On January 26th, 1799, Napoleon led his army northwards toward Syria in response to the Ottoman Empire's refusal to acknowledge French rule in Egypt. Their primary objective: the city of Jaffa. The French forces, comprising over twenty thousand troops, were organized into two divisions under the command of Kleber and Dumas.
As they positioned themselves on the outskirts of Jaffa, a French messenger had already been dispatched to deliver an ultimatum to the city's inhabitants: surrender or face an imminent invasion. While awaiting their response, Napoleon turned to Dumas, who handed him a freshly printed newspaper from Paris.
"General Bonaparte, news has arrived that a new coalition has formed, consisting of the Austrians, British, Russians, and Naples, all declaring war on France," Dumas informed him.
