where they lost some of their standards; though they spiked four guns before their retreat. Kleber's division, instead of mounting the breach, according to Bonaparte's intention, was thus obliged to waste its time and strength in recovering its trenches; in which, after a conflict of some hours, it succeeded.

A flag of truce was now sent into the town, by the hand of an Arabian dervise, with a letter to the bashaw, proposing a cessation of arms, for the purpose of burying the dead bodies, the stench from which had become intolerable, and threatened the existence of every one of the armies on both sides, many having died delirious within a few hours after being seized with the first symptoms of infection. While the answer was under consideration, a volley of shots and shells on a sudden announced an assault; which, however, the garrison was ready to receive, and the assailants only contributed to increase the number of the dead bodies in question, to the eternal disgrace of the French general, who thus disloyally sacrificed them. Sir Sidney saved the life of the Arabian dervise, who had come with the flag of truce, from the effects of the indignation of the Turks, and took him off with himself to the Tigre, from whence he sent him back to the general with a message, which made the army ashamed of having been exposed to such merited reproof. It must have been extremely painful to Sir Sidney, whose humanity was equal to his extraordinary intrepidity and bravery, and who had exerted himself, with success, to soften the fate of the French prisoners at Constantinople, to behold the multiplied horrors which were committed under his inspection, and these under the united flags of the Sublime Porte and of Great Britain. The French wounded and prisoners were massacred by the Turks, in cold blood. As they have a savage satisfaction themselves in slaughtering their enemies, and even their women and children, they place no faith in capitulations, and think the only way to be secure against any future attacks from their prisoners of war is to put them to death. They bound two and two of them together in one sack, having first cut off their heads, and threw them into the sea.

All hopes of success having vanished, the French had no alternative left but a retreat, which was put in execution on the night between the 20th and 21st of May, after a siege of sixty days. Their battering train of artillery, amounting to twenty-three pieces, fell into the hands of the English cruisers. Their howitzers, and the medium 12-pounders, originally conveyed by land with great difficulty, and successfully employed to make the first breach at Acre, were embarked in the country-vessels, at Jaffa, to be conveyed coastwise, together with the worst

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among the wounded, which embarrassed the BOOK III. march of the army. This operation was to be expected; Sir Sidney Smith, (the British com- CHAP. XI. modore,) therefore, took care to be between Jaffa and Damietta, before the French army could get as far as the former place. The vessels being hurried to sea, without seamen to navigate them, and the wounded being in want of every necessary, even water and provisions, they steered straight to his majesty's ships, in full confidence of receiving the succours of humanity; in which they were not disappointed. He sent them on to Damietta, to receive such farther aid as their situation required, but which it was out of his power to give to so many. Their expressions of gratitude to the English sailors were mingled with execrations on the name of their general,. who had, as they said, exposed them to peril, rather than fairly and honorably renew the intercourse with the English, which he had broken off by a false and malicious assertion, that the English commander, Sir Sidney, had intentionally exposed the prisoners he had formerly taken. to the infection of the plague.

The French army had not long begun to retreat, when it was harassed in rear by the Arabs, (a party of whom came down to the boats, and treated the English flag with every token of union and respect,) while the van column, in its march. along the beach, was severely annoyed by rowing. gun-boats.

Ishmael Bashaw, Governor of Jerusalem, en-tered the town of Jaffa by land, at the same time that the English squadron brought their guns to bear upon it by sea, in case of resistance. The plunder and massacre of the helpless inhabitants, begun by the Naplousians, was stopped by the united efforts of Ishmael Bashaw and the English commodore. The English flag, rehoisted on the consul's house, and under which the Bashaw of Jerusalem met Sir Sidney, served as an asylum for all religions, and for every description of the surviving inhabitants. Two thousand cavalry were dispatched to harass the French rear. But this, after all the losses it had suffered,. and disadvantages under which it had labored,. returned, at length, from an unfortunate and disastrous expedition, to Grand Cairo. In the course of his retreat, Bonaparte took signal vengeance on all the villages and towns in which assassinations had been committed on his troops, or where his convoys had been interrupted. Many of them he ordered to be reduced to ashes, carrying away all their camels, cattle, or whatever provisions they possessed, for the use of his army. He visited all the forts on the Egyptian side of the desert, (having previously demolished those on the side of Syria,) directed new works to be constructed, and garrisoned the most important with troops.

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BOOK III. THE various seeds of discontent, jealousy, and resentment, that prevailed among different tribes CHAP. XII. and classes of men in Egypt, during the absence of the commander-in-chief and flower of the French army in Syria, threatened to break out into open insurrection and revolt. Soon, however, after his return, all things were reduced to their former state of tranquillity. But ideas of But ideas of re-conquering Egypt, as Bonaparte had foreseen, were inspired into the councils of the divan, by the victory of Lord Nelson, and the consequences naturally resulting from that event; and, also, by what Bonaparte probably had not foreseen-the brave and successful defence of St. John d'Acre.

