Star.
London, England, 1801-05-22 00:00:00

BRITISH ARMT IN EGTPT.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER PROM AN OFFICER WITH
THE ARMY IN EGYPT, DATED
a 17th Marth,lBor, Camp near Alexandria.
" DIAL Sia—A frigate fails immediately for
England, and I have only time to fay I am well.
The Papers will defcribe to you our fuccefsful land-
ing, on Sunday morning the Bth inftant, on the
Sand hills of Aboukit, in fpite of a thoufand times
the refittance we met with in Holland. The anion
of the 13th intlant furpaffes' both in determined
courage and the molt exaadifcipline, any thing
that (lands recorded in the page of Englifh. Hit-
tory. Compared to this, the army in Holland
was a mere rabble. We are now in fight of Alex-
andria, but the enemy is fo ftrongly potted on the
heights that cover it, that we cannot attempt to
diflodge them till we have heavier cannon.—Six-
teen 24-pounders I have juft teen landed for that
purpofe : only part of our two regiments of cavalry
are mounted, otherwife the enemy would never
have made good their retreat. The Arabs arc
coming in fall, and already fupply us with plenty
of good provifions. The track of country we
occupy, is part of the defart, and is prolific in
nothing but land. A few date trees, however,
occafionally appear ; but a wilder fcene alto-
gether can fcarcely be imagined. We lay at
anchor for a week on the very (pot where the
gallant Nstsos gained his great and glorious
victory. I took an opportunity of vifiting the
plains of Aboukir, where Bosatarts gave the
Turks fo defperate a thrathing ; ten thoufand of
them certainly fell, and their unburied remains
now lie in heaps on the field, many of them have
yet fiefls remaining on their bones—it was a dread-
ful fight.
" We did not land until the action was over on
Sunday, of courfe I had nothing to do; but on
the 13t11, I am forry to add, was for feveral hours
employed on the leveret fervice I ever witneffed.—
The dreadful havock made by the French artillery
furpalled any thing I ever raw br heard of.
" The heat here even now is very great; and
am afraid, if we do not get poffellion of Alexandria
in the cantle of another month, the confequences
will be extremely fatal: at prefcnt we are tolerably
well.
" The conduit of Sir SIDNEY SMITH, during'
the whole of this bufinefs, has been truly gallant—
He is really a wonderful man :.both army ant:
navy idolize him. Having two pod
horfes, I have an opportunity of vifiting the Royals
frequently. Some of my bell friends are wounded,
but I am happy to add, not dangeroufly. I am
writing on my knees, therefore (hall not apologize
for this (crawl; and you may ret allured of hear-
ing from me as often as an ppportunitroccurs.
a<Yours, &C."
COPY OF A PRIVATE LETTER, DATED •BOURIR BAY,
EGYPT, MARCH 30, 18cit.
" On the 2d inftant, the Let call anchor in this
bay, about fix miles from (bore (fo fhoal is the
water), but the weather fo boifterous as to prevent
the troops from attempting to land, and continued
fo until the 6th inftant, when Sir Smarr SMITH,
with a part of his crew, in fame armed boats, ap-
proached the (bore, to examine and pitch upon that
pan molt proper to attempt landing. A battery
from (bore openecta fire on him, as alfo a gun-boat
• of the enemy ti Sir Sum ay procadedtoboard

and take; in endeavouring to efcape, file ran a-
ground dole under the battery. Sir SIDNE y endea-
voured to fet fire to her, but fhe would not burn, the
gun (a brafs 24-inch) was therefore thrown into the
fea. He then landed with tome of his men near the
battery, at which were flationed a corporal and five
men ; on his advancing they all ran off except the
corporal,who,conformable to his orders,would not
quit his poll without leave, but allowed himfelf to
be taken prifoner, he alto feized an Arab with a
mule. The above captures he !hipped off, and
conveyed to the General and Admiral. From the
French corporal, who expreffed his latisfaetion at
being taken prifoner by the Englifb, he learned
an accurate account of the enemy's firengtii, with
other particulars, which afterwards turned out to
be juft. The Arab was kindly treated by Sir Sin-
N EY, and after landing himfelf and his mule with
all forts of provifions and liquors, he put him on
fhore next day to aftoni(h his countrymen with this
fpecimen of Britilh liberality, which has been the
means of eftablifhing a vegetable market for the
army.

