Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-27

to tho command of the fleet Napoleon
ordered his equipage to be prepared as
for conqueror, a governor, q 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 Brueys 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 the LIST
of July the column of Septimus Severus,
rising in the distance. caught the sight
of the French commander, and gave
VOkSIl VI II sdlS dEIlNal HIS army Was
hastily debarked; but not sufficient care
was taken to put the French fleet in n
defensible position. Without a mo-
ment's delay, the city was assaulted by
the invader, and after some desultory
fighting was captured. Tho 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.
The Turks and Mamelukes should DO
expelled; but the people of Egypt should
otherwise have peace. The nation should
DO raised from the dust New institu-
tionS should be founded; but the old in
situations, and in particular the Mo-
hammedan religion, should be respect
ed. Extend to the ceremonies prescrib-
ed by the Koran" said the General to
his soldiers, land to the mosques tho
same federation which you have shown
to the synaSogues-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 expedi-
ton up the Nile \ flotilla 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 tho 18th Of July, the Name
lukcS, who, falling back from Alexan-
dria, had been organized into an army
under Mur,ld Bey, made stand at the
village of Chebreisse, and We're forced
from that position by the French; but
the action rs not decisive. Meanwhile,
the flotilla was assaulted by the enemy
from both banks of the Nile. The
Mamelukcs mounted small cannon on
CdmC}$, and inflicted not q little loss on
the Europeans. The French boats, sep
aratcd from the army, were CALLED by
these attacks. On the 23rd of July, n
junction was effected. but not until q
great battle had decided the campaign.
The conflict occurred on the plain
within sight of the pyramids of Gineh.
1t was perhaps tho most picturesque
battle of modern times. The French
army was drawn up in squares, on the
planted Mt the angles of the squares
Tho commanders were Generals Desaix.
| kleber, Berthier, and Menou-under
tho eye Of tho Generalin chief. The
plains round about were covered with
heavy masses of Mameluke horscmon.
Bonaparto addressed his soldiers after
| his manner. i'll Il sort of Pindario apos-
| tropha He called their attention to thrs
| setting of the scene. and reminded Them
that from the summit of khufu' pyra-
| mid forty centuries ircrc looking dOrIL
| upon them, The battle was bloody and
decisive. The Mamelukes were over
whelmed by thousands. Tho officers ON
| the French flotilla, descending the river
ON the next day, saw on the lank literal
heaps of the Mameluke dead which the
rising Nile was gathering and bearing
ont TO sea Murad Bey ned to Upper
| Egypt, and the French entered Cairo
Four days after the battle of tho Pyra-
mids, Napoleon wrote TO his brother Jo-
seph. saying. Egypt is richer than any
other country in tho world in corn, rice.
vegetables and cattle, But the people
are in a state of utter barbarism. We
| can not procure money, even to pay tho
troops. meg he in France in ttro
months Engage for me country house
near Paris or in Burgundy. where l
mean to pass the winter" To this was
added list of things necessary to DO
| sent ont from France.
The purpose of the General to return to
France. hut to leave an army of occupa-
ton III Egypt, is sufficiently shown in
these orders. in which tho comedy of
war is grotesquoly figured on the back
ground of craftsmanship
john CLARK RIDPATH-