Alexandria Daily Advertiser

Downing Street, May 9.

A dispatch, of which the enclosed is a copy, has been received this day at the office of viscount Castlereagh, from major general Frazer, dated Alexandria, 25th March, 1807, addressed to the right hon. W. Windham.

Alexandria, March 25, 1807.

SIR,

It is with much satisfaction I have the honor to inform you, that in the afternoon of the 20th current, the town and fortress of Alexandria, with two Turkish frigates and a corvette, surrendered to his majesty's arms by capitulation; and that they were taken possession of on the memorable morning of the 21st, by the troops under my command. You are already apprised of my having been detached on this service, with a body of troops from Messina, by his excellency general Fox, under convoy of his majesty's ships Tigre and Apollo: and the Wizard sloop was sent forward by captain Hallowell, to get intelligence from major Misset, whom I had been, by my instructions, desired to consult, as to the best plan of operations for directing the purpose of the expedition. I have now to acquaint you, that in the night of the 7th inst. (the day after we sailed) the Apollo frigate, with 19 transports, out of 33 which conveyed the troops, parted company, and the other 14, with the Tigre, came to an anchor to the westward of Alexandria, on the 15th. On our getting clear the land, we saw the Wizard and the captain intelligence Balmer he had received from major Misset that together he had not come Aboukir himself, thinking his presence in Alexandria absolutely necessary to counter the intrigues of the French consul, who was endeavoring to prevail upon the governor to admit a body of Albanians from Jaffa, to assist in the defence of the place. He earnestly recommended me to land the troops immediately, as the inhabitants were well affected toward us, and that he had sanguine hopes we should be able to get possession of it without firing a shot.

Before I determined, however, upon this measure, I deemed it prudent to acquaint major Misset with the very diminished state of my force; and I therefore sent in my aide de camp, captain McCour of the 31st regiment, with a flag of truce to him, with a detailed account of it; and at the same time a manifesto to the governor and inhabitants (a copy of which I enclose) which had not the desired effect, but, on the contrary, was treated by the governor with contempt. The major, however, in reply, strongly urged my immediate landing; still repeating his wish we should not meet with any resistance, and that my doing so would be the only means of preventing the garrison being reinforced by the Albanians, who had actually been sent for, and might be expected in the course of 24 hours. These considerations led me to follow his advice; and accordingly I landed that evening (the 17th) as many troops as our small number of boats could convey, a few miles to the eastward at the Marabout, without opposition: though I could only take up a position for the night, as before the next landing could be effected, such a surf had arisen on the beach as totally to prevent the second division from approaching the shore. The next morning, however, with infinite difficulty and risk, they were landed; but finding my situation now, from the increased heave of the surf and appearance of the weather, to be very precarious, both with respect to getting provisions or stores on shore, or having any communication with the transports, I determined, at all hazards, to force my way to the western side, where I could receive supplies from Aboukir; at the same time resolving to attempt (in passing) to get into the town even with the small force I had, and push my way, if possible, into the forts that commanded it, a matter I had reason to believe, from major Misset and others, would not be very difficult to accomplish.

I therefore moved forward about eight o'clock in the evening of the 18th, and in our way forced a pallisaded entrenchment, with a deep ditch in front of it (that had been thrown up by the Turks, as a defence against the Mamelukes and Arabs on the western side) stretching from fort des Bains to lake Mareotis, strengthened by 3 batteries mounting 8 guns, exclusive of fort de Bains on its right flank, mounting 18 guns. This we effected with very little loss, though under a heavy fire of cannon and musketry, and proceeded within a few yards of Pompey's Gate, where we found the garrison prepared to receive us, the gate barricaded, and the walls lined with troops and armed inhabitants: this, added to the smallness of my force (not exceeding 1400 men of all descriptions) led me to think the risk too great, and I determined to proceed to the westward, as I had originally intended, where I arrived on the morning of the 19th, and took up my position on the ground the British troops occupied in the action of the 21st, immediately sending detachments to take possession of Aboukir castle, and the cut between the lakes Mareotis and Aboukir, by which communication the reinforcement of Albanians was expected into Alexandria. In both these attempts we succeeded.

