COMMANDER IN CHIEF SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE, who was mortally wounded in the action, and died on the me at this moment. Brigadier-General Oakes was wounded nearly at the same time, and the army has been deprived of the service of an excellent officer. The 28th and 42d regiments acted in the most distinguished and brilliant manner. Colonel Paget, an officer of great promise, was wounded at the head of the former regiment; he has since, though not quite recovered, returned to his duty. Brigadier-General Stuart and the foreign brigade supported the reserve with much promptness and spirit; indeed, it is but justice to this corps to say, that they have, on all occasions, endeavoured to emulate the zeal and spirit exhibited by the British troops, and have perfectly succeeded. Major-General Ludlow deserves much approbation for his conduct when the centre of the army was attacked under his guidance the guards conducted themselves in the most cool, intrepid, and soldier-like manner; they received very effectual support by a movement of the right of General Coote's brigade. Brigadier-General Hope was wounded in the hand; the army has been deprived of the service of a most active, zealous, and judicious officer. The loss of the enemy has been great; it is calculated at upwards of three thousand killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. General Roize, who commanded the cavalry, which suffered considerably, was killed in the field. Generals Lanusse and Bodet are since dead of their wounds. I have been informed that several other General Officers, whose names I do not know, have been either killed or wounded. I cannot conclude this letter without solemnly assuring you, that in the arduous contest in which we are at present engaged, his Majesty's troops in Egypt have faithfully discharged their duty to their country, and nobly upheld the fame of the British name and nation. (Signed) I have the honour to be, &c. J. II. HUTCHINSON." the 28th of March. I believe he was wounded early, but he concealed his situation from those about him, and * ORDER OF PROCESSION At the funeral of the late Right Honourable General Sir R. Abercrombie, which took place at Malta, April, 29, 1801. A Subaltern's Guard of the Royal Artillery with Arms reversed. Four Six Pounders drawn by Artillerymen. Two Ammunition Waggons drawn by Artillerymen. The Bands of the 35th and 40th Regiments with their Drums muffled, Playing a Solemn Dirge. The Guard, Consisting of Flank Companies of the Garrison, Under the Command of Colonel M'Alister 35th Regiment. The Senior Field Officer with Arms reversed. The Band of the 48th Regiment. Lt. Col. (now Sir John Swinnerton) Dyer, Aide-de-Camp to the Deceased. Supporters to the Chief Mourner. A led Saddle Horse fully caparisoned and covered with black. Servants of the Deceased. Officers by Corps, youngest of each Corps first. 1. Officers of Maltese Militia." off duty. 3. Officers of Neap. Battalion. 4. Officers of 48th Regiment. 5. Officers of 2d Bat. 40th. and continued in the field giving his orders with that coolness and perspicuity which had ever marked his character, till long after the action was over, when he fainted through weakness and loss of blood. Were it permitted for a soldier," continues his successor, "to regret any one who has fallen in the service of his country, I might be excused for lamenting him, more than any other person; but it is some consolation to those who tenderly loved him, that as his life was honourable, so was his death glorious. His memory will be recorded in the annals of his countrywill be sacred to every British soldier, and embalmed in the recollection of a grateful posterity.* 10. Officers of the Royal Artil-14. Officers of the Garrison Mi litary Staff. lery. 11. Officers of the Royal Navy. 15. Officers of the General Mili12. Officers of the Commissaries Staff. 13. Officers of the Medical Staff. tary Staff. 16. Principal Maltese Officers of the Civil Government. At eight o'clock in the morning the colours of the different forts were hoisted half staff high. The streets through which the procession passed, were lined by the Regiments of the Garrison. Minute Guns were fired from the Cavaliers of La Valetta. And lastly, the ships in the harbour fired from the time the body left the palace, until it arrived at the place of interment, which was succeeded by three rounds of eleven cannon. The gratitude of the nation has in some measure kept pace with this elegant eulogium, for the family of the deccased General has been ennobled, and public honours have been decreed to his corpse, which we think however ought to have been buried (as most befitting a soldier), on the very spot where he obtained the victory,' General General Hutchinson, now commander in chief, notwithstanding the late success, did not find himself strong enough to sit down, before Alexandria, more especially as he expected the arrival of reinforcements from Europe, and a powerful body of troops in the service of the East India company from Asia. He was not however idle in the mean time, for he immediately commenced a war of posts, and resolved to cut off the enemy in detail. He accordingly dispatched Colonel Spencer, about the 10th of April, with a body composed partly of British troops, and partly of Turkish auxiliaries, for the purpose of forcing the enemy from the town and castle of Ro setta, which commands the navigation of the Nile. The French, who had about 800 men there, made but a feeble resistance, retiring to the right bank, and leaving a small garrison in the fort, which surrendered on the 19th instant, but three days after the English batteries had opened. By these means the English became masters of the western branch of the Nile, and were enabled to open a communication with the Delta, from which they derived the necessary supplies. In the mean time the Turks, who had appeared hitherto to have conducted themselves in a dastardly manner, being stimulated by the gallant example of their allics, advanced against the common enemy. On the 8th of May the Grand Vizier reached Belbeis, and on the 16th Tapir Pacha, by his Highness's orders, attacked the enemy: he was afterwards reinforced by Mehemmed Pacha with five thousand men, and and finally by the Vizier himself in person; in consequence of which the French were driven beyond El-Hanka. After this they took Fort Lesbie at Damietta, and two smaller forts depending upon it. While our allies were thus proceeding in a new and unexpected career of success, the English general left his position in the neighbourhood of Alexandria, and occupied that of El-Aft, on the 7th of May, which the French had just evacuated. He then advanced against the retreating foe, took the fort of Rahmanich by means of an advanced corps, and as the enemy fell back on Cairo, it became necessary to follow them, to cover the Ottoman troops, and also to effect a junction with the detachment expected from India. On the 17th, when encamped at Alkam, a large convoy in its progress to join the French was luckily surprised; but the main body seems to have escaped by means of " a most extraordinary march from Rahmanich to Gizah;" and the Mamalukes, who had during the whole war declared for the strongest party, to the amount of about fifteen hundred cavalry, now went over to General Hutchinson. In addition to this good fortune, the Commander in Chief received the joyful intelligence that Lieutenant Colonel Murray had arrived at Cossire with a part of the Bombay detachment, and that General Baird was daily expected with the remainder.* *"Downing Street, July 21, 1801. "A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received at the office of the Right Hon. Lord Hobart, one |