" It was not till the Bth inft. between the hours
of eight and nine in the morning, that the army
landed, expofed to a fevere fire from the fort and
batteries, and alfo a number of field-pieces, which
threw grape with dreadful efFeft, as our boats ap-
proached the (bore; three or four Were funk, but
fo dole in, that the greatell number of the men
Caved themfeves. This was a bold undertaking, and
the bravery and determined conduel of our troops
allonifired the enemy fo much (who, fo fully con-
fident of their fecurity from all advantages attend-
ing their fituation,that they neverdreamt we thould
attempt it), that the inilant we got on there they
were panic-ftruck, and had not prefence of mind to
embrace their advantages, and maintain the com-
manding heights, but made a precipitate retreat ; ,
and, in the running fight, which kited hut a (hurt
time, two pieces of their field-artillery fell into our
hands. We difcovered next day a ma(ked battery,
the guns of which were found buried in the land.
The firft landing was competed of the brigade of
Guards, part of the firft brigade Royals, and 54th
regiment, Major-General Colts's, and referve,
Major-General MOORE, 23d, 28th, 42d, flank
companies of the 4oth, and Minorca regiment, rifle-
' men. Our lots in killed and wounded, on this day,
was ab,ut boo, whereas the enemy, from every
circumftance, could have loft but few—about three
thoufand oppofed our landing.
" From the gth to the nth was taken up in
:ending every apparatus neciffary for the army ;
in the 12th the army moved forward eight or nine
miles, the enemy retiring in regular order, the
cavalry of both armies tkirmithing, but few on
either tide were killed or wounded ; towards the
:vening the enemy (hewed confiderable bodies of
cavalry and hone artillery; alfo Tome columns of
infantry on a commanding ridge of fand hills, where
they drew up, and commenced a fire of heavy ar-
tillery upon us, and alfo formed in line, and our ar-
tillery exchanged a few (hot, the diftance between
being fcarce an Englifh mile. Adjutant-General
Hors rode to the front, and, by waving a sellie
handkerchief, the firing of the artillery ceafed for
the night, by mutual agreement; next morning be-
ing the 13th, a general engagement took place.—
We attacked, though the enemy were advantage-
oufly polled on the ridge of heights above-men-
tioned, with their numerous artillery judicioully
arranged, which dealt terrible havock in our lines
while advancing ; and our artillery, though
pretty well ferved from fo low a fituation, could
do but little injury in return.—Nothing could
exceed the regularity of our troops, firmly de-
termined on their purpofe, who, the inftant they
gained the heights, drove the enemy quickly be-
fore them, and forced him to retire acrofs a plain
to another eminence ftfll higher, and proteCted by 3o
pieces of artillery, which did much injury to our
troops, who lay all day expofed, and could not,
without being more fo, remove their fituation be-
fore dark ; againft fo formidable a poll, the army
could not, with prudence; venture to proceed, with-
out heavy ordnance, and by regular lines of advance.
Twenty 24-pounders were accordingly brought up
the lake, and landed Tome days after, and works
thrown up ; in this action our lots is about 1,3ci0
killed and wounded, and the enemy, by their own
account, allow they have loft upwards of tooo.
About a mile in rear of the enemy's poll, we fee
Great Gibraltar,a Ilrong height, regularly fortified
by Bowarmors ; this is the principal and moll fe-
rions undertaking. and only to be reduced by a re-
gular liege ; this done, Alexandria is in our pof-
feilion,• and the intention of this expedition com-
pleted, as the French have now againft us all their
force in this country; they have no auxiliaries, and
the natives are their moll inveterate and (worn ene-
mies: they neither give nor receive quarter.
