376

THE UNION COMPLETED.

[1800.

the object which he hated," proclaiming, with a subdued voice, "the Ayes have it." "The fatal sentence was now pronounced-for an instant he stood statue-like, flung the Bill upon the table, and sunk into his chair with an exhausted spirit."* A more sober narrative relates that when the House adjourned, the Speaker walked to his own residence, followed by forty-one members, uncovered and in deep silence; bowed to the crowd before he entered his doors; and "then the whole assemblage dispersed, without uttering a word."+ The Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed in both parliaments; and the king, on closing the session at Westminster on the 29th of July, said, "This great measure, on which my wishes have been long earnestly bent, I shall ever consider as the happiest event of my reign."

The halcyon time was far distant. Cornwallis saw the danger that would infallibly attend a continued attempt to govern Ireland upon principles of exclusion: "This country could not be saved without the Union, but you must not take it for granted that it will be saved by it. Much care and management will be necessary; and if the British government place their confidence in an Irish faction, all will be ruined."‡

India-Lord Mornington Governor-General-Arthur Wellesley-War with Tippoo-Capture of Seringa patam-Bonaparte in Egypt-March to Syria-Jaffa-Siege of Acre-Battle of Aboukir-Bonaparte hears of the defeats of the French-He leaves Egypt and arrives in Paris-The French Directory-Revolution of the Eighteenth Brumaire-Overthrow of the Directory by Bonaparte-British Expedition to Holland-New Constitution in FranceBonaparte First Consul-The First Consul's letter to the King-Lord Grenville's hostile answer-High price of Corn in England-Distress and Riots-Injudicious attempts to regulate prices-Bonaparte's civil administration-He assumes the state of a sovereignItaly-Bonaparte takes the command of the army-The Campaign- Battle of MarengoCampaign under Moreau in Germany-Peace of Luneville.

BONAPARTE was shut up in Egypt. To conquer the country,-to establish a sovereignty that might ultimately make him the master of India,was a project of romantic grandeur. But its immediate realization had become an impossibility. The battle of the Nile had dissipated some of these dreams. Nevertheless, on the 26th of January, 1799, Bonaparte addressed a letter from Cairo to Tippoo Sultaun: "You have been informed of my arrival on the borders of the Red Sea, with an innumerable and invincible army, full of the desire of releasing and relieving you from the iron yoke of England." Within a few months from the date of this letter, Tippoo was slain in the defence of Seringapatam, and his kingdom of Mysore came to an end.

Sir John Shore, afterwards lord Teignmouth, succeeded earl Cornwallis in the government of India. During his administration the two sons of Tippoo, who had been taken as hostages for the due performance of their

VOL. VII.

ca

378

LORD MORNINGTON-WAR WITH TIPPOO.

[1799.

father's engagements, were given up, however doubtful might have been the continued amity of the Sultaun. In 1798, lord Teignmouth was succeeded by lord Mornington, afterwards created marquis Wellesley. At the head of the Indian government was now a man of splendid abilities, and of vigour of character well fitted for action in any great crisis. He had a sound adviser, not only in military affairs, but. in political, in his younger brother, Arthur Wellesley, then in his thirtieth year, who held the rank of colonel. The "Supplementary Dispatches," edited by the present duke of Wellington, exhibit very strikingly how, at a very early period of his great career, the mind of this remarkable man was formed to embrace the largest views with the closest attention to the most minute detail. From his arrival in India as the colonel of an infantry regiment in 1797, to his acceptance of a responsible command in 1799, we may trace the same 'qualities which, more than any other man, fitted him for an encounter with the genius of Bonaparte. Arthur Wellesley's regiment, the 33rd, formed part of an army assembled at Vellore, in November, 1798, under the command of general Harris. Lord Mornington had endeavoured, without effect, to detach Tippoo from the dangerous influence of the agents of the French government. The language of the GovernorGeneral was conciliatory, but it was firm. His proposal to negotiate was met by evasions. Tippoo continued to rely upon the assistance of the French. "The providence of God, and the victorious arms of the British nation, frustrated his vain hopes, and checked the presumptuous career of the French in Egypt, at the moment when he anxiously expected their arrival on the coast of Malabar." * He rejected every pacific overture. General Harris accordingly entered the Mysore territory on the 5th of March, 1799. The ally of the English, the Nizam of the Deccan, sent a large contingent to join the army; and this force, to which the 33rd regiment was attached, was placed under the command of colonel Wellesley.

The novelty, no less than the magnitude, of these operations, appears to have impressed the young commander of the Nizam's army with a feeling of wonder which inexperience is not ashamed to display. The British grand army and the Nizam's army marched in two columns parallel to each other. "The march of these two armies was almost in the form of a square or oblong, of which the front and rear were formed of cavalry, and about two or three miles in extent; the right and left (owing to the immense space taken up in the column by field-pieces, drawn by bullocks), about six or seven miles. In this square went everything belonging to the army. You will

have some idea of what there was in that space when I state to you the number of bullocks that I know were in the public service." These he computes at sixty thousand. The Nizam's army had twenty-five thousand bullocks loaded with grain; besides elephants, camels, bullocks, carts, belonging to individuals, beyond all calculation. "You may have some idea of the thing when I tell you that, when all were together, there was a multitude in motion which covered eighteen square miles." The Bombay army joined these two moving multitudes; and after several encounters with the forces of Tippoo, the united armies had taken up a position before Seringa

*Declaration of the Governor-General in Council, 22nd February, 1799.
+"Supplementary Dispatches," vol. i. p. 204.

