Battle of Shubra Khit
Napoleon Bonaparte landed his expeditionary forces near Alexandria on the 1st of July 1798. The landing was not peaceful. Local Bedouin tribes launched a vicious charge against the French ships and troops. Many French soldiers died during this initial assault. After surviving the attack, Napoleon ordered an immediate assault on the city of Alexandria. The local governor, Koraim Pasha, refused to surrender the city. French troops stormed the walls and captured Alexandria after heavy fighting. Koraim Pasha had sent urgent messages to Cairo warning the Mamluke leadership about the large French force nearby. This intelligence set the stage for the coming conflict.
The main French column marched out of Alexandria less than two days after their arrival. Napoleon ordered them to cover some 50 miles across barren terrain toward Ramaniyah. Egyptian guides exaggerated the importance of Damanhur as a resupply point. The army covered 40 miles in four days to reach Damanhur. General Desaix's division arrived first on the 7th of July. General Reynier's column lagged behind and suffered greatly during the march. Napoleon did not trust Reynier's troops from the Army of the Rhine. During their stay at Damanhur, a small group of Mamlukes attacked Desaix's division but were routed with only four French casualties. A later attack on Napoleon's headquarters by riders failed when Croisier drove them back. The harrowing journey cost hundreds of lives including General Mireur who was assassinated near the camp. After crossing Damanhur, the column resumed its march to Ramaniyah while waiting for the river flotilla.
Murad Bey gathered an intermediately sized army to intercept the French expedition. His force consisted mostly of elite Mameluke cavalry and local squires. He reinforced this core with infantry units brought his total strength to approximately 20,000 men. Murad stopped his army near the village of Shubra Khit intending to make a stand there. The nominal Ottoman governor Abu Bakr Pasha summoned a divan in Cairo but real power lay with Murad Bey and Ibrahim Bey. Their plan involved Murad taking a smaller force to intercept the French while Ibrahim mustered a large army outside Cairo near Bulaq. Murad had been dismissive of the French invasion initially believing the barren terrain would destroy the invaders. He expected his army to deliver the final blow once the French were weakened by lack of water and provisions.
Napoleon ordered his divisions to form giant oblong formations six ranks deep instead of the usual three. These rectangles measured 300 yards wide at the front and 50 yards on the sides. A small group of cavalry and baggage occupied the center while artillery sat at each corner. Cannons posted at the corners commanded 180 degree firing arcs. The Mamluke line extended from the west bank of the Nile out to the desert forming a slight circle around the French flank. Napoleon later remembered how the sun touched their helmets making their fine line glimmer in all its brilliance. Cavalry officer Desvernois wrote that it was a magnificent sight with beautiful Arab steeds snorting and neighing beneath martial riders covered in dazzling arms inlaid with gold and jewels. The Mamelukes wore varied brilliantly colored costumes some wearing turbans bedecked with egret feathers and others golden helmets armed with sabers lances maces spears rifles axes and daggers.
For about the first three hours the Mamelukes circled the rectangles looking for an attack point. Tensions rose highly among the French ranks during this unending suspense. Disorganized groups of Mamelukes emerged from the ranks charging the French squares. Horsemen pulled up to the French ranks searching vainly for any opening before being picked off by sharpshooters. They finally beat a sullen retreat back to their line. Soon cannons boomed in the distance signaling trouble on the river. Murad Bey's army made a grand concerted charge against the French army. This charge was repulsed by concentrated grapeshot volleys from cannons and several volleys of musketry. A contingent of Mamluks galloped between the squares of Dugua and Reynier hoping to strike from their rear. Buckshot and rifle fire from the front flanks and rear killed and wounded many of them. Several brave men who rushed to the square from the rear died at bayonets. When Murad Bey noticed that fire from the rear was as strong as from the front he hastily withdrew leaving some 60 dead and wounded among the French squares.
Perrée was promoted to rear admiral for his distinguished service at the battle though he lost several parts of his left arm. Some historians estimate French losses at least several hundred while Napoleon later claimed real losses were only a few hundred. The exact constituents of Mameluke casualties are unknown but 300 elite Mamelukes died during land fighting near Shubra Khit. Nine cannons were abandoned by the retreating Egyptian forces. The Egyptian flotilla also suffered the loss of its flagship. The battle overall proved largely inconclusive yet gave the French vital information on Mamluke tactics. Mamluk dead were ravenously looted revealing valuables that insinuated the country was not as poor as previously thought. Napoleon searched in vain for a scapegoat for his future report to the Directory. He continued his march toward Cairo culminating in a decisive battle near the Pyramid of Giza.
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Common questions
When did Napoleon Bonaparte land his expeditionary forces near Alexandria?
Napoleon Bonaparte landed his expeditionary forces near Alexandria on the 1st of July 1798. The landing was not peaceful as local Bedouin tribes launched a vicious charge against the French ships and troops.
Where did the Battle of Shubra Khit take place during the French invasion of Egypt and Syria?
The battle took place near the village of Shubra Khit where Murad Bey stopped his army to make a stand. The Mamluke line extended from the west bank of the Nile out to the desert forming a slight circle around the French flank.
How many men were in Murad Bey's army at the Battle of Shubra Khit?
Murad Bey reinforced his core force with infantry units bringing his total strength to approximately 20,000 men. His force consisted mostly of elite Mameluke cavalry and local squires.
What happened to Jean-Baptiste Perrée after the naval engagement at the Battle of Shubra Khit?
Jean-Baptiste Perrée was promoted to rear admiral for his distinguished service at the battle though he lost several parts of his left arm. He commanded a flotilla of 25 armed vessels that dispersed due to strong wind at night.
Why did Napoleon Bonaparte order his divisions to form giant oblong formations six ranks deep?
Napoleon ordered his divisions to form giant oblong formations six ranks deep instead of the usual three to counter the Mamluke cavalry charges. These rectangles measured 300 yards wide at the front and 50 yards on the sides while artillery sat at each corner.