 Louis Desaix marched across the desert with his division and two cannon, arriving at Demenhour, from Alexandria, on 18 Messidor (6 July).Meanwhile, Bonaparte left Alexandria, leaving the city under Kléber's command.General Dugua marched on Rosetta, with orders to seize and hold the entrance to the port housing the French fleet, which had to follow the route to Cairo down the river's left bank and rejoin the army at Rahmanié.