DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4794#0079
75
Bonaparte, previously to the arrival of the
British army, having invaded Syria,- carried
Jaffa, or Joppa, by assault ; and, though
many of the Turks of the garrison were put
to the sword, the rest, 3800 in number, fly-
ing to a mosque, had their lives given them
by the French soldiery. Bonaparte, how-
ever, displeased at the compassion shewn by
his troops, three days afterwards ordered these
poor wretches to be marched to an eminence
near Jassy, where a division of French infantry
being formed against them, they were deli-
berately destroyed by volleys of grape-shot
and musketry; while Bonaparte, who had
entertained his doubts whether his men would
execute these orders, viewing the scene from
a distance with a telescope, could not con-
ceal his joy. Kleber, and some other gene-
ral officers, it is said, were very much against
this dreadful measure. Sir Robert Wilson
says, when these Turks had all fallen, the
French troops humanely endeavoured to put
a period to the sufferings of the wounded
with the bayonet. Bonaparte, however, might
justify this proceeding, by many mournful
precedents among other nations ; but in this
case he only urged, that he had neither pro-
visions to maintain those Turks, nor strength
sufficient to guard them ; and that, if they
escaped, they would certainly act against the
French, as some of them, who were taken at
El Arish, and liberated before, had done ;
but for which they pleaded compulsion by
the governor of Jaffa. -
Bonaparte, previously to the arrival of the
British army, having invaded Syria,- carried
Jaffa, or Joppa, by assault ; and, though
many of the Turks of the garrison were put
to the sword, the rest, 3800 in number, fly-
ing to a mosque, had their lives given them
by the French soldiery. Bonaparte, how-
ever, displeased at the compassion shewn by
his troops, three days afterwards ordered these
poor wretches to be marched to an eminence
near Jassy, where a division of French infantry
being formed against them, they were deli-
berately destroyed by volleys of grape-shot
and musketry; while Bonaparte, who had
entertained his doubts whether his men would
execute these orders, viewing the scene from
a distance with a telescope, could not con-
ceal his joy. Kleber, and some other gene-
ral officers, it is said, were very much against
this dreadful measure. Sir Robert Wilson
says, when these Turks had all fallen, the
French troops humanely endeavoured to put
a period to the sufferings of the wounded
with the bayonet. Bonaparte, however, might
justify this proceeding, by many mournful
precedents among other nations ; but in this
case he only urged, that he had neither pro-
visions to maintain those Turks, nor strength
sufficient to guard them ; and that, if they
escaped, they would certainly act against the
French, as some of them, who were taken at
El Arish, and liberated before, had done ;
but for which they pleaded compulsion by
the governor of Jaffa. -