Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-11-01
Miseellaau.
The Battle of Pyramids.

war, with four hundred transports, con-
veying forty-six thousand combatants.
With dispatch never before equalled this
gigantic expedition was got up. Napoleon
worked night and day, infusing his energy
into every department, and experimenting
the minutest details.
Napoleon commenced his march upon
the city Of Alexandria before the morning
had dawned. 1t was found tha, he was as
minutely informed respecting the country
as if he had lived there from childhood.
The Mamelukes rushed bew ildered to the
ramparts. The French, with their ladders
all ready, and of righ, length swept over
the walls like an inundation. 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 thou
sand men to garrison Alexandria. Napoleon
set out to cross the desert sixty miles OF
the Nile. A fotilla, laden with artillery,
provisions, ammunition, 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 fiftieth day of their
march had just dawned when the long
wished-sor Nile appeared winding through
a valley of the richest verdure. The
whole army, thirty thousand in number,
rushed to the river with shouts, and in al
most a delirium of JOY.
But just then body of thousand
Mameluke horsemen on feetest chargers
) came sweeping down, rending the air with
their wells. The well-drilled soldiers in
stantly formed in squares, with the artil-
lery at the angles. A palisade of bristling
bayonets was opposed to the breasts of The
horses. A volcanic burst of fire, from ar
,ilery and musketry, Frustrated steeds and
riders by scores in the dust. The survi-
vors wheeled their steeds, and like the
whirlwind as they come, disappeared. The
march of the army was now like dream
es of romance.
Beneath sunny skies, and through ih'
ity luxuriance and verdure of the Nile valley
they sang and danced in the exurberanc
of joy. Pigeons were abundant, and th
- most delieions v~nto-1neions were brongh
TO camp in exhaustless supplies.
'h' On the morning of the 2lst of July
after march of fifteen days the army
- came in sight of the domes of Cairo. Tht
city was on the eastern bank of the river
while the narrow bu: wonderfully luxuri
ny ant valley of the Nile was bordered OF
the west by those gigantic pyramids which
for ages have been the wonder of th'
- world.
Soldiers said Napoleon, " forty cen
turies from those SUBMITS contemplate
your actions!"
At the foot of these pyramids the whol,
plain was filed with armed men, glitterinl
in all that barbaric display of plumes, ant
gold, and cleaning banners which has evel
3 characterized the Orients. Here Mura
Bey had assembled his great strength 70
final resistance. Twenty-four thousan
Is. men were placed behind the most formid
able entrenchments, amply supplied wit
heavy guns and all the munitions of wal
Ten thousand horsemen were ready t
plunge upon the French as soon as th
Moslem artillery should make gap
their ranks.
% "You shall now see u.s." said Mura
Bey, /" cut up those dogs like goords."
Napoleon did not delay the attack a
+, hour. By lateral movement he move
- his squares to the right, that they migt
be out of the range of the enemys guns
and might attack in flank.
The spectacle was indeed terrific. Te
thousand horsemen, on feetest steeds, REM
own ing the skies with their yells, came dow
upon the squares, causing the very cart
to tremble beneath their tread. War ne
best best er presented more furious charge. III
b it. soldiers, holding their breath in awe, stot
shoulder to shoulder presenting the bay
S, nets to receive the shock. The nome
the Mamelukes arrived within gunsh
look voIley after volley of musketry and art
a. lery swept their ranks. Horses and ride
= rolled over each other by hundreds on Il
sand. The dying and the dead we
:, trampled mercilessly by the rush of Il
- impetuous squadrons. But the Fren
stood as firm as the pyramids at who
IN base they fought.
Tie Mamelukes 10 the frenzy of the
IS. s.' courage, reined their horses back, tE
they might. kick their way into those t.
:, rible ranks, belching fire and bristling vi
To- steel. The wounded, pierced by bayone
any endeavored by crawling upon the grou
to smite the legs of their foes with thu
=. scimitars.