Former Sieges of Acre—Arrival of the Allied Squadron—Proposed mode of
Attack—Objections—Survey of the North Channel—The Squadron under
weigh—The Author attacks from the North—Conduct of the different
Divisions—Explosion of the Grand Magazine—Close of the
Action—Evacuation of the Town—Fate of the Sick and Wounded.
When Bonaparte sat himself down before Acre, in 1799, the fortress was
not strong enough to resist a regular siege; his heavy guns had been
captured by Sir Sydney Smith’s cruisers, and field artillery was not
sufficient to open a practicable breach in the walls; there is, however,
no doubt but it must have fallen had it not been for the bravery and
exertions of Sir Sydney Smith, and the gallant officers and crews of the
Tigre and Theseus, who obliged Bonaparte to raise the siege after having
been before it two months. Had Bonaparte succeeded in capturing Acre the
Grand Prince of Lebanon would have immediately declared for him, and it
is difficult to say what then would have stopped his enterprising
career.
In November, 1831, Ibrahim Pacha anchored off Jaffa with an Egyptian
squadron, and invested Acre in December; he must have been much favoured
by the weather to have ventured on such a dangerous coast at that season
of the year. Had a gale of wind set in, not a ship would have escaped;
but fortune seems to have favoured all his undertakings up to the time
the Allies landed in D’Jounie Bay. The Egyptian squadron attacked the
south face of the works, and left their mark behind, which was still
visible when the British squadron anchored; but little real damage was
done to the fortress by their fire. The siege lasted six months; in that
time 20,000 shells and 200,000 shots are said to have been thrown into
the town, which ultimately surrendered for want of water.
After Acre fell into the possession of Mehemet Ali, he considered it of
so much importance that vast numbers of labourers were employed to make
it a fortress of the first order towards the land side, but when the
squadron arrived before it, there still remained much to be done. It has
two fronts to the sea, one to the westward, the other to the south.
The allied squadron anchored, on the afternoon of the 2nd of November,
at some distance from the fortress towards Mount Carmel. The Revenge,
Pique, and Talbot, had been off the port some time, and had made a
tolerable accurate survey of the coast, and buoyed some shoals which
were not known: and here I may remark that, though a British squadron
had been there in 1799, the Admiralty had not been able to furnish us
with anything like a correct plan of the fortifications and the
soundings. The Consuls in the different parts of the world ought to be
instructed to procure information, and if a little more attention were
paid by the Foreign Office to these appointments no place where the
British Consular flag waves would be unknown to the Government; these
situations are generally filled up without the smallest regard to the
capacity or fitness of the gentlemen who hold them, to which may be
traced many of the disasters that have frequently befallen our
expeditions, and more particularly our last to Egypt, from whence we
were driven with great loss by Mehemet Ali.
After dinner I went on board the Princess Charlotte, where I met several
officers of the squadron. I found the following plan of attack had been
settled by Captain Boxer, of the Pique, to which the Admiral had
acceded. We had before Acre four steamers, the Gorgon, Stromboli,
Phœnix, and Vesuvius; they had been throwing shells into the town the
day before. There were also seven line-of-battle ships, the Princess
Charlotte, bearing the Admiral’s flag; the Powerful, bearing my broad
blue pennant; the Bellerophon, Captain Austin; the Revenge, Captain
Waldegrave; Thunderer, Captain Berkeley; Edinburgh, Captain Henderson;
Benbow, Captain Stewart; and the Castor, Captain Collier; Pique, Captain
Boxer; Carysfort, Captain Martin; Talbot, Captain Codrington; Wasp,
Captain Maunsell; and Hazard, Captain Elliot.
