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

k. ,. cxenerai ivioore was wounded eany in me
;; - action, but refused to quit the field. In
., , Holland, also, this general received three
wounds before he could be prevailed upon to
.retire. Brigadier Oakes was also severely
wounded before Alexandria, and still kept
the field. Sir Sydney Smith, though woundr
ed early, was always in the hottest fire. The
■■MM I J 1 J e
1 captains of the navy commanded the artillery
"‘ in the great battery on shore ; while the sai-
’ lors and some Turks were employed in car-
r ' * •- rying up the ammunition; yet the latter,
un"A ■■ unacquainted with cannon-shot, could never
carry it above ten paces at a time without
tdropping it to crouch down for fear of the
• balls. The principal error in. General Menon,
which lost him the battle, is admitted to
■ have been the precipitation with which he
I • decided upon the attack ; therefore, in quit-
ting his strong position to commence the
’’ same, he resigned all the advantages he pos-
sessed. Had he delayed it only forty-eight
■ hours, the British commander intended to
If ' have made his assault by night, which pro-
. ■ * bably would have been one of the most ha-
.■ • - zardous ever attempted. Indeed, such was
the oversight of General Menou in order-
ing a charge of cavalry, unsupported by a
r’ " \ heavy body of infantry, that it is said, Gene-
■I *! ral Roiz, from a knowledge of the danger,

Menou. The superior general, Regnier, en-
vious of the success of the British in this
■ ftp f battle, asserted, that General Hutchinson.