Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-07-18

artillery.
Meanw lille every effort was made by this
fierce soldie.y 10 break or disorder our i'm
movable squares. They would retire, form
charge in Close column and, as their hor.
SEES recoiled from the serried ranks OF bris,>
ling bayonets, they would depluy and rein
Them backwards on the lines, kicking plum
ging, rearing, and often falling upon the
guns, or the ridges thus dismounting into the
very aims Of the infantry, or under their
teet, would drag themselves along and Gu,
al the legs Of the men with their sabres. =
This horsid melee lasted Tor three quarters
Of an hour, during which lime The infantry
within the squares we're mowi ing down their
mounted asssilants with incessant voIle,s of
muskeiry. From the ierociiy OF the Name.
lukes, our troops could no longer recognize
them as men, but ,haughi they were dealing
with phanioms aud demons, fy ing Irregular
ly through clouds Gi smoke ard flame on
horses as ghostly as Themselves Finally
the struggling cavalry, the yells. the neigh
ing, the fame and smoke, disappeared and
ceased. There remained nothing around
and Between these two divisions but mass
Of the dead and dying, sea Of blood and
carnage; brisling with arms, sprinklcd " i,h
standards, murmuring and moving still +,
though with subdued motion, like The yet
unquieied billows after an ocean storm.
Napoleon had now given the signal for a
general attack Bon, Menon, and Vial
were ordered TO ,!etach from their respective
divisions the 6rst and third company from
each battalion and form in columns while
the second and fourth companies, retaining
their relative position, should compress their
squares and advance To sustain the attack
pressing only three men deep.
The body Of the dispersed and defeated
Mamelukcs had directed its course towards
the little village of FL Bekir to reconnoiire;
but nm accidental occurrence threw them at
this moment into the power of The French
AS have already observed, the divisions
OF Dessaix and Regnier arrived first on the
field and were posted between the Nile aud
Ell Bekir, before the battle commenced
Some Of the troops, thinking that the village
might contain provisions and waller, asked
permission TO reconnoitre ii. The SUPPOSE
lion was plausible and besides il xas I'M
portant 10 inspect the place. as detachment
OF the enemy might be concealed there,
ready 10 make an unexpected sally. DessiX
therefore ordered four companies Of grena
dIers and oarbineers, company of The fourth
regiment of artillery, and complement o!
s"peurs 10 occupy the village under the com
mand OF Dorsenne and Paige, and take pos
session. oil what prov isons they could find
The forsgers were not disappointed in their
expectations, but we're procuring large
supply OF stores, hen the rstfling of mus
kerry and the roar Of cannon apr ised them
shat the battle had suddenly begun
Dorsenne, aware that h Is small reinforce
ment could be OF lille value 10 The divisions
they had left, and fearing 10 he hemmed in
II he made any demonstration, quietly dis
iributed his six companies behind the walls
OF enclosures, in houses and on terraces
To return, The Manelukes hurried direct,
iy to this village like partridses ready to a
light but scarcely had The head OF The col.
umn entered the street. when the houses and
terraces bIazed with the rapid and deadly
fire of an ambuscade The Mamelukes
however, did moi retire OF ialter but The
mass unrol|ed itself like prodigious serpent,
through the street, and passed bleeding and
mutilaiee. through the opposite gate. They
formed IN their flight an immense semicir-
Gle, crossed The little river, and resppeared
on the right OF DesaiX's division.
AT this instant all the squares advanced,
enc losing Embabeh in their iron circle and
al The same time, Mursds tlotila and en-
irenChments opened their batteries from The
Nile. Thirty seven pieces ofnrtillery Gro
scd their net work OF hre along the plain
and Murad himself al the head Of 5000 cav
airy, advancing under cover OF this fire TO
break the squares, and embarrassed for the
first time, by his cannon. The column re-
treating from. Ell Bekir joined him al this
crisis, and they attacked 10 concert.
II mus, have been wondrous sight to the
eagle lowering over the battle field, TO see
these six thousand hoIsemen, the finest in the
world, mounted on horses that LETT no loot
print on the sand, doubling like hounds a.
fnppd bae Ilaz inn nd nh 10
encircli0g them as with a band, and strain
ing them in Its ligature seeking 10 crash
and sUffocse by development what they could
not open or break 10y collision, then disper-
sing, reforming 10 dispense again, and chang>
ing position like waves beating again the
shore. On sudden The batteries OF Murad
changing their direction The Mameluk es
heard The thunder Of their own guns, pointed
against their own masses, aud they fell ~
scores under the iron rain OF their own bolts
then The fiotilla took fire and blew up with
d loud explosion. The Cause OF all this was
apparent. Mursd was bending every effuI
TO destroy our squares our most distant
column Of attack had reached and carried
his entertainments, and MarDoni now com
mahded The whole field with his guns.
Napoleon ordered a final movement, and
all was finished. The squares opened, de
pIoyed into line, united their several TANKS
and stord one immense chain Of iron. The
Mamelukes were now between lbeir owl
entertainments and lbe wbolo French line
receiving from each sustained and insup.
poi table fire. Murad saw fba, the day Wa,
| rretrievsbly lost; hc rallied the remnant .
! bis men, who, lowering their heads and put.
| ting spurs 10 their horses, gsllopped dowr
! this double line OF minaiing shot