Siege of Jaffa
March 3, 1799 - March 8, 1799
French victory.
Needing to take the fortress of Jaffa, General Bonaparte ordered Lannes and Bon to surround the city while Dommartin began to bombard it with artillery fire. Not wanting a drawn out or bloody siege, after a few hours of artillery fire to show that they meant business, Berthier sent an envoy to the city to discuss surrender. Shortly thereafter, the unfortunate envoy's head was hoisted above the city, infuriating the French.
Taking a few days to prepare the assault, once everything was ready Lannes led the grenadiers through the breaches in the wall that the artillery had created. Once inside the walls, the still angry French moved systematically through the city and cut through any defenders who got in their way. Finally, the survivors of the garrison surrendered to the French, allegedly to Napoleon's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais.
Sources: Chrisawn (Emperor's Friend), Ryan (Napoleon's Shield and Guardian)
External Links:
| Officer | Unit | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Arrighi de Casanova | Army of the Orient - ADC to Berthier | Capitaine |
| Berthier | Army of the Orient - Chief of Staff | Général de division |
| Bon | Division Bon | Général de division |
| Bonaparte | Army of the Orient | Général de division |
| Dommartin | Army of the Orient - Artillery | Général de division |
| Duroc | Chef de bataillon | |
| Kléber | Division Kléber | Général de division |
| Lannes | Division Lannes | Général de brigade |
| Larrey | Army of the Orient - Chief Surgeon | Surgeon-in-Chief |
| Murat | Army of the Orient - Cavalry | Général de brigade |
| Rampon | Division Bon | Général de brigade |