The Colbert cannon sounded and the whole squadron immediately answers: a hail of steel and fire, crossed the calm waters of the Gulf and has just burst on the town, reduce dust in the houses, domes and minarets. A roar of explosions
, a blaze from the sky by the shells of 187 pounds, which captures the admiration of officers and sailors remained on board the squadron, while an instinctive fear he inspired to three thousand men landing stacked on barges, and above the heads of passing all this diabolical shot
The city of Sfax, during that time, burned and blew up, not without difficulty, because the walls are terribly hard, and more a shell passed through the houses without damaging them severely. The Arabs called the city "Sfax Forte", and not without reason, because obviously, if European forces had defended this position, he had taken ten days and twenty thousand men to win.
The three battalions of marines landed the most important, those of Colbert, of Alma, and Queen Blanche, were commanded by captains ship who are the commanders of these buildings: Mr. Marcq Saint-Hilaire, Miot and Marquessac ; lieutenants, signs and aspirants completed the frames and energetically led the sailors 1.600.
The battalion of 1,200 infantry commanded by Colonel never sent from Rouen in Sfax solely for that purpose, approaching the shore on barges transport the "Sarthe. Rear-Admiral Conrad ran all under the command of Vice Admiral Garnault .
, a blaze from the sky by the shells of 187 pounds, which captures the admiration of officers and sailors remained on board the squadron, while an instinctive fear he inspired to three thousand men landing stacked on barges, and above the heads of passing all this diabolical shot
The city of Sfax, during that time, burned and blew up, not without difficulty, because the walls are terribly hard, and more a shell passed through the houses without damaging them severely. The Arabs called the city "Sfax Forte", and not without reason, because obviously, if European forces had defended this position, he had taken ten days and twenty thousand men to win.
The three battalions of marines landed the most important, those of Colbert, of Alma, and Queen Blanche, were commanded by captains ship who are the commanders of these buildings: Mr. Marcq Saint-Hilaire, Miot and Marquessac ; lieutenants, signs and aspirants completed the frames and energetically led the sailors 1.600.
The battalion of 1,200 infantry commanded by Colonel never sent from Rouen in Sfax solely for that purpose, approaching the shore on barges transport the "Sarthe. Rear-Admiral Conrad ran all under the command of Vice Admiral Garnault .
Meanwhile, the Arabs who were defending the city, numbering 3.500 to 4.000, fled to the impregnable gardens of Sfax where they were and still are, and only fanatics, estimated at 1,200, remained in self-defense melee as soon as their batteries grazing, armed with old rusty guns, would be in the hands of attackers.
The ramparts of the Medina were hard as iron and able to withstand heavy artillery. The Arabs were right to put their trust in these incredible fortifications and he must have seen them to understand everything than 1,200 Arab fanatics have learned.
Admiral Garnault, located near the shore on "Desaix" beckons to cease fire to eight hours, and immediately the big guns are silent and gunboats. The city is burning.
was the time to seize the farm and grazing of the Kasbah, located one right and one left the city, both in the sea
The landing occurs under a hail of bullets, the insurgents shoot at twenty meters. The officers of the land and sea then remove their troops, and a deadly load begins in a trench, two meters deep and protected by large bales of esparto, where Arabs were ambushed.
The first company of the 92nd line, Captain Bouringuer, then seizes the trench in a physical struggle of the brightest. His lieutenant, Mr. Marchand, and its Sub-Lieutenant, Mr. Dailly, fall seriously injured six men and seventeen were soon put out of action, while the Arabs of the trenches have lost thirty-seven men in a blink an eye.
The young soldiers of the 92nd, ahead of Manouba, are worthy of their elders, and everyone expects to Sfax, see the company from the 92nd to put the agenda of the army.
While infantrymen perform this feat, sailors placed to the right flock on the beach like real tigers grazing on the farm, they climb unabated, always losing the world and still slaughtering Arabs.
Without hesitation, a Quartermaster's "Trident" arrives on the summit of the redoubt and planted the flag of his canoe, he won without a word. The flag was riddled with bullets and the quartermaster drops dead, a victim of the traditions of old France.
It is immediately replaced by ten others sniped that the Arabs invaded their walls. Five hundred sailors turned the redoubt and battery grazing is taken. We shot a lot of insurgents who seek to flee, and the troops are masters of the place throughout its length.
Street War begins : Indeed, the first moment of terror, many Arabs have taken refuge in their cellars and from there they take repeated blows to the 136th, on the 71st, on the 93rd who, believing the city open, s 'advancing rapidly towards the top of the street, all going sloping towards the sea
soldiers, struck from behind, begin to fall in large numbers. We then searched the houses one by one, we will shoot everything found with weapons in hand, and a real hunt begins in Sfax Arabian desert, to continue three days longer.
The torpedo officer of the Queen White, M. Debrem, lieutenant, whose assistance has been invaluable, is charged with blowing up the gun-cotton blocks from where the Arabs defend to the death. This expedited process terrifies those who are not crushed, but they pray to a pardon.
Defending Sfax by the Arabs was heroic, as far as the bombing and the attack by our troops have been worthy of the finest feats of the African army.
should not be mistaken, making Sfax is an act of war far more important than anything that happened in Tunisia until that date.
continued ...
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