by Griff Hosker
I turned to Tiny, “As we only have twenty thousand men that should make it interesting.”
We left the little town of Cairo and we halted within sight of the mighty pyramids. I wondered how they could be so big and yet so ancient. They were enormous. The general had a unique plan to cope with the fifty thousand horsemen called Mamelukes. We were gathered into huge hollow squares. The infantry made the sides and the cavalry and artillery were in the middle. When we were formed General Bonaparte addressed us. We were the largest army I had fought in but we were still dwarfed by the hordes of Turkish horsemen who were hidden by the distant dust cloud.
As we were close to the front we heard his words as he addressed us. "Forward! Remember that from those monuments yonder forty centuries look down upon you." It was the first time I had had heard him try to inspire his men. It appeared to work as the infantry all looked at these huge ancient tombs and cheered as though we had built them in times past!
We marched in these squares towards the enemy. Our left flank was anchored on the Nile and there the battalions had a target of the fortified village of Embabeh. We were on the right close to the desert and the feared hordes of Mamelukes. Suddenly the enemy began to advance and the general ordered us to halt.
The horsemen who came towards us were of two types. There were the irregular horsemen and camel riders and then there were the Mamelukes. These were the elite warriors of the Turkish army. They were all superb horsemen, as we came to learn, and they were the best armed of any of the opposition. On that hot day in July they faced the most modern army in the whole of Africa.
I had never witnessed a charge of so many cavalry. It was terrifying. Their hooves drummed loudly on the sand so that the very ground beneath our feet appeared to shake. Clouds of dust and gravel were thrown into the air making it look like a sandstorm was approaching. I admired our battalions of infantry who stoically stood to await this onslaught. Our cannons boomed and the muskets of the infantry rippled with the volley fire of the line companies. Soon the five squares were shrouded in smoke. The Turks were brave horsemen but their curve scimitars were no match for muskets and bayonets, not to mention the cannons which cut swathes of death through the Turkish horsemen. When the order to cease fire was given and the smoke dispersed we saw the ground before us littered with the dead and the dying, horses, men and camels.
We had no time to congratulate ourselves as the Mameluke cavalry suddenly raced towards the Nile and General Desaix’s detached garrison. General Murat ordered all of the cavalry into three huge lines. We were on the right flank. We began to trot towards the Mameluke horsemen who were desperate to achieve some sort of victory from the battle. We could hear Desaix’s cannons blasting at the fanatical warriors who assaulted them. When General Murat gave the order to charge we were but a hundred and fifty yards from their rear. As ordered, my squadron was in the third line, and so I was able to see the effect of two thousand cavalrymen crashing into the unprotected Mamelukes; they stood no chance. As I thundered over the bodies of those slain and those wounded I saw pathetic figures trying to drag themselves away from the battlefield, only to be crushed beneath unseeing hooves. The Mamelukes had had enough and they threw themselves into the Nile. As they tried to swim I saw a frenzy in the water as the fearsome crocodiles of the river enjoyed a feast and they gorged on thousands of brave horsemen. We turned away unable to watch such an end to courageous soldiers. Once again we had won and Egypt was conquered. It seemed to be over so quickly. We had landed but a couple of months earlier and now there were no Ottoman armies remaining in Egypt.
Chapter 3
The battle had a profound effect on Lieutenant Bouchard. He looked white as sheet and was shaking slightly. “Sir, is every battle like that? The only other battle I have seen so far was Malta. This one was nothing like that.” Malta had not been a battle it had been a victory parade. I wondered how many other young soldiers had been deluded into thinking that was the true face of war.
“I have never seen one with as many men as that before but Rivoli was as bloody.” I looked at his young face, beginning to redden in the hot African sun. “I am not sure that you are cut out for this. Have you not thought of changing to say the engineers? They have less chance of having to fight.”
He became a little indignant, “I am no coward! I will fight for France.”
