| Believe me, &c., Charles Napier. |
No. IV. See Vol. I., page [52].
Extract of Letter from Commodore Napier to Admiral the Honourable Sir Robert Stopford, G.C.B.
D’Journie, Head-Quarters of the Army
of Lebanon, September 16, 1840.
In execution of your order of the 9th instant, I removed the whole of the Turkish troops from the transports and the marines of the squadron into the steamers. The Dido and Wasp took up an anchorage well up to Beyrout Point, in order to draw Souliman Pacha’s attention from the position I intended to disembark at. Soon after daylight, the squadron and steamers you had put under my orders weighed; the Turkish squadron, under Admiral Walker, weighed also; and the whole, with the exception of Zebra, who flanked the Egyptian camp, worked up to Beyrout Point, where a considerable force of the enemy was in position.
When the breeze freshened, the whole bore up for D’Journie. Castor and Hydra anchored close to Dog River, landed the Turkish troops, and completely blocked up the pass leading to D’Journie.
The Powerful and Pique, Gorgon, Cyclops and Phœnix, followed by the Turkish squadron, ran into the bay of D’Journie, and landed the troops in an incredibly short time, owing to the excellent arrangement of Captain Reynolds, who took charge of the landing. Admiral Walker put his troops on shore at the same moment with great celerity and order; a position was then taken up, and the artillery landed, the few Albanians stationed here retiring without firing a shot. The Carysfort and Dido went off D’Jebel, about three leagues to the northward, to act against a strong tower, garrisoned by Albanian troops.
D’Journie is a good-sized bay, with a promontory projecting considerably into the sea. A road from Beyrout lies along the shore, and is practicable for infantry, artillery, and cavalry: this road the Revenge covered. The road from Tripoli leads also along shore, and the Wasp and Phœnix covered a gorge, over which it would be necessary to pass. Two roads lead from Baalbec by Antura, where an excellent position was taken up by two battalions of Turks, supported by five companies of marines. The left of this is protected by an impassable gorge, the right rests on the sea, Dog River separating it from high ground in front.
The first day the inhabitants who had been driven into the mountains, came in slowly for arms, but these few took them with great avidity, and hastened to the mountains to drive away the Emir Bechir’s troops, and open the mountain passes,—this done, the mountaineers have flocked in in great numbers, with the Sheiks, who have crowded to the standard of the Sultan.