Article written by Pascal Toupy and Tom Toupy-Durant

The French campaign in Egypt and Syria is probably the most misunderstood of Napoleon’s military epics. And yet it is the foundation of the Napoleonic legend. Indeed, Bonaparte’s seclusion on Egyptian soil gave him the opportunity to test his ability to manage and lead a conquered territory and experiment with a number of military, administrative and social reforms. Of course, the Corsican general was not alone and he had the support of exceptional men, most of whom would follow him throughout his epic journey.

When choosing who would take part to this crazy expedition, the Directory sent a number of young people who could disrupt its power and whose ambition could threaten it. This motley crew was made up of talented and spirited military men, reform-minded administrators and innovative scientists. It was this explosive mixture that would form the basis of the Napoleonic adventure and would end up giving these men an unparalleled military and political experience.

The first article of this series is dedicated to Kléber and Desaix, the two French generals with the best Battle Rating and Strategy Rating (after Napoleon himself) in Napoleon in Egypt.

Kléber, the “Mighty Lion”

Jean-Baptiste Kléber was born in Strasbourg on March 9^th 1753 into a family of bourgeois entrepreneurs. After studying drawing and architecture, he began a career as an architect. In 1777 however, he joined the Bavarian army and then the Austrian army, which he left in 1783 with the rank of second lieutenant. Indeed, he quickly became disgusted with a system that allowed Austrian aristocratic officers to rise through the ranks by virtue of their connections rather than their feats of arms.

He returned to France and resumed his career as an architect. Kléber agreed to the principles of the French Revolution and joined the French army as a volunteer in June 1791 as an adjutant-major. He quickly made a name for himself and was promoted to brigadier general in August 1793. He also gained a reputation as a general who waged a “humane war”, punishing the men in his army for pillaging civilians. After fighting foreign forces in the East, Kléber was sent to suppress the uprising in the Vendée. Despite a difficult start and many changes of command, Kléber won a great victory at Le Mans and then at Savenay, a battle in which the Catholic and Royal Army of Vendée was destroyed. Disgusted by the violence and systematic repression, he was transferred to the fight against the Chouans and then to the northern frontier. He won battles and sieges in German territory but failed to win the campaign. Disgraced, he temporarily resigned from the army between 1796 and 1798.

Admiring Napoleon’s victory in Italy, Kléber joined the young general on his expedition to Egypt. Kléber distinguished himself by his boldness and iron will in the face of a myriad of enemies. He won the decisive battles of El-Arich (February 8^th to February 19^th 1799) and Mont-Thabor (April 16^th 1799). Increasingly popular with the troops and officers, he was appointed by Napoleon as commander-in-chief of the expeditionary army when the soon-to-be emperor left Egypt on August 22^nd 1799.

Shortly thereafter, Kléber decided to make an honorable peace with the British in order to ensure the army’s orderly withdrawal to France. But when the British Admiral Keith demanded that the French surrender their weapons, Kléber, outraged, declared to his army: “Such insolence can only be answered with victories; soldiers, prepare to fight!” (Fury of Kléber Event). Surprising the Coalition, Kléber took the initiative and attacked the allied forces. With a stunning victory over more than 60,000 Ottomans at Heliopolis on March 20^th 1800, Kléber regained total control of Egypt and used his victory to form a permanent alliance with Murad Bey (Alliance with Murad Bey Event). However, fate struck the “mighty lion”. Although he had repeatedly escaped death in battle, he was assassinated on June 14^th 1800 by a 23-year-old Syrian radical student disguised as a beggar (Assassination of Kléber Event).

Kléber’s death marked the beginning of the long decline of the French campaign in Egypt and Syria, the expedition now commanded by General Menou as its senior officer. Kléber’s remains stayed in Egypt in virtual secrecy until 1818. When they were finally returned to France, Kléber was buried in the center of Strasbourg, his birthplace. But when Strasbourg was occupied after the French defeat in 1940, the Germans moved the body to a nameless cemetery. In 1945, Kléber was returned to the center of Strasbourg, where his statue, facing the Rhine, still guards the city to this day.

Desaix, the “Fair Sultan”

Louis Charles-Antoine Desaix de Veygoux was born in 1768 into a family of provincial nobility. He began his military career at the age of 8 at the Royal Military School, graduating at 15 with the rank of second lieutenant. In 1792, after the fall of the French monarchy, he refused to emigrate with the rest of his family and instead joined the Army of the Rhine and Moselle. He quickly rose to prominence during the revolutionary wars, becoming a brigadier general in 1793 at the age of 25 and a divisional general in 1794.

Highly respected by his men, Desaix gained a reputation as a winning general who listened to them. He met Napoleon at Passenario in Italy in 1797. The two men were mutually impressed by each other’s military excellence. Napoleon called him to the French campaign in Egypt and Syria. Desaix took part in the capture of Malta, then Alexandria, crushed the Mamluks at Chebreiss (July 13^th 1798) and distinguished himself at the Battle of the Pyramids. Desaix was personally chosen by Bonaparte to pursue Murad Bey in Upper Egypt. The pursuit was unsuccessful but made Desaix very popular with the local population. Nicknamed the “Fair Sultan”, he took economic measures to revive free trade. He learned Arabic and reconciled local customs with European-style justice. He set up a system of communication relays for the army, which was quickly adopted by civilians and the administration. Desaix greatly aided the archaeological discoveries of scientists by providing them with escorts and equipment.

Recalled to Europe by Napoleon, he left Egypt on March 3^rd 1800 (Napoleon Leaves Egypt Event). At the age of 31, Desaix joined the Italian army on the eve of the Battle of Marengo (June 14^th 1800). During the battle, Desaix led the 9^th Light Brigade in a charge that turned the tide and resulted in a decisive French victory. However, he was mortally wounded by a bullet through the heart during the charge. In a strange twist of fate, he died on the same day as Kléber! Deeply moved, Napoleon had a huge statue of Desaix erected in Paris, but it was melted down after the Eagle fell.

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