proceeded from Cathich, by Salikich, to Cairo, where it arrived on the fourteenth of June. The French army, in the expidition to Syria, loft about feven hundred men, who died of difeafe; five hundred killed; and about one thoufand eight hundred wounded; of whom ninety-eight were obliged to undergo amputation: nearly the whole of the other wounded were healed and rejoined their respective companies. This is an abftract of Berthier's narrative. If the French general wafted a, greater part of his troops in the fiege of Acre, and in croffing and re-croffing the defart, than has been published to the world by general Berthier, ftill the projected invafion of Egypt, on the fide of Syria, was fruftrated by the fevere check in which the French army had kept Ghezzar Bashaw, and by the repulfe of the army of Damafcus. But, while the enemy was held at bay within the walls of a town, or defeated in the field, in one quarter, they had collected different bodies, and indicated a difpofition to make fresh attacks in others. A British iquadron cruized in the gulph of Suez: an Anglo-Ruffian fquadron, of about a hundred fail, with a large body of troops, he was informed, was on its way for the coaft of Egypt. He was apprifed, at the fame time, by general Deffaix, that the Mammalakes, in Upper Egypt, had divided their forces: the one party intending to join Ibrahim Bey, who had fallen back to Gaza; the other, under Murad Bey, to defcend by the Fayoum, and gain the paffes of the lakes of Natron. It was, probably, the intention of the latter to form a junction with a body of Arabs already affembled in that quarter, with the defign of protecting a defcent either at the tower of the Anates or at Aboukir. Symptoms of revolt, which had for fome time appeared in the Lower Egypt, had lately been heightened by a report of the death of Buonaparte, and the total defeat of his army; which alienated the minds of the chiefs, in whom the general had been induced to repofe confidence. In a word, while internal diffatisfactions and commotions took place in Egypt, every thing on the frontiers and in the neighbouring countries indicated a great plan of attack on every part of it; while Ghezzar Bashaw occupied the army in Syria. The proper feason, too, for re-croffing the defart, and re-embarking from Syria, was nearly expired; and, on the whole, the feafon of the year and the actual circumftances of affairs rendered it prudent, on the part of Buonaparte, to raife the fiege of Acre, and return, on his steps for the protection of his infant colony, menaced equally by internal difcord and foreign aggreffion. The army engaged in the Syrian expedition amounted to one hundred and twenty-nine thousand four hun dred and thirty-five men; of which, in four months, feven hundred died by difeafe, (the plague raging, at that time, in Syria); five hundred killed in battle; and about one thoufand wounded, ninety of whom underwent amputation. The lofs of the Turks and English he rates at feven thousand men, in killed, wounded, and prifoners; befides forty pieces of cannon and fifty ftand of colours, taken in the courfe of the expedition into Syria. Neither the loffes of the French, during the fiege of Acre, or on [D4] their their retreat and return to Egypt, according to this report of Berthier, given in the face of the army, can well be fuppofed to be extremely inaccurate and wide of truth. On the other hand, it may be obferved, that the account which is given of the main defign of the expedition, by general Berthier, was drawn up after his return to Egypt, and may not, improbably, have been warped, in fome meafure, and bent, in order to correfpond with the course of events. But, even on this fuppofition, we muft acknowledge the good gene ral hip and addrefs of Buonaparte. It was of great confequence, efpecially in a country where almoft every thing depends upon the opinion that is entertained of the perfonal powers, fortune, and deftiny, of the commander, that a report fhould go forth, and prevail, that nothing had happened but what Buonaparte had foreseen, and for which he had provided. and palpable, not only to every officer, commiffioned and non-commiffioned, but to every private in the whole French army. It is farther to be remarked, on this quef tion, that fir Sydney had not, at that time, formed, by any means, a juft eftimate of the mind of Buonaparte; and, confequently, that he was apt to miftake his views, and the motives by which he was actuated. Inftead of giving his illuftrious antagonist credit for found judgement and uncommon abilities, in a letter to admiral Nelson, he fpeaks of "Buonaparte's impatience and precipitation, which," he fays, "led him to commit fuch pal pable errors as even the common feamen could difcern: he feemed to have no principle of action but that of preffing forward:" and he adds, "Two attempts to aflaffinate me, in the town, having failed, recourfe was had to a moft flagrant breach of honour and of war:" which, as already mentioned, was pofitively denied by the general-in-chief and the other French officers. There is fomething in the manner, in which our Chriftian Knight (a name in which fir Sydney juftly glories) fpeaks of Buonaparte, contrary to the ufual courtely with which knights and