“My letter of the 10th instant[[26]], forwarded by Gorgon, would inform you of General Michell’s and my own determination to confine ourselves strictly to precautionary and defensive measures. It will be therefore necessary to explain the circumstances attending a late advance of the Turkish troops upon Gaza, and for this purpose I transmit herewith copies of a letter I addressed to General Jochmus, immediately after our last conference on the 12th instant, also of a note which I received from General Michell, after he had reached Ramla, and my reply to that note, sent by a staff officer to General Michell, at Ashdod.
“General Michell expressed, in the most decided and unequivocal terms, his disapprobation of the expedition. We both appealed to the Seraskier, who refused to put his written veto on the advance, without which General Jochmus declared he would persevere, and accordingly he left Jaffa for Ramla within an hour. General Michell then felt that he was in a peculiarly awkward position, but with the true spirit of an English soldier determined to accompany and render every assistance to the Turkish generals.
“I also felt myself bound, notwithstanding my protest, to go down with the Vesuvius and Hecate, and make a demonstration on the coast, especially as I thought I might render material assistance, by either threatening a descent on the Egyptians’ rear to the southward of Gaza, by which their retreat on El-Arish would be endangered, or in case of the Turks retreating, protecting with the great guns that hazardous operation.
“At 4 A.M. of Friday the 15th, we weighed in the Vesuvius and Hecate, and proceeded as far as Ascalon, when the weather became so thick, and blew so hard, with a heavy increasing sea, that after showing ourselves again off Jaffa, I requested Captain Henderson to run out fifteen or twenty miles for an offing, bank up the fires, and put the vessels under canvass. At 2 A.M. on the 16th, it being then more moderate, we bore up, and at daylight we put the steam on and steered towards Ascalon, but on getting sight of the beach, the surf was so excessive as to preclude all hope of being able to communicate with the shore for many hours to come. We therefore unwillingly returned off Jaffa, where we were not able to effect a landing until sunset, when I found General Michell just returned, having preceded the returning Turkish troops. The Seraskier had reached Jaffa about two hours previous to General Michell.
“I ought to have stated, that by General Michell’s desire, twenty-five marines were embarked on board the Vesuvius under command of Lieutenant Anderson, and a like number on board the Hecate; these have all since been disembarked here.”
General Michell writes to Capt. Stewart[[27]], “Mr. Wood is prepared to give us in writing very powerful arguments in favour of a continuation of active offensive operations; his letter from Lord Ponsonby, after Captain Fanshawe’s arrival at Constantinople, is strong upon the subject.” To which Stewart replies[[28]], “We know Lord Palmerston’s and the British Government’s wishes and orders. Lord Ponsonby’s orders must with us be subordinate to Lord Palmerston’s; we have promised the Admiral that we will act strictly on precautionary and defensive principles.”
Captain Stewart’s letter to General Jochmus, above referred to, and the reply, were as follow:
| “Sir, | “British Head-quarters, Jaffa, January 12, 1841, 3 P.M. |
“In order that there may be no misapprehension on the subject of our conferences yesterday and to-day, I think it right to put the particulars into writing.
“When Rechid Pacha came to General Michell and myself yesterday morning, he stated that Ibrahim Pacha’s army being now fairly entered on the Desert, there could be no reason for the 3000 Egyptian men quartered at Gaza being permitted to remain there, and asked us if we would concur in an advance which should have the effect of ridding the Syrian country of the plunderers. General Michell and I both said that our instructions being to facilitate the evacuation of Syria by the Egyptians, there could be no political reason to prevent our co-operation, and that, provided the forces advanced were so great as to make resistance hopeless, and certain information received of Ibrahim Pacha having advanced south of any road by which he could march upon Gaza, there appeared to be none of a military nature.