“After despatching as many of these ragamuffins as could be gathered together, I myself proceeded to Jennin, and arriving there late at night, found General Jochmus and his aide-de-camp, Captain De l’Or; the latter very much elated at the wonderful exploits he said he had recently been performing on the rear of the Egyptian army.
“To my surprise, however, I learnt that the General had given orders for my Naplousians to return, in consequence, as he said, of the positive intelligence received, that Ibrahim no longer intended taking the route of Jennin. This was all very well; but having been placed in command by the British General, I did not at all consider myself under the orders of Jochmus Pasha; and accordingly told him, that since he had divested me of my command, he might do what he pleased with the mountaineers, of whom I washed my hands; and immediately mounting my horse, I made the best of my way to Jaffa, not sorry at having an opportunity of going to what was now likely to become the scene of active operations before Gaza.
“Shortly after reaching Jaffa, I was sent by General Michell, along with Reschid Pacha, to accompany and advise the movements of the left column of the Turkish army, consisting of twelve battalions, and a dozen field-pieces. This body was then concentrated at Jerusalem, and instructed to join the main force in a contemplated advance on Gaza. The whole Turkish army, including 3000 of the Emir Beschir’s cavalry, might have amounted to between 22,000 and 25,000 men, distributed as follows:
“At Jerusalem, near Jaffa and Ramlah, 21 battalions of regular infantry,—each battalion consisting of about 500 men,—with 18 field pieces.—At Medjdel (to the south of Jaffa) 3500 regular cavalry.—At Hebron 3000 irregular cavalry, composed of the Desert tribes. These, together with the Emir Beschir’s people, were now to the number of 20,000 men concentrated on the southern frontier of Syria. The garrisons of Beyrout and Acre being added, will make up the Turkish force to the above amount.
“On the 13th of January, the column moved from Jerusalem, but had scarcely proceeded half a dozen miles when intelligence arrived that Ibrahim had crossed the Jordan at Jericho, and was advancing in our rear on Jerusalem.
“It was resolved to halt for the night at Abou Hosh, and should this intelligence be confirmed, to return at daybreak to Jerusalem. The news proved correct; and we accordingly fell back on the Holy City, which we re-occupied on the following day.
“Ibrahim Pacha had positively crossed the river; but from the incessant rain, which for the last three days had fallen,—as I concluded he could not possibly have got over a larger number than our own force,—as his men were, moreover, wearied and starved, whilst our’s were fresh,—I proposed, that after giving our people a few hours’ rest, we should immediately advance and strike a blow, whilst his army was yet separated by a deep and rapid torrent; and I wrote as follows to Reschid Pacha, who, from having been educated in France, spoke and wrote the French language with the greatest fluency:
| “Mon Général, | “Jérusalem, ce 15 Janvier, à 7 heures du soir. | |
“Cette pluie continue aura tellement grossi le Jourdan, qu’il sera maintenant impossible d’y faire passer des troupes. Il n’est pas probable que le nombre de l’ennemi qui si trouve maintenant sur la rive droite, excède de beaucoup nos propres forces.
“Marchons demain matin une heure avant le jour, avec dix battaillons, et fions nous à la fortune de la guerre et de nos bonnes épeés. Il me sera superflu d’obsérver que nous ne pouvons pas éspérer que cette pluie dure beaucoup plus long temps.