Siege of El Arish
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| Egypt–Syria Campaign of 1798–1801 |
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| Shubra Khit – Pyramids – Nile – El Arish – Jaffa – Acre – Mount Tabor – 1st Aboukir – 2nd Aboukir – Alexandria |
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In the Siege of Al 'Arish (February 1799) French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Ottoman forces in the fortress in an eleven day siege. It fell on February 19
[edit] Forces
- French: 2160 under General Reynier.
- Turkish: 15500 soldiers in fort and relief, commanded by Abdullah Pasha.
[edit] French take control of el-Arish
January 2, 1799: Jezzar Pasha sent 4000 soldiers and 3 cannons, under the command of Abdullah Pasha of Damascus, to secure Kaalat el-Arish. Upon reaching the village, the group took a position in the village and it's fort. At the same time, Reynier and his forces were in Katieh Fort, finishing their fortification.
February 8, 1799: Reynier's division reached Masoodiah, where French soldiers captured a Mamluk runner who told them that el-Arisz was now under Turkish control. Reynier sent a courier to Bonaparte calling for immediate reinforcements and took position on a sand hill near el-Arish. In response, the Turkish army moved into a nearby palm forest and obtained supplies and 12 cannons. Their cavalry begin attacking the French. After half an hour of artillery fire, Reynier sent 85 half-brigade to take the village el-Arish. The Turkish defenders of the village escaped into their fort, and their cavalry withdrew on the road to Gaza under the cover of a defile.
- French losses: 200 killed and 300 wounded.
- Turkish losses: 500 killed wounded or captured.
[edit] Blockade of Turkish fort
At around 11:00pm the main Turkish forces took a position on the right side of the defile.
February 12, 1799: Kleber's division reached Kalaat el-Arish, and his forces begin a blockade of the Turkish fort. Reynier's division moved into position in the palm forest near the defile.
February 14, 1799: Reynier's forces begin an assault on a Turkish camp, which they successfully capture.
- French losses: 3 killed and 20 wounded.
- Turkish losses: About 500 killed and 900 prisoners of war.
[edit] French siege on Fortification
1000 soldiers under Turkish commander Ibrahim Nizam were still inside the fort. After clearing capture items Reynier established camp from which he secured blockade of the fort. Meanwhile, main French forces arrived in Kalaat el Arish
February 17, 1799: General Caraffeli started engineering work.
February 18-19, 1799: French began artillery fire on the Turkish fortification.
February 20, 1799: The French began their assault. After capturing the fort, the French repaired the fortification.
- Turkish losses: 400 killed or wounded. Around 300 joined the French army, and the rest moved to Baghdad.
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