f• ~ .,.. #'" r•• -o,- ...... , ..... "' ...... , ...... 62 I NOVEMBER it, 2018 THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA NOVEMBER 4, 2018 I 63 HISTORY

Abercromby's monument in St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Sir Ralph Abercromby: no peace In• rest

possessions in the West Indies (1795) were far The myth perpetuated· by artists. was that One of the fmest engravings produced to cel­ Monument to Sir Ralph more suc.cessful; there he captured St Lucia, Abercromby, felled fi:om his horse, died in the ebrate the Egyptian campaign was based on a Abercromby and his Staff, Demerara and Trinidad. heat of battle. A good many representations of drawing by Philippe James Loutherbourg, RA. engraving by Anthony Cardon. In 1800, Abercromby was appointea com­ 'The Death of Abercromby' show him thus, This was a more measured reflection on the CHRISTOPHER mander of Britain's troops in the Mediterranean, including his impressive monument in St Paul's whole·expedition and its various contributors; GRECH. and at. ¢.e erid of October of that year, two . Cathedral, London, sculpted by the esteemed the almost whimsical· composition shows a months ·after the French had ·surrendered, he sculptor Richard Westlnacott (1775-1856). stylised pyramid on which soldiers, sailors.and was ordered to sail to Malta to prepare for an A particularly dramatic.rendering shows a marines decorate the portraits of the officers expedition to Egypt to expel or· capture the senseless Abercromby, still on horseback, falling on Abercromby's staff with a medallion ofAber­ French garrison there. backwards into the arms of attendant officers. cromby himself at its apex. This is a skillful com­ Fate can be a fickle mistress, smiling upon some The British Expedition to Egypt landed at Abu This was pure drama. Other depictions show position celebrating both the officers and the people and frowning upon others; even war Qir on March 8, 1801. Abercromby, fastidious in Abercromby expiring on the battlefield sur­ soldiers who particip,ated in the expedition. heroes suffering similar deaths can sometimes the preparation of his troops, had drilled his sol­ rounded by his fellow officers, among whom are Some of the latter are easily identified; for exan1- . be lionised or more often forgotten for no appar­ diers in disembarkation by boat. The practice, his proteg~s Generals Charles Stuart, John ple, the seated soldier at the base of the pyramid ent reason. Take, for example, those two arch· which served them well in the amphibious · Moore and Hildebrand Oakes (later Civil Com­ is Antoine Lutz,.of the 96th Regiment, who cap­ enemies of Napoleon Bonaparte, admiral Lord assault, ran like clockwork: a staggering 14,000 missioner in Malta). Of course, while these fan­ tured' the French cavalry standard shown The Grave of Abercrombie, Nelson and General Sir RalphAbercromby. Each infantry, 1;000 cavalry, and 600 gunners,were tasies elevate themundane to the sublime, help­ draped across his lap. unknown artist. suffered fatal gunshot wounds in-the heat of bat­ landed successfully in a single day. iilg to celebrate the selfless heroics of the great Literary artists were not to be outdone·by tle and yet Nelson is revered as a national hero Although weather prevented Abercr.omby's general, they were quite inaccurate. As is aften visual artists; and so poets too sang Aber­ and poor. Abercromby lies forgotten, mouldering force·from landing immediately, Which meant the case, the truth was more prosaic. cromby's praises. A staggering number of epic In 1871, the Royal Engineers altered the beneath a neglected marble slab. This article that the British lost the element of surprise, the poems and eulogies were composed; many bastion to accommodate new, heavier examines the fate sufferedby the hapless general French offered only token resistance at the were mediocre; however, a few were readable armaments. As excavations proceeded, the and explores the myth surrounding his death water's edge, using their time .to draw troops and can still be appreciated today. Here are coffm containing Abercromby's remains . and disturbed afterlife. from Cairo and Upper Egypt to concentrate on ''Abercromby's body was excerpts from one such example: was found lying in its original vault. From today's perspective one might be for- a counter offenslve on land. After fierce skir­ A courier from t' Egyptian coast Reports confirmed that the outer • given for thinking that these two officers were mishing on :March 13, the French pulled back to brought to Malta where The mournful tidings lately bore, wooden coffin had deteriorated; how­ not held in equal regard in their own day; how­ a defensive position. ThatAbercromby, Britain's boast, ever, the inner leaden coffin survived ever, this was not