" About the 18th a detachment of the enemy's
cavalry were leen to our left, endeavouring to flop
and prevent the Arabs from bringing us freffi fup-
plies. A detachment of our light dragoons, chiefly
the 26th, (eventy in number, went out after them;
they chi-charged their carbines and piftols at each
other, and ours charged (word in hand ; the ene-
my made towards their lines, covering, and pro-
teeting their rear in the bell manner, Rill retiring,
until they had drawn our's fufficiently into the
fnare, when of a fudden, they wheeled round, and
met each other; ours, who, by purfuing too far,
found themfelves furrounded by a number of the
enemies d—el rifle/aro, polled purpofely for their
detlruftion, were obliged to dath through, and
snake their bell to efcape ; out of 7e only 3o got
off, the reft were killed or taken. The Comman-
der in Chief reprimanded them verbally for their
temerity, although, at the fame time, he could
not help applauding their fpirited conduft.
" On the sgth I had the pleafure to fee the Eng-
lifh flag hoifted in Aboukir Fort; it furrendered
after feveral days cannonading and bombardment;
one hundred and fifty prifoners. This fort was
rendered strong by BONAPARTR, who pulled down
the confiderable village ofAboukir for this purpofe.
4, On the sods, two Turkifh line of bank !hips
joined, and tome days after a few frigates with
tranfpurts from Rhodes, having on board a few
thoolind Turkifh foldiers, and more are daily look-
ed for. This is the firft and only affifiance our
dear allies have as yet catered ; but from every u-

count little is to be expected from their bravery ;
they are an undifciplincd rabble, without fyltem,
without uniformity, and no fpar k of humanity or
generofity. On the contrary, they thew no mercy
to the vanquithed, but glory and exult in glutting
their vengeance. few of thole Turks who were
landed came up to our line, kill after the aCtion of
the 21ft, and could hardly be prevented by our
foldiers from decapitating fome of the unfortunate
prifoners; but the character of the Turks is well
known to every one.
" On the aoth,GeneralMasou joined the French
from Grand Cairo with a reinforcement, principally
horfe : he reproached the army in infamous terms,
calling them poor cowards, to allow the Englifli to
land ; an undifciplined mob, who were driven from
Holland by a parcel of French ; from Ferrol, by a
few Spaniards; and did not even dale to land at
Cadiz : he concluded, by laying, that his Invinci-
bles (a brigade fo nominated by Bort APARTE) would
&It force them from their works, and his cavalry
drive them into the Lake Maadie, fully refolved
to annihilate us. He accordingly made prepara-
tions over night, and having given his fokliers
as much lirong liquor as they could drink (him-
felf !hewing the example), commenced the attack
about an hour before day light, by a feint upon
our left ; they milled into a fmall battery, where
our men were then at work ; our foldiers imme-
diately feized their arms, which were at fame little
diflance, piled, and giving a volley made the ene-
my as quickly abandon the work, aftonifhed to find
our people had their arms. Then they attacked
fcrioufly to the right, and marching up in folid
columns, favoured by the darknefs of the night,
made themfelves mailers of a two gun battery, 18-
pounders, before ours could well oppofe them.—
The referve, Major-General Moos a, and the troops
to the eight, drove them back again ; the 28th and
42d regiments particularly, with uncommon brave-
ry, beat back the fucceffive bodies, and withilood
the reiterated charges of the enemy's cavalry. At
day-light the conflict became general.
" The French, intoxicated with liquor, and ac-
cuftomed to conquer (being the remains of the ar-
my of Italy), with confidence brought up column
upon column, marching in the throat of death,
even to our cannons' mouth, with the enthufiaftic
fhouts t f Dive la Rrpolicue! You can eafily co, .
ceive how onr.artillery cut up thofe folid bodies ;
the Ilaughter was immenfe; the enemy were driven
back to their former ground, after leaving within
our limits about 1,300 dead bodies.* Their lofs is
from 3 to 4,000 killed, wounded, and prifoners.--
Their fecond to command is dead of his wounds,
and fame others of their General Officers wounded.
A Colonel of Cavalry, taken prifoner, was drank.
Our lofs in killed and wounded is alto confidera-
ble ; and, to the unfpeakable forrow ,of the army,
our brave Commander, Sir RALPH AlkliC/OW
ay, was wounded in the hand, and a ball buried
itfelf in the joint of his thigh, which mortified,
and put a period to his life, on the 28th inftant.
