very great. There were some awful moments, particularly when Algerine
vessels so near our line were set on fire. The officers surrounding Lord
Exmouth had been anxious for permission to make an attempt upon the
outer frigate, distant about a hundred yards. He at length consented,
and Major Gossett, of the corps of marines, eagerly entreated and
obtained permission to accompany Lieutenant Richards in the ship's
barge. The frigate was instantly boarded, and, in ten minutes, in a
perfect blaze. A gallant young midshipman, although forbidden, was led
by his too ardent spirit to follow in support of the barge, in which
attempt he was desperately wounded, his brother officer killed, and nine
of the crew. The barge, by rowing more rapidly, escaped better, having
but one killed.
About sunset the admiral received a message from rear-admiral Milne,
stating his severe loss in killed and wounded, amounting to one hundred
and fifty, and requesting that, if possible, a frigate might be sent him
to take off some of the enemy's fire. The Glasgow accordingly was
ordered to get under weigh, but the wind having been laid by the
cannonade, she was obliged again to anchor, having obtained a rather
more favorable position. The flotilla of mortar, gun, and rocket boats,
under the direction of their respective artillery officers, shared to
the full extent of their powers the honors and toils of this glorious
day. It was by their fire that all the ships in the port (with the
exception of the outer frigate already mentioned) were in flames, which,
extending rapidly over the whole arsenal, gun-boats, and storehouses,
exhibited a spectacle of awful grandeur and interest which no pen can
describe. The sloops of war which had been appropriated to aid and
assist the ships of the line, and prepare for their retreat, performed
not only that duty well, but embraced every opportunity of firing
through the intervals, and were constantly in motion. The shells from
the bombs were admirably well thrown by the royal marine artillery, and,
though directed over and across our own men-of-war, did not produce a
single accident. To complete the confusion of the enemy, the admiral now
ordered the explosion ship, which had been charged for the occasion, to
be brought within the mole; but upon the representation of Sir David
Milne that it would do him essential service, if made to act on the
battery in his front, it was towed to that spot, and blown up with
tremendous effect.
This was almost the final blow;--the enemy's fire had for some time been
very slack, and now almost wholly ceased, except that occasionally a few
shots and shells were discharged from the higher citadel, upon which the
guns of the fleet could not be brought to bear. The admiral, who from
the commencement had been in the hottest of the engagement, and had
fired until his guns were so hot that they could, some of them, not be
used again; now seeing that he had executed the most important part of
his instructions, issued orders for drawing off the fleet. This was
commenced in excellent order about ten at night, and the usual breeze
having set off from shore favored their manoeuvre, so that, all hands
being employed in warping and towing, the vessels were got safely into
the bay, and anchored, beyond reach of shot, about two o'clock the next
morning.
So signal and well contested a victory could not have been gained
without a considerable loss and suffering. It amounted in the English
fleet, to one hundred and twenty-eight men killed, and six hundred and
ninety wounded; in the Dutch squadron, to thirteen killed, and fifty-two
wounded; grand total, eight hundred and eighty-three. But the enemy
suffered much more severly; they are computed to have lost, in killed
and wounded, not less than between six and seven thousand men. The loss
sustained by the Algerines by the destruction in the mole was four large
frigates, of forty-four guns. Five large corvettes, from twenty-four to
thirty guns. All the gun and mortar-boats, except seven; thirty
destroyed. Several merchant brigs and schooners. A great number of small
vessels of various descriptions. All the pontoons, lighters, &c.,
Store-houses and arsenal, with all the timber, and various marine
articles destroyed in part. A great many gun-carriages, mortar-beds,
casks, and ships' stores of all descriptions.
Negociations were immediately opened in form; and on the 30th August the
admiral published a notification to the fleet, that all demands had been
complied with, the British consul had been indemnified for his losses,
and the Dey, in presence of all his officers, had made him a public
apology for the insults offered him. On the 1st of September, Lord
Exmouth had the pleasure of informing the secretary of the Admiralty,
that all the slaves in the city of Algiers, and its immediate vicinity
were embarked; as also 357,000 dollars for Naples, and 25,000 dollars
for Sardinia.
