Wilson, Robert Thomas: The British expedition to Egypt: carefully abridged in two parts (London, 1803)

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when the latter was attacked by the French
about half past three in the morning. The
impetuosity of the charge of the French ca-
valry was such, that the 42d were, not as Lutz
stated it, thrown into confusion ; but, as
Sir R.W. more forcibly expresses it, broken
and overwhelmed; so that, though they con-
tinued gallantly to light, as individuals,
they never rallied and formed again as a re-
giment during the remainder of the action.
At this critical period it was, that General
Stuart ordered his foreign brigade to advance:
an order obeyed with the utmost promptitude
and gallantry. They kept up a well-directed
fire, by fdes, at the distance of about forty
yards, which proved most destructive to the
French. The brigade then pushed forwards,
and soon came to close quarters with the
enemy, when a most obstinate conflict en-
sued, (it being yet scarcely light enough to
distinguish one man from another,) which
lasted about a quarter of an hour ; when the
French infantry began to retreat, and were
by the foreign brigade for about
fifty yards, when the latter received
orders to halt, the former being protected by
their artillery on the opposite heights, and
by their cavalry which scoured the interme-
diate plain. In this pursuit, however, some
of the soldiers, as is ever the case, more ac-
tive or more ardent than their comrades,
outstripped the rest, and approached nearer
to the enemy ; and, among other brave fel-
lows of the Queen's German regiment,

pursued
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