Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/340

310  deatli of Patrona Bey, the Turkish Vice-Admiral, who was assassinated at Cyprus in a mutiny of the Janissaries on the 1 8th Oct.; the command devolved on Seid Ali Bey, who had just joined me with the troops from Constantinople, composing the second maritime expedition for the recovery of Egypt. As soon as our joint exertions had restored order, we proceeded to the mouth of the Damietta branch of the Nile to make an attack thereon, as combined with the Supreme Vizier, in order to draw the attention of the enemy that way, and leave his Highness more at liberty to advance with the grand army on the side of the Desert. The attack began by the Tigre’s boats taking possession of a ruined castle situated on the eastern side of the Bogaz, or entrance of the Channel, which the inundation of the Nile had insulated from the main land, leaving a fordable passage. The Turkish flag diplayed on the tower of this castle was at once the signal for the Turkish gun-boats to advance, and for the enemy to open their fire in order to dislodge us; their nearest post being a redoubt on the main land, with two 32-pounders, and an 8-pounder field-piece mounted thereon, at point-blank shot distance.

“The fire was returned from the launch’s carronade, mounted in a breach in the castle, and from field-pieces in the small boats, which soon obliged the enemy to discontinue working at an intrenchment they were making to oppose a landing. Lieutenant Stokes was detached with the boats to check a body of cavalry advancing along the neck of land, in which he succeeded; but I am sorry to say, with the loss of one man killed and one wounded. This interchange of shot continued with little intermission during the 29th, 30th, and 31st, while the Turkish transports were drawing nearer to the landing place, our shells from the carronade annoying the enemy in his works and communications; at length the magazine blowing up, and one of their 32-pounders being silenced, a favourable moment offered for disembarkation. Orders were given accordingly; but it was not till the morning of the 1st Nov. that they could effectuate this operation.

“This delay gave time for the enemy to collect a force more than double that of the first division landed, and to be ready to attack it before the return of the boats with the remainder.