When Napoleon Did Not Conquer Acre
In the spring of 1799, during his campaign in the Middle East, Napoleon Bonaparte attempted to extend his control over the Levant by capturing the strategic port city of Acre (modern-day Akko, Israel).
This marked a crucial episode in the history of the region, combining military innovation, international alliances, and fierce resistance. Although Napoleon's earlier successes in Egypt had seemed unstoppable, the siege of Acre ended in failure and halted his ambitions to conquer the area.
The background to the siege lies in Napoleon's wider Egyptian and Syrian campaign, initiated after France’s defeat at sea in the 1798 Battle of the Nile left his forces isolated in Egypt. Marching northwards into Ottoman-held Syria, Napoleon recognized the importance of Acre, a fortified coastal city guarding critical routes in the region.
The city was defended by approximately 5,000 Ottoman troops under Jezzar Pasha, aided by a sizable relief army estimated between 35,000 and 40,000 soldiers that later came to challenge the French forces
Napoleon commanded around 12,000 to 13,000 men during the siege. His forces initially consisted mainly of infantry and lacked sufficient heavy artillery because half of his siege guns had been captured by the British Royal Navy prior to the siege. This naval presence, led by Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith aboard ships such as the Tigre and Theseus, played a decisive role.
British ships not only brought reinforcements and supplies but also helped shore up Acre's defenses and disrupted French supply lines by sea. French efforts to quickly storm the city were thwarted repeatedly because they faced including expertly rebuilt fortifications, enhanced with captured French artillery wielded effectively by French émigré commander Antoine Le Picard de Phélippeaux, now aligned with the defenders.
The siege unfolded through a series of challenging stages: beginning with infantry assaults that failed against Acre’s reinforced walls, then transitioning to formal siege tactics as new artillery arrived. Despite making a breach by late April, the French troops endured five fierce assaults between May 1 and May 10 that were repulsed by the defenders’ internal fortifications behind the breach.
Meanwhile, French General Jean-Baptiste Kléber successfully repelled Ottoman relief forces at the Battle of Mount Tabor on April 16, but this victory was insufficient to break the stalemate.
Additional hardships for the French included severe shortages, an outbreak of disease, and restrictions caused by the British naval blockade. The inability to evacuate wounded or resupply the force sapped morale.
On May 20, after suffering roughly 2,200 dead and another 2,000 wounded or ill, Napoleon reluctantly lifted the siege and began a retreat to Egypt. This defeat marked a turning point, ending his hopes to dominate the Levant and demonstrating the limits of his military reach.
One of the most intriguing and lesser-known facts about the siege is how it highlighted the early challenges of modern warfare and disease control. During the siege, an outbreak of plague swept through Napoleon’s forces, severely weakening his army's fighting capacity.
This was centuries before the discovery of germs and vaccines, and French medical officers struggled with rudimentary methods to contain the disease. The plague’s impact, combined with relentless Ottoman and British resistance, fundamentally shaped the outcome of the siege and underscored how health and environment could decisively influence military history—long before such elements were widely acknowledged in warfare
No ads, no commercials, just high-quality content.
If you find our work valuable, we would be grateful for your support. Your contribution helps us continue our mission of providing high-quality content and sharing it with an even wider audience. Support Our Mission
