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He now received
appeals from some of his devoted caliphs to undertake a fresh campaign,
especially from the loyal and chivalrous Ben Salem, who dwelt in the
gorges of the Djur jura Mountains. To him Abd-el-Kader replied,
promising to come "as soon as affairs in the west were settled."
Months passed away and the Arab tribes who had submitted began to feel
the pressure of French domination and to resent the supercilious conduct
of French officials. In the spring of 1845 their former Sultan
reappeared. He swept down into the valley of the Tafna and routed and
cut to pieces a French detachment. In this action the lower part of his
right ear was carried away by a musket-ball, the only wound which he
ever received. Another detachment of six hundred men laid down their
arms without firing a shot. Some stir was made among the Arabs by these
successes, and the French commanders took alarm. Lamoriciere, Cavaignac,
and Bedeau wrote pressing letters for reinforcements, and urged the
return of Bugeaud.


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