rofetti EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 279 Rofetti was a perfon endowed with very fupe- lior qualifications. It was from him that Sa- vary, Vohiey, and Sonini acquired mod of their information, and no one was better acquainted with the hiftory of Egypt. A refident for many years, he became the intimate friend and coun- feUor of AH Bey ; and had that great man adopt- ed latterly his advice, his fortune and fate might liave been more worthy of his charader. Turks, Copts, and Chriftians, all united in efleem for Rofetti : they confidered him as their uuiverfal benefactor, and when the Vizir rcquefted a vifit from him, he was received with the mofl diftin- guiflied attention a Frank had ever experienced, and as he paiTed through the ftreets, the Arabs fliouted, " Praife to the Vizir, who honours thus the father of the poor !" Yet, Avith all thefe virtues, and a ftri6t neutrality as to politics, he could not efcape imprifonment during the go- vernment of tlie French. The Grand Vizir had anxioufly endeavoured to confer every honour on the general ; for al- though the general's honeft independence and faithful adherence to the word he had f)ledged, thwarted his views nnd intentions, ftill he could not but admire and revere the chara6ler where fuch virtues exifted, and the inftrudions he re- T 4 ceivcd 280 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. ceived from the Porte rendered him more defi- rous than ever to acquire his regard. Thcfe in- ftrnctions, recommending him to conciHate with and pay every deference to the Englifli comman- der, had heen read aloud at a public ceremony, where he was invefted by the Reis Effendi with a fuperb diamond hilted dagger, prefented by the Grand Sio'nior for his victory at Elhanka. On the 31 ft the firft divifion of French march- ed to embark at the caravanfar}', that place be- ingjudged more convenient and fecure than Ro- fetta, on account of the Boghaz. This embarkation continued fucceffively for ten days, with the intermiffion of one on ac- count of the fatigue of the camels, whofe backs were alfo wrung into a jelly of corruption. Neither intcreft, humanity, or the natural in- ftiucl with which thefe animals are endowed to refift in fome degree the cruel oppreffion of man, by an obftinate refufal to rife when too heavily laden, protected thefe wilhng, patient, and ufe- ful creatures, whofe goodnefs and utility cor- recled the prejudice their uglinefs would other- wife have excited;* 8 cwt. a camel can carry, '^' The Arabs emphatically call them the ihip of the De- icrt. but EXPEDITION^ TO EGYPT. 281 but 6 cwt. is the proper burthen. The immenfe weights, and the bad conftruftion of the faddles, conftantly kept on, foon bruifed the hunch on the back, which feftered, and nev-er being at- tended to, became a burrow for tlioufands of worms. There was fcarcely a camel in Egypt whofe back \ras not in this ftate, and out of fif- teen hundred, whicli marched from Cairo with tlie French army, fcarce three hundred furvived the journey. The embar]10,85() commilfioned ofiicers 3 Etat Major _ _ _ - 45 Drom.edary corps - - - 177 Miners and fappers - - - 1 5() Invalids (only fit for garrifon duty, 500 Seamen - _ . _ 344 Iforfe and foot guides - - 40 Sick - - - - - 800 AUXILIARIF.S. 282 expedition to egypt. Auxiliaries. Greeks and Copts - - - 600 ^lamelukes l6o 13,072 Employes. Mathematical School - - 30 Printing prefs - - - 26 Li])rary and bureau central - 15 Civilians - - - - 11 82 Grand total, exclufive of women"! and children - - J 1^,754 To this number mull: be added five hundred men, who deferted on the march to join the Mamelukes. It was in vain the general endea- voured to difcourage this unnatural infatuation ; the foldiers refufed to return. Above a hundred of them, M'ho had been kept at work on the bridge of Giza (which by the Trench not mentioning that the dgerms fliould be kept bailed out, had nearly been deftroyed), although offered to be fent to France, pofitively infifted on remaining in Egypt. The EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 283 The motive which induced this extraordinary refolution was probahly ambition, if in luch worthlefs people, who thus voluntarily fubmitted in the hopes of future aggrandifement to degra- dations of the vileft nature, any noble paflion could exift. The divifions of the fliipping failed as foon as each was ready. The French were by no means pleated with the rations of fait pork, bifcuit, and JVIarcclla wine ilfued to thein, although the qua- lity and proportion were the fame as given to the Engliih troops ; they were alfo excclTively indig- nant, notwithfianding the terms of the capitula- tion, at not having, according to their rank, the increafed allowance, foro'cttin^* that at fea a sre- iieral cannot cat more than a foldier, and what difficulty there was to carry even a fufficient fupply for the necellary fupport of the people on board. This regulation in the Britifli fervice, although fo juft and reafonable in its