Siege of Jaffa

Arc de Triomphe: JAFFA


March 3, 1799 - March 8, 1799

Needing to take the fortress of Jaffa, General Bonaparte ordered Lannes and Bon to surround the city while Dommartin began to bombard it with artillery fire. Not wanting a drawn out or bloody siege, after a few hours of artillery fire to show that they meant business, Berthier sent an envoy to the city to discuss surrender. Shortly thereafter, the unfortunate envoy's head was hoisted above the city, infuriating the French.

Taking a few days to prepare the assault, once everything was ready Lannes led the grenadiers through the breaches in the wall that the artillery had created. Once inside the walls, the still angry French moved systematically through the city and cut through any defenders who got in their way. Finally, the survivors of the garrison surrendered to the French, allegedly to Napoleon's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais.

Bibliography

• Chrisawn, Margaret. The Emperor's Friend: Marshal Jean Lannes. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2001.
• Ryan, Edward. Napoleon's Shield and Guardian: The Unconquerable General Daumesnil. London: Greenhill Books, 2003.

External Links:

• Battle Explanation

Updated March 2017

© Nathan D. Jensen