Captain Boxer had observed that at daylight it was generally calm, the
sea breeze not setting in till twelve o’clock, or thereabouts; he
therefore proposed that three steamers should take the Princess
Charlotte, Powerful, and Bellerophon in tow; the fourth the Admiral
reserved for himself. These three ships were to anchor on the west face
of the fortress of Acre; the steamers were then to return for the other
line-of-battle ships, the smallest of which, the Benbow and Edinburgh,
were to be placed on the south. This novel mode of attack certainly did
not appear to me good, as I felt confident that it would require at
least two hours after the three first ships were placed before the other
three could be brought into action, and about as much more before the
fourth, the Turkish line-of-battle ship, and the frigates and small
craft could be in their stations, and that probably we should be beaten
in detail. I ventured to express my doubts on the subject, but Captain
Boxer assured me that he knew the place perfectly well, and as
everything was settled with the Admiral, there was no necessity for my
attempting to change anything, as he knew as much about battery work as
I did. After making some further observations, in disapproval of the
plan, I pointed out the propriety of the smaller ships leading, to
enable the line-of-battle ships to place themselves sufficiently close
without the danger of grounding, which is the common mode of attack, and
more particularly necessary in a place very imperfectly known, and at
that advanced season of the year. My opinion was, however, overruled,
and I took my leave. Preparations were made during the night to anchor
the ships by the stern, some with bowers, others with the sheet, or
stream, according to the judgment of the several captains. I preferred
the sheet anchor, and gave directions accordingly. At daylight next
morning the steamers proceeded to their different ships to be lashed
alongside; and after the most mature reflection, which in no way changed
my opinion, I went on board the Princess Charlotte, I think with Captain
Henderson, of the Vesuvius; there I also found Captain Henderson, of the
Gorgon. I told the Admiral that I thought it my duty to say that I felt
satisfied, if the present plan was persevered in, we should be defeated.
I appealed to Captain Henderson, of the Gorgon, an experienced steam
officer, to know whether, even allowing everything to go right, (which
could not be expected,) he would be able, after having placed one ship,
to return and place another in less than two hours, to which he replied,
“he could not.” I also pointed out to the Admiral that, as the
sea-breeze generally set in from the northward, we ought to wait till it
was steady; and the ships destined to attack the west face should come
in from the northward, where fewer guns would bear upon them, and where
there was no spit running out to interrupt their progress as there was
on the south point. The Admiral, I was glad to find, came into my views,
and the steam-boat plan was abandoned.
The only objection that could be started was the lateness of the hour
before the sea-breeze set in, and in a conversation with Captain
Fanshawe, that was the difficulty he raised, to which I observed, that
it was a very reasonable objection, but still I was of opinion that a
place like Acre should either be attacked _properly, or not at all_; and
the masters of the Princess Charlotte and Powerful agreed with me, that
it was much preferable sailing the ships in to towing them; and both
these officers went on board the Vesuvius and reconnoitred the north
channel, passing inside the shoal, which lay about three or four miles
from the west face of the fortification. This passage they found
perfectly safe, and few guns defending the approach from the northward.
Our sheet cable had been improperly bent, being unshackled inside, and
passed out of the stern port, round the bows, into the hawse hole, and
reshackled, leaving the bight on board. I gave orders for remedying this
inconvenience immediately and went on board the flag ship by signal. The
breeze had sprung up from the southward, and it was then determined to
attack from that quarter. The Powerful was to place herself on the S.W.
angle, and the Princess Charlotte to pass ahead of her and anchor; the
other Captains were not on board, but I concluded they had their
instructions.
The general signal was now made to weigh, and on coming alongside the
Powerful, to my dismay, in remedying the mistake that had been made in
bending the sheet cable, they let the bight, which was through the hawse
hole, go by the run, and the weight of the cable almost tore the anchor
from the bows. All hands were sent on the lower deck to rouse in the
slack of the cable, but the chock in the stern port had not been
shipped, and all attempts to get a fathom of it were unavailing. By this
time the squadron were under weigh, and we were obliged to leave the
cable to its fate and weigh also, which was hardly done when the lashing
of the anchor gave way, and the ship was brought up by the stern; there
was nothing left but to cut away the cable and substitute the stream,
which is by no means a safe way of bringing up a ship alongside of a
battery.