gentlemen of the army are wont to treat one another: while he pretty plainly infinuates, in favour of himself, that Smith: and, however he may have the enemy had little hopes of fucfeigned or concealed his views in as long as he was perfonally undertaking the fiege, the real fafe. It would, indeed, be invidicaufe or circumftance that induced ous to mingle little foibles with the a neceffity of rafing it could not praife juftly due to the amiable as poffibly have been concealed or well as heroic qualities and actions gloffed over, and far lefs wholly of fir Sydney Smith; if otherwife not omitted; if that had been the real necellary in balancing his ideas and cause which is affigned by fir Syd- reports with thofe of Buonaparte ney. It must have been notorious and general Berthier, In weighing oppofite teftimonies, every reasonable and candid judge confiders the means or opportunities poffeffed by the reporters, and alfo the motives they might probably have had, either to declare the truth, or to conceal or difguife it. The views of Buonaparte, both in forming and rafing the fiege of Acre, were, undoubtedly, better known to himself than to fir Sydney cefs, It will not efcape obfervation, that the courage and perfevering refolution of the befieged are greatly in hanced by the fuppofition, that the French grenadiers, after fuch a brilliant career of uninterrupted conqueft, though animated by the prefence of Buonaparte, were yet fo much intimidated by the efforts of the garrifon as to difobey the pofitive orders of their commander. Farther ftill, neither the conduct of the French foldiers, before nor after the fiege of Acre, gives the leaft countenance to the allegations of fir Sydney Smith. The proceed ing of Buonaparte, after his return from Syria, in Egypt, are, indeed, a complete refutation of the reports made by fir Sydney, of the moft terrible offes and difafters fuffered by the French army. Time, the grand critic and judge of hiftoric evidence, will, no doubt, bring all thefe points, concerning which, fome doubts may be entertained, for the prefent, to the cleareft light. But, as it is painful, and indeed fcarcely poffible, for the human mind to perfevere long in the equilibrium of perfect fufpenfe, but muft lean to one fide on every fubject, we have anticipated the dicifion of time by a few palpable obfervations and undeniable rules of criticism. The various feeds of difcontent, jealoufy, and refentment, that prevailed among different tribes and claffes of men in Egypt, during the abfence of the commander-inchief and flower of the French army, in Syria, threatened an eruption into open infurrection and re volt.* Soon, however, after his return, all things were reduced to their former ftate of tranquillity. But, ideas of reconquering Egypt, as Buonaparte had forefeen, were infpired into the councils of the divan, by the victory of lord Nelfon, and the confequences naturally refulting from that event; and also, what Buonaparte probably did not forefee, the brave and fuccessful defence of St. John d'Acre. Immediately upon his return to Caire, from the Syrian expedition, Buonaparte directed his attention to the formation of different corps. He foon put the army in a ftate to march to new combats. He had deftroyed one part of the general' plan of attack, combined between the Porte and England, and he every moment expected that he would have to attack the other parts. He was informed by general Def faix, as already mentioned, that the Mammalukes, in Upper Egypt, had divided their forces; that a part had proceeded to the pafles of Sababier, with the intention of joining Ibrahim Bey, who had gone back to Gaza; and that Murad Bey defcended, by the Fayoum, to gain the paffes on the lakes of Natron. He was of opinion that it was the intention of the latter to form a junction with a body of Arabs already aflembled in that quarter; but that general Deftaing would difperfe them with the moveable column under his command. General Le Grange, with a moveable column, left Cairo, on the tenth of July, and arrived at Sababier, where he furprized the * An emiffary from Africa, calling himfelf the angel, El Madhi, announced in the Alkoran, was one of the principal agents of fedition. He declared, that the muskets, bayonets, fabres, and cannons, of the French could have no effect on his followers. Mammalukes Mammalukes in their camp. They had scarcely time to elcape, and abandoned all their baggage, and feven hundred camels. Fifty of their horfes were taken. The Mammalukes fled into the defart. General Murat, with another moveable column, received orders to proceed to the lakes of Natron, difperfe the Arabs collected there, fecond the operations of general Deftaing, and cut off the retreat of Murad Bey. General Murat arrived at the lakes of Natron, took a Kiafchef and thirty Mammalukes, who were purfued, along with fome Arabs, by general Deftaing. Murad Bey, when near the lakes of Natron, learned that the French were there, and made a retrograde movement. On the thirteenth of July he refted near the pyramids of Gizeh, on the fide of the defert. In the beginning of July, a Turkith army, under Muftapha Bafhaw, fupported by the Anglo-Ruffian and Turkish fleets, advanced against Aboukir, the bulwark of