With Abercrombie and
Moore in Egypt

On The Banks of the Nile

On the 6th of July the British troops were reviewed by the Grand Vizier, a fresh looking middle-aged man, with a great retinue of Bashaws, Agas, etc. He was escorted by a squadron of the 12th Light Dragoons. We received him with presented arms. He rode along the line and looked very attentively at us. We then marched past with drums beating and music playing. From his gestures he seemed to be well pleased notwithstanding our ragged condition.

Our chief guide and interpreter dressed in scarlet and with a regulation feather in his cap rode between Lord Hutchinson and the Grand Vizier. We received the thanks of the Commander-in-chief for turning out in such good order and having so cleanly an appearance before the Turkish commander. This day the French removed the remains of General Kleber their late Commander-in-chief who had been assassinated by a fanatic Turk; minute guns were fired by them as he was borne along.

The thanks of both Houses of Parliament were read to us on 8th July for our meritorious conduct in landing in Egypt and for our conduct on the 13th and 21st of March. A general promotion took place among the officers; General Hutchinson was raised to the peerage and many of the Generals were made Knights of the Bath, etc.

With some others I obtained a pass to view the Pyramids. We started at reveille in the morning, and reached a small village called Haurige where we hired an Arab for five paras each, there might be about twenty of us, to guide us over and into the Pyramid. We soon reached this stupendous second wonder of the world, but as every Gazetter gives an account of these Pyramids I need say little. They stand about 9 miles from the bed of the river and about 5 from the right of our camp, but the ground being so level it appears to the eye to benot more than 2 miles. We resolved to have an outside view first. The Great Pyramid is built of very large stones from 12 to 18 feet long and 4 feet and upwards thick ; these form irregular steps to the summit, which is level and may be about 36 feet square. A great many names are here cut out by different visitors ; I wrought very hard and got D. NICOL, 92 REGT carved, and broke my knife while finishing the job; this is on the south-east corner, and is likely to stand some time.

The greater part of the French army marched and encamped along the great plain, with their left to the Pyramids, and the 79th's grenadier company did duty on the bridge of boats built by the French between Gizeh and Cairo. The Turks entered the city, hallooing and firing their muskets, and making all the noise a disorderly mob was fit to do. Sir David Baird's army occupied Rodda Island and some barracks opposite our left on the other ride of the river. It consisted of some troops of the 8th Light Dragoons, 10th, 19th, 61st and 88th regiments, with some of the East India Company Artillery and a few battalions of Sepoys, the first I ever saw. They were fine stout-looking men, and when off duty wore nothing but a very short pair of drawers, which gave them an odd appearance to us.

July 11th, I mounted Sir John Doyle's guard with six men. We had to strike his marquee and pack his baggage on two camels to go into Cairo as he had that morning obtained leave to return to Europe on account of sickness. I crossed the bridge of boats built by the French and entered into a mass of confusion, the French with their baggage marching out and the Turks marching in.

The streets in Cairo are narrow and we were like to be choked with the dust or squeezed against the brick houses. At length the street got quite blocked up; there were so many animals, camels, mules, and asses, that no movement could be made one way or other, but a party ofTurkish cavalry going my way cleared a passage by blows on every poor Arab who had charge of a beast, whether in fault or not. I got our camels into the wake of the cavalry and in a little time after saw Sir John's aide-de-camp his nephew, looking out for us. He kept by us until we reached an open square with some large brick buildings ; into one of these we entered and found ourselves in a fine courtyard planted with trees and a fountain in the centre.

I asked permission to visit the castle, as we were not far from it. This the aide-de-camp granted but said we must be in our camp by sunset. 0ff we set for the castle or citadel which is very large, standing on a height in a fine commanding situation, but I think it could be commanded by the hill to the south of it.

At the west side stand some fine buildings with trees, the principal magazines and stores. The French had a mint and a printing office here. Saw many piles ofshells made of a bluish kind of marble which must have been hollowed out with great labour, and many large mortars for discharging them. Also piles of new made shot of brass and copper. I should not wonder if the Turks have them carried off for gold, as they have done the brass works of a gun which the French constructed, and which fired every day at It o'clock by the heat of the sun through a burning glass just over the touch hole.

Most of the shops were shut, the merchants preferring to take their goods to the British bazaar rather than trust the Turks who at almost every open door were to be seen drinking sherbet and smoking. We were right glad when we got out of the confusion and gained the end of the bridge where we turned our backs on Grand Cairo, with its narrow streets, brick and mud buildings, and its Poor half-naked inhabitants.

15th July, all the arrangements for the march down the country were now completed. The French that surrendered and marched out of Cairo on gth July amounted to about 13,000 under command of General Belliard. Some Greeks and Copts in their service got liberty to go to France if they chose. The British took up their position in front, the French were placed in the centre and the Indian army in the rear. The boats belonging to each division kept the same order on the river. The Mamelukes kept on the left and the Turkish Albanian regiments marched regularly on the other side of the river. A party of French dragoons with some of ours and our quartermaster general took up the alignment of the camp.