The number of slaves thus released amounted to one thousand and
eighty-three, of whom four hundred and seventy-one were Neapolitans,
two hundred and thirty-six Sicilians, one hundred and seventy-three
Romans, six Tuscans, one hundred and sixty-one Spaniards, one
Portuguese, seven Greeks, twenty-eight Dutch, and not _one Englishman_.
Were there an action more than another on which an Englishman would
willingly risk the fame and honor of his nation, it would be this attack
on Algiers, which, undertaken solely at her own risk, and earned solely
by the expenditure of her own blood and her own resources, rescued not a
single subject of her own from the tyrant's grasp, while it freed more
than a thousand belonging to other European powers.
In August, 1816, the strength of Algiers seemed annihilated; her walls
were in ruins, her haughty flag was humbled to the dust; her gates lay
open to a hostile power, and terms were dictated in the palace of her
princes. A year passed, the hostile squadron had left her ports, the
clang of the workman's hammer, the hum of busy men resounded through her
streets, fresh walls had risen, new and more formidable batteries had
been added; again she resumed her attitude as of yore, bid defiance to
her foes, and declared war on civilization:--again her blood-stained
corsairs swept the seas, eager for plunder, ready for combat;--Christian
commerce once more became shackled by her enterprise, and Christian
captives once more sent up their cry for deliverance. In 1819, her
piracies had become so numerous that the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle
caused it to be notified to the Dey, that their cessation was required,
and would be enforced, by a combined French and English squadron. His
reply was brief and arrogant, and the admirals were obliged to leave
without obtaining the least satisfaction. By menaces, however,
accompanied by the presence of some cruisers, England, France, and the
United States caused their flags to be respected.
Ali, the successor of Amar, had died in 1818, and was succeeded by
Hassein Pasha, who, from the commencement of his reign, evinced the
strongest antipathy to the French power. In 1824, he imposed an
arbitrary tax through all his provinces on French goods and
manufactures; the consul's house was frequently entered and searched in
a vexatious manner, contrary to the express stipulations of treaties;
and, finally, April, 1827, the consul himself, having gone at the feast
of Bayram to pay his respects, was, upon a slight difference of opinion
arising during their conversation, struck across the mouth with a
fly-flap which the Dey held in his hand, and in consequence soon after
left Algiers, while the Dey ordered the destruction of all the French
establishments along the coast towards Bona, and oppressed in every
manner the French residents within his dominions. A blockade was
instantly commenced by the French, and maintained for nearly three
years, until it was found that they suffered much more by it than the
Dey, the expense having reached nearly 800,000_l_ sterling, while he
appeared no way inconvenienced by their efforts, and even treated them
with such contempt as to order his forts to fire on the vessel of
Admiral Le da Bretonnière, who, in 1829, had gone there under a flag of
truce to make a final proposal of terms of accommodation. So signal a
violation of the laws of nations could not be overlooked, even by the
imbecile administrations of Charles X. All France was in an uproar; the
national flag had been dishonored, and her ambassador insulted; the cry
for war became loud and universal; conferences on the subject were held;
the oldest and most experienced mariners were invited by the minister at
war to assist in his deliberations; and an expedition was finally
determined on in the month of February, 1830, to consist of about
thirty-seven thousand men, a number which it was calculated would not
only be sufficient to overcome all opposition which might be
encountered, but to enable the French to reduce the kingdom to a
province, and retain it in subjection for any length of time that might
be considered advisable. No sooner was this decision promulgated, than
all the necessary preparations were commenced with the utmost diligence.
