Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-07-23


sszN6 advertisement rejecting upon pritats character
can, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BE admitted
inspire tpon his bleeding and thangled s6nafes It
must have been moment OF intense anxiety. But as
Napoleon sat Upon his horse, the centre of one of
the sqares, and csfefnlly examined With his telescope
the disposition of the enemy. Gould discern the
slightest traces Of uneasiness: Has grave gaze was
long and intense ~ -7s =E
The keenness of scrGtiny detected that the guns Of
the enemy were not mounted upon carriages and they
could not, therefore, be turned from the direction in
which they were placed: No other officer though
many of them had eduay good glasses, made this I'M
portant discovery He Immediately, by lateral move
ment, guided his army to the right. towards the pyra
mHs that his squares might be ont OF the range OF the
guns, and that he might attack the enemy in the flank.
The moment Moufad Bey perceived this erolttion he
OWNED its object, and with great military sagaciy, re-
solved instantly to cTa$ge.
{" You shall now U.S." said the procd Bey, &c cut
up those dogs like gourds" -
It was indeed feafful spectacle. Ten thousand
horsemen magnihcenty dressed. with the eees steeds
in the world Urging their horses with bloody spurs to
the onset, r:nding the heavens with theft cries, and
causing the earth to trenble beueath The thunder of
iron feet, come down upon the adamantine host
Nothing was ever seen in war more hrous than this
charge Ten thousand horsennen is an enormous
Those longest iaured to danger felt that it was
awful moment II seemed impossible to resist such
avalanche. The most profound silence reigned
throughout only Dy the WOtu vi
command. The nerves of excitement being aroused
10 the utmost tension, every order was executed with
the most marvellous rapdity and precision. The SOL
diers held their breath, and with bristhg bayohets
stood shoulder 10 shoulder 10 receive the shock.
The moment the Mamelukes arrived within gun.
shot the artillery of the angles poughed their ranks
and plaoons of muskey volIey after volley In per-
fectly uninterrupted flow, swept into their faces pit
iess tempest of destruction Horses and riders struck
by the balls, rolled over each other by hundreds in the
sand, and were tranpled and crushed by thousands
of frantic seeds enveloped in dust and smoke, COM
posing the impetuous column. But the SQUARES stood
firm as the pyramids at whose base they fought
Not one was broken-not one wavered-the daring
Mame'ukes, in the frenzy of their rage and dsappont
ment, threw away their lives with the UTMOST reckless
ness.
They wheeled their horses round and reined them
back upon the ranks, that they might kick their way
into those terrible foriresses of living Rendered
furious by their inability to break the ranks, they
hurled their pistols and carbines at the heads of the
French. The wounded crawled along the r"
cut at the legs of their ndomitabe foes. ..,t
played superhuman bravery, the only viz ".
the Mameukes possessed
But an incessant and merciless fire from ,...,,
we'll trained battalIions continually thinnedt .r,
and at length tn. Mamelukes, in the wilder
broke and fled. The infantry in the nrenc
witnessing the utmost discontinue of III,
troops whom they had considered invincit
the panic and joined the fight. Napoleon
turn, charged Win Inc utmost lmpetuOSity
of indescribable confusion and horror ensuet
The extended plain crowded with
footmen and horsemen, bewildered with te
ing escape from their terrible fee Thousan
into the river and endeavored to escape by
TO the opposite shore. But shower of b
hail stones, fell npon them. and the
were crmsoned with blood. 0 hers sough
ert, wild and rabble route. The victors
accustomed celebrity pursued, piiilessly POI
the dense masses of their flying foes. the nj
discharge of artillery and musketry. The
complete-the carnage awful. The sun hs -,.
reached the meridian, before the whole emb
had disappeared and the plain. as far as the
xlend, strewed with the dead and the
The camp, with its Oriental wealth, fe
hands of the victors; and the soldiers enric .-.
selves with IFS profuson of splendid shawls 2
cent weapons, Arabian horses, and purses IIed with
gold. The Mameukes were accustomed 10 lavish
great wealth in the decoration of their PERSONS to
ry with them large sums of money. The gold and
trappings found upon the body of each Mameuke
worth from twelve hundred TO two thousand dol
lars. Besides those who were slain upon the field,
more than thousand of these formidable horsemen
were drowned in the Nile. For many days the sell
diers employed themselves in fishing the rich booty,
and the French camp filled TO abundance. This
most sangunary battle scarcely cost the French one
hundred men killed and wounded. More than ten
thousand of the enemy perished. Napoleon gazed
with admiration upon the bravery which these horse
men displayed '' Could have united the Mameuke
horsemen TO the French infantry said he, would
have reckoned myself master OF the world.'
After the battle, Napoleon now undsputed conquer
or of Egypt. qnartered himself for the night in the
country palace of Mourad Bey. The apartments Of
his volupuous abode embellished with all the
apurtenances of oriental luxury. The officers were
struck with surprise in viewing the multitude OF cush
ions and divans, covered with the finest damasks and
silks, and ornamented with golden fringe. Egypt was
beggared 10 administer to the sensual indulgence OF
these naughty despo,s. Much of the night was passed
in exploring the singular mansion. The garden
extensive and magnificent in the extreme Innumera-
bic vines were laden with the richest grapes.
The vintage was soon gathered by the thousands of
soldiers whs filled the alleys and lotered in the arbors.
Pots of preserves. of confectionery, and OF sweetmeats
Of every kind. were quickly devoured by army of
mouths The thousand OF little elegancies which Eu-
rope Asia and Africa had contributed to minister to
speedily transferred 10 The knapsacks Of the soldiers.
The " Battle of the Pyramids" as Napoleon charac.
teristcay designated them, sent thrill OF terror far
and wide into the interior of Asia and Africa. These
proud, merciless, licentious oppressors, were
Grated by the timd Egyptians, but they were deemed
invincible. In hour they bad vanished. like the
mist. before the genius OF Napole
The caravans which came to C. s.s.r 3H-.
the vast regions of the in&erior witt "a, ae sa1-ttg
ments OF Oriental exaggeralion, m 5. gIosn4 ecoaa:s
of the destruction of these terribe squslt * IA
had so long tyrannized over Egg; Fame "
whose military powers had caused tie ...~- -laot
denly renowned in Asia and Africa as it had pre-.
viousy become in Europe.
But twenty-one days had elapsed since he placed
his foot upon the sands of Alexandria and now he
was the sovereign of Egypt. The Egyptians also
welcomed him friend and liberator. The sheets