When did the Siege of El Arish take place?
The Siege of El Arish took place in February 1799, during the French Invasion of Egypt. The siege began around the 12th of February and the fortress fell to French forces on the 20th of February 1799.
Questions about Siege of El Arish
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the French forces at the Siege of El Arish?
The French forces were commanded by Jean Baptiste Kléber and Jean Reynier, operating under the overall authority of Napoleon Bonaparte. Louis Caffarelli led the engineering work that preceded the final assault.
Who commanded the Ottoman forces defending El Arish?
Mustafa Pasha commanded the Ottoman garrison at El Arish, which numbered 15,500 soldiers. Ottoman commander Ibrahim Nizam led approximately 1,000 soldiers who held out inside the fort during the siege.
How large were the forces on each side at the Siege of El Arish?
The French force that initially marched on El Arish numbered 2,160 soldiers under Jean Reynier, later reinforced by Kléber's division and Napoleon's main army. The Ottoman garrison totaled 15,500 soldiers under Mustafa Pasha.
What were the casualties at the Siege of El Arish?
The French lost 200 killed and 300 wounded over the course of the siege. The Ottomans suffered 900 killed and 800 captured, with around 300 of those prisoners choosing to join the French army afterward.
What happened to Ottoman prisoners captured at El Arish?
Around 300 of the 800 Ottoman prisoners switched sides and joined the French army. The remaining prisoners were moved to cities in Egypt under French control. About 40 soldiers who escaped settled in Great Britain with assistance from sympathetic British military personnel.