The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-08-25

the foe retreated, aud were met with muir
derous fire from the French reiaforcements.
Surprised, baffled, the order Of the Turks
was completely destroyed. A wall Of fame
seemed TO surround them, and the roar OF
the French guns never ceased. The white
plume Of the intrepid Murat was seen In the
thickest Of the fray as be led his cavalry on
TO victory.
Napoleon's star of destiny did not hide be-
meath the clouds. It shone upon q victori-
Gus field. With force of only six thousand
men he routed III army Of thirty thousand.
He returned Immediately TO the siege Of
Acre. The days passed into weeks, and he
still Numbered at the gates. Having obtained
few heavy guns, the walls Of Acre were
battered down and q small portion Of the
Notifications captured. Night and day were
filled with the dreadful sound of exploding
mines, bursting shells, and the constant war
Of artillery. The harsh cries of the assail-
ants mingled with the denunciatious of the
besieged. Sir Sydney Smith commanded
the Turkish defense. To barbaric strength
was given the skill and effective power Of
English warfare. For sixty days the terrible
conflict lasted. Napoleon's forces were great
ly reduced. In May, the besieged were
strengthened by force of twelve thousand
men. Napoleon's only hope was to capture
Acre before the landing of the hostile troops.
A final assault was made. The French
fought like heroes. The Turks gave ''no
quarter" aud drove back their sssailants with
dripping scimeters.
Dsheartened, Napoleon withdrew his for
ces. Knowing that the immense army Of
Rhodes would soon be landed by the united
fleet of the enemy, he felt that their vast
number would be disastrous TO bis little
band.
He prepared to return TO Cairo, leaving
behind him three thousand Of his followers
who had fallen victims to the plague or by
the sword of the enemy. Twelve hundred
men were In the hospitals. With fathers
care he directed that these should be carried
across The desert on filters. Seven poor fell
lows were found at the point of death unable
to be moved. Five hundred men were left
to protect their dying moments from the
fearful tortures of the Turk.
For twenty-five days these few thousand
men trudged through the hot, shifting sands
Of the desert. Napoleon was ever the bright,
inspiring genius of his ranks. Giving his
horse to the wounded, he travelled the long
weary way on foot, encouraging the helpless,
aiding the sick, and never for a moment per-
hitting his own sad misfortune to betray
itself, but he knew that his Oriental dream
had forever vanished: that his magnificent
plans for the prosperity of Egypt were for
ever frustrated. His Oriental empire had
passed from sight. But true TO his inn ate
sense of greatness no murmur fell from bis
lips.
He entered Cairo with the air of con-
qneror. He found that the army that had
remained in Egypt were dissatisfied and
uneasy. They longed for France, and his
own eyes turned TO those far off shores.
Scarcely was he settled al Cairo, before a
courier brought the eyentful news that an
immense hostile feet had appeared in the
Bay of Aboukir, and eighteen thousand
Turks had landed; that Mourad Bey with
his Mameluke horsemen, was rapidly ad-
vancing from Upper Egypt. The fortress OF
Aboukr was already in the bands Of the
foe.
| Napoleon ordered eight thousand men 10
be in readiness for instant service. In q
few houIs he was leading his army across
the desert sands to Aboukir. Night and day
they pressed on, through ali the terrors OF
the desert sands and in seven days reached
| Aboukir.
At midnight Oh the 18th of July, 1890,
with but SIX thousand men, he stood before
the strongly garrisoned town. The bay was
full of the ships of the united enemy. Un-
counted numbers Of achievements from
Syria were fastening to the Turkish support.
Kleber, with his division of two thousand
men had not arrived. Napoleon knew that
the hour had come. Turning to Murat, he
said: "Ths battle will decide the fate Of the
world
The falling shells rudely awakened the
| sleeping Turks, but they were driven like
cattle before the fierce onset of the invinci-
| BILE army of Napoleon. Every Frehchman
| felt that he must conquer or die-to win
meant life, home, France. The genius Of
! Napoleon was seen In every movement of
his troops. He and every man remembered
| the destruction of the French feet in the
Bay of Aboukir, and revenge nerved every
arm.
Murat knew no danger; with his cavalry
he rode to the very center Of the Turkish
camp and took Mustapha Pasha prisoner.
Napoleon received his illustrious prisoner
| with distinction, and said: 81 will inform
the Sultan of the courage you have displayed
in this battle, though it has been your mis-
fortune to lose It," "Thou mayst save thy
self the trouble" haughtily replied the Turk,
"my master knows me better than thou
canst." With but six thousand men Napo-
/ leon had defeated the entire efforts of En-.
gland, Russia and Turkey, and he was liter
ally in possession of Egypt; although il was
a conquest void of all the Oriental glory with
which his warm fancy had pictured it..
Thus closed the grandest enterprise that
human ambition had ever formed, for the
promotion of individual or national re.
nown.
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