Where are Bonaparte's siege cannon? An episode in the Egyptian campaign.

During his expedition to the Holy Land in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte needed to transport his heavy siege artillery for the siege of Acre. Over 200 years later, what happened to the guns remains an enigma. The heavy cannon (24-pounders) were transported from Egypt by sea. One shipment was captured by a British squadron commanded by Sidney Smith, and used in Acre's defence against the French army. The other cannon were safely disembarked, and were used by the French to bombard the town. After lifting the siege, the French army retreated southwards, abandoning weapons at Tantura. This article deals with the transportation of the heavy artillery to Acre, and its subsequent fate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]