The following is an account of the loss sustained by the French upon this occasion, according to the statement of General Berthier :

Immediately upon his return to Cairo, Bonaparte directed his attention to the formation of different corps. He soon put the army in a state to march to new combats. He had destroyed 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 Desaix, that the Mamelukes in Upper Egypt had divided their forces; that a part had proceeded to the passes of Sababier, with the intention of joining Ibrahim Bey, who had gone back to Ghazah; and that Mourad Bey descended, by the Fayoum, to gain the passes 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 assembled in that quarter; but that General Destaing would disperse them with the moveable.

column under his command.

General Le Grange, with a moveable column, left Cairo on the 10th of July, and arrived at Sababier, where he surprised the Mamelukes in their camp. They had scarcely time to escape, and abandoned all their baggage and seven

hundred camels. Fifty of their horses were taken. The Mamelukes fled into the desert.

General Murat, with another moveable column, received orders to proceed to the lakes of Natron, disperse the Arabs collected there, second the operations of General Destaing, and cut off the retreat of Mourad Bey. General Murat arrived at the lakes of Natron, took a kiaschef and thirty Mamelukes, who were pursued, along with some Arabs, by General Destaing. Mourad Bey, when near the lakes of Natron, learned that the French were there, and made a retrograde movement. On the 13th of July he rested near the pyramids of Ghazah, on the side of the desert.

In the beginning of July, a Turkish army, under Mustapha Bashaw, supported by the AngloRussian and Turkish fleets, advanced against Aboukir, the bulwark of Alexandria and Egypt. The Turkish troops, under Mustapha, and those on board the united fleets, were computed from 30 to 40,000 men. On the 11th of July, Seid Mustapha Bashaw anchored, with all his forces, in the road of Aboukir. On the 16th they effected a landing, without opposition; and an attack was immediately made on the castle and redoubt. After a heavy cannonade, 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 listen to no proposals; they scaled the redoubt, and cut in pieces the whole garrison, amounting to 700 men. The French in the castle, 400 in number, fearing a similar fate, surrendered prisoners of war.

Bonaparte, informed by a letter from Alexandria, that this Turkish fleet, of 100 sail, had anchored at Aboukir, and indicated hostile intentions against Alexandria, having made the proper dispositions for the defence and peace of Upper Egypt and Cairo, and also for keeping up the communication between Cairo and Alexaudria, moved with the main army from Rhamanie, and, on the 23d of July, took a position at Birket. The head-quarters were fixed at Alexandria. The miners were sent to Leda to dig wells; springs were discovered, and the wells formed and guarded. Three battalions of the garrison of Alexandria, under the command of General Destaing, were ordered to reconnoitre the enemy,

take a position, and see wells cleared at midway between Alexandria and Aboukir. This attention to wells is as great a point in warfare, in hot countries, as the establishment of stores and magazines in other countries.

Bonaparte employed the morning of the 24th in viewing the fortifications of Alexandria, and in preparing every thing for attacking the enemy at Aboukir; where, according to the report of spies and reconnoitering parties, Mustapha Bashaw, commanding the Turkish army, landed with about 15,000 men, a great quantity of artillery, and a number of horses, and was engaged in erecting fortifications. In the afternoon, Bonaparte left Alexandria with the main army, advanced parties being sent to various posts, in different directions, and took a position between the wells of Alexandria and Aboukir. The army began to move forward toward Aboukir, at daybreak, on the 25th of July. A brigadier-general, with two squadrons of infantry and 100 dromedaries, was ordered to take a position between Alexandria and the army, in order to oppose the Arabs and Mourad Bey, who were every moment expected to arrive, with the design of joining the Turkish army, and in order to preserve the communication with Alexandria. A division of the army, which had proceeded to Rosetta, was directed to take post, by day-break, at the extremity of the bar of Rosetta, at Aboukir, and near the entrance of the lake of Madie, in order to cannonade such of the vessels of the combined fleet as might be found on the lake, and to harass the enemy's left.

