The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-08-06 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF NEZIB

(From the Private Correspondence of the Manchester
Guardian.)
ALEPPo, JATNE 28, 1839.—About ten days ago, Soliman
Pacha, of Marasch, marched upon Antan, (p.e%tousty.
aban-
doned by Ibrahim Pacha, except a small force left in the
citadel), at the head of 8,000 troops, and took possession of
that town. Immediately on receipt of this intelligence, the
Egyptian army made preparations for advancing from its
camp on the plain of Sadjoui, and shortly after crossed the
frontiers. Several skirmishes took place between the advance
guards, to the advantage of Ibrahim Pacha.
On the morning of the 24th instant, the general engage-
ment took place near the sultan's camp at Nezib ; and, after
two hours' fighting, Ibrahim Pacha was :completely vic-
torious, putting the whole Turkish army to flight, taking all
the artillery, camp, stores, baggage, &c.; in fact, every thing
in their possession. Great numbers deserted during the
engagement, whole regiments having laid down their arms,
and surrendered themselves prisoners of war. The number
of killed and wounded is said to be great; but I have not
heard the particulars. Thus, in the short space of two hours,
this large army, which the sultan has been collecting for
years, was destroyed ; for, as an army, it is so to all intents
and purposes. Hafiz Pacha, it would appear, has escaped ;
nothing having heard of him since the battle. Ibrahim
Pacha wrote, on the 25th, that he intended immediately to
march onwards to Konieh, half way between this and Con-
stantinople. Aleppo was illuminated on the night of the
26th, and cannon were fired from the castle in celebration of
the victory. It is reported that a general rising of the Turks
against the Christians was to have taken place on the very
night of the illumination, had the news of the battle not
reached. The Turks were obliged to illuminate their shops
and houses, much against their will. The day before yester-
day, a French employe, 'said to be aid-de-camp to Marshal
Soult, arrived here by a French steamer from Alexandria.
He says that he is the bearer of a letter from Mehemet Ali
to Ibrahim Pacha, ordering him immediately to cease hosti-
lities, wherever he may be, on his receipt of the letter.
Monsieur Caillie—so the gentleman is named—left this yes-
terday for the army of Ibrahim Pacha. It is said, that the
differences between the sultan and Mehemet Ali have been
arranged by the European powers.
An English corvette of 18 guns arrived the other day at
Alexandretta. The captain reports that the English fleet
may be expected there very shortly.
Before the battle of the 24th, Ibrahim Pacha sent orders to
an army of about 20,000 men, collected at Adana, Tarsous,
and the pass of the Taurus, to march through the pass, and
attack a division of the sultan's army, of pretty nearly the
same force, which is on the other side of the Taurus. Only
let Ibrahim alone, and give him fair play, and you would
soon hear of his arrival at Constantinople. The mountainers
of Pyas have been completely put down.
ALEPPO, JULY Ist, 1839.—The battle of the 24th, though
of short duration, was a most severe and bloody struggle.
The artillery, which was very close, and the greater part
loaded with canister shot, did terrible execution. The in-
fantry did not fire a shot : and it was, in fact, a battle of
artillery until the sultan's troops began to give way, when
Ibrahim's cavalry cut them down right and left, during their
flight. The most probable accounts state the sultan's loss,
in killed and wounded, to be about 8000, and 9000 taken
prisoners, besides many deserters. Ibrahim Pacha is re-
ported to have lost 2000 to 2500 in killed and wounded. An
instructor of artillery, in the employ of the sultan, was taken
prisoner, and arrived here the other day. He states that the
army encamped at Nezib, previous to the battle, did not
amount to more than 400,000 men, and 110 pieces of artillery,
besides 30 pieces at Bir. Ibrahim Pacha is in possession of
every piece, besides an immense quantity of small-arms,
several magazines filled with gunpowder, and other ammuni-
tion. Hafiz Pacha escaped with about 4000 cavalry, and is
supposed to have taken the road to Marasch, and perhaps
joined the other division of the sultan's army, mentioned in
my letter of the 28th ultimo. He is reported to have an
immense sum of money with him, the amount, it is said, of
£300,000 sterling; but this is probably much exaggerated.
After the battle, Ibrahim Pacha retook Antab ; and he has
sent four regiments to Orfa, on the other side of the
Euphrates, where there are large magazines of provisions,
&c. According to the last accounts from Antab, Ibrahim had
marched forward upon Marasch, with the main body of his
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nothing of Monsieur Caille since his departure ; but, if not
prevented, I should think he must overtake the army at
Marasch. There are various conjectures here as to whether
Ibrahim Pacha will stop or continue to advance on the re-
ceipt of the letter taken by Caine. On that gentleman's
arrival in Aleppo, the governor immediately despatched a
forced post to Ibrahim, acquainting him with the nature of
his mission. By his advancing, subequently to the receipt
of this news, it would appear, that he either meant to pay
no attention to it, or at least to march as far forward as pos-
sible before Monsieur Caille could reach him. I should not
be surpried, that by some means or other, they will contrive
to delay, as much as possible, Monsieur Caille 's arrival. He
reached Aleppo in twenty-five days from Paris, having re-
mained six days at Alexandria.