The Portland daily press., 1865-10-27
Friday Morning, Oct. ~, 1865.
Portraits from History.
IBRAHISf PAsCHA.

IBRAHnf FAsCHA.
An obscure village in Roumelia, in Europe
an Turkey, was the birthplace of this talented
general. 1t is thought that he was the son
of Mehemet Ali, and was born in A. ID. 1889.
His father being yiceroy Of Egypt, young Ibra-
hlm was sent to Subdue the fierce Egyptan
and Abyssinian tribes, who refused submission,
homage, and allegiance to the Turkish power.
Upper Egypt, mountainous and rugged, was
Iull OF natural strongholds, and it was no easy
or briei mission upon which he entered. The
Southern frontier was kept in constant alarm,
rom the sudden and daring inroads OF the
Wari1ke clans that made war their pa5tine, and
accounted foraging and punGering a speedier
means OF livelihood than the hard and iabori
Gus life OF the agricultural community, who
were their neighbors. The rule among these
Wild mountaineers was, to neither give nor
ask quarters in battle, and in the constant en-
counters among the mountain. defiles. or the
MAGNIFICENT plateaus Of Upper Egypt, the son
of Mehemet exhibited that rapid and almost
lntuitive decision which, backed by uncommon
military talent, made him so often the victor
Never before had these clans been SO hard
pressed No longer mere resisters of attack,
the bold leader entered their country, and eau
tiously but resoluteiy forcing his way, he soon
learned to be as good mountain campaigner
as their best captains. Everywhere they were
compelled to yield, he allowed them no pause
nor time to rally, assaulted them tribe by tribe,
and completely sublued them.
The experience thus gained in frontier war
was the foundation OF his subsequent fame ;
but it added a dark feature to his military por-.
traiture, making him almost perfectly reckless
OF human life, measuring every sacrifice only
by its intended results. This feature seems
the popularity of all Mohammelan chieftains
and is doubtless shared by their followers
The fatalism implicitly believed in by the dis
ciples ofMohammed, and the delicious promi-
ses which always tempt to death the brave Mos
lem, may account for the havoc and slaughter
of battle, far beyond the proportion that exists
among European enlightened nations; but the
southern temperament, sanguine obstinate
and proud, may be strong motives in the same
direction. For long time the eastward route
of Egyptian conquest had been hemmed in by
the Wahabee who, once tributary to Turkey,
had rebelled and established an independent
government, fortified their capital, and deiiedi
the Porte. Ibrahirn was sent BY his father to-
subdue them, and restore them to tribute,
and for several years this powerful tribe, led
by fanatic andbrave CHIEFS Vindieated their DO
sition against the Turkish army; but worn
out by the indomitabe courage and persever-
ance of Ibrahim, they at last took refuge in their
fortified capital. In A. d. 1919, Ibrahim inves-
the stronghold, and demaded its surrender A
spirited answer from the beseiged reused the
bitter animosity OF the invaders, and Ibrahim,
after making every disposition to cut Off the re-
treat of the inhabitants and the Rahabee gar
rison, stormed and captured the city, and mas
sacred pitilessly every one found in it, without
vdistinction. The signal success OF Ibrahim,
the restoration to the Turkish empire Of the
tribe and the reputation for generaship already
acquired were rewarded by the gratified Sui
tan with the paschalic Of the Holy City, where
his influence became almost unbounded, and
made him known throughout the Mohamme-
dan countries, whose pilgrims, in increasing
multitudes, thronged the shrine of the Prophet
in Mecca the Holy. IS
1t needed bold and able soldier to chastise
and suppress the rebels, who everywhere seem.
ed bent upon Independence, believing that the
Greek revolution would employ the whole mil
itary force Of the Sultan. AIehemet, true to
his master, who had offered him the adminis-
traion OF the Morea, Cyprus and Gambia, on
condition of his conquering them, prepared
to invade and make himself master of these
provinces. He collected fine body of Egyp-
tian troops, placed them under Ibraham Pas
cha, and with the rank of ofcommander-in-chief,
he embarked on his adventurous voyage. The
revolutionists meanwhile had been preparing
to confront his fleet, and succeeded, for while
In hindering his landing; but the indefatiga-
BILE Pascha at last succeeded in disembarking
his army Of 10000 men at Modon, in the Mo
rea, and having then gained a foot-hold, soon
overran the Peninsula, laying every town and
city waste with fire and sword, and arOusing
everywhere the native Turks to join his stand
ard. But from bis victorious march over
Greece he was recalled to the danger which
menaced his navy. Fearing the result of his
success, the subjugation OF Greece, and inspir-
ed by the classic memories of the land of the
MUSES., philosophy, eloquence and art, q Euro
pean alliance was formed, to prevent its con-
quest by the Mohammedan power; and the
turkish and Egyptian feet was defeated and
dispersed in the great naval battle OF Navari-
no. The interventionists demanded of Ihra-
him that he should Withdraw his troops from
the peninsula; and seeing assistaneel unayail-
inc. and destitute of feet, the Pascha con-
sented to evacuate the conquered country and
return to Egypt, after three years OF admirable
generalship. .tar
The weakness Of the Turkish monarchy, its
exhaustion, and the menacing attitude OF the
European nations, who had, without proyoea-
ton, intermeddled in Turkish affairs, the dis
tance of Constantinopie, and the inconyen-
iences of communication, the constant drain
Of Egyptian troops for the defence of its revolt
ing provinces, induced M ehemet Ali to sunder
his connection with the Porte, and make Egypt
AN independent kingdom.
1t was necessary that he should have at
command trained troops wherewith to ACCOM-
pish his purpose He cast his eve mon Syria.
and an intrigue soon gave him an occasion Of
invading that country. The Pascha of Acre
was lust hasty enough in temper to forward
the designs Of the Egyptian vicerov: and
Thraham invaded Syria. Quickly maxine him
self master of Jaffa and GAIA, the Syrian
Pascha complained to the Sultan, and Ibra-
ham hastened to invest Acre. This strong
hold resisted his utmost efforts for long time
and he was obliged to meet Turkish army
that had been sent TO the aid of Acre, which
he elfectually did, routing and scattering and
pursuing it to complete dispersion Acre now
fell into his hands after siege of three
months.
Throwing off all political disguise, Meheme
publicly proclaimed his purpose, dehed tn
Sultan to dispossess him, and with an arm,
inspired by victory followed up with great ce
erity, by triumphant advance over every mil
itary obstacle, he closed a brilliant and mos
auspicious campaign by the capture of Aleppc
Every circumstance seemed to favor his ia
theirs ambition. Syria was wholly subdued
and forthwith annexed to the Paschalie, nov
kingdom of Egypt. The Sultan saw absolut
need of concentrating his whole military fore
against his aspiring viceroy, who prociaimet
his intention of capturing Constantinonla
and substituting for the efete dynasty in now
er. his own active and energetic family. Or
ders reached him from Mehemet to marcl
through Asia Minor, and thus face the capita
of the Ottoman Empire, in direction ii
which Egyptian troops could cooperate. BIZ
an army Of 60,000 Turks had occupied Konieh
and without loss time, Ibfahim im9etuousl,
attacked Redshid Pascha, and compelled hin