Having arrived in the summer before the inundation, Bonaparte had employed the first moments in gaining possession of Alexandria and the capital, which he had secured by the battle of the Pyramids.  In the autumn, after the inundation, he had completed the conquest of the Delta, and consigned that of Upper Egypt to Desaix.  In the winter he had undertaken the expedition to Syria, and destroyed Djezzar’s Turkish army at Mount Tabor.  He had now, in the second summer, just destroyed the second army of the Porte at Abukir.  The time had thus been well spent; and, while Victory was forsaking in Europe the banners of France, she adhered to them in Africa and Asia.  The tricolour waved triumphant over the Nile and the Jordan, and over the places which were the cradle of the Christian religion.

Bonaparte was as yet ignorant of what was passing in France.  None of the despatches from the Directory or from his brothers had reached him, and he was a prey to the keenest anxiety.  With a view to obtaining some intelligence, he ordered brigs to cruise about, to stop all merchantmen, and to gain from them information of the occurrences in Europe.  He sent to the Turkish fleet a flag of truce, which, under the pretext of negotiating an exchange of prisoners, was for the purpose of obtaining news.  Sir Sidney Smith stopped this messenger, treated him exceedingly well, and, perceiving that Bonaparte was ignorant of the disasters of France, took a spiteful pleasure in sending him a packet of newspapers.  The messenger returned and delivered the packet to Bonaparte.  The latter spent the whole night in devouring the contents of those papers, and informing himself of what was passing in his own country.  His determination was immediately taken, and he resolved to embark secretly for Europe, and on August 22nd, taking with him Berthier, Lannes, Murat, Andreossy, Marmont, Berthollet, and Monge, and escorted by some of his guides, he proceeded to a retired spot on the beach, where boats were awaiting them.  They got into them and went on board the frigates, La Muiron and La Carrere.  They set sail immediately, that by daylight they might be out of sight of the English cruisers.  Unfortunately it fell calm; fearful of being surprised, some were for returning to Alexandria, but Bonaparte resolved to proceed.  “Be quiet,” said he, “we shall pass in safety.”  Like Caesar, he reckoned upon his fortune.  Menou, who alone had been initiated into the secret, made known in Alexandria the departure of General Bonaparte, and the appointment which he had made of General Kleber to succeed him.  This intelligence caused a painful surprise throughout the army.  The most opprobrious epithets were applied to this departure.  They did not consider that irresistible impulse of patriotism and ambition, which, on the news of the disasters of the republic, had urged him to return to France.  They perceived only the forlorn state in which he had left the unfortunate army, which had felt sufficient confidence in his genius to follow him.