Siege of Acre (1799)

Siege of Acre
Part of the French Campaign in Egypt and Syria during the War of the Second Coalition

Failed siege of Acre by French forces led by Napoleon
Date20 March – 21 May 1799
Location32°55′19″N 35°04′12″E / 32.922°N 35.070°E / 32.922; 35.070
Result Anglo–Ottoman victory
Belligerents
 Ottoman Empire
Great Britain
French Republic
Commanders and leaders
Jazzar Pasha
Haim Farhi
Sidney Smith
Antoine de Phélippeaux
Napoleon Bonaparte
Jean-Baptiste Kléber
Eugène de Beauharnais (WIA)
Units involved
Nizam-i Djedid
(Garrison Force)
 Royal Navy
Armée d'Orient
Strength
Garrison: 5,000 men
Relief army (Mt. Tabor): 35,000–40,000
Support: 2 British ships of the line
12,000–13,000
Casualties and losses
2,000 (for the siege)

4,000
or 4,500

  • 2,300 killed
  • 2,200 wounded or ill
Location within Mediterranean
480km
298miles
6
5
4
Jaffa
3
Cairo
2
Alexandria
1
Malta
  current battle
  Napoleon in command till 23 August 1799

The siege of Acre of 1799 was an unsuccessful French siege of the Ottoman city of Acre (now Akko in modern Israel) and was the turning point of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt and Syria, along with the Battle of the Nile. It was Napoleon's third tactical defeat in his career, being defeated at the Second Battle of Bassano and the Battle of Caldiero three years previously during the Italian campaign, and his first major strategic defeat, along with the last time he was defeated in battle for 10 years. As a result of the failed siege, Napoleon retreated two months later and withdrew to Egypt.