“The engineers fight for France, Pierre-François; you do not wish to kill do you?”
He looked down and shook his head. “No sir, not really. My readings have shown me of the horror of war but I am a patriotic Frenchman.”
“I know. Let us find this tomb and then you can ask the general. He might be able to do something for you if you bring him some treasure.Do you know where to look?”
“Memphis has been abandoned for over a thousand years. The tomb we are seeking should look different to the rest of the buildings.
For it was built by Greeks and not Egyptians. I am not sure that it is here to be found.” He shrugged. “I know where to look and I know what to look for but I have no idea what we will find there after some many years left to the desert, the sand and the wind.”
It was the most confident I had seen him. It boded well for our mission. I turned to look at the one hundred men in the squadron; I was less sure how they would cope with the heat. Jean, Tiny and I had brought our stolen clothes and all of us were tempted to wear them. We knew we would be cooler but it would not look right to allow the men to suffer. It sounds macabre but I was hoping to fight some desert nomads just to get their white cloaks for our men. We had, with us, one small wagon for the food and the digging equipment. As Bessières had said it was more of an engineer’s role but we were so far from the army that cavalry might be the best option. Jean had also told me that the engineers would be needed to build forts to house the garrisons the general was going to use to control the country. We would have to learn to improvise.
I rode forward to speak with Jean. Tiny and two troopers were ranging far ahead. “Sir, I have been talking with Bouchard. I am not sure he is cut out to be a cavalryman.”
“I totally agree but he is here now so he will have to learn to adapt. We can have no passengers. I expect the same standards from his as I do from my other officers.”
“I think we ought to ask the general if he could become an engineer. He is a clever man and his skills would be better used.”
“That’s a thought. Let us just get this job done first and then we can think about his career eh Robbie?” With Jean the regiment always came first.
We were lucky in that we travelled next to the Nile and had no problems with water. We camped, the first night about half way between Memphis and the Pyramids. “Sergeant Major Barriere, have the men dig a ditch around the camp. We are a little to close to the enemy for comfort. Make sure you keep the horse lines well protected.”
“Yes sir.”
Lieutenant Bouchard came up to Jean like a schoolboy with a question. “Sir, if I might suggest? I think we should boil the water.” He pointed at the dirty looking river. “My researches indicate that drinking the Nile water can result in some unpleasant diseases.”
“Well done Pierre-François. That is a good suggestion. We will do it for the horses too. We don’t want to be afoot in this desert. Sergeant Chagal, I want all the water for the animals and the men boiling before we use it. Do not let them drink it straight from the river.”
Charles looked nonplussed. “Sorry sir, a couple of them just drank and let their horses drink!”
“Idiots! Put them on a charge and make sure no-one else does anything as foolish.”
The desert was as cold at night as it was hot during the day. I had the middle watch, along with Tiny. Neither of us was looking forward to getting from under a warm blanket and then to freeze in the chill and damp Nile air. It would be just as bad for Jean whom I would wake. We were both being kind to the lieutenant. He would have the dawn watch which was not such a problem. With Pierre now discharged we were an o
fficer down. Jean and I would have to work out who to promote. Until we did so, Pierre-François would have to pull his weight. I was grateful to slide into my blankets and find some warmth and I pitied Jean.
I was awoken by the sound of muskets. The squadron was well trained and we all slept with a loaded musket. I jumped up and looked out into the black of the night. I saw the flashes of gun barrels and heard the screams of the wounded. I ran towards the flashes. I almost tripped over the body of Trooper Sagan. As I ran to reach where the firing was I suddenly saw a Turk trying to steal the horses. I fired from the hip. The range was less then twenty yards and it threw him from his mount. I ran and grabbed the rope he had dropped. I heard a whinny and saw another Mameluke trying to mount Killer. I turned my musket around to use it like a club. Killer bucked and reared despite the whip being wielded by the Ottoman. The man might have been a good rider but this was Killer and the unfortunate thief was deposited at my feet. I swung the musket and heard the sickening crunch as the side of the man’s skull caved in.
