Beware of Heroes by Peter Shankland

Author:Peter Shankland [Shankland, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2015-08-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven – The Treaty

For the negotiations in The Tigre Kléber appointed as his delegates General Desaix and Monsieur Poussielgue, his very able Controller General of Finances who had introduced many western reforms into Egypt.

General Desaix had been conducting an arduous campaign with a very small force in Upper Egypt against Murad Bey, the unconquered Mameluke. Sometimes Murad had established his sway over a district and collected the taxes; sometimes the French had done so. Sometimes both had collected the taxes from the same district. Kléber had recalled Desaix and appointed Murad Bey to govern Upper Egypt for France. The general was a true soldier, caring little for the comforts of life and much for its pleasures, but he was also an able administrator; he was known to the inhabitants as ‘The Just Sultan’. He had expressed his joy and the happiness of the men under him, to be serving under Kléber’s command, but he was unwilling to undertake negotiations for the surrender of Egypt without the approval of Bonaparte whom he still regarded as his chief. Kléber gave him an order to do so, and he obeyed.

Monsieur Poussielgue shared Kléber’s opinion that they ought to negotiate while they were still in a position of strength instead of waiting until they were at the mercy of their enemies.

The delegates had to wait for several weeks during which heavy surf prevented their vessel from crossing the bar at Damietta. It was not until 23rd December that they were able to board The Tigre.

They brought with them a letter from Kléber addressed to Sir Sidney, demanding the dissolution of the triple alliance of Britain, Turkey and Russia against France, the return of the Ionian Islands occupied by Russia, the guarantee of Malta to France and the provision of ships to evacuate the French from Egypt. ‘You love glory, General,’ he wrote, ‘and it seems to me that to attach one’s name to such an event would be the greatest glory one could win.’ There was also a letter addressed to the Vizier in which he said:

I offer peace, friendship, and the evacuation of Egypt with one hand, and I accept battle with the other. Your Excellency in his wisdom will make the choice.

Sir Sidney told the delegates that the proposals were absolutely inadmissible. They were, except for the question of the ships to be provided, outside their competence even to discuss; but he did not break off the negotiations on that account. He requested the delegates to ask Kléber for new instructions, and they did so. Meanwhile, on the 24th, both sides agreed to an armistice of one month.

The messenger sent to the Grand Vizier to give him notice of the armistice was too late to forestall the attack on the fort at El Arish. It had been invested and summoned to surrender by Colonel Bromley on the 22nd: the French commander, Cazals, had rejected the summons, but some of his men protested against his decision. Colonel Douglas, Colonel Bromley, Major Frotté and Captain Winter surveyed the defences and sited the artillery.

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