Napoleon has launched an invasion of Egypt. Logistics were tricky and intelligence about Nelson's actions was scarce for both Napoleon and Nelson. In fact, Nelson arrived in Egypt just before Napoleon. Not finding Napoleon there, Nelson sailed northeast to discover whether Napoleon's actual destination might be further east in the Mediterranean.
Napoleon made Alexandria on July 1, 1798. In the absence of intelligence, Napoleon pressed for an immediate disembarkation as soon as they made landfall. Page 16.
If Nelson's impatience had been unfortunate, leading him to miss the French fleet on two occasions, Napoleon's impatience was to prove equally unlucky. Preparation for landing began immediately. The fleet anchored as close inshore as it could, but Marabout beach was shallow and the nearest ships 1 1/2 miles offshore. With the rough weather it was several hours before all the boats were lowered and the first wave of troops had scramble down into them. Fortunately for the French the landing was unopposed, because by the time they reached land the troops for seasick and exhausted, many were drenched, and some were injured where boats capsized or ran aground. In the Napoleon's official report, he estimated that about 20 men lost their lives during the landing, but the real figure was probably higher.
Disembarkation of the army was not completed until 3 July, but only a couple of hours after the first soldiers landed, at dawn on the 2nd, Napoleon led a column of around five thousand troops in a march on Alexandria. No artillery, horses or even drinking water had been unloaded from the ships, and the tired and hungry soldiers carried nothing but their weapons and the clothes they marched in - many, suffering from seasickness, had left their food rations and water on board the ships. From the landing place at Marabout to Alexandria no road existed, and the few wells and water cisterns were sabotaged by nomadic Bedouin Arabs, who also continually harassed the French and captured and raped any stragglers.
The French reached the outskirts of Alexandria at eight in the morning, and although the troops were exhausted and suffering from extreme heat and thirst, Napoleon ordered an immediate attack. The inhabitants were poorly armed, terrified of the approaching army and had spent the night sending messages to Cairo begging for reinforcements. The French, desperate for water and facing only feeble resistance, had control of the city in under three hours. One French officer later wrote to his family, "Confidentially, I can assure you that the thirst of our soldiers was the prime motive in capturing Alexandria. At the point the Army had reached, it was a question of finding water or perishing.'
Nearly 120 years later, in World War I, there was a celebrated action on November 7th, 1917, with a very similar motive, The Third Battle of Gaza in which Australian Light horsemen played the decisive role. The taking of Beersheba was critical as it was the only source of water for the advancing allies. No Beersheba, no water, no advance.
The Australian bard, Ted Egan, wrote a song about this action, The Wells of Beersheba (video at the link).
The Wells of Beersheba
by Ted Egan
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
But first we need Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
The soldiers ate their breakfast
Bully beef and biscuits
They'd ridden for the last two days and nights
Their faithful horses ground their oats
Through bittered mouths and nose bags
Veterans of a hundred desert fights
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
But first we need Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
Australian guns were blazing
On the slopes of Tel El Saba
The British fought the action to the west
But the Turks and Germans grimly manned
The ramparts of Bersheeeba
Determined to withstand another test
Come on, come on infantry
Hit 'em hard artillery
If this operation's to succeed
Beersheba must be captured
We must take the town by nightfall
Beersheba's water is our greatest need
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
But first we need Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
The day dragged on
The fight was grim
Sunset just an hour away
Chauvel could see the only way to go
We'll charge their bloody trenches
With the Fourth and Twelfth Light Horse
Its the only way to win this little show
Mount up Fourth and Twelfth Light Horse
Fix bayonets for the charge
Say your prayers and wave your mates goodbye
For you must ride those three long miles
And take the Turkish trenches
Beeersheba, boys, you must do or die
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
But first we need Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
Across the rocky plain they rode
A trot to form the line
Canter for another mile or more
Eight hundred wild colonial boys
Then thundered to a gallop
Riding as they'd never done before.
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
But first we need Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
Shells are bursting around them
Sheets of flames and dust
Horses and their riders blown apart
Still they charged relentlessly
A mile ahead and they can see
The trenches where the fight will really start
Machines guns fired, rifles spat
The message at the horses that
Began to jump the trenches one by one
Then the fighting is hand to hand
The enemy could not withstand cold steel
And then the fightings done
Canvas troughs and denim unrolled
The horses slaked their thirst
Girths are slackened by Bersheeba's gate
The tired Australian horseman strokes
The neck of his old whaler
Well done, well bloody done my dear old mate
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
For now we have won Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
For now we have won Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
It's through the Sinai Desert boys
On the way to Gaza
Jerusalem is in our sights
For now we have won Beersheba
The waters of Beersheba
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