principle, had before excited General Delfaix's refentment againft Lord Keith ; that general conceiving that the order wnn made to ridicule French equa- lity, if not to ini'ult him ; or that if the rule was general, it lliould have been broken through in fav(mr of him and his ofiicers. He did not know that there was in England an auditor's oflicc, and other 284 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. Other formidable barriers to unufual public ex- penditures. Some of the French troops even conduced themfelves fo riotoufly, that at laft Lord Keith was compelled to declare, that he would fire into the firft Ihip on board of M'hich he heard a tumult, which menace preferved order afterwards. General Belliard M^as offered by Captain Clarke* a paflage in the cabin of the Braakeh A\'hich * Captain Clarke's brother came to Egypt, having made with Mr. Cripps (inftead of whole name that of Mr. Harvey was fubftituted by miftake in the firft edition) one of the moft confiderable and interefting tours which travellers could ac- coHiplifli. After having palfed all over the continent, they proceeded by the Crimea to Conftantinople ; from thence they vifited all the iflands in the Archipelago, and remained fomc time in examining the plains of Troy, which Mr. Clarke, in oppofition to Mr. Carlifle, maintains exaftly to corre- fpond with Homer's defcription, and of which he is fo convinced as to imagine that he faw the a6ttual graves of the principal heroes flain in that war. Some Greek in- fcriptions, which he has brought home from thence, may probably illuftrate in fome degree this difpute, which it is almoft to be lamented was ever agitated. After vifiting every thing remarkable in Afia Minor, they arrived in Egypt ; but as Cairo was not then taken, they went to Jerufalem and Acre. Returning again to to Egypt, they proceeded to Cairo, with tlie intention of vifiting Eaoum and Thebes, and from thence to return home by the Morea and France. Their eolletion is extremely EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 285 Avbicli be very handfomely declined on account of his large fuite, felefting the Duke of York tranfport, extremely valuable, and is deftined to adorn one of the colleges of Cambridge ; and Mr. Clarke, from the zeal he has fhewnj will no doubt give the world much information. Since the firft edition I have been favoured with a more par- ticular account of the travels and refearches of thefe gentlemen, who have acquired confiderable credit to their country, and whofe example fliould influence other travellers. The extent of their travels comprehends 39 degrees of north latitude, viz. from 2g| to Gsl, and 45 degrees of eaft longitude. They are bounded to the north by the frontiers of Fin mark, and to the fouth by the catacombs of Saguara, in Upper Egypt. To the eaft they extend as far as the moft eaftern courfe of the Don, the ancient Tanais. They palTed through Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Lapland, Finland, Rulha, the Deferts of the Don Colfacks, Kuban, Tartary, Circalha, and the Crimea. Afterwards, in Turkey, they vihted the plain of Troy, and con- firmed by their own obfervation the truth of Mr. Chevalier's obfcrvations relative to the identity of the place, the tombs, ttc. They difcovered, moreover, the mound of the plain, and the tomb of Ilus, and the city of New Ilium. Mr. Clarke af- certained the temperature ot the fources of theScaniander, and tlicy were the lirlt travellers who ever furmounted the Gla- cieres, on the fummit of Ida, and afccnded to Gargarus, the higheft point (;f that range of mountains, and at whofe bafr, they found the ruiiis of Jupiter Liberator. Afterwards they vifitcd Afia ^^lnor, Syria, and Egypt, wlicre in 'Jit; Delta they di!co\erc(l \hc ruius of the city of Sais, which 286 exI^eDition to EGYPT. tranfport, a remarkably large and fine veffel, to fail in. The men of war refuled to take on board the Vail quantity of ammunition which the French wilhed to carry, and the whole was thrown into the fea. The officers who were allowed to fell their horfes found a market for them ; thofe car- ried to France (eighty horfes and mares and one which had efcaped the obfervations of the French Scavans, al- though the ruins covered a great traft of land. Thefe ruins are fituated about a mile from the eaftern bank of the Rofetta branch of the Nile, very near the iituation defignated by D'Anville, and a little beyond the canal of Belhin to the north, joining the Rofetta with the Damietta branch. The village is called Silhadger, and is oppofite where the battle of Che- briffa was fought. They found that the account given by hif- torians of this place exa6tly correfponds with the prefent appear- ance, and that the water of the Nile is admitted during the in- undation into an area furrounding the temple of Ifis j from the ruins of which temple they alfo brought home many curious monuments of antiquity, and more beautiful fculpture than is ufually found among the works of Egyptian