Siege of El Arish

In the Siege of Al 'Arish French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated Ottoman forces in the fortress in an eleven-day siege. It fell on February 19, 1799.

Forces

• French: 2,160 under General Jean Reynier.
• Turkish: 15,500 soldiers in fort and relief, commanded by Abdullah Pasha.

French take control of el-Arish

January 2, 1799: Jezzar Pasha sent 4000 soldiers and 3 cannons, under the command of Abdullah Pasha of Damascus, to secure Kaalat el-Arish. Upon reaching the village, the group took a position in the village and its fort. At the same time, Reynier and his forces were in Katieh Fort, finishing their fortification.

February 8, 1799: Reynier's division reached Masoodiah, where French soldiers captured a Mamluk runner who told them that el-Arish was now under Turkish control. Reynier sent a courier to Bonaparte calling for immediate reinforcements and took position on a sand hill near el-Arish. In response, the Turkish army moved into a nearby palm forest and obtained supplies and 12 cannons. Their cavalry begin attacking the French. After half an hour of artillery fire, Reynier sent the 85th demi-brigade to take the village el-Arish. The Turkish defenders of the village escaped into their fort, and their cavalry withdrew on the road to Gaza under the cover of a defile.

• French losses: 200 killed and 300 wounded.
• Turkish losses: 500 killed wounded or captured.

Blockade of Turkish fort

At around 11:00pm the main Turkish forces took a position on the right side of the defile.

February 12, 1799: Kleber's division reached Kalaat el-Arish, and his forces began a blockade of the Turkish fort. Reynier's division moved into position in the palm forest near the defile.

February 14, 1799: Reynier's forces began an assault on the Turkish camp, which they successfully captured.

• French losses: 3 killed and 20 wounded.
• Turkish losses: About 500 killed and 900 prisoners of war.

French siege of Fortification

1,000 soldiers under Turkish commander Ibrahim Nizam were still inside the fort. After clearing captured material Reynier established a camp from which he blockaded the fort. Meanwhile, the main French forces arrived in Kalaat el-Arish.

February 17, 1799: General Louis Caffarelli started engineering work. February 18-19, 1799: French began artillery fire on the Turkish fortification. February 20, 1799: The French began their assault. After capturing the fort, the French repaired the fortification.

• Turkish losses: 400 killed or wounded. Around 300 joined the French army, and the rest moved to Baghdad.