Former Sieges of Acre—Arrival of the Allied Squadron—Proposed mode of Attack—Objections—Survey of the North Channel—The Squadron under weigh—The Author attacks from the North—Conduct of the different Divisions—Explosion of the Grand Magazine—Close of the Action—Evacuation of the Town—Fate of the Sick and Wounded.

When Bonaparte sat himself down before Acre, in 1799, the fortress was not strong enough to resist a regular siege; his heavy guns had been captured by Sir Sydney Smith’s cruisers, and field artillery was not sufficient to open a practicable breach in the walls; there is, however, no doubt but it must have fallen had it not been for the bravery and exertions of Sir Sydney Smith, and the gallant officers and crews of the Tigre and Theseus, who obliged Bonaparte to raise the siege after having been before it two months. Had Bonaparte succeeded in capturing Acre the Grand Prince of Lebanon would have immediately declared for him, and it is difficult to say what then would have stopped his enterprising career.

In November, 1831, Ibrahim Pacha anchored off Jaffa with an Egyptian squadron, and invested Acre in December; he must have been much favoured by the weather to have ventured on such a dangerous coast at that season of the year. Had a gale of wind set in, not a ship would have escaped; but fortune seems to have favoured all his undertakings up to the time the Allies landed in D’Jounie Bay. The Egyptian squadron attacked the south face of the works, and left their mark behind, which was still visible when the British squadron anchored; but little real damage was done to the fortress by their fire. The siege lasted six months; in that time 20,000 shells and 200,000 shots are said to have been thrown into the town, which ultimately surrendered for want of water.

After Acre fell into the possession of Mehemet Ali, he considered it of so much importance that vast numbers of labourers were employed to make it a fortress of the first order towards the land side, but when the squadron arrived before it, there still remained much to be done. It has two fronts to the sea, one to the westward, the other to the south.

The allied squadron anchored, on the afternoon of the 2nd of November, at some distance from the fortress towards Mount Carmel. The Revenge, Pique, and Talbot, had been off the port some time, and had made a tolerable accurate survey of the coast, and buoyed some shoals which were not known: and here I may remark that, though a British squadron had been there in 1799, the Admiralty had not been able to furnish us with anything like a correct plan of the fortifications and the soundings. The Consuls in the different parts of the world ought to be instructed to procure information, and if a little more attention were paid by the Foreign Office to these appointments no place where the British Consular flag waves would be unknown to the Government; these situations are generally filled up without the smallest regard to the capacity or fitness of the gentlemen who hold them, to which may be traced many of the disasters that have frequently befallen our expeditions, and more particularly our last to Egypt, from whence we were driven with great loss by Mehemet Ali.

After dinner I went on board the Princess Charlotte, where I met several officers of the squadron. I found the following plan of attack had been settled by Captain Boxer, of the Pique, to which the Admiral had acceded. We had before Acre four steamers, the Gorgon, Stromboli, Phoenix, and Vesuvius; they had been throwing shells into the town the day before. There were also seven line-of-battle ships, the Princess Charlotte, bearing the Admiral’s flag; the Powerful, bearing my broad blue pennant; the Bellerophon, Captain Austin; the Revenge, Captain Waldegrave; Thunderer, Captain Berkeley; Edinburgh, Captain Henderson; Benbow, Captain Stewart; and the Castor, Captain Collier; Pique, Captain Boxer; Carysfort, Captain Martin; Talbot, Captain Codrington; Wasp, Captain Maunsell; and Hazard, Captain Elliot.

Captain Boxer had observed that at daylight it was generally calm, the sea breeze not setting in till twelve o’clock, or thereabouts; he therefore proposed that three steamers should take the Princess Charlotte, Powerful, and Bellerophon in tow; the fourth the Admiral reserved for himself. These three ships were to anchor on the west face of the fortress of Acre; the steamers were then to return for the other line-of-battle ships, the smallest of which, the Benbow and Edinburgh, were to be placed on the south. This novel mode of attack certainly did not appear to me good, as I felt confident that it would require at least two hours after the three first ships were placed before the other three could be brought into action, and about as much more before the fourth, the Turkish line-of-battle ship, and the frigates and small craft could be in their stations, and that probably we should be beaten in detail. I ventured to express my doubts on the subject, but Captain Boxer assured me that he knew the place perfectly well, and as everything was settled with the Admiral, there was no necessity for my attempting to change anything, as he knew as much about battery work as I did. After making some further observations, in disapproval of the plan, I pointed out the propriety of the smaller ships leading, to enable the line-of-battle ships to place themselves sufficiently close without the danger of grounding, which is the common mode of attack, and more particularly necessary in a place very imperfectly known, and at that advanced season of the year. My opinion was, however, overruled, and I took my leave. Preparations were made during the night to anchor the ships by the stern, some with bowers, others with the sheet, or stream, according to the judgment of the several captains. I preferred the sheet anchor, and gave directions accordingly. At daylight next morning the steamers proceeded to their different ships to be lashed alongside; and after the most mature reflection, which in no way changed my opinion, I went on board the Princess Charlotte, I think with Captain Henderson, of the Vesuvius; there I also found Captain Henderson, of the Gorgon. I told the Admiral that I thought it my duty to say that I felt satisfied, if the present plan was persevered in, we should be defeated. I appealed to Captain Henderson, of the Gorgon, an experienced steam officer, to know whether, even allowing everything to go right, (which could not be expected,) he would be able, after having placed one ship, to return and place another in less than two hours, to which he replied, “he could not.” I also pointed out to the Admiral that, as the sea-breeze generally set in from the northward, we ought to wait till it was steady; and the ships destined to attack the west face should come in from the northward, where fewer guns would bear upon them, and where there was no spit running out to interrupt their progress as there was on the south point. The Admiral, I was glad to find, came into my views, and the steam-boat plan was abandoned.