artifts. Return- ing from Egypt, they went to all the Grecian ifles, to Athens, to the Morea, and to the plain of Marathon ; they afcended the fummits of the mountains Hymettus, Helicon, and Par- naffus, and pafTed through BoRotia, ThefTaly, Macedonia, and Thrace, to Conftantinople ; from thence through Bulgaria, Wallachia, Tranfylvania, Hungary, Germany, and France, to England. camel) EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 287 camel) were not worth much. The Egyptian horfe bears but httle vahie, and the breed of Arabia Fehx is very difficult to be procured. In that country the price of a real Yemen horfe, whofe genealogy is certified by the iheriff of Mecca, is from five to eight hundred pounds, and there were not above two or three feen during the refidence of the French in Egypt. The baggage was enormous which tlie French arm}^ tranfported, and fome of the articles were not private property, particularly the prcls and foundry, bridles of the horfes, with the Mame- luke bits ; yet although General Hutchinfon did not choofe to enter into a difpute about things of fuch little confequence, the condu6l of the French, in taking them a\vay, was not the lefs re- prelienfible. The general's health being extremely bad, he was obliged to go on board Lord Keith's fhip, in the hopes of fea air recovering him, and where he ])ropofed to remain until the Englilh army of Cairo joined General Coote before Alexaadria. The dificrence of climate between Alcxarulria and Cairo was immediately felt, and tl c ch:nige piuvcd moft agreeable. J3y the thcruiomcter the tciupcia- *188 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. temperature A\^as reduced twelve degrees, and the fine breezes which blew from the fea rendered the fenfation ftill more refreiliing. General Coote's army was in remarkably high order, and of confiderable ftrength, as the rein- forcements from England had arrived in the be- ginning of July, confiding of the 22d dragoons, a detachment of Guards, two battalions of the 20tli regiment of infantry, the 24th, 25th, and 26th, the ancient Irifli fencibles, drafts for feve- ral regiments, and the foreign regiments ofWat- teville and Chaffeurs Britanniques, amounting to about eighteen hundred men. The corps of Watteville was compofed of Swifs, who enlifted from the dilbanded regiments. They had been in Britifh pay for two years, and had ferved feve- ral campaigns, when attached to the Imperial ar- mies, with a gallantry which will long be recorded to the honour of themfelves and their nation.^ The latter corps was compofed of the debris of that Condean army, which, under a prince who fo nobly maintained the fame and honour of his houfe, a warrior inferior to none in Europe, can never be mentioned without recolledlions of its valour, devotion, and misfortunes. This EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. 299 This army bad alternately been in the pay of Auitria, Ruflia, and England ; but at the con- clufion of the peace between France and Auftria, Great Britain was conftrained to dilband the whole of the foreign troops in her pay on the continent. Individuals, however, of them were re-enlifted, who embarked atTriefte on the lOth of June, J80i, and arrived in Aboukir Bay the ift of Auguft following, Sucli corps, excellently commanded, perfeClIy fatisfied with their capitulation, the fuperintend- ence of which was entrufted to JNIajor Byng, who fucceeded in faithfullv difcharo-ino; the duties of his fituation, and at the fame time acquiring their general efteem, would have been a very valuable acquifition to England in the event of their fer- vices having been required in the field ; and this benefit may now be anticipated, that a refpect for the character and inteuritv of Britilh eno-a^-e- ments, will enfure from Switzerland a reinforce- ment on future emergencies, which certainly is the mod defirable connexion from every confi- deration the Britilh fervice could form.* Gene- * The regiment of Rolle, chiefly compofed of Swifs, formed part of the foreign brigade, which ferved in Egypt with fuch Vol. I. u higU 300 EXPEDITION TO EGYPT. General Coote's exertions had been unremit- ting: he had himfelf every morning ridden round the lines an hour before day-break, and was in- celfantly employed in making the moft ufeful ar- rangements for the health and comfort of his troops, as well as occupied with precautions for their fecurity, and completing the works gf their pofition. His mind had fufFered frequently the greateft anxiety, when from the fickly flate of the army he had only three thoufand two hundred men fit for duty in his camp, but by his judici- ous dire6lions the renovation of its ftrength was much accelerated. high diftindlion. Baron D'Huiller, one of the few of the Swifs Guards, who efcaped the maffacre of the 1 0th of Auguft, com- manded it. This excellent officer, and eftimable man, is fince dead. END OF VOL. t. C. Roworth, Printer, Bell Yard, Fleet Street. 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