Shenandoah Herald

The Arab Chief Abd-el-Kader.
This great, though unfortunate Emir of
the Arab tribes of Algeria, has proffered
his services as volunteer to the French
government. The personal sentiment
which dictates this offer is alike honora-
ble to the Arab chief and the Emperor
Napoleon. Having surrendered himself
to France on a pledge of personal liberty,
the pledge was broken by the government
of Louis Philippe—and the son of the
desert was retained in captivity for many
years. Louis Napoleon, however gener-
ously gave him his liberty, and after re-
ceiving him at the Court of Paris and ex-
pressing his personal sentiments, he was
permitted to retire, at first, to Broussa,
and afterwards to Damascus, in Asia Mi-
nor, where he has resided ever since.
The biography of Abd-el-Kader is the
history of the French conquest of Algiers.
He was born about 1807, and is now,
therefore, about 63 years of age. His fath-
er, Sidi el Mahdi, was a marabout,
(Arab seer,) and he claims descent from
the prophet.
Between the Turks and the Arabs, pre-
vious to the French expedition, and the
state of warfare had been chronic: Abd-
el-Kader, threatened with death by the
Dey, made his escape and made the pil-
grimage to Mecca. During his absence
the French had invaded Algeria, and de-
stroved the Turkish piratical power. The
moment was considered favorable to strike
a blow for Arab independence, and the
marabout Sidi el Mahdi got up a semi-
religious war; in which Arab fanaticism
and predatory habits found abundant em-
ployment. They were partially success-
ful, and the Sidi was made their king,
but he resigned his authority to his son.
A holy war was preached, and soon the
Arab tribes fell on the French troops and
military colonies in the province of
Oran.
In 1833 the war was resumed, and
Abd-el-Kader was beaten in several en-
gagements. But the Arab combination
was so powerful that he won the respect
of France, and a treaty was made by
which the sovereignty of a large tract of
country was assigned to him with the riv-
er Chelif as a boundary, and Mascara as
a capital. His own emirs revolting
against him, he obtained the assistance
of the French commandants and reduced
the rebellious subjects—but only to re-
commence the hostilities with France.
He won a battle from General Frizel
on
the Marnia in 1835, a success which con-
firmed his power and obliged the French
government to make extraordinary efforts.
The Duke of Orleans and Marshal Clau-
zel were sent out from France. By for-
menting jealousy between the rival chiefs
Abd-el-Kader's power was weakened,
and the French were able to advance to
Mascara, which had been evacuated, and
which they destroyed. The loss of his
capital did not, however suppress the in-
defatigable chieftain. Like the
re-
doubtable Schamyl, the hero of Caucasus.
his courage was indomitable, his faith
immense, and the resources of his mind
inexaustible. In the contest between the
wild tribes of the desert and the organ-
ized bands of civilization heroism and
faithlessness are pretty equally distributed
but the printing press tells the story of
one side only.
Abd-el-Kader obtained new treaties of
peace in 1837, and endeavored
to
strengthen himself and consolidate his
power. Fresh intrigues of France and
the resistance of his own wild followers
led to new and repeated insurrections,
until at length Bugeaud was placed in
supreme command, with orders to push
the great chief to his last stronghold.
And now commenced a long series of bor-
der warfare, in which waste and rapine,
fire and sword, were the distinguishing
characteristics, the extirpations of the so-
called rebellious tribes being the object
aimed at. The indignation of Europe
was raised by the accounts of cruel raz-
zias, with all the horrors of an extermi-
nating warfare that ever now and then
came from Algiers. At last, in 1842.
the gallant Duke d'Aumale, one of the
bravest and most accomplished of the Or-
leanist princes, carried the emir's Slama
by assault, and compelled Abd-el-Kader
to fly for his life into the territories of
Morocco. Abd-el-Rahman, the Moorish
Emperor, received him. But he was a
dangerous guest, and he tempted the
Moor into war with the French, which
was short and decisive.
The battle of Isly brought the Moors
to terms, and Abd-el-Kader was again
fugitive. Stirring up revolt in Morocco
itself, he beat the Moors in two battles,
and sought to seize the throne of Moro-
co. The power against him was too
strong, however. Three years of renew-
ed razzia and slaughter, and Abd-el-Ka-
der, deserted by friends and bereft of ev-
erything but his honor and his great heart
surrendered to Lamoriciere on the promise
of the General to send him to Syria; He
was, however, transported to France
and detained until the proclamation of
empire in 1852. He has visited Paris
in great splendor, been well received, and
resided of late years at Damascus, where
he defended the Maronites against Dru-
zes. He has three wives and eleven liv-
ing children. As a partisan chief his
power was very great; as a leader of reg-
ular troops he probably would be less suc-
cessful.