1803.] 
Beliard from Rofetta, each with a convoy 
of ammunition and ftores, at length gave 
him the means of preparing for a general 
attack on Cairo, and for the reduction of 
Boulac. Onthe 24th of Germinal he 
fammoned the latter city, for the third 
time, to furrender, promifing a general 
pardon to the inhabitants in cafe of fub- 
imiffion, but threatening them with the fe- 
vereft vengeance if they continued their 
refitance. As they refufed to liften to 
any terms of accommodation, the attack 
was ordered for the following day. 
On the 25th, at day-break, General 
Friand led on one demi-brigade of the 
line, fupported by fome other troops, 
againft Boulac. A furious bombardment 
took place, with an intention of reducing 
it to fubmillion, rather than to give it up 
to the horrors of an affault ; but the in- 
furgents fill continuing to refit, kept up 
a heavy fire from the houfes, in which they 
were intrenched, and from the barricadoes 
which blocked up all the avenués. ‘The 
cannon now battered in breach: a charge 
was founded, and the foldiers rufhed for- 
ward upon all the intrenchments at once : 
the greater part of them was ftormed, 
but fome of the enemy {till defended them. 
felves in the moft obftinate manner ; 
every houfe became a citadel, which bid 
defiance to all but conflagration. This 
expedient did not efcape the rage of the 
aflailants: they fet fire to thofe houfes 
which they were tnable to force: the 
cries of fury and defpair were heard on all 
fides; when, in the midft of this diforder, - 
pardon was again offered to the natives, 
and again refufed. The maffacre and 
bloodied recommenced, and the flames 
continued their havock upon this populous 
city, until the inhabitants implored the 
clemency of the conquerors. ‘The difor- 
der was now ftopped, hoftilities -ceafed, 
and pardon was proclaimed from the em1- 
nences of the town. | 
General Kleber, now in poffeffion of 
Boulac, and anxious to keep the enemy 
continually in dread, made preparations 
for a general attack on Cairo... The 
Turks were {trongly intrenched in a poft 
which flanked one ot the principal fquares 
of thecity. The attack was made on the 
23th, at night-fall, with decided fuccefs. 
‘The Ofmanlis and Mamelukes, who de- 
fended this poft, were buried in the 
ruins of a mine which was fprung under 
them. The aflaultnow became general : 
the enemy were purfued into the. ftreets ; 
more than tour hundred houfes were 
burnt, and more than eight hundred OF 
manlis and Ma- elukes perifhed, amorg 
‘‘MontTuiy Mac, No, i07.- 
Biographical Account of General Kleber: 387 
whom were many of their chiefs. Day- 
break, however, put a ftop to the ation 3 
when the French took poffeffion of the 
polts from which their opponents had been 
driven. Jn the mean time, one of the 
Beys, named Mourad, who was in alli- 
ance with General Kleber, fent a meflen- 
ger tothe Pacha Nafif, in Cairo, offering 
his mediation, dnd perfuading him to ca. 
pitulate. Such, however, were the con- 
ditions he propofed, that he did not think 
prudent to communicate them.in perfon 
to the General, but fent Ofiman Bardefli, 
with two other chiefs of the family of the, 
Grand Vizir for that purpofe. Kleber 
gave theni an audience in the midtt of his 
Generalsand the officers of his ttaff, but 
rejected their propofals with difdain.— 
After the conference, he eonduéted the 
three commiflioners into an apartment, 
whence they might fee Cairo and Boulac 3 
and having pointed to this iatter city, 
which was {till burning, he gave them to 
underftand that the capital would undergo 
‘the fame fate, unlefs it {ubimitted to- the 
French. 
The envoys returned immediately to 
Cairo, but came back the next day with 
more moderate terms, to which, however, 
the Commander in Chief would not con- 
fent. In the evening he ordered another 
attack, in which feveral.of the eneimy’s 
pofts were taken after a feeble refiftance.— 
On the 1ft.of Floreal, the Aga Ofmin 
brought articles of capitulation, figned by 
the Pacha; and after exchanging hottages, 
the evacuation took place on the sth.— 
The French army made a triumphant ena 
try into the city in the mid& of two hun- 
dred thouland fpeétators, accompanied 
with repeated difcharges of cannon. . 
General Kleber, . after the furrender of 
Cairo, anxious to reduce all Egypt to fub- 
miflion, ordered an expedition againft Su- 
ez, which was fuccelfsfully conduéted and 
terminated by General. Lambert. He 
now began to turn his attention to the 
finances of his army, and foon felt the ne- 
ceflity of gaining the belt information as 
to the fources of the public revenue.— 
Nor was he long in difcovering, trom the 
opinion of thofe perfons who had more 
particularly fudied the fubjeét, that feve- 
ral of its branches had been either un- 
Known or neglected. It was not, howe- 
ver, fulicient to fecure a neceflary fum 
for common expenditure ; there was ftill 
a confiderable debt in arrear, and the ae- 
ceflities of the army were preffing and un- 
limited. 
The cities of Boulac and Cairo, terri- 
fied at his fuccefles, waited in the gteateft 
we ies onfternation 
