Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-10-25
The Battle of the Pyramids.

| II.
the Egyptian expedition. His arma-
ment consisted of one hundred and
Two vessels of war, with four hundred
transports, conveying forty-six thou
sand combatants. With dispatch new
er before equalled this gigantic expe-
dition was got up. Napoleon worked
night and day, infusing his energy i'll
to every department and superintend-
ing the minutest details.
Napoleon commenced his march
upon the city of Alexandria before the
morning had dawned. 1t was found
that he was as minutely informed re-
specting the countrv as if he had lived
there from childhood. The Name
lukes rushed bewildered to the ram
parts. The French, with their lad
ders all ready, and Of the right length
swept over the walls like an inunda-
ton. The conflict was short, and
with the loss of but thirty men, the
flag Of the conqueror waved over the
city of Alexandria.
On the 9th of July, leaving three
thousand men to garrison Alexandria,
Napoleon set out to cross the desert
sixty miles of the Nile. A hotilla, Ia
den with artillery, provisions, amuni-
ton, and baggage sailed along the
shore to ascend the Nile and meet the
army, to accompany its march up the
river to Cairo.
The morning of the fftieth day of
their march had just dawned when the
Iong-wished-for Nile appeared wind
ing through a valley Of the richest
verdure. The whole army, thirty
thousand in number, rushed to the
river with shouts, and in almost de-
lirium ofjoy,
But just then a body of a thousand
Mameluke horsemen on feetest char
| gers came sweeping down, rending the
air with their yellS. The well.driIled
soldiers instantly formed in squares,
with the artillery at the angles. A
palisade of bristling bayonets was
opposed to the breasts Of the horses.
A volcanic burst Of fire, from artillery
and muSketry, prostrated steeds and
riders by scores in the dust The
survivors wheeled their steeds, and
like the whirIwind as they come, dis
appeared. The march of the army
was now like a dream of romance.
Beneath sunny skies, and through
the luxuriance and verdure Of the
Nile valley, they sang and danced in
the exuberance Of JOY. Pigeons were
: abundant, and the most delicious wa
tcrmelons were brought to camp in
eXhaustless supplies.
On the morning of the 2lst Of July
after march of fifteen days the army
came in sight of the dOmeS of Cairo
The city was on the eastern bank OF
the river, while the narrow but won
- dertully luXuriant valley of the Nile
was bordered on the west by those
gigantic pyramids, which for ages
d have been the wonder of the world.
Soldiers" said Napoleon, forty
centuries from those SUBMITS contem
template your actions y
r At the foot Of these pyramids the
\ whole plain was filled with armed
; men, glittering in ali that barbariC
5 display of pIumes, and gold, anC
- cleaning banners which has ever
characterized the Orients. Here Mu
rad Bey had assembled his grea
strength for final resistance. Twenty
+ four thousand men were placed be
- hind the most formidable entrench
mcnts, amply supplied with heav.
guns and all the munitions Of war
n Ten thousand hOrsemen were read,
IS to plunge upon the French as SooI
as the MosIem artillery should max,
N a gap in their ranks.
"You shall now see us" said Murac
Bey, "cut up those dogs like gourds.
Napoleon did not delay the attacI
an hour. BY lateral movement h
= moved his squares to the right, tha
they might be out of the range Of tn
enemy's guns, and might attack i
a. a. flank.
O. The spectacle was indeed terrific
- Ten thousand horsem9n, on fleetes
steeds, rending the skies with thei
' yells, came down upon the squares
a causing the very earth to tremble be
meath their tread. War never pre-
sented a more furious charge. Th
5 soldiers, holding their breath in awe
. stood shoulder to shoulder present
ing the bayonets to receive the shocl
The moment the Mamelukes arrive
, within gunshot, volley after vOlley {
musketry and artillery swept the
- ranks. Horses and riders rolled owe
ts each other by hundreds on the sanC
The dying and the dead were tran
/ pied mercilessly by the rush of th
~ impetuous Squadrons. But the Frenc
- squares stood as firm as the pyramid
at whose base they fought.
The Mamelukes, in the frenzy
- their courage, reined their horse
S back, that they might kick their wa
W. into those terrible ranks, belching I'll
l. and bristling with steel. The woun'
ed, pierced by Jayonets, endeavore
by crawling upon the ground to sml
IA the legs of their foes with their sem
Ito tars.
,, '1- But nothing could resist the dist
I'd, plined courage of the French. N(
nu cauic sheets of flame were incessant