The artillery consisted of four batteries of 6-pounders, three batteries of 12 pounders, with a small siege-train. Only one battery was horsed, and although officers had been despatched many months before to purchase horses in Syria, the obstacles thrown in their way by the Turkish authorities had effectually prevented either artillery or cavalry taking the field properly equipped. When the army disembarked, the Cavalry Brigade consisted of 320 mounted men-- +-----------------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+ | | |_N.C.O.'s_| | | _Regiments._ |_Officers._|_and Men._|_Horses._| +-----------------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+ |Troop of 11th Light Dragoons (now | | | | | 11th Hussars), C.-in-C.'s escort | 4 | 55 | 61 | |12th Light Dragoons | 23 | 527 | 128 | |26th Light Dragoons | 19 | 473 | 131 | +-----------------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+ --whilst for the artillery there were but sixty-four horses, and this despite the promises of the Turkish Government that all horses necessary for the army should be delivered in Marmorice Bay before the army left for Egypt. The disembarkation of the army on March 8, 1802, was effected under a heavy fire, there being 31 officers and 642 of all ranks killed and wounded. It was carried out by the Reserve, under Sir John Moore, and the Brigade of Guards with a gallantry that compelled the admiration of the whole army. The point selected had been decided on by the Commander-in-Chief in conjunction with the Admiral. By nightfall the whole of the army, with the exception of the horses, was on shore, and on the morning of the 13th Abercromby commenced his advance on Alexandria. The troops moved in three columns, Moore's brigade being on the right, marching parallel to the sea. The centre division was composed of the brigades of Craddock, Coote, and the Brigade of Guards. It was led by the 90th (Scottish Rifles). The left column consisted of Lord Cavan's brigade, a battalion of Marines, and the three foreign regiments; the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) was in front. In the course of the march the French made a most determined attack, their cavalry charging down on the leading companies of the 90th. This corps and the 92nd, which bore the brunt of the fighting, behaved with the utmost steadiness, thus giving the regiments in rear time to deploy, when the French were driven back on their own position, from which they were driven with loss. [Illustration: GENERAL SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY. To face page 124.] MANDORA, MARCH 13, 1802.