That Buonaparte, accustomed to witness slaughter in every form, was in general but a callous calculator when the loss of human life was to be considered, no one can doubt.

That his motives, on this occasion, were cruel, no human being, who considers either the temper or the situation of the man, will ever believe.

He doubtless designed, by shortening those men's lives, to do them the best service in his power.

The presumption of thus daring to sport with the laws of God and man, when expedience seemed to recommend such interference, was quite in the character of the young General: cruelty was not; least of all, cruelty to his own soldiery--the very beings on whose affection all his greatness depended.
The march onwards was a continued scene of misery; for the wounded and the sick were many, the heat oppressive, the thirst intolerable; and the ferocious Djezzar was hard behind, and the wild Arabs of the desert hovered round them on every side, so that he who fell behind his company was sure to be slain.

How hard and callous the hearts of brave men can become when every thought is occupied with self, the story of that march presents a fearful picture.