The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1895-04-11

whose sudden fame and resistless per-
sonality was a menace to their usurpel
authority, they permitted him to carry
sway tho strength and flower of the Ha-
tioll. 1t is a fact that he cut loose from
France, from, Europe and placed his
army in a position, as ho afterward
said, whero it must die or do things
;',ss great as the ancients. With him
went 80, 600 soldiers and for leaders Of
divisions and brigades kleber, Davo11st
and Reynior, Catfarclli, Murat and
Lannes, Marmont, Bcrthier and Junot,
every promising warrior OIL tho list who
possessed youth and daring.
A piece Of good fortune inauguratod
the campaign. Tho English fleet in the
Mediterranean, which, under Nelson,
was to bring disaster upon the e1pedi
tion at 4 later stage, was blown away
from the African coast by hurricane
and for the time being dispersed Then
tho French set sail from the rendezvous
at Toulon. Tho SUN arose in splendor,
and the incident was one Of many when
it seemed to burst forth as an omen Of
victory for this brilliant and magma
tive soldier Again and again during his
career the day Of great achievements
was ushered in by a Napoleon sun. y
Tho squadrons woro imposing, and the
spectacle at Toulon had in it that ele-
ment of the picturesque and dramatic
which Napoleon managed SO effectively
to inspire in his followers. The battle-
ships stretched out i'll a single line three
miles, and the convoy Of transports
formed q vast semicircle, six leagues
around the bow. Napoleon and the SOP
OF Josephine embarked OH the Orient,
the mammoth ship of the feet, which
mounted 100 guns. Tho signal for hoist
ing sail was moved by the future en-
press from a balcony overlooking the
roadstead of the harbor.
The first conquest was bloodless
one, that of Malta, All island we'll nigh
impregnable if we'll defended. While
at Malta word came that Nelson s fleet
had united again and was searching for
the French. It was still q secret in the
expedition what tho ultimate destination
would be, and when the English enter
ed tho harbor to find it empty they
didn't know which way to sail. Mean.
time Napoleon was in front of Alexan-
dria, the first point for conquest, and
Nelson had left there only two days be-
fore for the Hellespont Without losing
a moments time troops were put ashore
on the desert beach three leagues from
the ancient city. The coast did not ad-
nit OF landing horses and cannon, but
as the utmost haste was necessary Ma
poleon risked the issue with men alone.
| Acting on the rule that every hour Of
time gives q chance for misfortune, he
led forward the first 5000 soldiers in
person to the walls of Alexandria, stir
ring them to the highest enthusiasm by
bis energetic bearing. Seeing that
Caffarelli, who wore wooden leg as a
memento Of Creuznach, was on shore,
he told him to wait until horse was
landed for his use. "No no, said the
hero, "I go with my men if go on
crutches, f" and took his place at the
head of column to make the painful
march. At daylight the three small di-
visions of Kleber, Caffarelli and Desaix
stood under the walls, halted and seek
Ing W luaho paIloy. OVertufoS from IQ6
French were answered by volley from
the cannon on the ancient battlements,
and Napoleon instantly ordered a
charge. Kleber was struck in the head
by shot, bat his followers pressed on
against the towers, whose occupants
held out we'll, and then into the streets,
where the Turks resisted hand to hand.
There were many French wounded in
the assault, but only 80 killed. These
Napoleon caused to be buried at the
foot of Pompey's $ pillar and their names
engraved on the tablet, a ceremony wit
messed by the whole army and evoking
that enthusiasm their leader knew so
we'll how to arouse and, what is more,
to direct At this point the troops and
the warships parted company, never to
meet until disaster had overtaken the
expedition through the destruction Of
the feet in Aboukir bay. But the fotilla
conveying the artillery, provisions and
ammunition passed along the Mediter-
ranean shores to the western branch of
| the Mile where IL was IN ascand and