APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 



71 



who had just joined me with the 

 troops from Constantinople, com- 

 ]30sing the second maritime expedi- 

 tion destined for the recovery of 

 Egypt. As soon as our joint exer- 

 tions had restored order, we pro- 

 ceeded to the mouth of the Da- 

 mietta hramch of the Nile, to make 

 an attack thereon, as combined 

 with the supreme Vizier, in order to 

 draw the attention of the enemy 

 that way, and leave his highness 

 more at liberty to advance with the 

 grand army, on the side of the 

 desert. The attack began by the 

 Tigre's boats taking possession of a 

 ruined castle situated on the eastern 

 side of the Bogaz, or entrance of 

 the Channel, which the inundation 

 of the Nile had insulated from the 

 main land, leaving a fordable 

 passage. The Turkish flag, display- 

 ed on the tower of this castle, was 

 at once the signal for the Turkish 

 gun-boats to advance, and for the 

 enemy to open their fire, in order to 

 dislodge us; their nearest post being 

 a redoubt on the main land with 

 two S2-pounders, and an 8-poun- 

 dcr field-piece mounted thereon, a 

 point-blank shot distant. The fire 

 was returned from the launch's car- 

 ronade, mounted in a breach in the 

 castle, and from field pieces in the 

 small boats, which soon obliged the 

 enemy to discontinue working at an 

 intrencliment they were making to 

 oppose a landing. Lieutenant 

 Stokes was detached with the boats 

 to check a body of cavalry advanc- 

 ing along the neck of land, in which 

 he succeeded ; but I am .sorry to say 

 witli the loss of one man killed and 

 one wounded. Thisiiiterchangeof 

 shot continued, with little inter- 

 mission, during the 2<)th,.'j()tli,and 

 .'ilst, wliile the Turkish trans|)orts 

 were drawing nearer to the landing- 



place, our shells from the carronade 

 annoying the enemy in his work and 

 communications; at length the ma- 

 gazine blowing up, and one of their 

 32-pounders being silenced, a fa- 

 vourable moment offered for disem- 

 barkation. Orders were given 

 accordingly ; but it was not tUl the 

 morning of the Istof November,that 

 they could effectuate this operation. 

 This delay gave time for the enemy 

 to collect a force more than double 

 that of the first division landed, and 

 to be ready to attack it before the 

 return of the boats with the remain- 

 der. The French advanced to the 

 charge with bayonets. The Turks 

 completely exculpated themselves 

 from the suspicion of cowardice 

 havingbeen thecause of their delav, 

 for when the enemy were within 

 ten yards of them they rushed on, 

 sabre in hand, and in an instant 

 completely routed the first line of 

 the French infantry. The day was 

 ours for the moment; but the im- 

 petuosity of Osman Aga, and his 

 troops, occasioned them to quit the 

 station assigned them as a corps of 

 reserve, and to run forward in pur- 

 suit of the fugitives: European 

 tactics were, of course, advantage- 

 ously employed by the French at 

 this critical j uncture. The body of 

 reserve came on in perfect order, 

 wliile a charge of cavalry, on the 

 left of the Turks, put them com- 

 ]iletcly to tlie route in their turn. — • 

 Our flanking fire from the castle 

 and boats, which had been hitherto 

 plied with evident effect, was now 

 necessarily suspended, by the impos- 

 sibility of pointing clear of the Turks 

 in the confusion. The latter turned 

 a random fire on the boats, to make 

 them take them oft", and the sea was, 

 in an instant, covered with turbans, 

 while theuirwas filled with piteous 