It was now February, and the expedition was to embark by the end of
April, so that no time could be lost. The arsenals, the naval and
military workships, were all in full employment. Field and breaching
batteries were mounted on a new principle lately adopted; gabions,
earth-bags, _chevaux-de-frise,_ and projectiles were made in the
greatest abundance maps, notes, and all the information that could be
procured respecting Barbary were transmitted to the war office, where
their contents were compared and digested, and a plan of operations was
drawn out. The commissariat were busied in collecting provisions,
waggons, and fitting out an efficient hospital train; a
deputy-commissary was despatched to reconnoitre the coasts of Spain and
the Balearic Islands, to ascertain what resources could be drawn from
them, and negociate with the king for leave to establish military
hospitals at Port Mahon. Eighteen regiments of the line, three squadrons
of cavalry, and different corps of artillery and engineers were ordered
to hold themselves in readiness; four hundred transports were assembled,
and chartered by government in the port of Marseilles, while the vessels
of war, which were to form the convoy, were appointed their rendezvous
in the neighborhood of Toulon. After some hesitation as to who should
command this important expedition, the Count de Bourmont, then minister
at war, thought fit to appoint himself; and his etat-major was soon
complete, Desprez acting as chief, and Tholozé as second in command.
Maubert de Neuilly was chosen provost-marshal, De Bartillat (who
afterwards wrote an entertaining account of the expedition)
quarter-master general, and De Carne commissary-general to the forces.
In addition to these, there were about twenty aid-de-camps, orderlies,
and young men of rank attached to the staff, together with a Spanish
general, an English colonel, a Russian colonel and lieutenant, and two
Saxon officers, deputed by their respective governments. There were also
a section of engineer-geographers, whose business was to survey and map
the country as it was conquered, "and," says M. Roget, who was himself
employed in the service we have just mentioned, and to whose excellent
work, written in that capacity, we are so much indebted, "twenty-four
interpreters, the half of whom knew neither French nor Arabic, were
attached-to the different corps of the army, in order to facilitate
their intercourse with the inhabitants." As the minister had determined
on risking his own reputation on the expedition, the supplies were all,
of course, of the completest kind, and in the greatest abundance.
Provisions for three months were ordered; an equal quantity was to be
forwarded as soon as the army had landed in Africa; and, amongst the
other materials furnished we observe, in looking over the returns,
thirty wooden legs, and two hundred crutches, for the relief of the
unfortunate heroes, a boring apparatus to sink pumps, if water should
run short, and a balloon, with two aeronauts, to reconnoitre the enemy's
position, in case, as was represented to be their wont, they should
entrench themselves under the shelter of hedges and brushwood.
The French effected a landing at Sidy-el-Ferruch, a small promontory,
about five leagues to the west of Algiers, and half a league to the east
of the river Massaflran, where it discharges itself into the bay. On the
14th of June they all landed without opposition.
After a continued series of engagements and skirmishes the army got
within cannon shot of Algiers, where they broke ground and began
entrenching, and the French works being completed, the heavy breaching
cannon were all mounted; and at day-break on the 4th of July, General
Lahitte, having assured himself by personal inspection that all was
ready, ordered the signal rocket to be thrown, and at the same moment
the whole French batteries opened their fire within point blank
distance, and with a report which shook the whole of Algiers, and
brought the garrison, who were little expecting so speedy an attack,
running to their posts. The artillery was admirably served, and from one
battery which enfiladed the fort, the balls were seen to sweep away at
once an entire row of Algerine cannoneers from their guns. The Turks
displayed the most undaunted courage; they answered shot for shot,
supplied with fresh men the places of such as were slain, stopped up
with woolsacks the breaches made by the balls, replaced the cannon which
the French fire had dismounted, and never relaxed their exertions for a
moment. But the nature of their works was ill-calculated to withstand
the scientific accuracy with which the besiegers made their attack.
