The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-21 00:00:00

THE CHI 'ESE REBEL.

The following is an extract from a private letter,
dated Tang-chow, November 8, 1861 :
" You may, perhaps, have seen by the papers
that a large body of rebels, which has long been
ravaging the Shantung province, lately made a
descent upon this district. For about a week before
they showed themselves at Yentai we could plainly
see the flames and smoke from the burning villages,
which always mark the tract of these wretches
but almost .up to the moment of their arrival in our
immediate neighbourhood foreigners have enter-
tained little apprehension of their attempting to
attack or plunder this town. One evening, how-
ever, just as I was finishing dinner, an old Chinese
came running in to tell me that the rebels were
rapidly approaching, and were already within five
or six miles of our settlement. lat once hurried
off to the Consulate, where I found Mr. Morrison
just preparing to set out for the purpose of bring-
ing in a missionary and two ladies, who were liv-
ing in a village which lies between us and the place
where the rebels then were, at a distance of about
three miles from Yentai. Before starting Mr. Mor-
rison requested me to take a boat and go as quickly
as I could to her Majesty's gunboat Insolent, which
was then anchored near an island about five miles
out at sea, in order that I might induce the com-
mander to bring her over as soon as possible, and
render what assistance he could to the town.
After a long pull in the dark I at length reached
the gunboat, at about 12 p.m., roused up the
lieutenant in command, told him what I had
to say, took a glass of whisky and water,
and turned in. Next morning, at an early hour,
we steamed over to the mainland and took up our
position so as to command the road by which the
rebels must pass before they could enter the town.
Soon after we dropped anchor the Consul came off
and told us he bad reached the village where the
missionary and ladies were some time before the
arrival of the rebels, but that it had taken him so
long to convince them that they were in any danger
that he had only just got them off in time to save
their lives. So near a thing was it that the mis-
sionary, who remained behind a short time after
the others had left, in order to bring off some of his
goods, was attacked by two of the ruffians, and did
not get away until he had shot the mule on which
one of them rode and wounded the other. As it
appeared probable that Chinamen might come off
to communicate with our vessel it was determined
that I should remain on board as interpreter until
the next diy, On the following morning, before I
had finished dressing, I heard some one cry out
that the rebels were in sight, and on going on deck
I discovered a great number of foot and horse men,
bearing flogs and banners, ranged along the hills
which overlook the town to the west. In a short
.time about 50 horsemen, gaily dressed in red and
yellow, came galloping down into the villages which
lie between Yentai and the high ground. When-
ever we could catch sight of these gentlemenwe fired
shot or shell at them, but as they moved about
quickly, and in small parties, we did little or no
execution. At length, however, we succeeded in send-
ing them all scampering off to their companions, and
soon afterwards the whole body marched away to the
south and disappeared. Unfortunately, the Insolent
being out of repair, had none but very small
guns on board, otherwise we should have been able
to give a good account of some hundreds of the
enemy. On my return to my house, after leaving
the gunboat, I found that my boy had endeavoured
to strike terror into the hearts of the invaders by
hoisting cn the top of a tall bamboo in the middle
of my yard a large piece of calico, on which he had
copied the direction off one of my trunks. He was,
of course, quite ignorant of the meaning of what he
had written, but he seemed to think that the flag
woull be very efficacious in preserving my house in
case of an attack. During the panic I had at ono
time as many as 40 refugees in my house, and as
the rebels approached thousands of men, women,
and children from the surrounding country came
pouring into Yentai for protection, and not without
cause, for these Northern rebels are perfect fiends,
who make a hell upon earth wherever they go.
When they come to a place which offers no resis-
tance they kill all the old people, ugly young women,
and little children, and, after collecting their plun-
der, carry away all the others ; but when they come
to a place which does not readily submit they put
every living creature to death. They tie ropes
round the necks of some of their victims and drag
them about till they are dead, and suspend others
by their thumbs and roast them alive, or hack them
to pieces. Sights horrible beyond description might
be seen a short time ago by any one who would
take the trouble to go a mile or two from this place.
It is asserted that the rebels declare it is their
hold people, for it would be needless cruelty, they
argue, etofeaelllionwgs which induce them to kill the
them to live and grieve over the
lost property which it has been their painful duty
to destroy or carry off. They are now a good way
off, and I do not think it likely we shall see any
more of them until next spring, when it is not im-
probableplunder. wo American missionaries who were in-
fatuate
d enough t eym ay again sweep the country for
to go out from Yentai to meet them
and argue with them on the wickedness of their
conduct, were caught by them and murdered at a
place about 30 miles-from this. Both these gentle-
men leave widows behinds them. Their
were recovered and brought home. bodies