Reminiscences of Syria, and fragments of a journal and letters from the Holy Land

Front matter

REMINISCENCES OF SYRIA, etc etc. etc. of MODAIE near REMINISCENCES OF SYRIA, AND FRAGMENTS OF A JOURNAL AND LETTERS FROM THE HOLY LAND. UY LIEUT.-COLONEL E. NAPIER, LATE 46TH REGIMENT, F. R. G. S. AUTHOR OF "SCENES AND SPORTS IN FOREIGN LANDS," " EXCURSIONS ALONO THE SHORES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN," ETC. ■" Rude am I in speech, And little blest with the set phrase of peace ; For since these arms of mine had seventeen years' pith. Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field." — Othello. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: T. C. NEWBY, 65, MORTIMER STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 1843. TO LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR JOHN MACDONALD, K.CB. K.c.n. etc. etc etc. ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF HER MAJESTy's FORCES, THESE VOLUMES ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED DV HIS CRATEFCL AND OBLIGED SERVANT, THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. In the year 1799. the British Govern ment sent out to Syria a military mission under General Koehler, composed of about a dozen Staff officers, with a few artillery men and sappers, to co-operate with the Turks against our, — then, — -common enemy the French. In 1840, a mission very similarly consti tuted went to that country, under Brigadier Sir Charles Felix Smith, C.B., of the Royal Engineers ; who was shortly afterwards succeeded in command by Brigadier-General Michell ; to act likewise in conjunction with the Turks, though, in this case, against the Egyptians. These two undertakings were attended with nearlv similar results ; — each ended in VU1

PREFACE.

. the death of the English General commanding, and of many of our officers and men ; and both, served only to prove, how utterly useless and unavailing was any attempt at co-operation with a set of ignorant and prejudiced barbarians, without an adequate British military force to follow up whatever active measures might have been considered advisable. The nucleus of both these expeditions was formed of officers of the artillery and engineers; nevertheless, on the last occasion, Commodore Napier, whilst in temporary command of the allied force, during his short and successful campaign in Lebanon, was so kind and considerate as to think of the Author, and expressed a wish that he should join him immediately in Syria ; which ob ject, — through the medium of Sir John Macdonald, the Adjutant-General, — he was enabled shortly to effect.

At the conclusion of the Syrian expedition, the field-officers and captains engaged in the business had a step of rank conferred on them by brevet ; this gave the Author his

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. IX Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the army, for which he may therefore consider himself princi pally indebted to Sir John Macdonald and Commodore Napier ; and, as a slight mark of gratitude, he has taken the liberty of respectfully dedicating the following volumes to the former of these distinguished officers. Merchiston Hall, Hants, June 21.., 1843.