Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

before the town of Acre, I wrote a circular letter to the princes and chiefs of the Chriftians of mount Lebanon, and alfo fheiks of the Drufes, recalling them to a fenfe of their duty, and engaging them to cut off the fupplies from the French camp. I fent them at the fame time a copy of Buonaparte's impious proclamation, in which he boafts of having overthrown all Chriftian establishments, accompanied by a fuitable exhortation, calling upon them to choose between the friendship of a Chriftian knight and that of an unprincipled renegado. This letter had all the effect that I could defire. They immediately fent me two ambaffadors, profeffing not only friendship but obedience; affuring me that in proof of the latter they had fent out parties to arreft fuch of the mountaineers as fhould be found carrying wine and gunpowder to the French camp, and placing eighty prifoners of this defcription at my difpofal. I had thus the fatisfaction to find Buonaparte's career farther northward effectually ftopped, by a warlike people inhabiting an impenetrable country. General Kleber's divifion had been fent eastward towards the fords of the Jordan, to oppose the Damafcus army; it was recalled from thence to take its turn in the daily efforts to mount the breach at Acre, in which every other divifion in fucceffion had failed, with the lofs of their braveft men, and above threefourths of their officers. It feems much was hoped from this divifion, as it had by its firmnefs, and the fleady front it oppofed in the form of a hollow fquare, kept upwards of 10,000 men in check during a whole day in the plain between Nazareth and mount Tabor, till Buonaparte

came with his horfe artillery and extricated these troops, difperfing the multitude of irregular cavalry, by which they were completely furrounded.

The Turkish Chifflick regiment having been cenfured for the ill fuccefs of their fally, and their unfteadinefs in the attack of the garden, made a fresh fally the next night, Soliman Aga the lieutenantcolonel, being determined to retrieve the honour of the regiment by the punctual execution of the orders I had given him to make himfelf master of the enemy's third parallel, and this he did moft effectually; but the impetuofity of a few carried them on to the fecond trench, where they loft fome of their standards, though they fpiked four guns before their retreat. Kleber's divifion, instead of mounting the breach, according to Buonaparte's intention, was thus obliged to spend its time and its ftrength in recovering these works, in which it fucceeded after a conflict of three hours, leaving every thing in flatu quo except the lofs of men, which was very confiderable on both fides. After this failure the French grenadiers abfolutely refused to mount the breach any more over the putrid bodies of their unburied companions, facrificed in former attacks by Buonaparte's impatience and precipitation, which led him to commit fuch palpable errors as en feamen could take advantage of. He feemed to have no principle of action but that of preffing forward, and appeared to ftick at nothing to attain the object of his ambition, although it must be evident to every body elfe, that even if hoceeded to take the town, the fire of the fhipping muft drive him out of it again in a

fhort

fhort time; however, the knowledge of the garrifon had of the inhuman maffacre at Jaffa, rendered them defperate in their perfonal defence. Two attempts to affallinate me in the town having failed, recourfe was had to a moft flagrant breach of every law of honour and of war. A flag of truce was fent into the town, by the hand of an Arab dervife, with a letter to the Pacha, propofing a ceflation of arms for the purpose of burying the dead bodies, the ftench from which became intolerable, and threatened the exiftence of every one of us on both fides, many having died delirous within a few hours after being seized with the first fymtoms of infection. It was natural that we fhould gladly liften to this propofition, and that we fhould confequently be off our guard during the conference. While the answer was under confideration, a volley of thot and hells on a fudden announced an affault, which, however, the garrifon was ready to receive, and the affailants only cons tributed to increase the number of dead bodies in queftion, to the eternal difgrace of the general, who thus difloyally facrificed them. I faved the life of the Arab from the effect of the indignation of the Turks, and took him off to the Tigre with me, from whence I sent him back to the general, with a meffage, which made the army afhamed of having been expofed to fuch a merited reproof. Subordination was now at an end, and all hopes of fuccefs having vanifhed, the enemy had no alternative left. but a precipitate retreat, which was put into execution in the night between the 20th and 21ft inftant. I had above faid, that the battering train of artillery (except the car

