Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-08-01

archy Of his dreams was reali2aDle, OF
else, in the same case, he could return
to Paris with laurels unknown since the
crusades, and put the copestone on the
nearly completed structure OF military
domination in France and Europe. 10
the end of his days he imagined, or
represented himself as imagining, that
he would have altered the worlds ca
reer by choosing the part Of Oriental
.conqueror. We may cali these notions,
dreams or fancies, or visions, or what
we will; they were true conceptions In
themselves, although it Is not likely
that England would have been con-
quered in the loss of India. She had
been vigorous without it; she could
have survived even that blow. For
the moment the fall Of Acre appeared
to be an antecedent condition to either
of the courses which were in the mind
Of Bonaparte
But the siege was not prosperous. The
Assault and the defense during the at
tack in March had been alike desperate,
land French valor had been futile. A
fleet was now on its way from Constan-
tinople to throw additional men and
provisions into the town. At the
same time PhellppeauX had constructed
a new girdle Of forts inside the walls,
and had barricaded the streets. In
the interval, however, the French had
brought up some heavy guns from
Jaffa and were making preparations to
renew operations.
A breach was easily effected, and a
few gallant fellows seized the tower
which controlled the outworks and cur
tain; but the storming party was re-
pulsed, and the men in the tower,
though they held it for two days, were
finally so reduced in numbers that they
succumbed. This exasperated the
French soldiers intensely. For the first
two weeks Of May there was scarcely a
break in the succession Of assaults. The
fierce struggles which occurred in the
breaches, on the barricades, even in the
CCloy " WhlIl IllC IlChOl OhCO Va
twice penetrated, resulted in an ap-
palling loss of life; but neither party
quailed. Before long pestilence
broke out in the French camp. and the
hospitals established at Jaffa and else,
where were crowded with sick and dy-
ing.
On May z Kleber's division was called
in for conclusive onslaught, and in
the face of a double fire from Sir Sid
ney Smiths cannon and the guns on the
walls, both the first and second
works were scaled and taken. All
was in vain. Every house rained
purpose, and the entering columns re-
treated on the very threshold of their
goal. Three days later a second equally
desperate attempt likewise failed. In
all, the siege lasted 62 days; the French
assaulted 40 times, and 26 sallies were
made by the garrison; while four thou
sand soldiers and four good generals
from his splendid army were the sac
rifice Of human life which Bonaparte
offered at Acre to his ambition Finally,
the squadron from Constantinople hay
ing safely arrived, news came that an
other was fitting out at Rhodes to re-
take Egypt itself. Nothing was left
but to retreat, and on the 18th the siege
was abandoned. The retreat began on
the GOTH At Jaffa Bonaparte passed
through the hospital wards calling out
in a loud voice: "The Turks will be
here in a few hours. Whoever feels
strong enough let him rise and follow
U.S."