The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-03 00:00:00

silence the guns on the right of the gate, the
French undertaking those on the left ; the troops
to be under arms at six next morning. During
the afternoon Sir Hope Grant made his dispositions
for the attack. Baring's battery of Armstrongs
and Desborough's 9-pounders were to take the ex-
treme right, with Milward's Armstrongs and
Govan's battery in the centre, the First Division
to lead the attack, with the second in reserve.
There being no cover for riflemen, large fatigue par-

ties were at work all night, and dug a trench at
700 yards from the place. Major Fisher, Royal
Engineers, one of the most active and valuable

officers in the expedition, crept up to the wall at
midnight. He found two large ditches, one of
recent construction. Both were filled with water,

and evidently communicated with the river on the
further side of the camp. Major Fisher was busy
pushing on his reconnaisance when the Tartars on
the wall discovered him, burned blue lights and
fired, so he was obliged to retire.
At 6 a.m. on the 14th the whole army was afoot,
and soon after that hour the march commenced.

The guns were in front, with 200 rifles in skir-
mishing order, under the command of Major
Rigaud. Then followed the first brigade, consist-
ing of the Royals and 31st, followed by the second
—the Queen's, 60th Rifles, and 15th Punjabees
—the division being under the command of Sir
John Michel. The Second Division halted on the
ground occupied by the first on the previous
night. Just at the angle where the river
bent to the right a casemated battery had been
formed by the Tartars in a creek en the south
bank, with a view of taking the allied troops in
flank. At the turn of,the stream three-quarters of
a mile lower down, another battery was visible,
whose fire crossed that of the creek guns. The first
of these batteries fired the previous day on a recon-
noitering party, so it was resolved to silence it
before commencing operations against the intrench-
ment. Two of Baring's Armstrongs were detailed
for the purpose, and at 20 minutes past six they
opened on the Chinese at 250 yards. The enemy
were not slow in replying, and for 10 minutes a very
pretty duel was carried on. The range seemed too
close, so three of Desborough's 24-pounder howitzers
were ordered to the front, and in five minutes the
Chinese fire was effectually silenced. The enemy
then opened from the bastion and battery lower
down the stream. Here they had two large guns
and some gingals which commanded the river and
its banks, but which could not bear on the line of
march. It was necessary to spike the guns of the
creek battery, lest the enemy should return and
attack the allies in the rear. A party of sailors
had been provided for the purpose, and 20 men of
the Chesapeake, commanded by Capt. Willes and
Lieut. Gibson, crossed in'a junk under the fire of
the bastion guns. Several shots went near the junk,
but they got over unhurt. The creek battery con-
tained-7 iron guns—two 12-pounders, and five
6-pounders, which were soon spiked by the Jacks.
Several dead men lay about, and one Tartar
ap-
peared on the top of a house taking pot shots at
the Chesapeake's men. This was too much for
one of the sailors, who attempted to climb up to
the roof and shoot the man with his revolver.
He caught a Tartar, who knocked him down with
a stick, and then shot him through the elbow.
Captain Willes, having set fire to the junks, re-
turned with his party, again under fire from the
bastion. The Chinese had elevated their guns too
high. The shots passed over the heads of the gallant
little band, who got safe ashore, Captain Willes rid-
ing through the mud on the back of one of his men.
This incident over, the line advanced, artillery in
front, in echelon of batteries from the right. The
French had two batteries of rifled cannon, and one
of mountain guns, so that 48 guns opened on the
fort at 20 minutes to 8 o'clock, Barry's battery on
the extreme right, about 800 yards from the nearest
point, Milward's on the English left being thrown
further back. The Tartars immediately replied,
and showed they had a numerous artillery, though
the guns were of small calibre and badly served.
After pounding away for some time, the fire of the
allies being sustained and most destructive, there
was a lull for a few minutes. At half-past 8 the
line again advanced, and the artillery opened at
400 yards. The practice was magnificent both on
the French side and our own, but the superiority of
the Armstrong gun over the French rifled cannon
soon became evident. The Chinese guns near
Barry's battery were first silenced, the others soon
followed suit, and such a fire was kept up through
the embrasures that no man could work a gun.
The infantry were then ordered to advance, the 200
Rifles leading, with the Royals and the 31st close
on their heels. Arrived at the ditch a dam was
discovered, which prevented the water from escap-
ing into the river. Here they crossed, Lieut. Shaw,
of the 60th Rifles, celer et audax, being the first man
in the fort. Two guns from an angle of the intrench-
ment on the French attack still kept up a fire
against our allies, who were obliged to construct a
bridge in order to cross the ditch. This they did
speedily and well, Lieut.-Col. Schmidtz, Chef d'Etat
Major, being the first Frenchman in the place.
Gen. Montauban promoted him next day, and thus
