success we testimony to the active zeal and co, department has been by his active operation of rear-admiral sir T. co-operation. The village of Edko Louis, and the officers, seamen. and was understood to be favourable to marines of the squadron under his us. A more certair supply of water, comnand, without whose indefa. and a less precarious communication tigable exertions the most arduous with our fleet, offered themselves part of the service could not have by the lake than by the northern been carried on. To raptain Hal. shore. To advance upon Rosetta lox ell, who accompanied this ex. by the route bi Edko was preferred pedition, as he did the former one, to that of Marabant. Lieutenant. I cannot sufficiently express my ob- colonel M‘Leod, to whom I en. ligations. Whatever trusted the advance of the army, have hau since our operations com. consisting of the light infantry bat. menced in this country, has been talion, three companies of the 78th materially owing to his local infor- regiment, two 6 pounders, and a mation and active zeal ; and I am detachment of dragoons, moved forwell convinced, that, in our late wards towards Edko on the evening reverses, our losses and misfortunes of the 4th; he took a strong posiwere materially lessened by his gal. tion behind that village early next lant and zealou, co operation. morning. On the 5th the army advanced to the same position ; Sir, Rosetta Lines, April 18, 1807. captain Nicholls, of the marines, I have the honour of stating, that was left in command at the caravan. on the 3d inst. I marched, with the sera 'with a detachment of 40 rank division of infantry under my com. and file. In consequence of infor, mand, from the eastern heights of mation of the enemy being establishAlexandria, to the wells of Abou.' ed in force at the village of Hamet, kir; the cavalry, artillery, and en. it was advisable to occupy that post gineers’ stores, had been previously on our advance to Aboumandour; forwarded to the caravansera. This our rear would by this measure be post had been retained with much secured during operations against spirit by a detachment of the marines Rosetta, and an uninterrupted com. after the retreat of the army under munication be established with the lieutenant-colonel Bruce, and was depôt on the lake Edko. Lieute. of essential value to our present nant-colonel M‘Leod accordingly operations. The greatest part of advanced upon Hamet on the 6th the 4th inst. was employed in pas. instant; he met with some of the enesing the infantry and camels to the my's cavalry about a league from that caravansera, in landing guns and village, whom he caused to retire ammunition, and in substituting the after a slight skirmish ; being rein. latter and intrenching tools for camp forced by the grenadiers of the 35th equipage. A body of 200 seamen, regiment and de Roll's, he pushed under lieutenant Robinson, were forward, and occupied the post added to the army. Captain Hal. without opposition. The enemy relowell kindly offered to accompany tired across the hill, with the loss me; he has since contioned with of one or two horsemen; the main the army, and I cannot sufficiently army followed, and halted for the express how infinitely obliged every night in the plain, the 78th regiment, forming а forming the advanced line. Early on the 7th, lieutenant-colonel M. Leod's division was relieved in the post of El Hamet by a detachment of 276 rank and file of de Roll's regiment, under the command of major Vogelsang; it then marched across the plain to the height of Aboumandour; possession was taken of this important post without opposition. The main army arrived at the sand-hills which encircle Rosetta, about mid-day, and lost no time in investing the place. The corps advanced in succession from Aboumandour, and drove the enemy every where into the town in an animated manner. Our line lodged ́itself behind the sand-hills, within half-musket shot of the walls. From the great extent of the town, it was found impossible that our small army could invest more than one. half; an attack which the enemy made on us in the afternoon shewed the inadequacy of our means to at. tack a large proportion. A line was accordingly taken up from the Nile to the front of the Alexandrian gate, thence retiring towards the plain where our dragoons were posted. A mortar and some guns were brought into play early in the afternoon; these were answered by the shouts of the Albanians from their walls, and by incessant discharges of musquetry through the loop-holes and crevices, which were innumerable. In conformity with your instructions, captain Hallowell and I sent, on the 8th inst. a summons, and favourable terms, to the civil and to the military governor, accompanied by an address to the inhabitants. We were requested by the former, in their answer, to await their re. ceiving instructions from Cairo, for which purpose a tem o-ary suspension of hostilities was proposed. It not being expedient to accede to this, we continued to batter the town; and, by the 10th, had two mortars, two 12-pounders, a howit. zer, and 6-pounder in play; on the 12th a work for five 6-pounders and 32-pound carronades was completed, immediately opposite the Alexandrian gate. Skirmishes on our left were in the mean time frequent, the cavalry having room there to act. On the 10th a more general demonstration was made, with the object of