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strengthening by works the short and very defensible line which he occupied, and to oblige him still farther to retire before he could be joined by the reinforcements, which, he was informed, were upon their march. Preparatively, therefore, to a general and forward movement, he ordered the advanced posts which the army had taken up on the 3rd in front of Alcmaer, and the other places already mentioned, to be pushed forward, which was done, accordingly, on the 4th. At first little opposition was shewn, and the British succeeded in taking possession of the villages of Schermerhoorn, Archer, Sloot, Limmen, Baccum, and of a position on the sand-hills, near Wyck-op-Zee. The column, consisting of the Russian troops, under the command of major-general D'Essen, in endeavouring to gain a height in front of their intended advanced post at Baccum (which was material to the security of that point) was vigorously opposed by a strong body of the enemy, which obliged sir Ralph Abercrombie to move up for the support of that column with the reserve of his corps.

from which were strongly fortified, and in the hands of the enemy; and farther still, that, as our army advanced this corps was placed in our rear.

Intelligence being received of all these circumstances, the British commander naturally paused. The obstacles enumerated might have been overcome by the persevering courage of the troops under his command, had not the state of the weather, the ruined condition of the roads, and the total want of the necessary supplies, arising from the above causes, presented additional difficulties, which demanded the most serious consideration. The duke of York, therefore, having maturely weighed the circumstances in which the army under his command was placed, thought it adviseable, with the concurrence of general Abercrombie, and the lieutenant-generals of the ariny, to withdraw the troops from this advanced position to their former station at Schagenbrug: from whence, on the 9th of October, his royal highness dispatched his secretary, colonel Brownrig, to London, in order to give a circumstantial account of the state of affairs in Holland, and to receive his majesty's farther instructions.

The enemy, on their part, advanced their whole force. The action became general along the whole line from Limmen to the sea, and was maintained on both sides until night, when the Batavian and French army retired, leaving the British in the field of battle. This conflict was as severe as any of those that had been fought since the arrival of our troops in Holland, and, in proportion to the numbers engaged, attended with as great a loss. Of the British 900 were killed or wounded, of the Russians not less than 1200. The loss of the enemy was also very great in the killed, wounded, and prisoners which fell into our hands to the number of 500. The post to which the British army directed its march was Haerlem. But intelligence was received from the prisoners taken in this action, that the enemy, who had been just reinforced by 6000 infantry, had strengthened the position of Beverwick, and thrown up very strong works in its rear: and, that they bad stationed a large force at Purmirind, in an almost inaccessible position, covered by an inundated country; the debouchés VOL. I.

The colonel soon returned to the army, with orders for its immediate evacuation from Holland. Transports were sent for this purpose, and works were thrown up on the commanding heights of Keck-down, to cover the re-embarkation of our troops.

In the mean time the enemy harassed our line of defence at Schagenbrug, by daily though partial attacks; the most serious of which was that which was made by general Daendels in person. That general, on the 10th of October, attacked the right wing of the British forces upon an advanced post near Winckle, under the command of prince William of Gloucester, with 6000 men and six pieces of cannon, endeavouring to force this post by every exertion. To resist this formidable attack the prince had only 1200 men, and two pieces of cannon; yet he obliged the Dutch General to retreat, with the loss of 200 men killed, and one French general. But general Daendels being almost immediately reinforced by 4000 Dutch troops, the prince of Gloucester

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was under the necessity of falling back to Cohorn. The loss of the English in this action did not exceed three killed and about twelve wounded. The prince, during the action, had his horse shot under him; but he received no injury himself, though exposed to the greatest personal danger, under a heavy fire, being frequently in the front of the line, animating the exertions of his troops by his example.