By now the whole camp was awake and the raiders were fleeing, largely empty handed. I heard Tiny’s voice. “Everyone grab your musket and get to the horses.”
Jean appeared next to me. “What happened?”
“I have no idea sir. I was woken by the noise but it looks like they tried to steal the horses.” I pointed to the Trooper Sagan. “It looks like we took some casualties.”
“Check the wounded Robbie. Lieutenant Bouchard!”
As I knelt down to check the trooper who was nursing a cut arm I saw a shame faced Pierre-François wander up. “Sir?”
“What happened lieutenant?”
Before he could say anything Charles snapped, “I’ll tell you what happened sir. This officer fell asleep. The section he was supposed to be watching was where they came in!”
“Is this true lieutenant?” Pierre-François nodded. “That is a serious offence. You will have to consider yourself under open arrest until we return to the army. What were you thinking?”
“I was reading sir. I didn’t mean to fall asleep I just did.”
Jean pointed to the body of Trooper Sagan and the other five troopers who had been killed. “Well tell them that! I’m sure they will understand!” Jean’s voice was filled with anger and I felt sure he would strike the academic.
“Sorry.”
“Get out of my sight and find something useful to do!”
When dawn broke we saw the full extent of the damage. We had lost six horses and gained two. Apart from the six dead troopers another five were wounded although none seriously. We had killed just ten of the Turks. The only bright spot was the haul of fine swords we accumulated. Normally we would have offered them to the officers first but Jean was in no mood for kindness towards the lieutenant. He gathered the men around after we had eaten our breakfast.
“Last night should not have happened. You have to remember that everyone and everything out here is going to hurt you; the soldiers, the heat, the scorpions, the snakes and the animals. There are crocodiles in that river who will think nothing of creeping out to make a meal of you.” He flashed an angry look at Pierre-François which conveyed the impression that he hoped they would take the academic first.
“Now we are short of officers and this would have happened later but events mean it is going to happen now. Sergeant Chagal you are promoted to sous lieutenant and Sergeant Major Barriere you will become lieutenant. Sergeant Leblanc you will assume the duties of first sergeant until we return to the regiment. I hope that, from now on everyone does his duty.”
It was obvious to everyone where the blame lay but we all liked Pierre-François. It just confirmed to me that he was in the wrong branch of the service however it had cost good men their lives to find it out properly.
“Captain Macgregor will you take our academic and four troopers and find this Memphis. The sooner we get this job done the sooner we can get back to doing the job we were trained for.”
If there had been a hole deep enough then Pierre-François would have crawled into it. “Snap out of this. You need to find these ruins so it is no good you feeling sorry for yourself. It will not bring the dead men back. Do your job. What are we looking for?”
“Er, there may not be anything visible above the ground; the sand may have covered up the ruins but the ground should look lumpy?”
“Lumpy?”
“Yes sir as though there is something underneath. Imagine a badly made bed with things hidden underneath.” Now that he was talking about his work he sounded like his old self. “There might be ruins by the river. The sand can’t cover them there.”
“Good that’s better. You two ride to the river and follow its course. Look for big quarried stones in the water fire your pistol if you find anything. And don’t get eaten by the crocodiles.”
Trooper Manet laughed, “We’ll try not to sir.”
“You two ride to the right for a few miles. If you see nothing then cut east and head for the river. If you hear the pistol then head for the river anyway. We will carry on this way.”
“Yes sir!”
The lieutenant appeared happier when we were alone. “What will happen to me sir?”
“I am not sure. This has never happened before. A court martial I should imagine. It will depend on the colonel.”
We rode in silence for a while and then he asked, as though he didn’t really want an answer, “And the punishment?”
“That is up to the colonel.” In truth I didn’t want to say.
