ordered general Murat to join him. Near the pyramids the advanced
guard came in sight of some arabs, belonging to the rear
of Mourad bey’s army, pursued them, killed a few men, and took
some camels.
But Bonaparte was prevented from following Mourad by a lette
r from Alexandria, which informed him, that a turkish fleet of a
hundred sail had anchored at Aboukeer on the 10th, and appeared
to have some hostile intentions against that place. Immediately
he returned to Geeza; and, after making the. necessary arrangements,
and issuing his orders, set off for the seacoast. On the
19th he arrived at Rahmanie, where he was joined by different
divisions of the army on the two following days. Here he learned,
that the turkish fleet had landed about three thousand men, with
some artillery; and on the 15th attacked the redoubt o f Aboukeer,
which they carried by assault. The fort of Aboukeer, the
commanding officer of which was killed, O ? surrendered the same
day. On this the turks landed the rest of their cannon; began
to fortify themselves in the peninsula of Aboukeer; supplied the
castle with provision and ammunition; and embodied the arabs;
in expectation of the arrival of Mourad bey with his troops. This
however was prevented by Bonaparte, who had continued his
march from Rahmanie, and taken a position that cut off their
communication with the country. On the 25 th he marched to
attack them, and victory was long disputed with the utmost obstinacy
on both sides. After performing prodigies of valour, the
whole ottoman army was put to the rout, killed, or drowned. The
carnage on this occasion was dreadful, and the plains to a considetable
extent are’still white with the bones of those who. fell.
Mustapha bashaw, the commander in chief of the turks, was taken
prisoner, with about two hundred of his men only: near two.
thousand were left dead on the field of battle: and all their tents,
baggage, and twenty pieces of cannon,: fell into the hands of the
french. The next day the castle was summoned to surrender;
and on it’s refusal was bombarded. Battered by the artillery of
the besiegers, it was soon reduced to a heap of stones; yet it held
out till the 4 th of august; when the garrison, having,no longer
any communication with the fleet, and dying of hunger and thirst,
rushed out in crowds, and fell at the feet of the conquerors, imploring
their mercy.
At this period Bonaparte was informed, through the communication
o f some english flags of truce, of the defeats the republican
armies had experienced in Italy, and on the- banks of the
Rhine; and of the struggles that were taking place in France.
Accordingly, as this recent defeat of the turkish expedition tended
to-confirm the security of his conquest, he resolved to repair to a
more important field of action.. Having ordered admiral Gan-
theaume to get ready for sea two frigates, an advice boat, and a
tartane, without any intimation of his design; sealed notes were
delivered to generals Lannes, Marmont, Murat, and Andreossi,
and likewise to Monge and Berthollet, which they were to open
at a certain hour, on the 22d of august, at a particular point on the
seashore. These notes enjoined them to embark immediately,
which they did without the least communication with any person.
Berthier alone, who likewise accompanied Bonaparte to Europe,