to
march to that on the right, where the two thousand others were; and
Murat, who was at the centre, to make the cavalry file on the rear of
the two hills. D'Estaing marched to the hill on the left and boldly
ascended it: Murat caused it to be turned by a squadron. The Turks, at
sight of this, quitted their post, and fell in with the cavalry, which
cut them to pieces, and drove them into the sea, into which they chose
rather to throw themselves than to surrender. Precisely the same thing
was done on the right. Lannes attacked the two thousand janizaries;
Murat turned them, cut them in pieces, and drove them into the sea.
D'Estaing and Lannes then moved towards the centre, formed by a village,
and attacked it in front. The Turks there defended themselves bravely,
reckoning upon assistance from the second line. A column did in fact
advance from the camp of Abukir; but Murat, who had already filed upon
the rear of the village, fell sword in hand upon this column, and drove
it back into Abukir. D'Estaing's infantry and that of Lannes entered the
village at the charge step, driving the Turks out of it, who were pushed
in all directions, and who, obstinately refusing to surrender, had no
retreat but the sea, in which they were drowned.

From four to five thousand had already perished in this manner.
The first line was carried: Bonaparte's object was accomplished. He
immediately followed up his success with desperate fighting to complete
his victory on the moment. The Turks, affrighted, fled on all sides, and
a horrible carnage was made among them. They were pursued at the point
of the bayonet and thrust into the sea. More than twelve thousand
corpses were floating in the bay of Abukir, and two or three thousand
more had perished by the fire or by the sword. The rest, shut up in the
fort, had no rescue but the clemency of the conqueror. Such was that
extraordinary battle in which a hostile army was entirely destroyed.
Thus, either by the expedition to Syria, or by the battle of Abukir,
Egypt was delivered, at least for a time, from the forces of the Porte.

Having arrived in the summer before the inundation, Bonaparte had
employed the first moments in gaining possession of Alexandria and the
capital, which he had secured by the battle of the Pyramids. In the
autumn, after the inundation, he had completed the conquest of the
Delta, and consigned that of Upper Egypt to Desaix. In the winter he had
undertaken the expedition to