The first line of the Turks was posted about half a league in front of the fort of Aboukir. About 100 men occupied a mount of sand, defended on its right, towards the sea, by intrenchments, and supported by a village at the distance of about 300 toises, which was occupied by 1200 men and four pieces of cannon. The left was upon a detached sand-hill, to the left of the peninsula, and about 600 toises in front of the first line. This position was very badly fortified; but the Turkish army occupied it in order to cover the most plentiful wells of Aboukir. Some gunboats were stationed so as to protect the space between this position and the second line; which was also occupied by 2000 men, provided with six pieces of cannon. Their second position was about 300 toises in the rear of the first village; their centre, at the redoubt which they had taken from the French; their right, behind an intrenchment extending from the redoubt to the sea, à space of about 100 toises; their left was posted between the redoubt and the sea, on some low sand-hills and the shore, commanded by the fire from the redoubts and the gun-boats. In this position there were about 700 men and twentytwo pieces of cannon. About 100 toises behind

the redoubt lay the village and fort of Aboukir, BOOK III. occupied by nearly 1500 men.

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The train of the bashaw, who had the chief CHAP. XII. command, consisted of eighty horsemen. The squadron came to anchor in the road, about a league and a half from the shore. After a march of two hours, the advanced guard of the French came in sight of the Turks. These being attacked by the French with the bayonet, retreated towards the village. Two squadrons of cavalry and a platoon of guides, on horseback, cut off their retreat, and killed or drove into the sea this body of 200 men, of which not one escaped. The same division of the French army then marched upon the village, which formed the centre of their second line, and turned it; while another corps attacked it in front. The whole second line, including the village, was carried. The French cavalry killed many with their sabres, and drove many into the sea. The rest made their escape to the redoubt, which formed the centre of the second position. This second position was very strong, the redoubt being flanked by a ditch of communication, which secured the peninsula on the right, as far as the sea. Another ditch of the like kind stretched along on the left, to a small distance from the redoubt. The remaining space was occupied by the enemy stationed on the sandhills and in the batteries. In this position the enemy had from 8000 to 9000 men.

While the French troops halted to take breath, the general-in-chief ordered some pieces of artillery to be planted in the village, and along the shore, on the left. A fire was opened on the redoubt, and the right of the Turks. The French cavalry, on the right of their line, attacked the enemy's left, which it repeatedly charged with great impetuosity, cutting down, or driving into the sea, all who came in their way. But they could not penetrate beyond the redoubt without being put between its fire and that of the gunboats. Hurried by their impetuosity into this terrible defile, they fell back at each charge, and the Turks made a stand with fresh forces on the dead bodies of their companions. A reinforcement was sent of infantry. The Turks at this instant made a sally. The heads of the hostile columns fought body to body. The Turks endeavored, by their superiority of bodily strength, to wrest the bayonets from the French; they slung their muskets behind them, and fought with their sabres and pistols; for every Turk carries a musket, two pistols in his girdle, and a sabre. A French regiment at length reached the intrenchment: but the fire from the redoubt, which every where flanked the intrenchments, obliged them to retire.

The Turks, notwithstanding the dreadful fire from the village, darted from their intrenchments to cut off the heads of the dead and wounded,

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BOOK III. that they might receive the rewards which the Turkish government bestows for the encourageCHAP. XII. ment of this barbarous custom. Another corps of the French was sent to advance, for the support of their friends, on the Turks. They leaped on the parapet, and were soon within the redoubt. Another party of the French rushed forward upon the Turks at the charging step. General Murat, who commanded the advanced guard of the French, seized the moment when the redoubt was attacked, to order a corps of infantry to charge, and reverse all the Turkish positions, as far as the ditch of the fort of Aboukir. This movement was executed with so much impetuosity, and so opportunely, that, at the moment the redoubt was forced, this column had already reached its destination, and entirely cut off the retreat of the Turks to the fort of Aboukir. Confused and terrified, they now found every where only the bayonet and death. The cavalry cut them down with their sabres. They believed that they had now no resource left but to flee to the sea, into which 6 or 7000 precipitated themselves in total despair. Mustapha Bashaw was taken, with about 200 Turks: 2000 men lay on the field of battle. All the tents, the equipage, and twenty pieces of cannon, (two of which were English, having been presented by the court of London to the grand seignior,) fell into the hands of the French. The English gun-boats saved themselves by flight. It was computed that about 10,000 Turks were drowned. The fort of Aboukir ceased to fire: the garrison was struck with terror.

A flag of truce was soon followed by the surrender of the fort of Aboukir. Bonaparte, foreseeing the certainty of this, retired, even before it took place, to Alexandria.

At this place he issued a declaration, dated, Army of the East, general orders, July 27.

"The general-in-chief, wishing to give a mark of his approbation to the brigade of cavalry of General Murat, which covered itself with glory at the battle of Aboukir, orders the commandant of artillery to send to the brigade the two English pieces of cannon, which had been sent, by the court of London, as a present to Constanti nople, and which were taken in that battle.

"On each cannon there shall be engraven the names of the three regiments composing that bri

gade, as well as the name of General Murat, and that of Adjutant-general Roire: there shall be written round the touch-hole, 'Battle of Aboukir.'" Another declaration, dated, general orders, August 1st, Bonaparte, general-in-chief.

