XLV. 1844. 32. ment of dif rocco. Marshal of France, and Louis Philippe began to make CHAP. arrangements for the establishment of the Duke d'Aumale as viceroy in his newly-acquired transmarine possessions. Though driven in this manner out of his own country, Abd-el-Kader found in his individual firmness and in- Commenceexhaustible mental resources the means of still maintain- ficulties ing the contest. Retired into the distant wilds of the with Maempire of Marocco, where the wandering tribes dwelt on the frontiers of the great desert, he exerted his powers of eloquence, which were very great, in rousing the Mohammedans against the Christians-no difficult task at any time, but especially easy at this, owing to the serious encroachments which the followers of Jesus were now making in so many quarters on the domains of Islamism. His efforts, accordingly, were attended with considerable success; and in the spring of 1844 he found some thousand brave fanatics again assembled round his standards in these distant solitudes. At the same time he surrounded the Emperor with emissaries who represented in the strongest terms the necessity of all true believers uniting in defence of the Prophet, and the imminent danger of Islamism being rooted out of Africa if all its powers did not unite in defence of the faith. The Emperor was not insensible to these representations, but he was inspired with not less apprehension of the Emir than of the enemies of Islamism, and viewed, not without secret satisfaction, the desperate war which these two enemies, alike formidable to him, were waging with each other. It might have been long, therefore, before he yielded to the Emir's representations, had it not been for an incident which united them together in cordial alliance against the French.1 There had for long been a difference between Louis 33. Philippe and the Emperor of, Marocco on the subject of which lead the frontier line of their respective dominions-the one ture." contending for the line of the Tafna river, the other for a considerable territory on its western bank. The dispute, however, had not assumed a very serious aspect till the Regnault, Ann. Hist. ii. 394, 395; xxiv. 216, 218. to a rup XLV. 1844. CHAP. French began to build a fort at Lalla-Maghonia, on the left bank of the river. "You see," wrote the Emir to the Emperor, what I predicted is about to be realised. I have always warned you that your compliance would encourage the infidels to make encroachments on your territories, and now you see they are building a tower on your frontier, in order to acquire an entire command over you." At this news the court of the Emperor was thrown into the most violent commotion. On all sides were heard imprecations against the infidels-declamations on the necessity of checking their insolence. Religious fervour, ever so powerful an agent in the Eastern world, shook the whole population. Nothing was heard over the whole empire but the din of preparations for war; and the Government, so far from checking these feelings, gave them the most open encouragement. At a great review Regnault, held at Mogador, the governor of the town thus addressed Ann. Hist. the troops: "The infidels are coming; you must prepare 257. to combat them, for you are superior to them, and God is above all."1 ii. 394, 397; xxvii. 256, 34. Attack on the French Combat on the Mouil lab. May 30. Hostilities began on the part of the Emperor of Marocco sooner than was expected by the French. Without by the troops any previous declaration of war, his troops assembled on Com the disputed frontier in such numbers as obliged General Lamoricière, who commanded in that quarter, to concentrate his men in order to avoid a surprise. On the 30th May a body of 2000 Marocco horsemen, with their standards flying, appeared on the banks of the Mouillah river, and advanced two leagues in battle array into what the French claimed as their territory. General Lamoricière was not the man to decline the combat thus offered. Accordingly, without a word being spoken, or a message exchanged on either side, he advanced to meet them, having General Bedeau with the Zouaves on the right, and Colonel Roguet with the chasseurs and two battalions of foot on his left. The fire became extremely warm as the two hostile bodies approached each other, and the Moors XLV. 1844. sustained the discharges of the French with a firmness CHAP. which could hardly have been expected from Africans who were now for the first time brought into collision with European troops. They even made a considerable movement in advance, with a chosen body of horse, between the column on the French right and a ridge of rocks which bordered their position on that side. Lamoricière purposely made no resistance to the advance of that column, and, when it was fully abreast of the French line, suddenly charged the column in flank with two squadrons of chasseurs. This movement was decisive. Violently assailed on a side where they did not expect an attack, the black horse were divided in two, the advanced portion cut to pieces, that in the rear dispersed and driven headlong Ann. Hist. back towards Ouchda. The whole Marocco troops now 260; Retook to flight, and were pursued by the French with great 397, 398. slaughter to the banks of the Mouillah.1 1 xxvii. 