drawing us within the fire from the walls; on this occasion the dragoons and the 78th regiment repulsed them with much spirit on the left, while a rapid advance of the light infantry on the right again compelled them to retire within the town. The summons was repeated to the Albanian chiefs on the 12th; with the nature of their summons you are acquainted. Our flag of truce was thrice fired at; and it was only by means of a great eward that a common Arab could be in-. duced to be the bearer of any communication with such enemies. Having been informed by you of the co operation which was likely to exist between us and the Mameluke beys, I availed myself of this in our message to the enemy; he seemed, however, to be indifferent to it. Of either message or letter I have heard no more, and have reason to apprehend that the unfortunate Arab has been beheaded. Symptoms of attack appearing against El Hamet, I detached another gun to that part, and reinforced the detachment there to 300 men. From the 12th to the 18/h, nothing extraordinary occurred. Relying on the approach of the *U u 4 Mameluke, Mamelukes, every exertion was con. this enterprise may be attributed to tinued in getting up stores, ammu. captain Hallowell ; by his exertions nition, and provisions, from the a sufficiency of small craft was dis. depôt on the lake. This service covered under water, were raised, was attended with considerable fa. and during the dark of the night of tigue, the route being for a space of the 15th, were so well prepared, nearly seven miles over deep sands. that nearly the whole of the de. In the execution of the service on tachment was conoyed froa shore the lake, I cannot sufficiently ex- to shore at one turn. Twenty-fire press the merit of lieutenant Tilly, armed fellahs, who formed part of of the Tigre, who had charge of a large body detached against us this department: he was indefati. from Cairo, were yesteriay cap. gable, and without his uncommon tured near El Hamet. They had exertions on the muddy shore of a killed their own chief, and were shallow lake, it would hive been andering near our post more with impossible for our army to have so a view to plunder than of hostility. long maintained its position before Nothing of moment has this day Rosetta. On the 15th, the enemy occurred. The general report of gave our right flank considerable the approach of the Mamelukes, anpoyance, by two guins, in sepa. with which I have been favoured rate batteries, on the opposite bank by you, and which I find confirmed of the river; of these it was necas. by the emissaries that I send out ; sary to dispossess them. Major (some of whom state that they are MéDonald, 78th regiment, was de, at Jerrana, and others that they are tached across the river, in front of at Algam), induce me to persevere Aboumandour mosque, before day. in my present system of attack. light on the 16th, with 250 men; We have done great danage to the lieutenant Robinson, of the Tigre, town, and have not thrown less accompanied the major with 40 than 300 shells from mortars alone. seamen, whose services were par. The indifference, however, of the ticularly valuable : he made a cir- enemy to the miseries which are un. cuitous march, and arrived in rear avoidably caused to the inhabitants of the batteries by dawn of day ; is manifest. Although his force be he captured and completely destroy- not said to exceed 300 cavalry, ed them, and fired several rounds 800 Albanians, and 1,000 armed into the town from their own guns; iohabitants, yet, from the extent, he then sent the guns, with twelve and from the peculiar nature of his camels and a considerable pomber lines of defence, to attempt an as. of tents, across the river. The sault is decidedly not an advisable enemy receiving reinforcements, the our success will depend major retired, and effected this ser- on the arrival of the Mamelukes; vice in equally good style; although in conjunction with whom a force under fire from the enemy, he re- may be immediately thrown on the embarked the whole of his detach. opposite side of the Nile; the doing ment in the best order, and had this at present is impossible. Our only four men wounded. I have enemy is strong in cavalry, we have particularly to state, that much of none; and the Delta is peculiarly the good fortune which attended calculated for that arm. In the measure : mean time, the post of Hamet becomes of greater value, as our friends are expected to approach: every effort shall be made to retain it. I have the honour to inclose a list of the killed, wounded, and missing, to this day, inclusive; and I have the satisfaction to add, that 'the greater number of those who are wounded are only slight cases. (Signed) W. STEWART, Brig. Gen. Return of Killed, Wounded, and Missing, of the Army serving a. gainst Rosetta, from the 6th to the 18th of April, inclusive; 1807. Staff, 1 brigadier-general, 1 brigade-major, wounded.-Light in. fantry battalion, 2 rank and file killed; 1 lieutenant, 2 serjeants, 11 rank and file, wounded.-35th regiment, 1 rank and file killed; 1 captain, 3 serjeants, 26 rank and file, wounded.-78th regiment, 1 rank and file killed; 17 rank and file wounded.-De Roll's regiment, 1 serjeant, 1 rank and file, killed; 1 serjeant, 4 rank and file, wounded, 20th dragoons. 