I do not know that in the whole course of a long service I ever was
before so annoyed; the whole squadron were under weigh, and the Powerful
at anchor, without any person but ourselves being aware of the cause,
and at a time when there was not a moment to be lost. The wind, however,
died away, which gave time to get our stream anchor ready; and about one
o’clock the proper sea breeze set in, and the Phœnix, on board of
which were embarked Sir Robert Stopford and Sir Charles Smith, (though
the flag was flying in the Princess Charlotte,) made the signal for the
squadron to close round the Powerful. Captain Stewart, of the Benbow,
who was to attack from the south, under the orders of Captain Collier,
together with Castor, Edinburgh, Carysfort, Talbot, Wasp, and Hazard,
thinking there was some mistake, very properly asked permission to
attack from the south, which was granted. Shortly after, as we were
standing to the northward to round the shoal, and give room for the
squadron to follow, the signal was made to bear up, to which I replied,
“Intend attacking from the north.” I believe the answer was not
understood, and the Flag Lieutenant came on board to know what we were
waiting for. I desired him to explain to the Admiral my intention. A few
minutes after, the signal was made to the Revenge to keep under weigh as
a reserve, much to the annoyance of my friend Captain Waldegrave.
The Powerful, followed by the Princess Charlotte, Thunderer,
Bellerophon, and Pique, having got well round the shoal, now bore up,
and ran along shore towards the north angle. As we drew near the
fortress, the colours were hoisted from two flag-staffs, one on the
citadel, the other lower down. I desired the bow guns of the Powerful to
be fired to prevent the Egyptians pointing with correctness. At this
time the southern division, led in with great judgment and gallantry by
Captain Collier, of the Castor, were fast approaching their position,
and when well within range, the Egyptians opened their fire, the shot
passing very considerably over. In a few minutes we passed the circular
redoubt, where only three or four guns were mounted, and then anchored
abreast of the sea wall, defended by forty guns, in six and a half
fathom water, and about seven hundred yards distance. The wind was on
the land, and we were not sure of our soundings further in; and had we
been obliged to swing and veer, we might have tailed on shore; besides,
it was the month of November, and fine weather was not to be expected to
continue.
Captain Fanshawe, of the Princess Charlotte, supposing he was, under any
circumstances, to take her station to the northward of the Powerful,
which ship he thought would anchor on the S.W. angle, (as if she had
come in from the south,) and believing we had brought up in consequence
of shoal water, anchored astern of us, as did the Bellerophon. Captain
Berkeley, seeing a sufficient opening, (and being under the same
impression, and having the same orders as Captain Austin, to anchor in
succession,) pushed in between the Princess Charlotte and Bellerophon. I
was not aware of these orders, and I sent a boat, which arrived too
late, to desire them to pass ahead of me. Perhaps I was wrong in not
making a signal, but as the Commander-in-Chief was in the Phœnix, to
direct the movements of the squadron, I did not think it proper.
As each ship anchored, a tremendous fire was opened, and the shot were
so well directed, that the bravest men of the bravest nation in the
world could not have resisted; no wonder, then, that the Egyptians were
soon thrown into confusion. Five of their guns only, placed in a
flanking battery, were well served, and never missed; but they were
pointed too high, and damaged our spars and rigging only. The
main-top-mast and mizen-top-sail yard were shot through on board the
Powerful, and the rigging much cut; two shots only struck our hull, but
did little or no damage. The ships astern suffered also in their
rigging. One man was killed on board the Princess Charlotte, and the
Thunderer had her quarter-gallery shot away.
The Admiral, seeing room ahead of the Powerful, made the signal for the
Thunderer to weigh; but she was so jammed between the Princess Charlotte
and Bellerophon, though she tried, it was impossible to move without
fouling either one or other. Seeing this, and being apprehensive that
the five guns which kept playing upon us would at last find their proper
elevation, I first sent a boat, but before she reached, took upon myself
to order the Revenge, who was in reserve, to anchor ahead of me, which
Captain Waldegrave did in gallant style.