250, gnault, ii. between Bedeau and This flagrant violation of the French territory un- 35. questionably was equivalent to a formal declaration of Conference war, and amply justified the immediate commencement General of hostilities. But the French government, anxious not the Marocco to bring another enemy on their hands, when Abd-el- chief. Kader was still unsubdued, and possibly desirous not to add to the chances of embarrassment with England, already in some degree irritated by the Otaheite affair, by extending their conquests in the direction of Gibraltar, affected to consider the invasion of the French territory as a mere unauthorised act on the part of the Marocco generals. They accordingly directed Marshal Bugeaud to request a conference with the Marocco chief, to endeavour to bring about an accommodation. The proposal was readily acceded to by the Emperor, and the conference took place on the 15th June, in a place mutually. fixed on, three-quarters of a league from the French camp 2 Ann. Hist. at Lalla-Maghonia. General Bedeau attended it on xxvii. 260; the part of the French; El Guennaoni on that of the i. 401, 402. African government.2 Lamoricière, with two battalions. Regnault, XLV. 1844. CHAP. and a squadron, lay at a little distance, and Marshal Bugeaud himself, with the remainder of the army, was still farther back in the direction of Tlemsen. The Emperor of Marocco himself, with 30,000 men, was at no great distance on the other side. 36. ence ends in hostili ties. El Guennaoni showed himself very accommodating in The confer- everything which concerned the Emir, whom he promised to expel from the Marocco territories, and prohibit from entering them again. But matters assumed a very different aspect when they came to discuss the frontier on the La Tafna river. On this point the Arab insisted on that river being the boundary, to which Bedeau positively refused to accede. "It is, then, war which you wish?" replied Bedeau : "well, you shall have it." "God will direct the issue," replied Guennaoni. And men also," rejoined Bedeau; and with these words they separated. While this was going on, the Arab followers of the Marocco chief's guard, to the number of several thousands, came pressing round the place of conference ; several shots were fired into the air, and some of the most forward even shook their arms in the French general's face. The Marocco chief in vain ordered these irregular hordes to withdraw; they refused to obey; the regular guard alone complied with the injunction. The circumstances were critical, closely resembling those which preceded the murder of Sir W. Macnaghten in xl. § 124. Affghanistan five years before. Bedeau, however, preserved a good countenance, and withdrew slowly, facing the enemy till he reached his horse, when he mounted and rode off. General Lamoricière and he were of opinion that the insult offered was not sufficiently grave to warrant the commencement of hostilities; but Marshal Ann. Hist. Bugeaud was of an opposite opinion, and gave orders for the troops to make preparations for an immediate attack. 402, 403. He did so accordingly, and with such success that the Marocco troops were entirely routed, and driven off the 1 Ante, c. xxvii. 260, 261; Regnault, ii. field with the loss of four hundred men left dead on the CHAP. spot. XLV. 1844. 37. ment of hos The tilities with from Marocco by sea and land. No sooner did the French Government receive intelligence of this second insult, than they gave orders to Commencecommence immediate hostilities by sea and land. Prince de Joinville received orders to proceed Toulon, with three sail of the line and four frigates, and cruise along the African coast. Mr Drummond Hay, the British consul at Tangiers, did all in his power to avert hostilities; and Sir Robert Wilson, the Governor of Gibraltar, sent several messengers to Fez to endeavour to effect an accommodation. Meanwhile Marshal Bugeaud broke up from his camp, and, advancing into the Marocco territory, occupied Ouchda without resistance, and Abd-el-Kader having withdrawn to the mountains, the Marshal retired into the French territory, leaving a garrison in that place. The efforts of Sir Robert Wilson at length brought about a convention with the Prince de Joinville; his fleet stood out to sea, and the danger appeared to be averted. But meanwhile Admiral Owen, with the English squadron, who was ignorant of the convention concluded by Sir Robert Wilson, approached Tangiers, upon hearing of which the Prince de Joinville returned to that town, and made dispositions for an immediate attack. On learning, however, that Admiral Owen had approached only for the purpose of observation, he again withdrew. The negotiations between Marshal Bugeaud and the Emperor of Marocco having again failed, he approached Tangiers a second Ann. Hist. time, and no answer having been returned within the Ann. Reg. time accorded by the French Government to their ulti- 263; Rematum proposed to that of Marocco, he made prepara- 428, 429. tions for a bombardment.1 Tangiers is an old town situated on the sea-coast, built on a series of heights lying in a semicircle, descending from a considerable elevation to the water's edge. It VOL. VII. 2 M 1 xxvii. 261; 1844, 262, gnault, ii. |