 At 02 : 00 on 13 November , two squadrons of ship 's boats made amphibious landings : a small force under Lieutenant Samuel Leslie landed to the north of the emplaced positions , acting as a diversion while the main body of the expeditionary force landed to the south under Lieutenant Colonel Smith . Leslie 's diversion distracted the Arab defenders , but enough remained in the southern defences to make a significant counterattack on Smith 's beachhead . Cannon fire from the ship 's boats covering the landing drove the Arabs back , and Smith ordered his men to advance with their bayonets fixed , pushing into the town and driving out the Arabs house by house . To cover their advance , Smith 's men set fire to the buildings in their path , which created a pall of smoke under cover of which Smith was able to storm and capture the Sheik 's palace . 