2 rank and file, 5 horses, wounded. Total, 1 ser. jeant, five rank and file, killed; 1 brigadier-general, 1 brigade-major, 1 captain, I lieutenant, 6 serjeants, 60 rank and file, 5 horses, wounded. Names of Officers Wounded.-Brigadier-general the hon. W, Stewart, commanding.-Lieutenant R. Cust, of the 1st battalion 35th regiment, brigade-major.-Captain Jodderel, of the 2d battalion 35th regiment, since dead.-Lieutenant Hemsworth, of the 31st light infantry battalion. (Signed) J. STEWART, Captain and Major of Brigade. Camp, Eastern Heights, AlexanSIR, dria, April 25, 1807. I have the honour of reporting to you, that I yesterday returned to this position with the remains of the army lately under my command. The events which have attended the service on which that army has been engaged, have been of a peculiar nature, and the result has been as peculiarly unfortunate. I feel it therefore to be incumbent upon me, in justification of my own conduct, and in justice to those brave men who have been my companions in arms, to intrude upon your attention a more than ordinary detail of our proceedings. I had the honour of stating in my last, that the expectation of the junction of the Mamelukes had chiefly induced me to persevere in the attack of Rosetta: every exertion was continued to be made by such artillery as we could command, in reducing the enemy to surrender, but without effect: the mistaken ground upon which we were acting respecting the Mamelukes, and the general deception of our informers, were now about to become manifest.-On the 19th, the enemy left his position opposite Hamet, and, crossing the river near Elfine, established him. self there. He advanced from Dibet against amet on the same day, and attacking major Vogelsang's position on the left, was repulsed with loss; a diversion was made at the same time at Roseta, in a sortie against the left of our lines, by about 80 cavalry and 200 infantry; the 35th regiment and the dragoons were engaged: they repulsed the enemy with much spirit, and drove him as usual to his walls. The 35th had in this affair 2 killed and 14 wounded. 1 this evening detached the light companies of the 35th and of De Roll's to the post of El Hamet, under the command of captain Tarleton of the former. His orders were, to to drive the enemy across the Nile, either during the night, or early next morning. On attempting to effect this service on the 20th, the enemy was found to be powerful in cavalry, and captain Tarleton retired. I must here state the position of Hamet: From lake Edko to the Nile is an isthmus about two miles and a half in extent, varying according to the depth of water in the lake. The remains of a deep canal with high banks extend from the river nearly two thirds across this isthmus; the banks command the plain on either side. The vil lage of Hamet is on the southern side of the canal, about half way across ; its inhabitants were friendly to us. On the banks of the Nile and at Hamet are the only two regular passes through the banks of the canal. At each of these was posted a gun, and a proportion of major Vogelsang's detachment. From the termination of the canal to the lake is a plain, passable by cavalry. A piquet guarded this flank. As captain Tarleton retreat ed, he divided his detachment; he directed the march of his own com. pany to the left position, and sent the De Roll's, reinforced to 100 rank and file, to Hamet village, While crossing the plain, the latter detachment, under captain Reinach's orders, was suddenly attacked by 200 cavalry, and, as it should appear, was with little opposition routed; two thirds were cut in pieces. Report of this reached me by eleven o'clock in the forenoon. I detached lieutenant-colonel M'Leod with two companies of the 78th regiment, one of the 35th, a picquet of dragoons under captain Delancy, and a 6-pounder, to reinforce the post, and take the command. Two 2 more companies followed in the af ternoon, with a day's provision for his whole force, ammunition, &c. all which arrived safely. On the arrival of the rein orcement, the enemy retired towards Dileg, and I received assurance from the lieute nant colonel before sun-set, of the perfect security of his post; he had detached three companies, the dragoons, and a 3-pounder, under captain Tarleton's orders, to the plains on the right, and had reinforced the centre post by a company of the 35th regiment; the average strength of these companies were 60 rank and file. [The general continues to observe, that he visited the post of Hamet during the night of the 20th, narrowly escaping the enemy's cavalry: he directed colonel M'Leod to defend the post to the utmost, promising a reinforcement of 80 men, with ammunition, in the morning. At seven in the morning, however, he received an express from colonel M'Leod, announcing that 60 or 70 germs, with a reinforcement to the enemy, was coming down the hill, and expressing his intention of falling back upon the main body; the general immediately determined to advance to the support of the detachment, with which all communication by small parties was now cut off; and after destroying the mortars and spare ammunition before Rosetta, commenced his retreat, the enemy at the time sallying from the town and surrounding our little army. About ten o'clock our army advanced across the sandy plain in the direction of lake Edko, and the right of the Hamet position, ap. proaching which they were mortified at not finding colonel M Leod's detachment; |