1799.]

CAPTURE OF SERINGAPATAM.

379

patam. A series of successful attacks upon the enemy's posts enabled the breaching batteries to be erected at a short distance from the walls; and the breach was sufficiently complete for the city to be stormed on the 4th of May. It was in the possession of the besiegers within two hours. Tippoo was killed in one of the gateways. His body was found among five hundred others, piled in a very narrow compass. Colonel Wellesley's letter to the GovernorGeneral is very characteristic. "It was impossible to expect that, after the labour which the troops had undergone in working up to this place, and the various successes they had had in six different affairs with Tippoo's troops, in all of which they had come to the bayonet with them, they should not have looked to the plunder of this place. Nothing therefore can have exceeded what was done on the night of the 4th. . . . I came in to take the command on the morning of the 5th; and, by the greatest exertion, by hanging, flogging, &c., &c., in the course of that day, I restored order among the troops, and I hope I have gained the confidence of the people."* Colonel Wellesley congratulates his brother " upon having brought the war to a most fortunate conclusion in the course of about two months, and of having destroyed the greatest enemy the British nation ever had in India, and one whose powers were most formidable." The territories of Tippoo were divided amongst the English, the Nizam, and a descendant of the ancient rajahs of Mysore, who had been dispossessed by Hyder. Colonel Wellesley was appointed governor of Seringapatam; and, during several years, he was employed in the organization of the civil and military administration of Mysore.

When Bonaparte wrote to Tippoo at the end of January, 1799, the Porte had declared war against France. Jezzar, the pasha of Acre, had received orders from the sultan to commence hostilities against the French, and he had seized El Arish, on the borders of Egypt. The war against the invaders of the dominions of the sultan was to be carried on with vigour. An army was collecting in Syria; another army was to be landed at Alexandria; in the spring they were to operate in combination. Bonaparte resolved to anticipate these movements, by attacking the fortified places in Syria where troops and stores were being gathered together. He thought the reduction. of these positions would be soon effected; that he should add the conquest of Syria to that of Egypt; become master of the Euphrates as he had become master of the Nile; and then have all the communications with India open to him. On the 1st of February, his army, consisting of about thirteen thousand men, entered the Desert. He had mounted one of his regiments on fleet dromedaries, each dromedary carrying two men, seated back to back. The French on the march followed the course of the Mediterranean. El Arish surrendered to them on the 18th of March, and Gaza surrendered on the 25th. On the 3rd of March they had reached Jaffa, the ancient Joppa. This place was defended by a thick wall, flanked with towers; and contained a garrison of more than four thousand men. It was taken by assault; and for thirty hours was delivered over to pillage and massacre. Something Several followed, more horrible even than the ordinary atrocities of warfare. thousand of the garrison were prisoners. Bonaparte," says Thiers, 66 decided upon a terrible measure, which is the sole cruel act of his life.

*

"Supplementary Dispatches," vol. i. p. 212.

380

BONAPARTE IN EGYPT-JAFFA.

(1799.

Transported into a barbarous country, he had involuntarily adopted its measures. He caused these prisoners to pass under the edge of the sword."* The justification alleged is, that the French had no means of sending them to Egypt; that the army was itself in want of rations; and that to let them go free would be to increase the number of their foes. The decision was not taken upon the single authority of Bonaparte. It was debated for three days in councils of war; and then the prisoners were marched out from the camp in parties to the sand hills around Jaffa, and there put to death by volleys of musketry, or by the bayonet.

Before the French marched from Jaffa, the plague had made its appearance. Hospitals were established there; and the army moved forward to Acre. Jezzar had resisted the solicitations of the French to become their friend; and had determined to defend the strong place in which he was shut up. In the gulf of Acre was sir Sidney Smith, with two English ships of war. He had captured some vessels bringing along the coast from Egypt some of the heavy artillery of the French army; and these were landed for

the defence of Acre. A French emigrant officer, colonel Philippeaux, who had been a fellow-student with Bonaparte in the military school, co-operated with sir Sidney Smith in this gallant defence. A small breach having been made, the French ventured upon an assault on the 25th of March. They were arrested by a counterscarp and a fosse. For two months was Acre vainly attempted to be taken. In April, an army from Damascus had crossed the Jordan for the relief of Acre. Kleber, with a small number of troops, first encountered this force of thirty thousand, chiefly cavalry. He maintained his ground until the arrival of Bonaparte and Murat with effectual aid. The Mussulmans were completely routed on the plain of Esdraelon, between Mount Hermon and Mount Thabor. Bonaparte then hurried back to Acre. The English and Turks, during the temporary suspension of assaults, had constructed intrenchments outside the town. In the early part of May, the French repeatedly attacked these works, but without On the 7th of May, a Turkish fleet with reinforcements appeared

success.

+"Révolution Française," livre xliii.