Star.
London, England, 1801-10-01 00:00:00

Imes, and on the tyth I matched with the other
troops, commanded by the Generals of Divifion
LA.:MANOR and Roma. On the evening of the
fame day I halted at Elmeneyer; Come detach-
ments of the enemy, which we met on our numb,
Were repulfed.
Oh the 16th I let forward at day-break for Bel-
bey'', when the enemy made their appearance. I
direled my march towards them, keeping poffef
(ion of the heights to the Eaft of Elmeneyer. To
this you will find fubjoined, an account of the af—
fair, which lafled till. mid-day. Perceiving that
the enemy, though they retreated when I advanc-
ed to them, dWcovered no difpilltion to evacuate
Egypt ; confidering that the continuance of this
fpecies of warfare led only to the lofs of men,
without being accompanied with any folid advan-
tage; fearing that a numerous body of the enemy's
cavalry, which had difappeared in the morning
after making a vigorous charge, were gone to
Cairo, and reflecting bcfides, that the Englifh and
.the troops of the C A PIT•V Prins might have pur-
rued General L•GRANCIS' and that they might
arrive at the place-of their deftination in two days,
I refolved to return, for the purpofe of trying to
prevent the paffage of the Nile, to conftrud bat-
teries, to fortify Cita, and render as perfect as
poffible our immenfe line. On my arrival at Cai-
ro, General ALKII•S informed me that he had
difpatched a number of couriers to communicate
to me intelligence of the arrival of the Englifh
and of the CAPIT•II P•IH• at Terane.
Preffed by three numerous arrnles, all of whom
daily received new reinforcements from the de-
fertion of the Mamelucksi the Arabs, and the in-
habitants of the country (all thofe in Upper Egypt
joined the CAPITA). PASHA), and at the fame time
the emigraon of-the inhabitahts of Afia, whom
the hope of pillage &Waded into this fertile coun-
try, I bad to defend the city of Caim, the -popu-
iauon of which, on the fuppofition of its becoming
could ,have collected from 25 to als thou-
fand combatants. In the middle of our camp the
line of circumvallation prefented an opening of
not lets than i 2,600 toifes extent. I was deftitute
of money. The funds which had been received
after the departure of the army arofe out of dif
burfements made by the General or Subal*ern
Officers, and by individuals atil.ched to the army,
who, on the reqiiell being made to therm, had laid
out their money for the expences of the army;
Tome ordinary, as well as extraordinary, contri-
butions furnilhed us with other refources. I was
very indifferently fupplied with provifions or ar-
tillery. It was'in Come degree
.almoft neceffary to
cream entrenchments, magazines, carriages for
ordnance, powder,-"lnd other articlts, Oils Alex-
andria was fo extremely difficult of approach, that
my communication with it had been wholly cut
off for a great number of dlys.
I deliberated under thefe circumtlances whether
it would be expedient to retire into Upper Egypt,
but the examination of that country convinced us
that it prefented no military pofition. I had very
(lender means of tranfporting troops or baggage,
and I could pot flatter myfelf that the enemy would
give me time to ‘agareite in this retreat. There
was only one city whit& could have furnilhed fuf-
ficient means for the creation of an arfenal, as well
as refources adequate to the works on which it
would have been neceffary to enter. That &arid
of country Was betides dreadfully aided by the
P I thought of retiring ty Damietta, but accord-
ing to intelligence which I had received, that place
and the Fort of Lefbe were in the poffeffion of the
Ottoman army, and had not fufficient ammunition
to engage in a repetition of battles. Betides, on
a river, the banks of which were covered with ene-
mies, it was impoffible to navigate tranfports, even
if I had been able to coiled a fufficient number.
The refolution I embraced WAS that which Cal-
ves: took at Prague in circulliflances far Ws dif
ficult. It was not in the centre of Africa, fur-
rounded by two Turkifh armies, ndl was there in
the 'ilia of his camp a numerous and ferocious
population. We had, like him, a European army
to combat, but had only a feeble body in a Rate
to engage, while we had an immenfe extent of
country to defend. I had betides to take care of
a.great number of lick, of wounded foldiers, and
citizens whom the love of the arts and fciences had
attrafted to Egypt.
I caufed the Miniflers of Religion, the Members
of the Divan, and the perfons of the greatell in-
fluence in the City of Cairo, to be arrefted and Ihut
up in the Citadel. The Generals, the Officers,
and the Soldiers, all laboured at the fortifications:
the entrenchments were railed, and cannon, the
greater part of which were found in Egypt, were
placed on them. The continual movements of the
troops teemed to multiply their number. In all
points we prefented a formidable attitude to the
enemy, and an appearance of ftrength, which madc
our enemies conceive, that in order to get pollif
lion of Cairo it would be neceffary to enter over
our carcafes, and amid the ruins of the place.
The effeet of thefe movements on the inhabitants
was to make them believe that the leaft hotlile
movement on their part would be the fignal for
the death of their Chiefs, and the dellruttion of
the city. Our exploits were recent, the impreflion
they had made was great, and they thought that I
they had every thing to dread from men long ha-
bituated to the chances of war. It was eafily teen
that we were refolved rather to perifli than not to
dielate the conditions of our retreat. Hence the
enemy were estrcmely flow in all their motions,
marched with the inmoil precaution, and feemed
unwilling to meet us till they had made the great-
en preparations for the c rin:efl. This gained me
time for wasting for dispatches from the Com-
mander in Chief, of whom I had no intelli-
gence for forty-five days. On the 13th of June
arrived a detachment of dromedaries, by which
conveyance I received a letter, which, however,
contained no inftrunions how to aft in thefe diffi•
colt and embarraffing circumflances. I, upon this,
fent off a detachment to inform the General ot
my fituation, of which he appeared to be almost
wholly ignorant. On the 'ttli of June we were
completely invefled by the combined armies, and
all communication with the adjacent country was
entirely delkored. On the following days the