- 
them in a very animated tone, he commu- 
nicated his order of battle. He did not, 
however, think proper to attack the Grand 
Vizir without a formal declaration of hof- 
tilities ; but though he gaye him infor- 
mation of his intentions, he at the fame 
time ordered that all neceffary prepara- 
tions fhould be made for. aétion. In the 
midit of the following night, Kleber, ac- 
companied. by the guides and ftaiT of his 
army, went to the plain of Coubé, where 
he found part of his troops already poft- 
ed: the remainder arrived in fucceilion, 
and drew up in order of battle.. The 
clearnefs of the fky, which in thefe cli- 
mates is generally ferene, enabied them 
to execute their movements with regula- 
rity, though there was darknels fufficjent 
to conceal them from the enemy. The 
Generai rode along the ranks, and, from 
‘the confidence and gaiety of the foldiers, 
crew the happieit prefage of vittory, — 
The Pacha Nafif,. who commanded 
the. enemy's advanced-guard, had two 
other Pachas under his orders. . The 
village of Matharieh, which he o¢cupied 
with fix thoufand picked Janizavies and 
a bedy of cavalry, had been entrenched 
and armed with fixteen pieces of artil- 
Jery. ‘The Vizir’s camp was fituated.be- 
tween E] Hanka and the village of Abou- 
zabel: bis army amounted to cighty 
thoufand men. 
About three o'clock in the morning 
the French army began to move. Gene- 
ral Reynicr ied the attack on Matharieh, 
at the head of a few grenadier-companics, 
who carried the entrencliments with the 
moft determined bravery ; and notwith- 
ftanding the efforts of the Janizaries, the 
ftandards, artillery, and other camp-ef- 
fets, fell into their hands. P&rt of the 
-enemy’s infantry threw themfelves inte 
the houfes, with an. intention to defend 
themfelves to the laft : they had not, how- 
ever, {ufficient fime to eftablifh them- 
felves ; they were either cut to pieces, or 
deftroyed by the flames: others, endea- 
vouring to efcape from the village of Ma- 
tharieh, fell under the fire of one of the 
divifions of the French: the remainder of 
the Turks were either killed, or difperfed 
by acharge of cavalry. The movement 
of the Freach troups was not retarded by 
any acts of pillage: the army was. tho- 
roughly convinced of the neceffity of pur- 
fuing the Vizir to the limits of the defart ; 
and this conviction feemed equally to ani- 
mate the officers and foldiers. 
At this time the Pacha Nafif gave Ge- 
neral Kleber to underiiand, that he was 
willing to treat with him.” The latter 
Biographical Account of General Kleber. 
- 
[Nov.!, 
fent one of his aides-du.camp, who was de- 
tained as hoftage for the Pacha Mufta- 
pha, who was with the Commander in 
Chief. 
Whiift General Reynier was aflembling 
his divifion round the cbelifks of Helio. 
polis, an immenfe cloud of du& announ. 
ced the arrival of a body of the Turkifh 
army, which po‘ted itfeif on the heights 
of Sericourt and Del-Marci. The Vizir, 
whofe guard was diftinguifhed by the 
brilliancy of thzir arms, eftablifhed him. 
felf behind a grove of. palm-trees, which 
furrounded the latter village. General 
Friant, already on his march, was attack- 
ed by the fharp-fhaoters, who were con- 
cealed in the wood. Kleber ordered Ge- 
neral Reynier to advance againit the ene. 
my’s right wing, at the village of Seri. 
court; and the French army infenhbly 
réefumed their firt arder of battle as they 
advanced. 
General Friant, after a very warm 
conte, drove the enemy’s tharp-fhooters 
‘from the wood, and put them completely 
tothe rout. In the mean time the Turk. 
ifa army moved forward, and, forming ins 
to feveral divifions, furiounded the French 
on all fides, fo tnat they found themielves 
in the midf of a fquare body of cavalry, 
covering an extent of Halfa league... Tne 
Vizir, however, finding that this project 
did not fucceed, withdrew precipitately 
to ElLHanka. Kleber, uneafy at his dex 
figns, determined, at all events, to keep in 
purfeit of him, whether to Cairo, the de- 
fart, or the cultivated lands ; and it was 
not long before he heard of his return to 
El-Hanka. The Vizir now fent a prope. 
fal for the ceflation of hoftilities, and the , 
evacuation of Cairo, in purfuance of the 
treaty; the General in Caief fent no 
other anfwer than that he was on his 
march to El-Hanka. The French army, , 
in faét, continued their approaches to this 
village ; the enemy’s cavalry ftationed in 
front of it, drew back in the greateft con. 
fufion, and the. Ottoman army was fe 
warmly purfued, that they had no, time to 
ftop at El-Hanka, where the French troops - 
arrived before fun-fet. The camp-effects 
and baggage which had been abandoned 
by the Turks, fufficicntly evinced. the 
precipitation .with which they fled.— 
Among other valuables found in the 
camp, were a great number of coats of 
mail, and iron helmets. ., |. 
The French army having undergone the 
greateft fatigues, . repofed themielves 
throughout the following day under the 
tents of the enemy. On the morrow they 
marched for Belbeys, where they arrived 
on 
, 