Every ball now told--the tower in the centre was completely riddled by
shots and shells; the bursting of these latter had disabled great
numbers of the garrison. By seven o'clock the besieged had begun to
retire from the most damaged part of their works; by half-past eight the
whole outer line of defence was abandoned, and by nine the fire of the
fort was extinct. The Turkish general, finding opposition hopeless, had
sent to the Dey for commands; and in reply was ordered to retreat with
his whole remaining force to the Cassaubah, and leave three negroes to
blow up the fort. The tranquillity with which they performed this fatal
task deserves record. The French, finding the enemy's fire to fail,
directed all theirs towards effecting a practicable breach. The fort
seemed to be abandoned;--two red flags floated still on its outside line
of defence, and a third on the angle towards the city. Three negroes
were seen calmly walking on the ramparts, and from time to time looking
over, as if to examine what progress the breach was making. One of them,
struck by a cannon-ball, fell, and the others, as if to revenge his
death, ran to a cannon, pointed it, and fired three shots. At the third,
the gun turned over, and they were unable to replace it. They tried
another, and as they were in the act of raising it, a shot swept the
legs from under one of them. The remaining negro gazed for a moment on
his comrade, drew him a little back, left him, and once more examined
the breach. He then snatched one of the flags, and retired to the
interior of the tower; in a few minutes he re-appeared, took a second
and descended. The French continued to cannonade, and the breach
appeared almost practicable, when suddenly they were astounded by a
terrific explosion, which shook the whole ground as with an earthquake;
an immense column of smoke, mixed with streaks of flame, burst from the
centre of the fortress, masses of solid masonry were hurled into the air
to an amazing height, while cannon, stones, timbers, projectiles, and
dead bodies, were scattered in every direction--the negro had done his
duty--the fort was blown up.
In half an hour the French sappers and miners were at work repairing the
smoking ruins, their advanced guards had effected a reconnoissance along
the side of the hill towards the fort Bab-azoona, and their engineers
had broken ground for new works within seven hundred yards of the
Cassaubah. But these preparations were unnecessary; the Dey had resigned
all further intention of resistance, and at two o'clock a flag of truce
was announced, which proved to be Sidy Mustapha, the Dey's private
secretary, charged with offers of paying the whole expense of the
campaign, relinquishing all his demands on France, and making any
further reparation that the French general might require, on condition
that the troops should not enter Algiers. These proposals met with an
instant negative:--Bourmont felt that Algiers was in his power, and
declared that he would grant no other terms than an assurance of life to
the Dey and inhabitants, adding that if the gates were not opened he
should recommence his fire. Scarcely had Mustapha gone, than two other
deputies appeared, sent by the townsmen to plead in their behalf. They
were a Turk called Omar, and a Moor named Bouderba, who having lived for
some time at Marseilles, spoke French perfectly. They received nearly
the same answer as Mustapha; but they proved themselves better
diplomatists, for they spoke so much to the general of the danger, there
would be in refusing the Janissaries all terms, and the probability that
if thus driven to despair they might make a murderous resistance, and
afterwards destroy all the wealth and blow up all the forts before
surrendering, that Bourmont, yielding to their representations, became
less stern in his demands; and Mustapha having returned about the same
time with the English vice-consul, as a mediator, the following terms
were finally committed to paper, and sent to the Dey by an interpreter.
"1. The fort of the Cassaubah, with all the other forts dependent on
Algiers, and the harbor, shall be placed in the hands of the French
troops the 5th of July, at 10 o'clock, A.M.
"2. The general-in-chief of the French army ensures the Dey of Algiers
personal liberty, and all his private property.
"3. The Dey shall be free to retire with his family and wealth wherever
he pleases. While he remains at Algiers he and his family shall be under
the protection of the commander-in-chief. A guard shall insure his
safety, and that of his family.
"4. The same advantages, and same protection are assured to all the
soldiers of the militia.
"5. The exercise of the Mohammedan religion shall remain free; the
liberty of the inhabitants of all classes, their religion, property,
commerce, and industry shall receive no injury; their women shall be
respected: the general takes this on his own responsibility.
"6. The ratification of this convention to be made before 10 A.M., on the
5th of July, and the French troops immediately after to take possession
of the Cassaubah, and other forts."
These terms were so much more favorable than the Dey could have
expected, that, of course, not a moment was lost in signifying his
acceptance: he only begged to be allowed two hours more to get himself
and his goods out of the Cassaubah, and these were readily granted. It
may, indeed, be wondered at that he and his Janissaries should be
allowed to retain all their ill-gotten booty, under the name of private
property; but Count de Bourmont, though not without talent, was
essentially a weak man, and was in this instance overreached by the wily
Moor. The whole of next morning an immense number of persons were seen
flying from Algiers, previous to the entry of the French army, and
carrying with them all their goods, valuables, and money. They fled by
the fort Bab-azoona, on the roads towards Constantina and Bleeda; and
about a hundred mounted Arabs were seen caracolling on the beach, as if
to cover their retreat. No opposition to it, however, was made by the
French troops, or by their navy, which had now again come in sight.
