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A dismounted chasseur a cheval fights for his life at Salehieh. At this engagement Miot witnessed the martial prowess of the Mamelukes in single combat: ‘Standing erect in their short stirrups, they aimed blows with all the advantage which their height and firm footing gave to them, and it was truely horrible to see, on many occasions the effects of their Damascus blades. They cut through everything; if they fell upon the head, they cleaved our horsemen from the head to the pummel of the saddle; if they fell upon a limb, they completely severed it from the body at a single stroke.’
Desaix’s initial formation at Sediman after a hand-drawn sketch by Morand. After riding round the squares several times the Mamelukes concentrated their efforts and managed to break one of the small squares (A).
7th September 1798
While pursuing the Mamelukes south, Desaix’s 3,000-strong division became embroiled in an engagement against as many as 10,000 enemy troops. Morand remembered it as being the only time the French were really in serious trouble in Egypt. In a detailed account of this battle, he described how:
After riding round the Division several times, they decided to attack the small right-hand square…. The chasseurs of the 21 e Legere volley fired at point-blank range before lowering bayonets. Neither the impetuosity nor skill of the Mamelukes allowed them to penetrate or unsettle those intrepid soldiers. Hand-to-hand fighting lasted for a few minutes when suddenly the Mamelukes retired six paces. From there, in a desperate rage, they threw their swords, muskets and pistols at the front ranks, which began to break up. The French could not close up, thirty men were struck down, the Mamelukes broke through and the square existed no more. The survivors took refuge in the main square. After dispersing the small square, the enemy threw themselves on the 88e, which formed one of the main square’s faces. They were eliminated by heavy fire from that demi-brigade and the small square to the left rear. It was 3 pm and there was no sign of the battle ending, when amidst the shouts and cries, we heard the whistle of a cannonball passing several toises above the French. It was soon followed by a second. General Desaix, after having ordered all the wounded to be moved to the centre of the square, had the charge beaten. We marched at the guns at the pas de course. A third cannonball knocked over some men, two others killed two artillery horses and smashed one of the cannon. The shots caused a little disorder, but the rolling terrain broke up the formation. Meanwhile the Mamelukes attempted to support their artillery. They reformed at the rear of the square. The tirailleurs covering that side quickly rejoined the ranks, chased by the Mamelukes. Morand halted his demi-brigade, turned to face the enemy with an about face and stopped them with a heavy, point-blank volley. The Mamelukes fled, stunned by their losses.
In a letter to Desaix, Morand singled out the key role played by the commander of the tirailleurs – Grenadier Captain Piat: ‘at the moment when the square marched on the enemy guns, as the Mamelukes gathered to charge the rear, citizen Piat held them off determinedly, rallying the tirailleurs, producing a terrible fire, giving time for the marching square to halt and the 88e to about face without separating from the square.’