Alexandria and Egypt. The Turkifli troops, under Muftapha, and thofe on board the united fleets, were computed from thirty to forty thoufand men.' On the eleventh of July, Seid Muflapha Bafhaw anchored, with all his forces, in the road of Aboukir. On the fixteenth, they effected a landing, without oppofition; and an attack was immediately made on the caftle and redoubt. After a heavy cannenade, which was continued from ten in the morning till three in the afternoon, the redoubt ceased to fire, and offered to capitulate: but the Turks, heated by the battle, would liften to no propofals: they fcaled the redoubt and cut in pieces the whole garrifon, amounting to seven hundred men. The French in the caftle, four hundred in number, fearing a fimilar fate, furrendered prifoners of war. Buonaparte, informed by a letter from Alexandria, that this Turkish fleet, of a hundred fail, had anchored at Aboukir and indicated hoftile intentions againft Alexandria, having made the proper difpofitions for the defence and peace of Upper Egypt and Cairo, and alfo for keeping up the communication between Cairo and Alexandria, moved with the main army from Rhamanie, and, on the twentythird of July took a pofition at Birket. The head-quarters were fixed at Alexandria. The miners were fent to Leda to dig wells: fprings were difcovered, and the wells formed and guarded. Three battalions of the garrifon of Alexandria, under the command of general Deftaing, were ordered to reconnoitre the enemy, take a pofition, and fee wells cleared at midway between Alexandria and Aboukir.* Buonaparte employed the morning of the twenty-fourth in viewing the fortifications of Alexandria, and in preparing every thing for attacking the enemy at Aboukir; where, according to the report of (pies and reconnoitering parties, Mustapha Baflaw, commanding the Turkish army, landed with about fifteen thousand men, a great quantity of artillery, and a number of horfes, and was engaged in erecting forti * We have noticed, in this sketch, thofe attentions to wells; because this is as great a point in warfare, in hot countries, as the establishment of stores and magazines in other countries, fications. fications. In the afternoon, Buonaparte left Alexandria with the main army, advanced parties being fent to various pofts, in different directions, and took a pofition between the wells of Alexandria and Aboukir. The army began to move forward toward Aboukir, at daybreak, on the twenty-fifth of July. A brigadier-general, with two fquadrons of infantry and a hundred dromedaries, was ordered to take a position between Alexandria and the army, in order to oppofe the Arabs and Murad Bay, who were every moment expected to arrive, with the defign of joining the Turkith army, and in order to preferve the communication with Alexandria. A divifion of the army, which had proceeded to Rofeta, was directed to take poft, by daybreak, at the extremity of the bar of Rofetta, at Aboukir, and near the entrance of the lake of Madie, in order to cannonade fuch of the vellels of the combined fleet as might be found on the lake, and to harafs the enemy's left. The first line of the Turks was pofted about half a league in front of the fort of Aboukir. About a hundred men occupied a mount of fand, defended on its right, towards the fea, by entrenchments, and fupported by a village at the diftance of about three hundred toifes,* which was occupied by one thoufand two hundred men and four pieces of cannon. The left was upon a detached fand-hill, to the left of the peninfula, and about fix hundred toifes in front of the firft line. This pofition was very badly fortified; but the Turkish army occupied it in order to cover the moft plentiful wells of Aboukir. Some gun-boats were ftationed fo as to protect the space between this pofition and the fecond line; which was alfo occupied by two thousand men, provided with fix pieces of cannon. Their fecond pofition was about three hundred toifes in the rear of the first village; their centre, at the redoubt which they had taken from the French; their right, behind an entrenchment extending from the redoubt to the fea, a fpace of about a hundred toifes; their left was posted between the redoubt and the fea, on fome low fand-hills and the fhore, commanded by the fire from the redoubts and the gun-boats. In this pofition, there were about feven hundred men and twenty-two pieces of cannon. About a hundred toiles behind the redoubt lay the village and fort of Aboukir, occupied by nearly one thousand five hundred men. The train of the bafhaw, who had the chief command, confifted of eighty horfenen. The fquadron came to anchor in the road, about a league and a half from the flore. After a march of two hours, the advanced guard of the French came in fight of the Turks. Thefe being attacked by the French with the bayonet, retreated towards the village. Two fquadrons of cavalry and a platoon of guides, on horfeback, cut off their retreat, and killed or drove into the fea this body of two hundred men, of which not one efcaped. The fame divifion of the French army then marched upon the village, which formed the centre of their fecond line, and turned it, while another corps attacked it A toife is a French measure of one fathom, or fix feet. |