The efforts of our naval force in the Zuyder-Zee, and on other parts of the Dutch coast were continued during these transactions oudand with unabated activity. Many gun-boats, and several light ships of war, were taken from the enemy; and an attack on the 11th of October, on the town of Lemmer, was gallantly repulsed by the British sailors and marines under the command of captain Boorder, of the Wolverene bomb-ship. On the 17th of October, a sus pension of arms was concluded between the captain-general of the Anglo-Russian army, and the generals Brune and Daendels. It was agreed that all prisoners should be given up on both sides, and that as the price of permission to the British troops to re-embark on board their transports without molestation, 8000 of the seamen, prisoners in England, whether French or Batavians, should obtain their liberty. The combined English and Russian army was to evacuate Holland before the end of November. No time was lost in the embarkation of the British and Russian troops, who were accompanied on their voyage to England by 2000 Dutch loyalists. The Russians were landed and quartered in Jersey and Guernsey.

The retreat of the army of the duke of York was followed by the evacuation of the Zuyder-Zee, by the fleet of admiral Mitchell and by the abandonment of the islets and of the port of Lemmer.

It would be impossible to recapitulate within the limits of a compendious narrative, the causes which retarded the union of the four English and Russian divisions, which had hindered the duke of York from profiting by the success of the first debarkation, so skilfully executed under the command of general Abercrombie.

It cannot be asserted that unforeseen misfortunes, or the inadvertencies of the allies were the only, or even the principal causes of general Brune's success. His plan of defence was judicious and able; and he had no occasion in the course of the campaign to change his first disposition, a circumstance which in defensive war, is the best proof of military skill. The excellence of his arrangements was evinced by the trivial nature of the advantages which the duke of York obtained from the battle of Bergen and Egmont-op-Zee. The dispositions before and after the action, the correspondence in the attacks, and the skilful manœuvres of generals Abercombie and Dundas, succeeded indeed against the most obstinate resistance recorded in history, and against the most serious and almost insurmountable obstacles, presented by the positions of the enemy and the nature of the ground.

Yet at the trivial distance of two leagues from the field of battle, a position parallel to the first and nearly impregnable, checked the progress of the victorious army. The French general already prepared to support the defences of his third line, attacked upon an extended front still more favorable to his manœuvres, obtained in his turn a decided advantage over an enemy reduced to the necessity of fighting, or of perishing for want of sustenance.

In this manner terminated a maritime expedition, the most considerable which had been attempted by any modern nation; and which was designed to be productive of the most important influence on the general aspect of the war, and the situation of Europe. The circumstance which above all others occasioned the misfortunes attending the expedition, was the apathy and the total indifference of the Dutch nation. The capture of the Russian general D'Hermann, whose abilities had obtained him the entire confidence of his troops, and the subsequent misunderstandings among the commanders were extremely unpropitious to the allied cause. As it too frequently happens in unsuccessful enterprises, the dif ferent parties interested expressed their chagrin by reciprocal charges of misconduct;

but the impartial inquirer will find, in the plan of the campaign, and the execution of the manœuvres, but little to condemn, while the skill and gallantry of the officers and the discipline and bravery of the

troops, deserve the warmest approbation, and put to shame the vulgar and malignant calumnies which avarice, envy, and malice have so actively and so successfully endeavoured to circulate.

HISTORY OF THE WAR.

CHAP. XXII.

Rroceedings of Buonaparte in Egypt-Insurrection at Cairo-The French General proceeds on his Expedition to Syria-Siege and Massacre of Jaffa-Assault of Acre and its Gallaat Defence by sir Sidney Smith-Discomfiture and Retreat of Buonaparte -Deplorable situation of the French Army-Clandestine Flight of Buonaparte from the Shores of Egypt.

FRO

ROM a scene of warfare adjacent to the shores of England, and almost within the immediate observation of the parents, the wives and the orphans whom it reduced to penury and despair, our attention is called to a distant theatre of hostility, still more destructive of the human race, and equally important in its results. The details of the second campaign in Egypt derive additional and peculiar interest from the character of him to whom its direction was committed: an individual whom even his dispassionate adversaries will acknowledge to have been endowed with splendid talents, and who was actuated by passions which animated him to their full exertion and display. Active, restless, and adventurous, his mind was always employed in the formation of some enterprise which might conduce to his own triumph, or the glory of the state. Thoughtful, penetrating, and inventive, he possessed an unrivalled power of rapid and decisive observation: he displayed an intuitive knowledge of human nature; and was equally distinguished by the fertility of his expedients, and the boldness of his designs. The atrocity of his character was not less remarkable than the vigor of his mind; nor was he restrained in the gratification of his rapacity or ambition, by any principles of religion or any feelings of humanity.

