The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-01 00:00:00

OPERATIONS AGAINST THE TAEPINGS.

The following extract from a private letter gives
some idea of the nature of the warfare in China :
" SHANGHAI, MAY 5.
"I was obliged to miss last mail, because we were
away on an expedition to Cardeen. The guns started
last Saturday week in boats up the Soo-chow Creek.
I went on Sunday week in boats, with 26 men ; the
rest of the men came up on Monday. The troops
marched up on Friday. We took up our quarters
at Naysian (I spell it as pronounced), about 17 miles
from Shanghai. About 400 yards outside the town
were stockades and a fortified joss-house, with about
4,000 rebels. On Saturday the treops, with four
small field-pieces, attacked the place, and after they
had fired all their ammunition the General, who
wished to avoid getting men killed, sounded the re-
treat, so they returned to their quarters without
taking the stockades, one officer and one man being
badly wounded. By Monday the Naval Brigade
aid our guns had arrived, so we attacked them again
on Tuesday. I went with the pontoon bridges, with
26 men, an Engineer officer, and a few Sappers.
We had to advance in front of the force to the left,
and as soon as the rebels saw us advance they sent
a round shot at us, which nearly took off the Engi-
neer officer's legs, striking the ground close to his
feet. The guns then opened fire, and in about a
quarter of an hour the place was ours. We did
not go back to our quarters, but advanced straight
on to Cardeen, which is about six miles from
the stockades. Cardeen is a very large walled
town—they say, seven miles round the walls—with a
broad deep ditch. It looked a formidable place. We
encamped in a large straggling village, nearly in
ruins, scarcely 400 yards outside the town, the re-
bels sending several shots into the village while we
were there. We did not do anything the rest of
the day, nor the next either, except fit scaling
ladders, as the French were not ready. On Wed
nesday evening the orders value out from the
General—one company from each regiment (31st,
67th, 99th, sth Native Infantry, 22d Native Infan-
try, and Punjab), and one company of the Naval
Brigade, to form the storming party ; the 2d com-
pany was chosen. Every one had to be up by 2
o'clock in the morning to place the guns in position;
so at 2 o'clock we were all out, and the men worked
hard till half-past 4, getting the guns in position.
At 5 a.m. all the guns opened fire. Altogether,
French, naval, and artillery, there were 32 guns ;
so you can fancy how astonished the rebels must
have been to find so many guns not 150 yards off,
particularly after we had waited a day and a half,
and they began to think we were frightened at
them. However, they returned a very smart fire.
The 2d company of the Naval Brigade, being the
storming party, were ordered to lie down behind
some slightly raised ground, where there were some
bushes and a small tree. I should think about 30 shots
struck the tree behind which we were lying. One of
the blue-jackets was shot through both his thighs,
and while the doctor was attending to him a bullet
went through his right arm. I should think it was
over an hour before we silenced their fire. Then a
rocket was fired as a signal for the boats to advance
and form a bridge; then a second rocket, which was
for the stormers. We advanced with the ladders and
scaled the walls (over 40ft. high) ; but there was no
one to resist us, the rebels being in full retreat for
the north and south gates, where the 67th and Pun-
ja bees met them. There were about 500 rebels
killed, and 2,000 prisoners taken. The) had a
torte of 8,000 men, and we had—Fnglish, Indian,
and French troops-5,000. Our company had none
killed, and only about ten or twelve wounded.
"We started to come down from Cardeen on
Friday afternoon, and did not arrive until Sunday
morning, because we had to come down Soo-chow
Creek, with the flotilla and nine prize war junks.
Altogether, I think there will be about or over
100,000 dollars prize money, but it is not at all cer-
tain whether the officers will get any, or whether
it will all be given to the men. I shall keep my
letters open, as the mail does not go for about ten
days more ; but, as we are going on an expedition
to Tsing-poo to-morrow, we may not be back in
time.

g, NAVAL BRIGADE, MAY 17.

"We left Shanghai last Thursday, and arrived
off the creek which we were to go up the same even-
ing. Half the naval force were left at the mouth
of the creek until ordered to proceed up, but on
Saturday orders came to proceed up with all
despatch. The whole force arrived on Sunday
aatroniaglotitligh
morning, and in the evening the naval force ad-
-7:‘lleed in boats within 400 yards of Tsing-poo,
41 h is a strongly fortified town, having a
rebels
shots at us,
several of wall and a good many guns, with
iletttrt.lal round. While advancing, the
any one. That
oilr
raounsee, and fired a good many
tehhe
were wet through,
grol; which struck a boat with
'limit! it, but luckily did not hurt
half our company had to
awdeltain dawn
half guard for the guns.
so yotL an hour our blankets
a very comfortable night,. 4rer4atucy we did not have
BileefeoPreonw
next morning
the artillery 0,,,, • At 5 o'clock the
r,ried .e
strong force—...fo, ure, of which we
had a pretty l2.
,2_,o„_, Pounder Arm-
strong guns, two natal. " P "."`terii, thr
artillery howitzers, 8- " naval
field pieces, four ,
mortars,
and some heavy French tars'
one 24-ponnder,
I' We i'''"' The
rebels stood remarkably Vire.,. were hard ,
kt it
'-en a rocket was fir
until nearly 8 o'clock, v,"L' 0(1 as a
to
oiuk,
signal for the 2d company of the Naval Brig
advance and form a bridge across the moat, and
first two men on
place the scaling ladders. The
the wall were two French blue ;jackets, both of
whom were shot down ; but the rebels soon ran
after the troops began to scale the walls. One man
from the Impetieuse flagship was killed, and one
wounded. Ido not think any of the troops were
killed, although some were wounded. Two of the
French were killed and several wounded.
"The mail arrived at Shanghai on Saturday, and
wag forwarded to nii' The letters we received dux"'