356 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period IV. 



horsemen, and a large body of ill-trained infantry, had 

 prepared to deliver battle to secure the safety of the 

 capital city. An entrenchment with some forty pieces 

 of artillery had been constructed near the bank of tJK^, 

 river, the cavalry, with their right resting upon it, spread 

 out to the left upon the wide sandy plain that stretched 

 across to the Pyramids. Napoleon, seeing that the 

 cannon were stationary, and not upon carriages, and 

 could not be aimed in a:*^ ' but one direction, decided to 

 move to the right so as to avoid their fire. Mourad 

 Bey, who saw the manoeuvre, and understood the effect 

 of it, with the rapidity and decision of a skilful general, 

 resolved to charge the French columns at the momcx^t 

 they were efiecting their flank march. 



The charge was made by about 7,000 horsemen, in a 

 great confused swarm. Desaix had hardly time to com- 

 plete his formation before some of the foremost riders 

 were upon him. His men were consequently somewhat 

 broken, and thirty or forty of the bravest Mamelukes 

 penetrated the ranks, and were killed in the midst of 

 the French square. The other divisions were all formed 

 ready awaiting the charge. It was an imposing sight 

 for the French soldiers to encounter. The immense 

 hordes of magnificent horsemen, brilliantly equipped, 

 and mounted upon the swiftest horses, came down upon 

 them at full gallop, the glitter of their arms and accoutre- 

 ments fitfully flashing from the rolling clouds of dust, 

 that marked, yet partially screened their advance. The 

 loud shouts which rent the air, and the thundering noise 

 of the numberless hoofs that beat the ground, painfully 

 impressed the French infantry, who, th-" ^^h not panic- 

 struck, yet most anxiously awaited the result. Soon 

 the artillery began to pour in rounds of grapeshot, and 

 then the musketry fire went pealing along the front of 

 each massive square. Volley after volley poured out 

 rapidly from the successive ranks, and at each discharge 

 horses and riders in hundreds, struck by the pitUess 

 tempest of bullets, rolled in the sand, shaking the ad- 

 vance of the survivors, and causing them to swerve from 

 the fronts of the squares. 



