To these must be added —
European officers 218 Native ditto 53 Drummers 125 Lascars 440 Servants not soldiers 276 Public followers 572 Private ditto 305 Grand Total ... 6815
This force was commanded in chief by Major-General David Baird, 54th Foot, who had as his Adjutant-General, Colonel Achmuty, 10th Foot, and as Quarter-Master-General, Colonel Murray, 84th Foot. It was divided into two brigades the Right and the Left, the former commanded by Colonel Beresford, the latter by Lieutenant-Colonel Montresor.
General Baird's first act, after arriving at Kosseir, was to place himself in the communication with General Hely Hutchinson, commanding the British Army of Egypt after the death of Sir Ralph Abercromby. But his letter had been sent off only five days, when he received a despatch from General Hutchinson himself dated the 13th May, from Rahamenie on the Nile.
In this letter General Hutchinson stated that it was his intention to push on towards Cairo so as to prevent the French from attacking the Indian force before it should have effected its junction with the Grand Vizier; that he had written to that high officer to give General Baird all the assistance he might require for the passage of the desert.
