Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-05-31

twenty eight he had already discerned
that the best way to afflict Great Brit
ain was by destroying her influence in
the East. Out of this notion sprang his
project of conquering Egypt. Beyond
Egypt lay all Asia Europe" said he,
lis molehill. There have never been
great empires and revolutions except in
the East, where there are 600, 900, 900
men," The Directory readily assented
to his wishes. 1t is in evidence that that
body was more than willing to have the
ambitious commander out Of Europe.
On the 18th OF April, 1898, Napoleon
was appointed Gcneral-in-C Chief Of the
Army Of the East. Virtually he was to
90 where he would, and accomplish
what be could. The matter once deter.
mined, he brought everything to results
with the greatest rapidity. He made
Toulon the rendezvous for his army and
feet. He gathered to his standard ret
inue of the learned, mostly members Of
the Institute. He would disseminate the
civilization of the West in the effete
Orient. En- route, he would conquer
Malta, still nominally under the domin-
ion of the Knights. That done, he
would debark at Alexandria, overthrow
the dominion of the Mameluke Beys,
and conquer and COLOMBO the land of the
Pharaohs. Admiral Brueys was called
to the command of the feet. Napoleon
ordered his equipage to be prepared as
for conqueror, a governor, a man of
letters.
The Egyptian expedition sailed from
Toulon on the 10th of May. The Gen.
erals ship was the Orient On the 10th
of June, the squadron came to Malta,
and that place, with its strong defenses,
was-partly by intrigue and partly by
assault-taken from the Knights. The
French flag was raised over the fortress,
and many of the Knights joined the ex-
petition. Meanwhile, an English fleet,
under command Of Nelson, passed the
French flotilla without discovering it;
sailed on to Alexandria; paused there,
and then turned to the northeast, be-
lieving that Brucys had made for the
coast of Syria.
All this Injured to the advantage of
the French. Napoleon was able to reach
Alexandria without attack. On tho 1st
of July the column of Septimus Severus,
rising in the distance, caught the sight
Of the French commander, and gave
token Of safe arrival. The army was
hastily debarked; but not sufficient caro-
was taken to put the French fleet in a
defensible position. Without mo-
ment's delay, the city was assailed by
the invader, and after some desultory
fighting was captured. The conqueror
of Italy easily made himself master Of
the city which Alexander had founded
as the capital of the world
But all Egypt was not to be SO easily
taken. Bonaparte proclaimed his mis-
sion as that of liberator and pacificator.
Tho Turks and Mamelukes should be
expelled; but the people Of Egypt should
otherwise have peace. The nation should
DO raised from tho dust New institute
lions should be founded; but the old in
situations, and in particular the Mo-
hamnedan religion, should be respect
cd. extend to the ceremonies prescrib-
cd by the Koran" said the General to
his soldiers, land to the mosques the
same federation which you have shown
to the synagogues-to the religion Of
Moses and Of Jesus Christ. "
For six days Bonaparte had his head
quarters in Alexandria. He then remov-
ed to the house of the sheik of Daman-
hour, and there organized his expodi-
tion up the Nile. A fiotilla was ordered
to ascend the river, while the army
marched up the left bank. By strong
wind from the north the boats were
driven ahead, and the land forces were
obliged to advance without naval sup
port On the 18th Of July, the Name
lukes, who, falling back from Alexan-
dria, had been organized into an army
under Murad Boy, made a stand at the
village of Chebreisse, and wore forced
from that position by the French; but
the action was not decisive. Meanwhile,
the fotilla was assailed by the enemy
from both banks Of the Nile. The
Mamelukes mounted small cannon on
cumcls, and inflicted not little loss OH
the Europeans. The French boats sep
arated from the army, were CALLED by
these attacks. On tho 23rd of July, a
junction was effected, but not until
great battle had decided tho campaign.
The conflict occurred on the plain
within sight of the pyramids of Gizeh.
It was perhaps tho most picturesque
battle of modern times. The French
army was drawn up in squares, on the
Egyptian sands. The artillery was
planted at the angles Of the squares.
The commanders were Generals Desaix,
Kleber, Berthier, and Menou-under
the eye of the General-in-chief. The
plains round about were covered with
heavy masses of Mameluke horsemen.
Bonaparte addressed his soldiers after
his manner, in sort Of Pindario apos-
trophe. He called their attention to the
setting of the scene, and reminded them
that from the summit Of Khufu's pyra-
mid forty centuries acre looking doau'a
upon them. The battle was bloody and
decisive. The Mamelukes were over
whelmed by thousands. The officers on
the French fotilla, descending the river
on the next day, saw on the bank literal
heaps of the Mameluke dead which the
IL