The next day, the 20th, I sent in, by a friendly Arab that had stolen out of town and joined us, a manifesto addressed to the inhabitants, warning them of the danger of implicating friends and foes, in the event of taking the place by assault, and urging them to force the governor to capitulate. This had the desired effect; a flag of truce was sent out, and a capitulation, (of which I herewith enclose a copy) was agreed to and signed. Although this service has not been of long duration yet from the scantiness of our numbers, and the scarcity of all sorts of supplies, as well on board as on shore, our situation has been critical, and I am happy to have it in my power to bear testimony to the patience and cheerfulness with which the troops bore every privation; the attack of the enemy's works, as well and the ardor and spirit they shewed in as the inclination and wish they displayed to have stormed the place had I deemed that step advisable. To major general Wauchop, brigadier general Stuart and col. Oswald, who landed with and accompanied me. I feel myself under great obligations for their exertions and assistance in carrying on the service.

I am much indebted to lieutenant col. Airey, acting as deputy adjutant general, and captain Green, acting as deputy quartermaster general for the great attention and zeal shown by them in forwarding and executing the duties of their respective departments; and I think it but justice to captain Pym, and to the officers and men of the detachment of the royal artillery that was with me, to mention the very great zeal and alacrity which they displayed on every occasion, which I am confident would have been equally conspicuous on the part of captain Burgoyne and the officers of the Engineers, had circumstances permitted them to have acted.

To captain Hallowell, and the officers and seamen of his majesty's ship Tigre, I cannot sufficiently express my acknowledgements for the assistance they afforded me, and for the readiness with which they stood forward on all occasions. Capt. Hallowell landed and marched with me to the attack of the enemy's entrenchment, and to the very gates of the city, and remained on shore until the place surrendered; from his advice and local knowledge I derived much useful information.

Captain Uphers of the Royal Navy, agent of transports, is also entitled to praise, for his activity in landing the troops, and for the exertions he afterwards made for supplying them with provisions. I send you herewith a return of the killed wounded, and missing, together with returns of prisoners made, and of the public stores of different descriptions, found in the several batteries and magazines.

I have the honor,

To be, &c.

(Signed)

A. M. FRASER, Maj. gen.

P.S. The Apollo, with nineteen missing transports, came to anchor in Aboukir bay in the morning of the 20th, and sir J. Duckworth's squadron arrived here on the 22d.

It is but due to lieutenant Hunter, and a small detachment of the 20th light dragoons, who were landed without their horses or arms, to mention the zeal and spirit with which they volunteered their services and carried the scaling ladders on the night of the 18th.

Articles of the capitulation or the surrender of the city of Alexandria. Said Mahamad Naim Effendi being commissioned by his excellency Emec Bey, the governor, and Hagg Mahamed Katep and Sieg Ibrahim Chieftain of the people, accompanied by Signor Antonio Goddard, propose to place the city and Forts in the possession of the commanders in chief of the land and naval forces of his Britannic majesty, his excellency, major general Fraser, and capt. Hallowell, upon the following conditions:

1. All private property of individuals, whether on land or embarked, shall be respected. The religions of the inhabitants their mosques, and their laws, shall be respected, as well as their houses and families.

2. The commandant, his excellency Eren Bey, as well as a commandant of the marine, Satak Aga, and Mahomed Naim Effendi, with all the official retinue of the government, the troops and the crews of the vessels belonging to government, shall be sent to a port in Turkey, with the arms and baggage of individuals, but they are to consider themselves as prisoners of war, and shall not be engaged to take up arms against the British forces, or their allies, until exchanged.

3. The vessels belonging to government, and all other public property, shall be given up to the British forces and commissaries shall be appointed on both sides to make an inventory.

4. All Ottoman vessels belonging to individuals, and all property belonging to private subjects of the Sublime Porte, which shall be found within Alexandria, shall be respected. Such persons as wish to remain in the country shall have the liberty to do so, if their conduct and characters shall make it safe; and those who wish to depart may carry with them their properties, and shall be furnished with passports for landing in any port in Turkey, which shall not be blockaded.

5. There shall be a general amnesty for all the inhabitants, nor shall any notice be taken of the conduct they may have held during the defence of the place.

6. There shall be no seizure of the property of individuals, if they shall not be contemnors of Great Britain.

7. The gate of Rosetta shall be placed in the hands of the forces of his Britannic majesty, as well as fort Cretin and fort Caffarelli.

From the camp without the city of Alexandria, the 20th March, 1807, or the 10th of the Month Maharen, of the year 1222.

(Signed)

SEID MAHAMED NAIM EFFENDI.

HAGG MAHAMET KATEP.

SEIG IBRAHIM BASA.

(Signed) ALEXANDER M. FRASER,

Maj. gen. commanding H. B. majesty's troops.

BEN. HALLOWELL,

Captain of his majesty's ship Tigre.