"The name of Aboukir was fatal to all Frenchmen. The 25th of July has rendered it glorious. The victory which the army has gained accelerates its return to Europe.

"We have conquered Mentz, and the limits of the Rhine, by invading a part of Germany. We have now re-conquered our establishments in India, and those of our allies, by a single opera tion. We have put into the hands of government the power to force England, notwithstanding its maritime triumphs, to a peace glorious for the republic.

"We have suffered much; we have had to fight enemies of every kind; we have them still to conquer; but, at length, the result will be worthy of you, and we shall merit the thanks of our country."

So close had been the blockade of Egypt by the British fleet, and so difficult, at this time, all communication with other countries, that the affairs of Europe were but imperfectly known to Bonaparte. Having received some intelligence of a new war, and being apparently disgusted with his present expedition, this brave general planned the desertion of his army, notwithstanding his repeated declarations—“I am with you!" Resolving to return secretly to France, he was accompanied by Berthier, (to whom alone he is said to have communicated his intentions anterior to the event,) and also by the Generals Lasnes, Murat, Andreossi, the Chief of Brigade Bessieres, a company of guides, several Mamelukes, and Mongé, Berthollet, and Arnauld, members of the Egyptian institute. All but the first officer went on board, in consequence of sealed instructions, which they were to open on the beach. Thus Bonaparte suddenly embarked, August 24, on board two armed vessels, prepared for that purpose; and, after wonderfully escaping from the vigilance of the English cruisers, landed first at Ajaccio, then at Frejus, and reached Paris on the 16th of October. The consequences of his unexpected return, and the wretched state of the French army in Egypt, shall be the subjects of other chapters.

DURING the transactions recorded in the preceding chapter, wherein mention has been made of a new war, hostilities had re-commenced in Germany and Italy. The two contracting powers, Great Britain and Russia, conscious of the advantages likely to be derived from the concurrence of Prussia, held out the most alluring offers to Frederick William III.; and the cabinet of Petersburgh even tendered a succour of landforces, amounting to 45,000 infantry and cavalry, together with a proportionate quantity of artillery, all the expences of which were to be defrayed by a subsidy from England. The young prince, however, refused his participation; preferring the certain advantages of a neutrality, to the precarious benefits arising from war.

The allied courts still persisted in their resolution to humble the ambition of France; and the Emperor of Germany, dissatisfied with the treaty of Campo Formio, and being now assured of powerful assistance, no longer concealed his hostile intentions. The acquisition of Piedmont, the conquest of Switzerland, and the recent revolution at Naples, were events in which he was nearly interested; and he had already exhibited dissatisfaction, by marching a column of troops into the mountainous regions occupied by the Grisons, and taking possession of their country. His imperial majesty also gave orders for assembling a powerful army between the Inn and the Lech, which was to be joined by a body of troops under the Prince of Condé; while his ministers, at the congress of Radstadt, were instructed to check the too-eager wishes of some of the coestates for peace.

The congress of Radstadt had, from the beginning of this year, become a mere form and mockery of negociation, serving only as a pretext for delay. The emperor Paul, in conformity to his recent engagements, had immediately put his treeps in motion. Austria waited with impatience

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the arrival of the Russians, and the approach of BOOK II. that season in the year, when the operations concerted between the imperial courts, on the side CHAP.XHIL of Italy and the Tyrole might commence; while France was solicitous to replace, by military conscriptions, the dreadful void which appeared in all the armies of the republic. The renewal of the war was, however, regarded with aversion by all classes of the nation. all classes of the nation. Every degree of confidence in the government was lost, the most gloomy apprehensions were entertained, and defeat and disaster were already anticipated.

General Jourdan, having been appointed to the command of the French forces destined to enter Germany, and who were to assume the appellation of the "Army of the Danube," as that river was expected to be the theatre of their exploits, began his march into Suabia at the end of February; but the French plenipotentiaries at Radstadt acquainted Count Metternich, who was at the head of the deputation of the empire," that the march of the army ought to be considered as a precaution, rendered necessary by circumstances; and that the directory persisted in the intention of concluding peace with the empire, if the empire would declare itself against the march of the Russians." of the Russians." The deputation, as a majority of them wished for peace, came to an ultimatum, that the note in question should be sent to the diet, accompanied by a declaration, stating the urgent necessity of such an answer as would enable them to resume the negociation. The Austrian minister, in a note, dated March 4, signified, in explicit terms, how much this proceeding was disagreeable to his imperial majesty; and that all further declaration should have been suspended till the ulterior decision of the emperor and the empire, agreeably to the former ultimatum of the deputation.

A

peace would assuredly have taken place, but for the interposition of the Emperor Paul. Às