¥801. } 
ditional celebrity, and to fee that extraor- 
dinary man whom the greateft generals 
in Europe had been unable to conquer. 
The reception which Defaix experienced 
from the conqueror of Italy did honour 
to both parties. Immediately on the ar- 
rival of the former, Bonaparte, in the ge- 
neral orders to the army, expreffed his 
high efteem of him in the following terms 
—‘“ The commander in chief gives notice 
to the army of Italy, that General Defaix 
is arrived from the army of the Rhine, 
and preparing to reconnoitre the pofitions 
where the French have immortalifed their 
fame.” This honourable fuffrage was 
followed by a mark of confidence ftill 
more honourable. Bonaparte wifhed to 
make Defaix a partner in his glory when 
he undertook to carry the French arms 
into Egypt. At the capture of Malta, 
in the battle of Chebreris, in that of the 
Pyramids, Defaix difplayed fo great ta- 
lents and bravery, that the commander 
in chief determined te give him a lafting 
teftimony of his efteem by prefenting him 
with a2 poignard, of moft exquifite work- 
manship and enriched with diamonds, on 
which was inferibed “ Capture of Mal:a 
—Battle of Chebreris— Battle of the Py- 
ramids.” Seconded by Generals Friand, 
Davout, and Béliard, he received orders 
to go and achieve the conqueit of Upper 
Egypt, where Murad Bey had taken re- 
fuge with the remnant of the Mamme- 
lucs. He fought feveral battles in various 
places, and every where rendered the arms 
of the republic triumphant. He did more! 
he won the affections of the inhabitants. 
of the countries which he had conquered, 
who beftowed on him the glorious title 
of “the Juft Sultaun.” But it is not 
alone in this intereftine point of view that 
this expedition has entitled him to well 
merited encomiums: he moreover ftudied 
to render it ufeful to the arts and {ciences, 
by not only procuring for the literati 
commiffioned to explore the country every 
thing within the limits of Ins authority, 
which could contribute to the fafety and 
convenience of their journey, but alfo fur- 
nifhing them with every information that 
he had been able to collect from his own 
perfonal examination of the interefting 
monuments and ruins yet exifting there, 
which he had fcrutinifed with all the at- 
tention of a man of learning. Such were 
Defaix’s claims to the gratitude of France 
and to immortal fame, when he was re- 
called from Upper Egypt by General 
Kleber, and, by his order, figned a treaty 
‘with the Turks and Englifh, on the faith 
Memoirs of General Defaix, 
:. fail to acquire. 
33S 
of which he embarked to retura to Fu- 
rope, taking his paflage in a neutral vef- 
fel. bound for France. On his arrival 
there, Defaix learned that the chief con« 
ful was already on his march to reconquer 
ltaly. Immediately his bofom was in~ 
flamed with the defire of participating 
the glory which that hero could not 
The time fixed for his 
quarantine feemed to pafs too flowly for 
his ardent wifhes: he impatiently longed 
for the order to repair to that army which 
was deftined to perform fuch mighty 
deeds: at length he received it from the 
hand of the chief conful himfelf; and 
being now at liberty to proceed, he in- 
ftantly fet out for Milan, where he ar- 
rived on the twenty-fecond of Prairial. 
"The Gallic bands had already been crown- 
ed with victory on the twentieth at Monte-’ 
bello; and he regretted that his involun- 
tary abfence had excluded him from a 
fhare in their perils and their glory. But 
the two armies were full in prefence of 
each other: the hour approached which’ 
was to decide the fate ef Italy; and the 
talents of Defaix were too valuable not 
to be ufefully employed in fo important 2 
juncture. Accordingly he was appointed 
to the command of one of the divifions of 
the army. At length that fun which was 
to witnefs the triumph of the French and 
the defeat of the Auftrians, had fhone 
forth from the horizon. The combat was 
commenced with fpirit, and continue& 
with obftinate perfeverance. Four times 
the French were repulfed: four times they 
returned to the charge; at length the 
chief conful, amid a moft tremendous fire, 
feized the favorable moment ‘o re-animate 
the courage of his tzoops. Immediately 
Defaix rulhed with impetuofity into the 
thick of the hottile battalions; and the 
army of referve, which he commanded, 
charged them with the bayonet. The 
divifion of general Boudet followed that 
bold movement, and the whole army ad- 
vanced at full fpeed. The a@ion now 
became terrible: but Defaix, at the very 
moment when his efforts were on the 
point of deciding the victory, received 
the ftroke of death from a mufket-ball 
and that hero, whofe exploits are cele- 
brated both by Europe and Africa, ter- 
minated his glorious career in uttering 
thefe words——‘* Go, tell the chief conful, 
that, in dying, I feel regret for not hav- 
ing done enough to make my name live 
with pofterity.” He perifhed on the asth 
of Prairial, in the eighth year of the re- 
public (14th of June, 100). 
EXTRACTS 
