it was too lale; some of them, indeed, were so fortunate as to get on board our boats, which pulled towards the shore in hopes of saving their unfortunate enemy, and a Midshipman from the Emerald [Mr. Fane], with a noble spirit of humanity, threw himself into the water, and swam through a high surf to the shore, having a rope in his hand, by which the French Captain and 4 seamen were saved. From him we learned, that the cutter was called l’Anemone, of 4 guns and 60 men, Citizen Gardon commander; having on board General Carmm and Captain Valette, aid-de-camp to General Buonaparte; also a courier with despatches, and a party of soldiers. Perceiving there was no possibility of escape from us, the General ordered Captain Gardon to run the cutter ashore, who urged the dangers of a high surf, and the numerous hordes of wild Arabs that infested the coast. The General said he would cut his way through them to Alexandria, which was not more than 2 or 3 leagues off, the towers and minarets being plainly to be seen. No sooner had he landed, however, and perceived the Bedouins, who till this time were hid behind the sand-hills, but now began to show themselves, than dismay and terror seized on all; nor could we behold their distress without commisseration, although they had so entirely brought it on themselves by refusing to surrender to us, and had fired on our boats when escape was no longer in their power. We perceived that the officers and men suffered themselves to be stripped without resistance. Many were murdered in cold blood, apparently without any cause, and among them the unfortunate General and Aid-de-camp, who, on their knees, entreated for mercy. An Arab, on horseback, unslung his carbine and drew the trigger, but the piece did not go off; he renewed the priming, and again presented at the General, but the shot killed the Aid-de-camp, who was on his knees a little behind him; he then with a pistol fired at the General, who instantly fell. The courier also, who endeavoured to escape, was pursued and murdered. An Arab who got possession of his despatches, instantly rode away with them; and we have since learned that they were afterwards recovered by the French for a sum of money. We now perceived a troop of horse from Alexandria marching along the strand, and the Arabs retired into the desert with their surviving prisoners. The French troops, proceeding towards the scene of action, at length arrived on the spot where lay the remains of their murdered countrymen; but, probably, tearing that they should be surrounded with superior numbers, they wheeled about and retreated to the city. The commander of the vessel most gratefully acknowledged the humane treatment he met with from our people, and extolled the gallantry of the young Midshipman who had thus saved him at the risk of his own life.”
The above account is confirmed in all its particulars, in a a letter from the late Sir Samuel Hood to Lord Nelson, published in the London Gazette, and dated “Admiralty Office, Nov. 23, 1798” which closes with this passage:–
