IOR/L/PS/9/76/75

This item contains seven documents relating to the French Revolutionary Wars in the Levant and Italy:

1. A copy of a letter from Sir William Sidney Smith, Commander of the British naval squadron in the Levant, to Captain Wilson, Agent of the East India Company in Judda [Jeddah], sent from HMS Tigre at Jaffa and dated 30 May 1799. The letter describes the retreat towards Egypt of French forces led by General Napoleon Bonaparte from Accre [Acre] after an unsuccessful siege. It also reports French defeats in Europe.

2. An extract of a letter from John Keith, Secretary of Sidney Smith, to John Barker, Proconsul in Aleppo, sent from sea off Barutti [Beirut] and dated 16 June 1799. The letter describes the retreat of French forces from Accre and the role of the naval squadron led by Smith in resisting the siege.

3. A copy of a French letter from Sidney Smith to the Grand Vizier [Yūsuf Ẓīa al-Dīn Pāshā, Grand Vizier to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire], sent from Jaffa and dated 30 May 1799. The letter describes the defeat of the French forces besieging Accre; commends the Prince of the Mountain Emir Beshir Shab [Bashīr Shihāb II, Amīr of Mount Lebanon], Beshir Giumblat [Bashīr Jumblāṭṭ], and other Christian and Druze cheikhs [shaikhs] for their support in repelling the French attacks; presses the Vizier to crack down on the abuses of subordinate officials and extend protection to Christians in the area to ensure ‘tranquillity’; and reports Smith’s entry into Jaffa and capture of French artillery.

4. A copy of a French letter from Sidney Smith to the Grand Vizier, sent from Barutti and dated 20 June 1799. The letter reports a meeting with Emir Beshir Shab, Beshir Giumblat, and other Christian and Druze sheikhs [shaikhs], stating that they are ready to march against the retreating French forces at the Vizier’s command. Smith also states that he is planning to blockade Rosetta [Rashid] and Damietta [Damiat] in preparation for driving the French occupation forces out of Alexandria.

5. An extract of an official bulletin in French published in Vienna on 6 May 1799, describing battles between French and Second Coalition forces in Italy in April 1799.

6. An Italian proclamation to French soldiers, criticising the French Revolutionary leadership and calling on soldiers to revolt.

7. Extracts from two Italian letters from Constantinople [Istanbul] dated 7 June and 19 May 1799 (authors unknown), describing battles between French and Second Coalition forces in Italy.

These documents were copied by Harford Jones, Resident in Bagdad [Baghdad].