While this was going on on the west face, Captain Collier’s squadron,
(the Castor anchoring first, and the others passing ahead of her,) were
doing their work to admiration on the south, supported by the Austrians,
under Admiral Bandeira. Nor was the fire of the Turkish Admiral to be
slighted; he ran inside of all the squadron, and took up a warm berth
abreast a new, and very strong work. Nothing could resist the fire of
our ships; many of the shot from our side passed over the town, and
might have much injured the ships to the south, unknown to us; and I
fancy a few of their’s flew occasionally over us. The steamers outside
were not idle; most of their fusees, however, were bad, and some fired
shot instead; but still a few shells must have done execution. Ours in
the Powerful, fitted agreeable to a plan of Mr. Jenner, gunner’s-mate of
the Edinburgh, rarely failed; and I believe all those on his system did
much good service.
After a most severe firing of upwards of two hours, the grand magazine
blew up with a tremendous explosion; whether caused by accident, or by
our shells, will never be known. Many ships, as in similar cases,
claimed the credit of it. The Admiral gave it to the Gorgon; one of the
captains of our shell-guns claimed it also; and I dare say there was not
a captain of a shell-gun in the squadron who did not think that he had
done the deed. But there let it rest; it was an awful visitation on the
enemy. Many an unfortunate being finished his existence in the air; and
many still more unfortunate were buried in the ruins or in the
casemates, and probably lived for days, and perished from starvation or
gradual suffocation, of all deaths the worse to die. The five guns I
have mentioned, notwithstanding the explosion, kept up their fire with
great spirit to the last.
About sunset the signal was made to discontinue the engagement; but as
that might have encouraged the enemy to re-man their guns, we kept on
till a considerable time after dark, when the Flag Lieutenant brought us
orders to withdraw. The Revenge slipped her stern anchor, and made sail
with great facility. The Princess Charlotte, I believe, picked up both
her anchors, and also made sail, but casting the wrong way, nearly got
on shore; she was conducted in a most seamanlike manner, and not a word
was to be heard on board of her. The Powerful, having her main-top mast
badly wounded, and the main-top-gallant mast down, was towed out by the
Gorgon. The Thunderer and Bellerophon remained in their position.
The southern squadron being anchored in the bay, with their stern to the
beach, and their broadsides bearing on the Mole, remained at anchor
also; and fortunately they did, for their position certainly contributed
to decide the Governor to abandon the town, which he did after midnight,
taking the greatest part of the garrison with him.
Towards the west side there was no breach, and the walls were much too
high to surmount without scaling-ladders, which were left behind, with
the exception of a few in the Princess Charlotte. Towards the south the
walls were lower, but still they were not breached; and a determined
enemy might have remained secure under the breastworks, or in the
numerous casemates, without suffering much loss, and, considering the
season of the year, it would have been worth their while to have made
the experiment. Be that as it may, it was decided to evacuate the town.
What number was withdrawn, and finally escaped, is difficult to say, as
many deserted on the march and came over in the morning, and others were
picked up by the irregular cavalry who had joined from the country.
Before the attack on the fortress, a regiment of Egyptian cavalry, with
their flying artillery, encamped outside, charged the mountaineers who
had collected in some force; these, although they behaved with great
gallantry, were quite unequal to resist the disciplined Egyptians, and
suffered severely. The loss of the enemy’s force during the battle, by
the explosion, must have been very great; an entire battalion, who were
formed near the magazine ready to resist any attempt to storm, were
entirely destroyed; and nothing could be more shocking than to see the
miserable wretches, sick and wounded, in all parts of this devoted town,
which was almost entirely pulverized. The Turks paid little attention to
the poor creatures, and many were seen lying in all directions dying for
want of seasonable relief.