engers ▁to ▁his ▁riv als . ▁ ▁Ali ▁promised ▁to ▁comp ly ▁with ▁all ▁the ▁Be ys ▁dem ands ▁if ▁they ▁should ▁join ▁in ▁exp elling ▁the ▁inv aders ; ▁this ▁proposal ▁being ▁agreed ▁to , ▁both ▁arm ies ▁march ed ▁towards ▁C airo ▁on ▁opposite ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁Occ up ation ▁of ▁Ros etta ▁ ▁The ▁possession ▁of ▁Ros etta ▁being ▁de emed ▁ind isp ens able , ▁Brig ad ier - General ▁Sir ▁William ▁Stewart ▁and ▁Colonel ▁O sw ald ▁were ▁des patch ed ▁there ▁with ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁men . ▁However , ▁a ▁deput y ▁of ▁Muhammad ▁Ali ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁U mar ▁Mak ram , ▁had ▁begun ▁to ▁r ally ▁the ▁local ▁population ▁and ▁bring ▁troops ▁from ▁C airo ▁in ▁the ▁attempt ▁to ▁slow ▁the ▁British ▁advance ▁towards ▁the ▁capital . ▁They ▁fought ▁a ▁running ▁battle ▁for ▁fifteen ▁days ▁against ▁superior ▁Turkish ▁forces , ▁including ▁a ▁th ir teen - day ▁can non ade ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁without ▁effect . ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁news ▁arrived ▁from ▁the ▁advanced ▁guard ▁at ▁Al ▁H amed ▁of ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁ 5 0 - 6 0 ▁large ▁vessels ▁with ▁rein for c ements ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁bes ie ged ▁by ▁N ile , ▁and ▁General ▁Stewart ▁was ▁comp elled ▁to ▁retre at . ▁A ▁drag oon ▁was ▁des patch ed ▁to ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁Mac le od , ▁command ing ▁at ▁Al ▁H amed , ▁ordering ▁him ▁to ▁fall ▁back ▁as ▁well , ▁but