Siege of El Arish
In the beginning of 1799, a force of 2,160 soldiers under the command of Jean Reynier marched towards the Ottoman fortress of El Arish. Napoleon had recently subdued a revolt against the French occupation in Egypt before continuing his offensive against the Ottoman Empire. With his borders secure, he pushed forward to challenge Ottoman power in the region. The fortress contained a total of 15,500 soldiers under the command of Mustafa Pasha. This massive disparity in numbers set the stage for a desperate struggle over strategic territory.
On the 8th of February 1799, Reynier's troops reached Masoodiah where French soldiers captured a Mamluk runner who told them that El Arish was under Ottoman control. Reynier sent a courier to Bonaparte calling for immediate reinforcements and took position on a sand hill near El Arish. In response, Ottoman forces moved into a nearby palm forest and obtained supplies and twelve cannons. Their cavalry began skirmishing with French forces after half an hour of Ottoman artillery fire. All twelve cannons were captured by the French while they lost only 3 killed during the engagement.
On the 12th of February 1799, Kléber's division reached El Arish and his forces began a siege of the Ottoman fort. Reynier's division moved into position in the palm forest near the defile. On the 14th of February 1799, Reynier's forces attacked an Ottoman camp which they successfully captured suffering 23 casualties. The Ottomans suffered about 500 killed along with 900 Ottoman prisoners of war captured by the French. On the 17th of February 1799, French commander Louis Caffarelli started engineering work before the French began artillery fire on the Ottoman fortifications. On the 20th of February 1799, the French began their assault and successfully captured El Arish from the Ottomans.
The French had lost 200 killed and 300 wounded during the entire campaign against the fortress. The Ottomans had lost 900 soldiers with a further 800 being captured by the advancing army. Around 300 of those switched sides and joined the French army when given the opportunity to do so. The remaining prisoners were moved to cities in Egypt under French command after processing. Forty soldiers who managed to escape settled in Great Britain with the help of British military members sympathetic to their cause.
The fortress finally fell to the French on the 20th of February 1799 after nine days of intense fighting. After capturing the fort, the French repaired the fortifications that had sustained damage during the siege. This successful operation demonstrated Napoleon's ability to project power deep into Ottoman territory despite logistical challenges. The capture of El Arish secured the northern flank of the French occupation in Egypt for months to come. Historical records show this event as a critical component of the broader French Invasion of Egypt strategy.
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Common questions
Who commanded the French forces during the Siege of El Arish?
Jean Reynier commanded a force of 2,160 soldiers under Napoleon's broader offensive against the Ottoman Empire. Louis Caffarelli started engineering work before the French began artillery fire on the fortifications.
When did the French capture the fortress of El Arish in 1799?
The French successfully captured El Arish from the Ottomans on the 20th of February 1799 after nine days of intense fighting. The siege officially began when Kléber's division reached El Arish on the 12th of February 1799.
How many casualties did the French suffer during the Siege of El Arish?
The French had lost 200 killed and 300 wounded during the entire campaign against the fortress. They also lost only 3 men during an initial engagement where they captured all twelve Ottoman cannons.
What was the outcome for the Ottoman prisoners taken at El Arish?
The Ottomans suffered about 500 killed along with 900 prisoners of war captured by the French. Around 300 of those switched sides and joined the French army while forty escaped to settle in Great Britain.
Why was the capture of El Arish strategically important for Napoleon?
The capture of El Arish secured the northern flank of the French occupation in Egypt for months to come. This successful operation demonstrated Napoleon's ability to project power deep into Ottoman territory despite logistical challenges.