the case; both were recognised At dawn on March 21, the opposing sides met he was given a State By battle's fate was now no more. more or less intact except for some for their martial skills (Nelson probably being in a fierce battle which became known as the slight decay at the edges. The metal plate better known for his supine conquests). Battle of Alemndria. After heavy fighting the funeral. He was buried Hist'ry with wonder shall relate bearing Abercromby's name and age Abercromby's military career was equally suc­ French were beaten back. They sustained Your great exploit on Egypt's coast; also survived. In the same vault the cessful. Born in Scotland in 1734, he initially stud­ 3,000. casualties to the British 1,376. The ·within the outer, When Gaul's fam'd legion self defeat, excavators also found the cask in which, ied law at Edinburgh University and then at British also captured a much-prized French northeast curtain And her unconquer'd standard lost. like Nelson, Abercromby's body had Leipzig; however, he soon lost interest in law and cavalry standard; howeve1~ the British com­ been immersed in spirits to preserve it decided on a military career. Although his father, mander had been wounded. of Fort St Elmo" Your brave companions oft shall tell while it was transported to Malta. a lawyer, was disappointed, he encouraged his Although Abercromby was snuck in the groin How you the fatal wound conceal'd; In the course of the reworking of the son by purchasing him a cometcy in the 3rd Dra­ by a musket ball early in the action he remained How your soul triumph'd, when you fell, bastion, Abercromby's coffin was re-cased goons Guards in March 1756. Ralph's three sons, in the field. It was not until he saw the enemy Poor Abercromby was carried in a hanlffiock To see them masters of the field. and reinterred in a new vault behind the John, James and Alexande1~ were to follow their retreating and was sure of victory that he to his berth on HMS Foudoyant. There he lan­ old one. We are fortunate that photogra­ father into the army. showed his pain and allowed himself to be exam­ guished in pain for a week. His doctors, after a For us remains no mote, great shade! pher Richard Ellis was on hand to record The Seven Years' War began a few months • ined. Exhausted by the action and loss of blood considerable amount of probing, realised that But now to give you honours due; this event. The accompanying photograph late1~ and Abercromby accompanied his regi- the 67-year-old general was carried to HMS the musket ball had penetrated his thigh and By every bard let these be paid, appears to be taken just before the coffin , menton active service in Germany where he was Foudroyant where he was attended to. Aber­ buried itself deep into the bone. They tried a By every sage, and hero too! was reburied to enjoy continued eternal impressed by Frederick the Great's military cromby died on bOard a week later. number of times, without success, to extract the rest in Malta's vaults of chivalry: approach to discipline and care of the rank and News of the British victory at the Battle of ball, and in doing so only enlarged the wound, Abercromby's body was brought to Malta Brave Abercromby stamped his British file; lessons Abercromby learned and practised Alexandria was treated with euphoria border­ thus encouragmg the contanlination and infec­ where he was given a State funeral. He was name, during his careel: ing on frenzy; a nation depressed by countless tion which brought about his death. buried in the outer, northeast curtain of Fort Where Alexander trac'd the path to fame. Abercromby held positions of high command French victories on land could at last celebrate After his death, the ship1s surgeon examined St Elmo in a specially prepared vault within On the last pyramid late time shall find in both the Flanders and Helder campaigns a significant victory over the Corsican tyrant. Abercromby's body and, finding the musket ball the bastion of StJohn looking out to the His glorious name with gallant Nelson's (1793 and 1799 respectively) and although these The fact that Abercromby, a popular and so deeply lodged in the thigh bone, he had to open sea, as portrayed romantically by the joined. were generally considered failures he achieved beloved commande1~ had also lost his life, resort to using a trephine (a circular surgical accompanying engraving. While Keith his corse, with each sad sailor's his military objectives and was praised for his caught the public's in1agination and inspired saw) to exn·act aportion of bone from which he His mortal remains were not permitted to praise, leadership skills. His expedition against French many artists. smashed the musket ball free. enjoy eternal rest in their original location. To Malta's vaults of chivalry conveys.