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Handbook for travellers in Algeria and Tunis, Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Carthage, etc
Handbook for travellers in Algeria and Tunis Algiers Oran Constantine Carthage etc Author:John Murray This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ...in 1826 there arose a rival to the Algerine power in Hadj-Ahmed, who, after the fall of Algiers, maintained himself independently in Const... more »antine. He led his troops against the French in 1830, and fought bravely at Algiers, retiring before the capitulation was signed. The French decreed his deposition in December of the same year, but quite ineffectually, as Ahmed took the title of Pacha, which was ratified by the Porte; and he retained the sovereignty of Constantine until 1837. His reign was marked by cruelties and extortions of every kind; but his people rallied round him against the French, and made a desperate defence of their city. He was assisted in the government by a Kabyle named BenAissa, a man of low origin, but of great power; and during the French sieges Hadj-Ahmed remained outside the town with his desert troops, while Ben-Aissa took command within the walls. The first French expedition against Constantino was made in November 1836, under Marshal Clauzel, an officer of great ability, but who, on this occasion, committed the grievous fault of underrating his enemy, and trusting too much to the assurance that had been made to him that no serious resistance would be offered. The Marshal was accompanied by H.R. H. the Due de Nemours, to whom was attached as A.D.C. a young captain of Etat-Major, now Marshal de MacMahon. The commandant, subsequently General Youssef, who had rather prematurely been named Bey of Constantine, was also of the party. The army, consisting of 8776 men, left Bone on the 13th Novembi-r and arrived before Constantine on the 21st, without having encountered any opposition, but much exhausted by fatigue and privation. The assault was made on the night of the 23d by the bridge of ElKantara, but was repulsed on all sides with frigh...« less