At twelve o'clock the general, with his staff, artillery, and a strong
guard, entered the Cassaubah, and at the same moment all the other forts
were taken possession of by French troops. No one appeared to make a
formal surrender, nor did any one present himself on the part of the
inhabitants, to inquire as to what protection they were to receive, yet,
on the whole, we believe the troops conducted themselves, at least on
this occasion, with signal forbearance; and that of the robberies which
took place, the greater number were perpetrated by Moors and Jews. One
was rather ingenious. The minister of finance had given up the public
treasures to commissioners regularly appointed for the purpose. Amongst
others, the mint was visited, a receipt given of its containing bullion
to the amount of 25,000 or 30,000 francs, the door sealed, and a sentry
placed. Next morning the seal was perfect, the sentry at his post, but
the bullion was gone through a small hole made in the back wall.
The amount of public property found in Algiers, and appropriated by the
French, was very considerable, and much more than repaid the expenses of
the expedition. The blockade of the last three years had, by
interrupting their commerce, caused an accumulation of the commodities
in which the Algerines generally paid their tribute, so that the
storehouses at the Cassaubah were abundantly filled with wool, hides,
leather, wax, lead and copper. Quantities of grain, silks, muslins, and
gold and silver tissues were also found, as well as salt, of which the
Dey had reserved to himself a monopoly, and, by buying it very cheap at
the Balearic Isles, used to sell it at an extravagant rate to his
subjects. The treasure alone amounted to nearly fifty million of francs,
and the cannon, projectiles, powder magazines, and military stores,
together with the public buildings, foundries, dock-yards, and vessels
in the harbor, were estimated at a still larger amount; while the entire
expense of the expedition, including land and sea service, together with
the maintenance of an army of occupation up to January, 1831, was
computed not to exceed 48,500,000 francs; so that France must have
realized, by her first connection with Algiers, a sum not far short of
£3,000,000 sterling--a larger amount, we will venture to say, than is
likely to accrue to her again, even after many years of colonization.
In a few days the Dey had embarked for Naples, which he chose as his
future place of residence; the Janissaries were sent in French vessels
to Constantinople; the Bey of Tippery made his submissions, and swore
allegiance to the French King; orders were issued, and laws enacted in
his name; the Arabs and Kalyles came into market as usual with their
fowl and game; a French soldier was tolerably safe, as long as he
avoided going to any distance beyond the outposts; and, on the whole,
Algiers the warlike, had assumed all the appearance of a French colony.
THE ADVENTURES, TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF CAPTAIN GOW.
Captain Gow sailed from Amsterdam, in July, 1724, on board the George,
galley, for Santa Cruz, where they took in bees'-wax. Scarcely had they
sailed from that place, when Gow and several others, who had formed a
conspiracy, seized the vessel. One of the conspirators cried, "There is
a man overboard." The captain instantly ran to the side of the vessel,
when he was seized by two men, who attempted to throw him over; he
however so struggled, that he escaped from their hands. One Winter, with
a knife, attempted to cut him in the throat, but missing his aim, the
captain was yet saved. But Gow coming aft shot him through the body and
throwing him over the rail he caught hold of the main sheet; but Gow
taking up an axe, with two blows so disabled him that he fell into the
sea and was drowned. The conspirators proceeded to murder all who were
not in their horrid plot, which being done, James Williams came upon
deck, and striking one of the guns with his cutlass, saluted Gow in the
following words: "Captain Gow, you are welcome, welcome to your
command." Williams was declared lieutenant, and the other officers being
appointed, the captain addressed them, saying: "If, hereafter, I see any
of you whispering together, or if any of you refuse to obey my orders,
let every such man depend upon it, that he shall certainly go the same
way as those that are just gone before."