At daybreak on the 15th a gun was fired and we all got on the move. A strict eye was kept on the French, for we were not sure of them although the treaty was signed. No accident occurred. When we came within seven miles of Rosetta on the 28th we took up a strong position on the plain with a high canal bank on our right and left. Our cannon were pointed and matches burning and strong guards sent to the front. The French then marched past, between us and in open order of companies with about sixty pieces of cannon, all the cannoniers fine looking men well clothed, mounted on asses. Their 14th and 22nd regiments of dragoons were allowed to be the finest cavalry we had ever seen, and I have no doubt they showed themselves to the best advantage while passing the British army. They all marched on to the sea-side to embark. It was feared by some of our people that they would start off across the country to Alexandria, but I never believed they had any such intention, as they seemed very glad to get home to their own country.

On the 29th, General Hutchinson, who had been left behind at Cairo, arrived. We encamped about 2 miles above Rosetta where the ground was covered with black beetles, which annoyed us very much. The Nile had swollen greatly since we commenced our march down the country. Most of the canals began to fill and those drawn between the river and the lake began to run like mill-courses, and the water was very thick and muddy for drinking. The river so gained on us that we were forced to remove our camp to the edge of the sandhills below Rosetta among some date trees, where we were in no danger of being carried away by the flood.

On the 31st the French began to embark and the embarkation continued for ten days. A great number ofwomen, natives of the country accompanied the French to the seaside, but they were not allowed to embark except a very few who could show that they were lawfully married ; the rest were left to find their way home as they best could.

General Lawson, R.A., took two guns from the French which had been taken from our army in the retreat from Dunkirk; he claimed them as British property. Our cavalry were all fresh mounted by the horses of the French dragoons, which were far superior to any we had. Our artillery horses were replaced, and Donald Macintosh of our company went as an artillery driver, one man was sent from each company. At this time Sergeant Symon of our company died, also Strongale Rab and Robert Cameron, Earl of Alkmaar, all great personages in the regiment. The Arabs who had attended the French army began to flock about our camp and also some of their women who had been turned back on their embarking.

As we passed along the inhabitants ofthe villages seemed to rejoice that the war in their country was at an end. They would call out 'Tieb tieb Angle, Francois, Turk, sea, sea:' This as far as we could understand means, 'Good good English, French and Turks the same and the same.' But if you asked them for a drink of water they would hold out their hand and say 'Had fluce a para, and if you said 'Ma fish fluce,' they would say 'Ma fish moy,' and point to the river. If you said 'No money,' they said 'No water,' or 'You may go to the river.'

Our brigade was inspected by Lord Hutchinson who ordered us camels to carry our packs to Alexandria but Colonel Spencer said there was no need for it. This ofticer had had command of the brigade since General Doyle left and what different treatment we received, the one always looking out for the comfort of the soldiers, the other harassing us as far as he thought we would bear it. Marched, and the lake being much overflowed by the rising of the Nile we were obliged to march among the sand, whereas if we had started early in the morning this might have been avoided. Many of our men fell behind, for water was scarce. We encamped at Etko and surrounded the wells. I sat by one of them and drank water more than I had done since I came to the country.

I thought I was never to be satisfied, and my eyes were getting dim for want of it. On August we came upon the great causeway leading from Rosetta; it is about 12 feet broad: thought it must have been the main road to Alexandria. Came to the seaside once more and thought ourselves refreshed by the air from it. Crossed at the caravansery on a bridge of boats, halted an hour and had a scramble for some brackish water. Reached the block-house where we offered some Turks money for water, half a dollar for a canteenful. A rush was made upon the Turks, they were knocked over and their water taken from them. This day some men of our brigade dropped down dead while marching in the ranks. I happened to have good luck: being on the right of the company my feet were kept moist all day with the salt water.

We met the 22nd Light Dragoons just landed from Britain; they were mounted on French horses, having arrived just in time to receive them. We crossed on the raft at the mouth of the lake and halted by the wells we dug before the battle of the 13th March. Next day, August 9th, we marched into the lines and took up our station on the left of the Grand Fort. Great alterations had been made since we were here ; deep trenches were cut, breastworks raised, pits due in front to prevent an attack from cavalry, redoubts well finished and mounted with heavy cannon from the fleet from the sea to the lake. Wells had been built by new troops from Britain, 20th, 24th, 26th, 27th, and the Loyal Irish Fencibles.

Detachments had arrived for all the regiments; we got arty men for ours. Everything appeared in a state of security; officers' marquees were screened by date branches and gravel walks made round them--very comfortable indeed. Here was an excellent market formed on the left of the line, in which all the produce of the country was exposed for sale; it was under the superintendence of Sergeant-major Miles of the 28th regiment who was made provost-marshal. A wine store was erected and on a pass signed by an ofticer four canteens were filled for a Spanish dollar. Bridges were made across the cuts made in the canal for joining the two lakes.

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