—His conduit on this occafion particularly (not to
mention it in all fimilar cafes) was conlPicucan,
and his pretence, no doubt, animated the foldiers,
who placed every reliance and confidence in his
ability. He expofed himfeif at their head, and
contributed not a little towards the fuccefs of this
'day. Tne army was alto deprived of the affill-
ance of Major-General MOORB, Major-General
Oa ass, and Adjutant-General Hors, all wounded,
but in no degree dangeroufly, and they are fo far
recovered as to be able to take the field again.--
/loth armies, fence the 2111, have been lying upon
their arms, and have done nothing.—From a
few deferters, who come in daily, we learn, that
General Milroy made two or three fruitlefs en-
deavours to get his men to attack us a fccond
time, but they abfolutely refufed, acknowledging
that their battles in Italy were a joke to this.
—Their army is much diratisfied, and com-
plain of the fmall pay they receive, 4d. per day.
They alfo labour under diftrefs, and are running
&tot of provifions. Our plan, I underhand, is to
cut of all fupplies from the country. They talk
of cutting acrofs the Canal of Alexandria, and.
by letting the water of the lake Maudie join that
of Mareotis, they will effe& it. They arc com-
pletely blocked up by lea feven line line of battle
'hips. and feveral frigates, &c. are off the mouth
of the harbour. A fmall prize was taken the other
day going in, with General Ctassa lir, Aid-de-
Camp to BONAPARTE, but no papers of any con-
t.:titmice were found upon him."

The Rev. and learned Dr. Mac Im nes, of Gle-
nurehay,'Argyllthire, communicated to Mr. PER..
aims, of Leiceller-fquare, London, in a letter of
December 13, s 800, the refult of his trials of the
Patent Metallic Traaors, which he acknowledges
has exceeded his warmeß espeaation." Among
the cures are a Pain in the Head of many years
(landing; two cafes of violent Rheumatifm ; and
a Scald, which is defcribed as follows :

" One of my krvant men had a tea-kettle of boiling water
darned on one of ha thighs and knees. The alarm reached the
family room, in which there wan a young Clergyman, who had
attended the medical chiles at Edinburgh, and who, a little
before the accident, had exprceed his iiiibclief of the dulcacy of
theTradlors. I infilted that he (honk' witncfs their applicatiou.
The inflammation was high, the pain extreme, and there 'rata
(Mind appearance of vacation. In the (pace of s t minutes
the pain fubilded, the infl.mmation and bllfter ditappeareil,
and without any other application whatever, the man went to
his work, and never more complained of paw.—My gucft re-
turned to the room a convert"
On the tft of April was publilbed, by the Patentce,an entire
new Work, entitled " Cafes of fucccf‘ul Practice with Pea-
v IXell Patent Metallic Trainor., arrived fine Jamiany 1800.
the date of the former publication, &c." price is. Sod by j.
johnfon, St. Penn Church-yard, London.—Of the Patentee it
may be had iptis, by all *lto have paraded the Tradors.
The Cures of Gout, Rhenma.iim, Head-ach, 'luoth-seb,
Sprains, Bruifes, and all analogous Difeafes of Morka which arc
publilbed, are leoumerable.
The Tradeirs., fo neceffary in every Family, and among
Hodes, may be bad, genuine, with new and improved dimes
dons for tiling them, for Five Guinean the Set, of It D. Pea-
at vs, A. M. the Patentee, in Leto. to atd of Freskris
Smttb, Chemiit and Droggift, in the Ha 7ntxrket, London ;
Thr portable nature of the Tradlors rend, ix their cone:yar.ce by
Coach, or even by P,ft,perfally movement. Letters toad-
log their SIMON (pat paid) duly attends l to.
The P a thinks it proper alto to aiutify. that be has
removed trona No. It to No. aB, Leicefter-fquare,L44l4loll. this
Hank of the late john Hunter, Sargran, wificb he has taken
trans its fuperior Canvraltnices for 141CCNINg Patients, as "Wm
his numerous YAW,.