Page 204 - Gulf Precis (V)_Neat

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3,000 men, he was obliged to agree to an armisijo and abandon the eiego. TIio
■
Egyptian General, however, masking ENHass, continued to advance eastward
on Aneyzah, and tlio Amir retired south to Bureydah. After six days* bom­
bardment the fort of 'Aneyzah surrendered, and the entire district of EMCaseom
then submitted to the Egyptian Commander. Abdullah retired on Shakiah, a
town in tin* district of El-Washam, where he halted two months for reinforce*
ments. During tins time the Pasha sucoeeded in detaching from the Wahabi
; cause many of the Aral) Bedoos who at heart disliked the strictness and severity
of that sect and government. Amongst thoso who, actuated by an ient enmity
against the "Wahabi, bad from tile outsot joined the Egyptian side, was the
powerful Shaikh of the Muteyr, Fey sal-el-Da wish, who trusted in a promise
made to him by Ibrahim to place him in Der’eyyah as Governor of Nejd, a
promise which the Pasha had no intention of fulfilling.
17. Having rcceivod at Bureydah a reinforcement of 800 men and two
guns, as well as supplies of provisions and ammunition, Ibrahim Pasha was
able to continue his advanco on Shakrah at the head of 4,500 Turkish, Albanian,
and Moorish troops in addition to Arab
Deoombor, A.D. 1817,
contingents. About 10,000 camels ac­
companied the force, and the infantry soldiers were usually mounted two on a
cumel. The Amir Abdullah meantime retired on his capital wasting the
couutry before the enemy, and sending the surplus cattle and flocks to El-Hasa.
This was in the latter part of December 1817. In t-ho following month the
Turkish army appeared before Shakrah, which was regularly approached under
the direction of a Breach Engineer, M. Vaissi6reKnnd capitulated on the 2nd of
January 1818. The lives of the garrison
were spared, but they were deprived of
their arms, and had to engage not to servo again under the Wahabi Armr.
Some time after when El-Der’eyyah had falleu, Ibrahim Pallia caused the
fortifications of Shakrah to be demolished, and when seen by Captain Sadleir
the place was in ruins.
18. Abdullah-bin-Saud had now retreated to El- Der'eyyah, and before
following him up to the capital, Ibrahim Paslm judged it advisable to turn
aside from the direct loute to take the town of Dhorama. At that place be
encountered a spirited resistance, several of bis men being killed. In revenge
for this the male inhabitants were put to the sword, the town pillaged and
destroyed, and the women given up to the brutality of the Turkish soldiery.
Only the Governor and his guard who had shut themselves in a citadel were
suffered to escape .with their lives,
10. Detained by rains, it was March before Ibrahim Paslm advanced on
El-Der’eyyah, which town he invested in April with a force of 5,5'0 horse and
foot, and twelve pieces of artillery, including two mortars and two howitzers.
Shortly after, reinforcements and convoys of supplies reached the Turkish camp
irom Medina and Basrah. The siege onerations wore for some time conduot«'d
without any success to the Turkish arms, and in the latter part of the month of
May an explosion having occurred by which the Pasha lost all his spare am­
munition, his position became extremely critical. Indeed the indomitable
cour ge and good example of Ibrahim per-onnlly alone saved the army from
disaster. The troops suffered muoh from dysentery and ophthalmia, and the
Wahabis thought to overwhelm the besiegers by a sortie in force. The attaok
was, howoY' r, repulsed, and the opportunity lost to the besieged; for soon after
the engagement caravans with fredi supplies of ammunition and provisions
reached the Egyptian camp, and later reinforcements of infantry and onvalrv
joined. News was also received of the approach of Khaleel Pasha Irom Egypt
with three thousand fresh troops. Early in September the Amir sent a flag
of truce to request an audience of the Pasha. This was accorded, and the
"Wahabi Chief was kindly received, but was informed that the first and mdis-
pousahle condition of peace was the attendence of Abdullah in per?on at Omro.
The Amir asked twenty four hours for reflection, which delay was granted, and
at the expiration of the time lie returned to the Pasha's comp and intimated his
willingness to fulfil the condition imposed, provided Ibrahim uould guarantee
that his life would he spared. Ibrahim Pasha replied that lie bad no authority
himself to bind the Sultan and the Viceroy on that point, but that he thought