carried his orders into execution with that ardour and resolution, which not only completely effected the service upon which he was sent, but also highly benefited the public cause by the gallant display of his men. The third parallel was gained; but the gallant Turk, wishing to do more, and thus to elevate his regiment to a position still more honourable than that which they had forfeited, attacked the second trench, but without the same success that attended his first attempt, as he lost some standards. However, he retained possession of the works long enough to spike four of the enemy's guns, and do them other material damage.

On the arrival, therefore, of Kleber's division, its original destination of mounting the breach was changed into that of recovering these works, which, after a furious contest of three hours, and much loss of life, was accomplshed. Notwithstanding this very limited success, the advantage evidently remained on the side of the besieged. Indeed the resistance displayed, though unsuccessfully, was decisive, as it so far damped the zeal of the French troops that they could not be again brought to the breach.

CHAPTER XV.

Sir Sidney's second despatch --Describes the progress and the termination of the siege-The French retreat in disorder-The conduct of Bonaparte -Testimonials at home to the distinguished services of Sir Sidney Smith.

FROM this moment all the efforts of the French were feeble and disjointed. Discontent prevailed universally through the ranks, and the officers openly expressed their discontent and disapprobation at the frantic proceedings of their general. The siege was virtually at an end. Fortunately for posterity, we are enabled to give Sir Sidney Smith's impression of Bonaparte's conduct during the siege, and after his retreat from Acre. It is officially stated, and is a most important do

cument.

"After this failure, the French grenadiers absolutely refused to mount the breach any more over the putrid bodies of their unburied compa

nions, sacrificed, in former attacks, by Bonaparte's impatience and precipitation, which led him to commit such palpable errors

errors as even seamen

could take advantage of. He seemed to have no principle of action but that of pressing forward; and appeared to stick at nothing to obtain the object of his ambition, although it must be evident to every body else, that even if he had succeeded in taking the town, the fire of the shipping must drive him out of it again in a short time however, the knowledge the garrison had of the inhuman massacre at Jaffa, rendered them desperate in their personal defence. Two attempts to assassinate me in the town having failed, recourse was had to a most flagrant breach of every law of honour and of war. A flag of truce was sent into the town by the hand of an Arab dervise, with a letter to the Pasha, proposing a cessation of arms for the purpose of burying the dead bodies, the stench from which became intolerable, and threatened the existence of every one of us on both sides, many having died delirious within a few hours after being seized with the first symptoms of infection. It was natural that we should gladly listen to this proposition, and that we should consequently be off our guard during the conference. While the answer was under consideration, a volley of shot and shells

on a sudden announced an assault, which, however, the garrison was ready to receive, and the assailants only contributed to increase the number of the dead bodies in question, to the eternal disgrace of the general, who thus disloyally sacrificed them. I saved the life of the Arab from the effect of the indignation of the Turks, and took him off to the Tigre with me, from whence I sent him back to the general with a message, which made the French army ashamed of having been exposed to such a merited reproof. Subordination was now at an end; and all hopes of success having vanished, the enemy had no alternative left but a precipitate retreat, which was put in execution in the night between the 20th and 21st instant. I had above said that the battering-train of artillery (except the carriages, which were burnt) is now in our hands, amounting to twenty-three pieces. The howitzers and medium twelve-pounders, originally conveyed by land with much difficulty, and successfully employed to make the first breach, were embarked in the country vessels at Jaffa, to be conveyed coastwise, together with the worst among the two thousand wounded, which embarrassed the march of the army. The operation was to be expected; I took care, therefore, to be between Jaffa and Damietta before the French army could get as

far as the former place. The vessels being hurried to sea, without seamen to navigate them, and the wounded being in want of every necessary, even water and provisions, they steered straight to his Majesty's ships, in full confidence of receiving the succours of humanity, in which they were not disappointed. I have sent them on to Damietta, where they will receive further aid as their situation requires, and which it was out of my power to give to so many. Their expressions of gratitude to us were mingled with execrations on the name of their general, who had, as they said, thus exposed them to peril, rather than fairly and honourably renew the intercourse with the English, which he had broken off by a false and malicious assertion that I had intentionally exposed the former prisoners to the infection of the plague. To the honour of the French army be it said, this assertion was not believed by them, and it thus recoiled on its author. The intention of it was evidently to do away the effect which the proclamation of the Porte began to make on the soldiers, whose eager hands were held above the parapet of their works to receive them when thrown from the breach. He cannot plead misinformation as his excuse, his aide-de-camp, M. Lallemand, having had free intercourse with