Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle - Campaign in Egypt

Campaign in Egypt

Napoleon Bonaparte personally requested Lasalle to participate in the Campaign in Egypt. Excited about participating in this exotic expedition, Lasalle began to profess a real fervor for the army and joined the Army of the East after making his mistress, Joséphine, pregnant. Lasalle participated in the capture of Malta on the expedition to Egypt. They reached and invaded Alexandria and from there marched to Cairo. On 21 July 1798, the Battle of the Pyramids, the Turks, reassured by the easy retirement Embabeh provided for them, bravely resisted the efforts of the French Army. Their fearless leader renewed his attacks impetuously, but each attempt was repelled with force, and the outcome of the battle was indecisive. Lasalle, at the head of 60 men, charged the village of Embabeh and routed the garrison chasing them wildly. He cut off the retreating army by taking a secret route through the Giza Pyramids allowing Napoleon to crush his opponents.

This bold move decided victory and because of this General Bonaparte promoted Lasalle to Lieutenant Colonel of the 22nd Horse Chasseur Brigade and 7th Hussars. While in Cairo on 7 August, Lasalle wrote a letter to both his mistress Joséphine and his mother. Lasalle said he had written letters at Malta, Alexandria, and two in Cairo. He traveled back to the Nile with General Louis Desaix and fought at the Battle of Salalieh on 11 August. During this burden of a battle Lasalle gave the best idea of his courage and cold-bloodedness. While bravely battling and besting a group of Mamelukes the cord that attached his sabre to his wrist snapped leaving the sabre on the ground. He calmly dismounted and picked it up in the middle of the fray, quietly mounted his horse and continued fighting. On 3 January, during the Battle of Souagui he gave further evidence of this chivalrous intrepidity which was the admiration of the whole army.

His fearlessness made him the perfect companion for the most risky missions. 2 weeks later at the Battle of Remedieh he chopped both hands off of a Mameluke who was fighting General Davout, saving his life. He then overthrew several Mamelukes, broke his sword over the head of Osman Bey, broke a pair of pistols while defending himself, took the sword of a wounded dragoon, returned to the mêlée, rallied his troops, restored the fight, and drove the enemy to the desert. On 22 January, at the Battle of Samanhout he executed some of the most brilliant cavalry charges leading to the enemy’s considerable losses. Finally on 1 March 1799 at the Battle of Gehemi he completely defeated the Arabs of Yambo, who had come to help the Mamelukes, and killed over 300 men. He fought at Thebes and Djehemali. Lasalle continued to follow his regiment commanded by General Desaix and played a major role in General Desaix's subjugation of Upper Egypt against Murad Bey. The 22nd Horse Chasseurs returned to Cairo after the victory and were tasked to contain Egypt and to ensure communications between Salahieh and Cairo. Lasalle completed this mission with desirable success. After the signing of the Convention of El-Arish on 24 January 1800, Lasalle returned home to France. Ever the one to create an impression — either good or bad — Lasalle adopted mameluke breeches as part of his uniform.