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Article NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION OF BUONAPARTE. ← Page 3 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Narrative Of The Expedition Of Buonaparte.
a complete victor }' . A great number of the Mamelukes threw themselves into the Nile and swam off . More than 400 camels , loaded with baggage , and Jo pieces of artillery , fell into the bands of the French . The loss of the Mamelukes was estimated at zooo men , the choice of their cavalry . Great part of the Beys were killed or wounded . Murat Bey was wounded in the cheek . On the part or the French
, the loss amounted to twenty or thirty killed , and 120 wounded . During the night the city of Cairo was " evacuated . All their armed sloops , corvettes , brigs , and even a frigate , were burnt . On the 4 th , General Buonaparte entered Cairo . In the night the populace burnt the houses of the Beys , and committed many excesses . Cairo , which contains more than 300 , 000 inhabitants , has the most abandoned populace in the world . After the great number of battles
which the trench troops had gained over superior forces , ' I thought it not prudent , ' says the General , ' to praise their continence and sang froid on this occasion ; for trul y this new kind of warfare required , on their part , a degree of patience , forming a strong contrast with French impetuosity . Jf they had abandoned themselves to their full ardour , they would not have gained a victory , which was onl y to be obtained the coolness
by greatest and patience . ' The cavalry of the Mamelukes shewed great bravery . They defended their fortunes ; for there was not one of them on whom the French soldiers did not find three , four , and five hundred louis-d ' ors . All the luxury of these people consist in their horses and arms . Their houses are wretched . It is difficult to find a country more fertile , or a people more miserable i and
more gnorant , more stupid . In . the villages , they do not even know the use of a pair of scissars . They have no moveables but a straw mat , and two or three earthen- pots . In general they eat but few things . They do not know the use of wind-mills , so that the French found constantl y immense quantities of grain withoutany flour . The small quantity of grain which they convert to flourthey bruise
, with stones ; and in some of the large villages they have mills , which are turned by oxen . The French General says— 'We have been continually harrassed by the Arabs , who are tiie greatest robbers and the greatest villains on earth , assassinating the Turks as well as the
t ' rench , and all who fall into their hands . The General of Brigade , Mureur , and several other Aides-de-camp , and officers of the etat major , have been assassinated by these wretches . Concealed behind ditches , or in trenches , upon their excellent little horses , unfortunate it is for him who strays 100 paces from the columns . General Mureur , notwithstanding the representations of the great precaution to be observedb "
necessary , y a fatality which 1 have often remarked to accompany men arrived at their last hour , was desirous to ascend 2 lone a little eminence , about two hundred paces from the camp . j ehind it were three Bedouins , who assassinated him : the Republic "as in him sustained a real loss ; he was one of the bravest generals I e jer knew . There is in this country very little mone . y , a great deal ° corn , rice , vegetables , and cattle . The Republic could not have - colony of more capacity , or richer soil . The climate is very healthy *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Narrative Of The Expedition Of Buonaparte.
a complete victor }' . A great number of the Mamelukes threw themselves into the Nile and swam off . More than 400 camels , loaded with baggage , and Jo pieces of artillery , fell into the bands of the French . The loss of the Mamelukes was estimated at zooo men , the choice of their cavalry . Great part of the Beys were killed or wounded . Murat Bey was wounded in the cheek . On the part or the French
, the loss amounted to twenty or thirty killed , and 120 wounded . During the night the city of Cairo was " evacuated . All their armed sloops , corvettes , brigs , and even a frigate , were burnt . On the 4 th , General Buonaparte entered Cairo . In the night the populace burnt the houses of the Beys , and committed many excesses . Cairo , which contains more than 300 , 000 inhabitants , has the most abandoned populace in the world . After the great number of battles
which the trench troops had gained over superior forces , ' I thought it not prudent , ' says the General , ' to praise their continence and sang froid on this occasion ; for trul y this new kind of warfare required , on their part , a degree of patience , forming a strong contrast with French impetuosity . Jf they had abandoned themselves to their full ardour , they would not have gained a victory , which was onl y to be obtained the coolness
by greatest and patience . ' The cavalry of the Mamelukes shewed great bravery . They defended their fortunes ; for there was not one of them on whom the French soldiers did not find three , four , and five hundred louis-d ' ors . All the luxury of these people consist in their horses and arms . Their houses are wretched . It is difficult to find a country more fertile , or a people more miserable i and
more gnorant , more stupid . In . the villages , they do not even know the use of a pair of scissars . They have no moveables but a straw mat , and two or three earthen- pots . In general they eat but few things . They do not know the use of wind-mills , so that the French found constantl y immense quantities of grain withoutany flour . The small quantity of grain which they convert to flourthey bruise
, with stones ; and in some of the large villages they have mills , which are turned by oxen . The French General says— 'We have been continually harrassed by the Arabs , who are tiie greatest robbers and the greatest villains on earth , assassinating the Turks as well as the
t ' rench , and all who fall into their hands . The General of Brigade , Mureur , and several other Aides-de-camp , and officers of the etat major , have been assassinated by these wretches . Concealed behind ditches , or in trenches , upon their excellent little horses , unfortunate it is for him who strays 100 paces from the columns . General Mureur , notwithstanding the representations of the great precaution to be observedb "
necessary , y a fatality which 1 have often remarked to accompany men arrived at their last hour , was desirous to ascend 2 lone a little eminence , about two hundred paces from the camp . j ehind it were three Bedouins , who assassinated him : the Republic "as in him sustained a real loss ; he was one of the bravest generals I e jer knew . There is in this country very little mone . y , a great deal ° corn , rice , vegetables , and cattle . The Republic could not have - colony of more capacity , or richer soil . The climate is very healthy *