10

riages, which were burnt) is now in our hands, amounting to 23 pieces. The howitzers and medium 12 pounders, originally conveyed by land with much difficulty, and fuccessfully employed to make the first breach, were embarked in the country veffels at Jaffa, to be conveyed coaftwife, together with the worst among the 2000 wounded, which embarraffed the march of the army. This operation was to be expected. I took care, therefore, to be between Jaffa and Damietta before the French army could get as far as the former place. The veffels being hurried to fea, without feamen to navigate them, and the wounded being in want of every neceffary, even water and provifions, they fteered ftraight to his majefty's fhips, in full confidence of receiving the fuccours of humanity, in which they were not difappointed. I have fent them on to Damietta, where they will receive such farther aid as their fituation requires, and which it was out of my power to give fo many. Their expreffions of gratitude to us were mingled with execrations on the name of their general, who had, as they faid, thus expofed them to peril rather than fairly and honourably renew the intercourfe with the English, which he had broken off by a falfe and malicious affertion, that I had intentionally expofed the former prifoners to the infection of the plague. To the honour of the French army, be it faid, this affertion was not believed by them, and it thus recoiled on its author. The intention of it was evidently to do away the effect which the proclamation of the Porte began to make on the foldiers, whofe eager hands were held above the parapet of their works to receive them when

thrown

He can

thrown from the breach. not plead mifinformation as his excufe, his aid-du-camp, Mr. Lallemand having had free intercourfe with these prisoners on board the Tigre, when he came to treat about them; and having been ordered, though too late, not to repeat their expreffions of contentment at the profpect of going home. It was evident to both fides, that when a general had recourfe to fuch a fhallow, and at the fame time to such a mean artifice, as a malicious falfehood, all better refources were at an end, and the defection in his army was confequently increased to the highest pitch. The utmost diforder has been manifefted in the retreat, and the whole track between Acre and Gaza is ftrewed with the dead bodies of those who have funk under fatigue, or the flighteft wounds; fuch as could walk, unfortunately for them, not having been embarked. The rowing gunboats annoyed the van column of the retreating army in its march along the beach, and the Arabs haraffed its rear, when it turned inland, to avoid the fire. We ob ferved the fmoke of mufketry behind the Sandhills from the attack of a party of them, which came down to our boats and touched our flag with every token of union and relpect. Ifmael Pacha, governor of Jerufalem, to whom notice was fent of Buonaparte's preparation for retreat, having entered this town by land at the fame time that we brought our guns to bear on it by fea, a ftop was put to the maffacre and pillage already begun by the Naplaufians. The English flag rehoifted on the conful's houfe (under which the Pacha met me,) ferves VOL. XLI.

as an afylum for all religions and every defcription of the furviving inhabitants. The heaps of unbu ried Frenchmen lying on the bodies of those whom they maffacred two months ago, afford another proof of divine juftice, which has caufed thefe murderers to perish by the infection arifing from their own atro cious act. Seven poor wretches are left alive in the hofpital, where they are protected and fhall be taken care of. We have had a most dangerous and painful duty in difembarking here to protect the inhabitants, but it has been effectually done; and Ifmael Pacha deserves every credit for his humane exertions and cordial co-operation to that effect. Two thoufand cavalry are just dispatched to harals the French rear, and I am in hopes to overtake their van in time to profit by their diforder; but this will depend on the affembling of fufficient force, and on exertions, of which I am not abfolute mafter, though I do my utmost to give the neceffary impulfe, and a right direction. I have every confidence that the offi cers and men of the three flips under my orders, who, in the face of a moft formidable enemy, have fortified a town that had not a fingle heavy gun mounted on the land fide, and who have carried on all intercourfe by boats, under a conftant fire of mufketry and grape, will be able efficacioufly to allift the army in its future operations. This letter will be delivered to your lordship by lieutenant Canes, firft of the Tigre, whom I have judged worthy to command the Thefeus, as captain, ever fince the death of my much-lamented friend and coadjutor, captain Miller.

H

I have

taken

tak.en lieutenant England, firft of
that hip, to my affiftance in the
Tigre, by whofe exertions, and
thofe of lieutenant Summers and
Mr. Atkinson, together with the
bravery of the reft of the officers
and men,
that fhip was faved,
though on fire in five places at
once, from a depofit of French
fhells bursting on-board her.*

I have the honour to be, &c.
W. Sidney Smith.

Right hon. lord Nelfon, &c.

A Return of killed, wounded, and drowned, belonging to his Majefty's Ships Tigre and Thefeus, between the 9th and 20th May, employed in the Defence of Acre.

Tigre-John Carter, feaman, killed; Thomas Smith, fergeant of

marines, Thomas Knight, Jofeph Thompson, private marines, wounded.

Thefeus-Ralph Willett Miller, captain, Thomas Segbourne, fchoolmafter, James Morrison, Bigges Forbes, Charles James Webb, midfhipmen, 21 feamen, 1 boy, 3 private marines, killed; lieutenant Summers, Thomas Atkinson, master, Robert Tarnish, furgeon, Frederick Morris, chaplain, lieutenant Beatly, Charles Dobfon, midshipman, 30 feamen, 2 boys, 1 fergeant of marines, 5 private marines, wounded; 6 feamen, 3 private marines, drowned.