The only objection that could be started was the lateness of the hour before the sea-breeze set in, and in a conversation with Captain Fanshawe, that was the difficulty he raised, to which I observed, that it was a very reasonable objection, but still I was of opinion that a place like Acre should either be attacked properly, or not at all; and the masters of the Princess Charlotte and Powerful agreed with me, that it was much preferable sailing the ships in to towing them; and both these officers went on board the Vesuvius and reconnoitred the north channel, passing inside the shoal, which lay about three or four miles from the west face of the fortification. This passage they found perfectly safe, and few guns defending the approach from the northward. Our sheet cable had been improperly bent, being unshackled inside, and passed out of the stern port, round the bows, into the hawse hole, and reshackled, leaving the bight on board. I gave orders for remedying this inconvenience immediately and went on board the flag ship by signal. The breeze had sprung up from the southward, and it was then determined to attack from that quarter. The Powerful was to place herself on the S.W. angle, and the Princess Charlotte to pass ahead of her and anchor; the other Captains were not on board, but I concluded they had their instructions.

The general signal was now made to weigh, and on coming alongside the Powerful, to my dismay, in remedying the mistake that had been made in bending the sheet cable, they let the bight, which was through the hawse hole, go by the run, and the weight of the cable almost tore the anchor from the bows. All hands were sent on the lower deck to rouse in the slack of the cable, but the chock in the stern port had not been shipped, and all attempts to get a fathom of it were unavailing. By this time the squadron were under weigh, and we were obliged to leave the cable to its fate and weigh also, which was hardly done when the lashing of the anchor gave way, and the ship was brought up by the stern; there was nothing left but to cut away the cable and substitute the stream, which is by no means a safe way of bringing up a ship alongside of a battery.

I do not know that in the whole course of a long service I ever was before so annoyed; the whole squadron were under weigh, and the Powerful at anchor, without any person but ourselves being aware of the cause, and at a time when there was not a moment to be lost. The wind, however, died away, which gave time to get our stream anchor ready; and about one o’clock the proper sea breeze set in, and the Phoenix, on board of which were embarked Sir Robert Stopford and Sir Charles Smith, (though the flag was flying in the Princess Charlotte,) made the signal for the squadron to close round the Powerful. Captain Stewart, of the Benbow, who was to attack from the south, under the orders of Captain Collier, together with Castor, Edinburgh, Carysfort, Talbot, Wasp, and Hazard, thinking there was some mistake, very properly asked permission to attack from the south, which was granted. Shortly after, as we were standing to the northward to round the shoal, and give room for the squadron to follow, the signal was made to bear up, to which I replied, “Intend attacking from the north.” I believe the answer was not understood, and the Flag Lieutenant came on board to know what we were waiting for. I desired him to explain to the Admiral my intention. A few minutes after, the signal was made to the Revenge to keep under weigh as a reserve, much to the annoyance of my friend Captain Waldegrave.

The Powerful, followed by the Princess Charlotte, Thunderer, Bellerophon, and Pique, having got well round the shoal, now bore up, and ran along shore towards the north angle. As we drew near the fortress, the colours were hoisted from two flag-staffs, one on the citadel, the other lower down. I desired the bow guns of the Powerful to be fired to prevent the Egyptians pointing with correctness. At this time the southern division, led in with great judgment and gallantry by Captain Collier, of the Castor, were fast approaching their position, and when well within range, the Egyptians opened their fire, the shot passing very considerably over. In a few minutes we passed the circular redoubt, where only three or four guns were mounted, and then anchored abreast of the sea wall, defended by forty guns, in six and a half fathom water, and about seven hundred yards distance. The wind was on the land, and we were not sure of our soundings further in; and had we been obliged to swing and veer, we might have tailed on shore; besides, it was the month of November, and fine weather was not to be expected to continue.

