We have here again to make a cursory mention of a very brave and clever loyalist, M. Phélypeaux, who had been in the service of Louis XVI. as an engineer. He was skilful in his profession, and in his private capacity a very worthy man. Though, at this time, still young, he had been involved in many extraordinary adventures, having served in all the campaigns of the army of Condé. He commanded at Berri, and was taken, and only escaped an ignominious death by breaking out from a state-prison. As we have before narrated, he accompanied Sir Sidney to England, at the time the latter made his escape from the custody of the French Directory. The strictest friendship, founded upon mutual esteem, subsisted between M. Phélypeaux and our hero, and he accompanied him as a volunteer in this Syrian expedition, and proved of infinite service by materially strengthening the works of this miserable place, which was so shortly afterwards to prove his tomb, as he died there on the 2nd of May following.

This experienced engineer officer was materially assisted by Captain Miller* of the Theseus,

*

Captain Ralph Willet Miller was made post-captain in 1796, and commanded the Captain seventy-four, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Nelson, in the action off Cape St. Vincent, 14th February, 1797. He was afterwards ap

who furnished guns and ammunition to the utmost of his power.

But it seems that all this display of skill and activity would have proved inefficient against the skill and bravery that supported the attacks of the French, had not their vessels, having on board the greater part of their battering-train and ammunition, fallen into our hands. We have before mentioned that this artillery had been ordered round by sea by Bonaparte, from Alexandria, under the command of Rear-Admiral Perée. This flotilla was just rounding Cape Carmel, when it was discovered by the Tigre, pursued, and overtaken.

The capture was not so complete as could have been wished. The protecting force consisted of a corvette and nine gunboats. Two of these and the corvette, containing Bonaparte's personal property, escaped. Seven gun-vessels, mounting altogether thirty-four guns, and conpointed to the Theseus seventy-four, which ship he commanded at the battle of the Nile. After having been three days off Jaffa, whither he was despatched by Sir William Sidney Smith, the Turkish blue flag was confided to him, an honour never before conferred upon a Christian. It imparts the power of a pasha over the subjects of the grand seignior. The premature death of this meritorious officer was occasioned by the blowing up of the afterpart of the Theseus, while lying off Jaffa.

taining two hundred and thirty-eight men, were captured, together with the train of artillery. The cannon, platforms, and ammunition, were immediately landed at Acre, and used for its defence, and the gunboats manned and employed in molesting the enemy's posts established on the sea-coast, harassing their communications, and intercepting their convoys. The sea has always been fatal to the French, and, notwithstanding the difficulty of the country, we are inclined to think every obstacle should have been encountered by them in this transport of their artillery, rather than have trusted it to that element, which, as an arena of contention with the English, has always been to them so disastrous.

CHAPTER XIV.

The French make great progress in their approaches-The Turks are defeated in a sortie-Anecdote of Junot and Kleber The French gain the outer tower of Acre-Sir Sidney Smith's despatch to Lord Nelson.

THIS year the equinoctial gales had been unusually severe, and the commodore, with the Tigre and the naval force under his command, had been compelled to take shelter under the lee of Mount Carmel. On his return to the roadstead off Acre, he found that the French had taken advantage of his unwilling and enforced absence to push their attacks vigorously. Their approaches had reached the counterscarp, and had penetrated even into the ditch of the north-east angle of the town wall. This angle was defended by a tower which they were rapidly undermining, in order to increase a breach they had already made in it, but which breach they had found to

be impracticable when they endeavoured to storm it on the 1st of April.

In this mining operation they were greatly impeded by the fire of the guns that had been lately captured from the French, and which had been quickly mounted and judiciously placed by Captain Wilmot* of the Alliance, who was unfortunately shot by a French rifleman a few days afterwards, the 8th of April, as he was mounting a howitzer on the breach. These guns played so actively and destructively under the direction of Colonel Phélypeaux, that the enemy's fire slackened considerably, and the widening of the breach was but slow in progress.

Yet this successful opposition had no effect upon the mine, and the most serious apprehensions were entertained that its firing would be fatal to the defence of the town. To counteract this, a sortie was resolved upon. It was finally arranged that a body of British seamen and marines was to endeavour to possess the mine, whilst the Turkish troops were to attack the French in their trenches on both sides. As this decisive operation was intended to be a surprise, the sally was made before daylight on the 7th of April. Owing to the impetuosity and noise of the Turks, this plan entirely failed, and the dreaded mine remained in all its terrors.