Total-1 captain, 1 fchoolmafter, 3 midshipmen, 22 feamen, 1 boy, 3 private marines, killed; 2 lieutenants, 1 mafter, I furgeon, 1 chaplain, 1 midshipman, 30 feamen, 2 boys, 2 fergeants of marines, 7 pri

*The accounts of the explosion on-board this fhip which have hitherto appeared, being extremely imperfect, a correfpondent has favoured us with the following official particulars of that event. They are extracted from the letter of the commanding officer to fir Sidney Smith, dated in Syria-Bay, the 15th of May.

"It is with extreme concern I have to acquaint you, that yesterday morning, at half paft nine o'clock, twenty 36-pound fhells, and fifty 18-pound fhells, had been got up and prepared ready for fervice by captain Miller's order, the ship then alone off Cefaria; when, in an inftant, owing to an accident that we have not been able to difcover, the whole was on fire, and a moft dreadful explosion took place; the fhip was immediately in flames in the main-rigging and mizen-top, in the cockpit, the tiers, feveral places about the main-deck, and various parts of the ship; the danger was very imminent, and required an uncommon exertion of every one to get under fo collected a body of fire as made its appearance, and I have the happiness to add, that our exertions were crowned with fuccefs, the fire got under, and the fhip most miraculously preferved; and I here feel myself called upon to declare how much obliged I am to all the officers and fhip's company, but more particularly to lieutenant Summers, Mr. Atkinson, master, and the officers and men, whofe affiftance on this occafion was truly great, and enabled us to get the better of fo great a calamity. Our lofs, from the explosion, I lament to fay, has been very great; and captain Miller, I am forry to add, is of the number killed, which amounts to 26, 10 drowned, and 45 wounded. The whole of the poop and after-part of the quarter-deck is entirely blown to pieces, and all the beams deftroyed; eight of the main-deck beams alfo broke, which fell down and jammed the tiller; all the wardrobe, bulk-heads, and windows, entirely blown to pieces, and the fhip left a perfect wreck; in fhort, a greater fcenę of horror and devaftation could not be produced; and we are all truly grateful to God Almighty for his moft fignal preservation in faving us from a danger so very great and alarming."

tate marines, wounded; 6 feamen, S private marines, drowned. His majesty's fhip Tigre, 30th May.

W. Sidney Smith.

London Gazette Extraordinary,
September 14, 1799.

Downing-freet, September 13. A Dispatch, of which the following is an Extract, was received this Morning by the Ship Sarah Chriftiana.

Extract of a Letter from the Earl of Mornington, to the Right Hon. Henry Dundas, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, dated Fort St. George, May 16.

Yesterday I received the enclosed difpatch from lieutenant - general Harris, containing the details of the capture of Seringapatam: they require no comment, and I am per fuaded that no folicitation is neceffary to induce you to recommend the incomparable army, which has gained this glorious triumph, to the particular notice of his majefty, and to the applaufe and gratitude of their country. I alfo enclofe a copy of the general orders that I iffued on this glorious occafion.

Seringapatam, May 7.

My lord, On the 4th inftant, I had the honour to address to your lordship a hafty note, containing, in few words, the fum of our fuccefs, which I have now to report more in detail.

The fire of our batteries, which began to batter in breach on the 30th April, had, on the evening of

the 3d inftant, fo much destroyed the walls, against which it was directed, that the arrangement was then made for affaulting the place on the following day, when the breach was reported practicable.

The troops intended to be employed were stationed in the trenches early in the morning of the 4th, that no extraordinary movement might lead the enemy to expect the affault, which I had determined to make in the heat of the day, as the time beft calculated to enfure fuccefs, as the troops would then be leaft prepared to oppose us.

Ten flank companies of Europeans, taken from thofe regiments neceffarily left to guard our camps, and our outpofts, followed by the 12th, 33d, 73d, and 74th regiments, and three corps of grenadier fepoys, taken from the troops of the three prefidencies, with 200 of his highnefs the Nizam's troops, formed the party for the affault, accompanied by 100. of the artillery, and the corps of pioneers, and fupported in the trenches by the battalion companies of the regiment De Meuron, and four battalions of Madras fepoys. Colonel Sherbrooke, and lieutenant-colonels Dunlop, Dalrymple, Gardiner, and Mignan, commanded the feyeral flank corps; and major-general Baird was entrufted with the direction of this important fervice.

At one o'clock, the troops moved from the trenches, crossed the rocky bed of the Cavery under an extremely heavy fire, passed the glacis and ditch, and afcended the breaches in the fauffe braye and rampart of the fort, furmounting, in the moft gallant manner, every obftacle which the difficulty of the paffage and the refiftance of the enemy prefented to

H 2

oppose

« ZurückWeiter »