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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 548: CAMPAIGN IN EGYPT.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

CAMPAIGN IN EGYPT.

It has been seen that Napoleon had entered Cairo, and that his fleet while there was annihilated in Aboukir Bay. In the month of February he quitted Cairo, with the intention of dispersing the Turkish forces that were collecting near the Syrian frontier, and then of conquering all Syria. Gaza and Jaffa were stormed; the man of destiny, as Napoleon styled himself in Egypt, swept everything before him until he came to the walls of Acre. This place, which is the key of Syria, was defended by the Pasha Djezzar; by Colonel Philippeaux, an emigrant royalist; and by Sir Sidney Smith, with some of his sailors and marines. It was in vain that Napoleon attempted to breakthrough the crumbling walls of this ancient place: sixty days were spent before them, and seven or eight assaults made; but he was every time repulsed, and after losing three thousand men, he was compelled to raise the siege and return to Cairo. During his absence General Desaix had ascended the Nile, and had driven the remnant of the Mamelukes from Upper Egypt and beyond the cataracts of Assonau; and soon after his return he was called down to the coast, where Nelson had annihilated the French fleet, by the arrival of a Turkish army, amounting to 18,000 men. A terrible battle was fought on the 25th of July; but the French were victorious—10,000 Turks perished. Napoleon now began to make secret preparations for returning to France; and on the 23rd of August he embarked secretly in a frigate, leaving his army, which was reduced to 20,000 men, behind him.