He was now at the head of an army, which, with the marines and volunteers by whom it had been augmented, amounted to 50,000 men composed of the best troops of Europe, accustomed to victory; confident in their own prowess, and in the military skill and good conduct of their generals. To turn the fortune of war, to convince such men, that though their enthusiasm had led them to exhibit prodigies of valor, on the Po, the Adda, and the Adige, there were troops prepared to dispute with them the palm of victory, and capable of setting bounds to the enterprises of their leader, was reserved for the generals and the soldiers of England. If Buonaparte animated his men, by telling them that they would be distinguished among their countrymen, as having served in the army of Italy, higher honours must be awarded to their conquerors.

The situation of Buonaparte in Egypt after taking possession of Cairo, was such as required and displayed all the resources of his genius and address. He was surrounded with enemies, and being, by the late destruction of the French fleet, deprived of the protection and the succours on which he had relied, it was of the utmost importance that he should remain on terms of amity with the inhabitants of the country. He not only therefore issued proclamations similar to those which he had circulated

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on his first arrival in Egypt, and conformed to the customs and manners of the people, but enjoined his troops to follow his example, and denounced the punishment of death on every act of depredation or extortion. "The Roman legions," said he, "protected all religions. You will find here usages different from those of Europe. You will reconcile them to your selves by custom." To secure the kind offices of the natives he repeated his declarations that he came as their deliverer from every kind of oppression. To ingratiate himself in the friendly opinion of the bashaw of Egypt, he represented himself as united in policy and interest with the porte, for the purpose of chastising the insolence and extortion of the beys. You know," said he, to the bashaw, "that the French nation is the only ally which the sultan has in Europe. Come then, and meet me, and curse along with me the impious race of beys." He observed the same accommodating maxims as far as was compatible with his general design in the organization of the Egyptian government. Conformably with the French model, a general assembly was to be held at Cairo of the chief men of the fourteen provinces into which Egypt was divided. There were also provincial assemblies; and the French generals who commanded in the provinces, were ordered to make choice of such members as had most influence with the people, and were most distinguished for their talents and their kindness to the French. Deputations Deputations were appointed from each province consisting of three lawyers, three merchants, and three cheiks or chiefs of the Arabs, to form a divan or national council.

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order, "that the whole of the inhabitants of Egypt should wear the tri-coloured cockade, and that all the Egyptian vessels navigating the Nile, should hoist the tricoloured flag." The enunciation of this order was not attended by any immediate indications of discontent. The country wore an appearance of tranquillity and of submission to the conquerors: the people were supposed to be accustomed by little and little to the new forms of government. The notables deputed by the different provinces assembled at Cairo; the cheik Abdallah Kaskaoni, assuming the rank of president, and Monge and Berthollet exercising the functions of commissaries of the French government. They deliberated with the affectation of temper and diguity on the establishment and division of taxes, on the final organization of the legislative bodies, and on various subjects of general police and administration. In the midst, however, of their futile and ludicrous proceedings, they were alarmed by the clamor and the violence of a dangerous insurrection. A combined revolt was attempted in various quarters of the city and in its immediate environs. General Dupuis, who was sent with a regiment of dragoons to suppress the insurgents, fell a victim to their rage, and 4500 of the malcontents were slain before tranquillity was restored. They seized upon and stabbed or strangled every Frenchman whom they found in the streets; the house of Caffarelli, the commandant general was surrounded, and its defenders massacred. The generale was beat; the French flew to arms: Buonaparte collected in the city several battalions, and directed all his efforts against the mosques in which the Turks had fled for refuge. These were attacked with all the ardor of vengeance, and defended with the obstinacy of despair. The general of artillery, Dommartin, commenced a heavy bombardment on the mosques and edifices, from which the Turkish fire was directed, and from which showers of stones were cast forth to a considerable distance and in all directions. The citadel opened upon the town, and chiefly upon the grand mosque,

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