Captain Fanshawe, of the Princess Charlotte, supposing he was, under any circumstances, to take her station to the northward of the Powerful, which ship he thought would anchor on the S.W. angle, (as if she had come in from the south,) and believing we had brought up in consequence of shoal water, anchored astern of us, as did the Bellerophon. Captain Berkeley, seeing a sufficient opening, (and being under the same impression, and having the same orders as Captain Austin, to anchor in succession,) pushed in between the Princess Charlotte and Bellerophon. I was not aware of these orders, and I sent a boat, which arrived too late, to desire them to pass ahead of me. Perhaps I was wrong in not making a signal, but as the Commander-in-Chief was in the Phoenix, to direct the movements of the squadron, I did not think it proper.

As each ship anchored, a tremendous fire was opened, and the shot were so well directed, that the bravest men of the bravest nation in the world could not have resisted; no wonder, then, that the Egyptians were soon thrown into confusion. Five of their guns only, placed in a flanking battery, were well served, and never missed; but they were pointed too high, and damaged our spars and rigging only. The main-top-mast and mizen-top-sail yard were shot through on board the Powerful, and the rigging much cut; two shots only struck our hull, but did little or no damage. The ships astern suffered also in their rigging. One man was killed on board the Princess Charlotte, and the Thunderer had her quarter-gallery shot away.

The Admiral, seeing room ahead of the Powerful, made the signal for the Thunderer to weigh; but she was so jammed between the Princess Charlotte and Bellerophon, though she tried, it was impossible to move without fouling either one or other. Seeing this, and being apprehensive that the five guns which kept playing upon us would at last find their proper elevation, I first sent a boat, but before she reached, took upon myself to order the Revenge, who was in reserve, to anchor ahead of me, which Captain Waldegrave did in gallant style.

While this was going on on the west face, Captain Collier’s squadron, (the Castor anchoring first, and the others passing ahead of her,) were doing their work to admiration on the south, supported by the Austrians, under Admiral Bandeira. Nor was the fire of the Turkish Admiral to be slighted; he ran inside of all the squadron, and took up a warm berth abreast a new, and very strong work. Nothing could resist the fire of our ships; many of the shot from our side passed over the town, and might have much injured the ships to the south, unknown to us; and I fancy a few of their’s flew occasionally over us. The steamers outside were not idle; most of their fusees, however, were bad, and some fired shot instead; but still a few shells must have done execution. Ours in the Powerful, fitted agreeable to a plan of Mr. Jenner, gunner’s-mate of the Edinburgh, rarely failed; and I believe all those on his system did much good service.

After a most severe firing of upwards of two hours, the grand magazine blew up with a tremendous explosion; whether caused by accident, or by our shells, will never be known. Many ships, as in similar cases, claimed the credit of it. The Admiral gave it to the Gorgon; one of the captains of our shell-guns claimed it also; and I dare say there was not a captain of a shell-gun in the squadron who did not think that he had done the deed. But there let it rest; it was an awful visitation on the enemy. Many an unfortunate being finished his existence in the air; and many still more unfortunate were buried in the ruins or in the casemates, and probably lived for days, and perished from starvation or gradual suffocation, of all deaths the worse to die. The five guns I have mentioned, notwithstandingnotwithstanding the explosion, kept up their fire with great spirit to the last.

About sunset the signal was made to discontinue the engagement; but as that might have encouraged the enemy to re-man their guns, we kept on till a considerable time after dark, when the Flag Lieutenant brought us orders to withdraw. The Revenge slipped her stern anchor, and made sail with great facility. The Princess Charlotte, I believe, picked up both her anchors, and also made sail, but casting the wrong way, nearly got on shore; she was conducted in a most seamanlike manner, and not a word was to be heard on board of her. The Powerful, having her main-top mast badly wounded, and the main-top-gallant mast down, was towed out by the Gorgon. The Thunderer and Bellerophon remained in their position.

The southern squadron being anchored in the bay, with their stern to the beach, and their broadsides bearing on the Mole, remained at anchor also; and fortunately they did, for their position certainly contributed to decide the Governor to abandon the town, which he did after midnight, taking the greatest part of the garrison with him.

Towards the west side there was no breach, and the walls were much too high to surmount without scaling-ladders, which were left behind, with the exception of a few in the Princess Charlotte. Towards the south the walls were lower, but still they were not breached; and a determined enemy might have remained secure under the breastworks, or in the numerous casemates, without suffering much loss, and, considering the season of the year, it would have been worth their while to have made the experiment. Be that as it may, it was decided to evacuate the town. What number was withdrawn, and finally escaped, is difficult to say, as many deserted on the march and came over in the morning, and others were picked up by the irregular cavalry who had joined from the country. Before the attack on the fortress, a regiment of Egyptian cavalry, with their flying artillery, encamped outside, charged the mountaineers who had collected in some force; these, although they behaved with great gallantry, were quite unequal to resist the disciplined Egyptians, and suffered severely. The loss of the enemy’s force during the battle, by the explosion, must have been very great; an entire battalion, who were formed near the magazine ready to resist any attempt to storm, were entirely destroyed; and nothing could be more shocking than to see the miserable wretches, sick and wounded, in all parts of this devoted town, which was almost entirely pulverized. The Turks paid little attention to the poor creatures, and many were seen lying in all directions dying for want of seasonable relief.