"1799: The defenders of Jaffa, at Napoleon’s command" Topic

"The Arnauts and Albanians, of whom these refugees were almost entirely composed, cried from the windows that they were willing to surrender upon an assurance that they would be exempted from the massacre to which the town was doomed; if not, they threatened to fire on the ‘aides de camp', and to defend themselves to the last extremity. The two officers thought that they ought to accede to the proposition, notwithstanding the decree of death which had been pronounced against the whole garrison, in consequence of the town being taken by storm. They brought them to our camp in two divisions, one consisting of about 2500 men, the other of about 1600.

I was walking with General Bonaparte, in front of his tent, when he beheld this mass of men approaching, and before he even saw his ‘aides de camp' he said to me, in a tone of profound sorrow, "What do they wish me to do with these men? Have I food for them?–ships to convey them to Egypt or France? Why, in the devil's name, have they served me thus?" After their arrival, and the explanations which the General-in-Chief demanded and listened to with anger, Eugene* and Croisier [the officers who accepted the Jaffa garrison's surrender] received the most severe reprimand for their conduct. But the deed was done. Four thousand men were there. It was necessary to decide upon their fate. The two aides de camp observed that they had found themselves alone in the midst of numerous enemies, and that he had directed them to restrain the carnage. "Yes, doubtless," replied the General-in-Chief, with great warmth, "as to women, children, and old men–all the peaceable inhabitants; but not with respect to armed soldiers. It was your duty to die rather than bring these unfortunate creatures to me. What do you want me to do with them?"…"
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Amicalement
Armand

A topic also debated at length on the Napoleon-Series forum as I type here.

With regard to this article, Tango01, I will simply say that when it relies of Walter Scott and Bourrienne for support and sensationalist writing, as well as referring to "the Corsican," in the body of the article, you know exactly what you will be getting.

Thanks for sharing, though…it was certainly amusing.

Using Bourrienne is an 'iffy' proposition as it was largely ghost-written and inaccurate.

Bourrienne was sacked twice for rapacity and ended up dying in an insane asylum.

I was under the impression that Napoleon acted within the customs of war AS THEY PERTAINED AT THE TIME because the troops in question had surrendered in an earlier action and by fighting at Jaffa had forfeited their right to quarter in the event of being captured a second time.

Did this incident occur before or after his "conversion" to Islam?

The commander of Jaffa, known as the 'Butcher' because he liked to cut off people's heads, cut off the heads of the two French officers sent to ask for the his surrender. Their heads were then stuck on wooden stakes on the walls. I don't think we can really expect the attackers to be friendly towards them after that, can we?

It was General Menou who converted, not Bonaparte. And yes, Bonaparte acted within the customs of the time regarding the troops who had fought him earlier at El-Arish and Gaza. I'd also say he acted appropriately with the rest of the Jaffa defenders as well. War is nasty business.

If that case was in the hands of others… maybe it not would encourage so many criticisms …

Probably… in the boots of Napoleon… I would made the same move.

Amicalement
Armand

He captured plenty of food, I would be surprised Armand if you would bayonet civilians, old men, women and children to death because you were in the boots of Napoleon.

Do some research on this subject and there are plenty of French sources discribing this slaughter.

In case such a slaughter was such a common thing comitted by a French Republican Army, I wonder why all fans of NtG try to play it down or to deny it

La Jonquirère essaie de démêler le vrai du faux à propos de la "décision terrible" de Jaffa. Il commence par bien préciser le context : "L'assaut de Jaffa avait été suivi de scènes de pillage et de violence qui se prolongèrent jusqu'au lendemain ; le souffrance endurées depuis trois semaines et al résistance de la garnison avaient exaspéré la fureur des troupes. […] Deux mille soldats de Djezzar environ avaient péri dans la lutte; trois mil autres avaient posé les armes sur la promesse de vie sauve faite par les aides de camp de Bonaparte, Eugène et Croisier."

Jonquière : L'Expédition d'Égypte (1798 – 1801(, tome I) Nachdruck Teissèdre, Paris 2003, XI

On avait bien recommandé de ne pas prodiguer la poudre et on a eu la férocité de les poignards à coups de baïonnette; on a trouve parmi les victimes beaucoup d'enfants, en mourant, s'étaient attachées aux corps de leurs pères,

S. 271

La Jonquière : L'Expédition D'Égypte (1798 – 1801), Tome IV, Nachdruck, Paris 2003

Bernoyer :

(…) furent la cause de l'épouvantable massacre de troupes de cette garnison et des malheureux inhabitants de la ville. tout fut mis à feu et à sang.

(…)
ni le sexe, ni l'âge, rien fut épargné.

s. 145

Bernoyer, Avec Bonaparte en Egypte 1798 – 1800 & en Syrie
1981

La Jonquiere : un important matériel de guerre et de grands appoovisionnements : une soixante de pièces de cannons, avec beaucoup de munitions,; 400.000 rations de biscuit, 2.000 quintaux de riz, de l'ogre et de l'huile …

tome 4, Seite 273

Ces ressources étaient précieuse pour permettre de franchir dans de bonnes conditions les dernière étapes, de Jaffa à Saint-Jean-d'Acre

La Syrie est jalonnée de villes telles qu'El-Arich, Gazza ou Jaffa et à chacune de ces étapes les Francais s'emparent de stocks considérables de vivres et de munitions qui suppléent les carences logistique. (…)

Aussi les soldats et les officiers, à l'example de Kléber, s'indignent-ils de l'irresponsabilité de Bonaparte, qu'ils voient répéter les erreurs du premier mois de la campagne, (…)

Seite 152

Bernède & Chaduc : La Campagne d'Egypte 1798 – 1801 Mythes et réalités, Musée de l'Armée, Paris 1998

And yes – I am not saying that Badajoz did not happen.

Mon ami, est que quand je mets le chapeau de Napoléon … Je deviens un ogre!

Amicalement
Armand

No one, as far as I can see, is playing it down. In present day mindset it is certainly a shocking thing to do. And many of Napoleon's men were shocked by it. And I am sure none us could see ourselves doing it.

But we are viewing the event today and we are not in Napoleon's boots. And as an ex-soldier myself, I would not be happy about being 'kind or nice' to those who killed my comrades, promised not to fight again, only to find them killing more of my comrades.