“What is the worst then sir?”
“Firing squad.”
He paled, even with the red cheeks burned by the sun. “Thank you for being honest sir. Then I suppose I had better find this tomb for the general although I think the body was moved.”
“Why didn’t you tell the general?”
“I did. I said that there were rumours it was moved to Alexandria and further west into the desert but he seemed convinced it would be here.”
Once again the general’s ego had got men killed. Just then we heard a pistol. “Well Manet has found something at any rate.”
We kicked on towards the river. We soon saw the two troopers waving at us. We halted by the river and Manet pointed at what looked like steps under the water. Pierre-François leapt from his horse and, typically, did not bother to tie his mount up. “Trooper, grab the lieutenant’s horse. Otherwise he will be walking!”
The grinning trooper shouted, “Yes sir.”
Bouchard was oblivious to it all. He began to sweep sand away at the edge of the river. He shouted excitedly, “This is it! These are…”
Before he could go any further a huge crocodile launched itself from the water towards Pierre-François. He had quick reactions and tried to get away. The reptile’s teeth locked onto his scabbard and started to drag him back into the water. I drew my pistol and fired. I was only ten feet away and I could not miss. The animal continued to drag the lieutenant towards the murky waters of the Nile. I drew my second pistol and, leaping from my horse, placed it to almost touch the foul smelling beast’s head. I fired and this time it let go and began thrashing around furiously. “Manet!”
The trooper grabbed the lieutenant and I drew my sword in case the beast had survived. Suddenly the water became a maelstrom of foaming bodies as the other crocodiles tore the would-be killer to pieces.
Pierre-François was in shock. Trooper Manet also looked as though he had seen a ghost. “I thought you were joking sir. They take some killing don’t they?”
“They certainly do. We will move further away. Trooper Didier, ride back to the major and tell him we have found the ruins.” I looked at the lieutenant and he was shaking. ”Are you hurt?”
He shook his head. “Just terrified. Thank you.”
“It would have been a wasted trip if you had ended up inside a Nile crocodile but just take a little more care eh?” He nodded vigorously. I looked around. “So this is it is it?”
“I think so.” He began
to regain some of his colour. “If you look over there you can see where the ground rises unnaturally. That will be where some of the ruins are but the steps were the biggest clue.”
The other two troopers reined in. “Sir, there are lumps and bumps for at least half a mile in that direction.” He pointed west. “We rode in along the line.”
“Good, dismount and have a rest but stay away from the water.”
They laughed, “Why are there crocodiles there?”
Trooper Manet said, as he pointed to the water which still bubbled, “You had better believe it. Captain Macgregor needed two shots at point blank to discourage it!”
Pierre-François wandered off to explore the ruins. “Manet go and follow him. Don’t let him get bitten by a scorpion or a snake.”
He grinned and began to load his pistol. “Will do sir.”
By the time Jean and the rest of the squadron arrived we had uncovered some of the stones. There were pillars with pictures on them which the lieutenant said were called hieroglyphics. He seemed impressed but the couple that we saw looked to be the work of a child. The major ordered the men to dig deep ditches and he sent others to find some wood to make a palisade. There appeared to be little around.
“I hear you met a crocodile?”
“Yes sir. It scared the lieutenant a little.”
“Good, he might start to act more responsibly.”
“I don’t think so sir. He appears to be in his own little world.”
We made sure that the guards were more alert as we camped by the Nile. The next day the lieutenant began to give orders and the men were soon shifting sand to reveal the ruins. Jean had them move the sand to make a barrier behind the ditch. The men complained until Jean pointed out that it made a more effective defence than just a ditch and we had to move the sand anyway. Rather than just watching I joined in with the troopers. I enjoyed the physical work and I have never been a watcher. I stripped down to my shirt and felt much better than sweating in the hot woollen uniform. I was quite impressed with the finds. The sand appeared to have protected them and the colours were remarkably vibrant.