gave a step to the whole of the French Staff.
Colonel Schmidtz is one of the most rising men in
the French army, and highly distinguished himself
at Magenta. He would be the last to claim a
merit due to another. The first man in the fort
was Lieut. Shaw, the first Frenchman was Col.
Schmidtz. The nature of the ground made the task
of the Rifles much easier, and the angle may have
prevented the French from observing the English
entry. I saw the Rifles when they first waved their
hats en the top of the parapet. For nearly 10 mi-
nutes after that did the Tartars fire on the French,
at the end of which time, their bridge being finished,
the French entered. As they went through the
gate the Rifles had come round the interior of the
fort, and were being formed by Major Rigaud.
About 2,000 of the enemy were seen retreating
along a causeway which led from the opposite gate
up to an intrenched camp in rear of the northern
forts. Sir John Michel was anxious to pursue, but
the men, who had not been in bed the previous
night, and had been working for 36 hours, were dead
beat. A battery from the south side also opined
fire ; so, after consultation between the allied com-
manders, it was determined not to go on until the
heavy guns were brought up. The First Division
and the French returned to the camp at Sinho, and
the Second Division, under command of Major-Gen.
Napier, who took possession of Tang.kow.
I made a careful survey of the camp from end to
end in every direction. The success of the Arm-
strongs, great as it was on the first day, was even
more decisively proved at Tang-kow. In seven suc-
cessive instances on the extreme right, before which
Barry's guns were posted, did I count the marks of
their shells which had passed through, ploughing
up the cheeks and the sole of the embrasure en route,
and bursting inside. Here were upwards of a dozen
corpses, killed in groups of three', and literally
smashed to pieces. The Chinese 12-pounder, which
had made the best practice during the day, lay
dismounted, and a barrack in the rear was knocked
to pieces by the Armstrongs and the Desborough's.
At the gate before Milward's battery was a Chinese
soldier so frightfully disfigured as scarcely to re-
semble a human being. Thirty-four rounds were
fired from these guns, which were not provided
with the new lubricating wads. And yet no gun
was washed more than once, and then merely
as a matter of precaution before the second ad-
vance of the line. The canard about their fouling
is therefore most effectually disposed of. Their
fire was nearly or quite as quick as those of Govan's
and Desborough's batteries of old guns—than which
there are no better—and after upwards of .an hour's
work there was no increase in the recoil. At short
ranges under 300 yards, however, the old round 0-
pounder and the 24 pounder howitzers seemed to be
more efficient than the conical shell. Desborough's
guns, beautifully served, were the most successful
against the creek battery. The enemy's loss was
very great. During the heat of the action—as we
learnt from the prisoners—they passed over 13 or
14 junks to the south side, each containing 30 or 40
killed and wounded. Several bodies were found in
the houses, and 20 or 30 were discovered in the
ditch on the further side, drowned in attempting to
cross. One poor fellow was moored by his feet in the
deep mud. The tide had risen just above his mouth,
and there he stood drowned. The wounded were at
once attended to, and those able to walk were sent
next day to Taku. The enemy had evidently been
surprised at breakfast. At the door of each barrack
was an earthen oven with a large tin pot of rice half
consumed. Each room contained the rugs of 12 men.
Chinese pictures adorned the walls, and playing-
cards lay scattered about in every direction. The
b ra gallantlysnr
greater part of the gunners were Chinamen, who
worked under the direction of the Tartars. Most
adffindrdthinegy
astmanodsttointehffieicriegnut npsr,otbeechtiinond
aenmd-
artiller
exposed to a tremendous fire. Forty-five pieces of
brass y were found. in the place, of which 16 are
guns, tahnedrenrinder iron. The brass guns were
pounder to the foourTsvaarnidou.saixecaa,linbfrwesilifrom
they one
p prin.-
ti nb-
eipally consisted.
tions, were he iron guns, with few excep-
tions,
the small—.one,intrenchmet two, and four-pounders. ln-
picked up, marked "Po two or three pigs of lead were
The Chinamen stood for upwards
Llanberris, Holy well."
to the last, but they could not of an hour, firing
poly, exposed as they were to such
lery. Their balls went whizzin superior artil-
direction, but did little or no execgutaiboonut in every
Michel's horse was shot under him, and
.Sir John
Grant's had a narrow escape, the ball Sir
gape
ng b
tween his head and chest. A large round sssih
ot fell
within two yards of the 31st hospital tent, and
yet
there were but three men wounded and not one
killed in the English force, the French on their
side hating 12 or 13 casualties. The English

wounded were all artillerymen ; the Line escaped

scathless.
From the further gate of Tang-kow we looked
across the river to Taku and the Tau Yaumun
pagoda on the south side, where Sang-ko-lin-sin
was supposed to have his head-quarters. Beyond
the gate were two small intrenchments, soon after-
wards abandoned by the enemy, and further on the
two northern forts ; while three forts on the south
loomed large and threatening in the distance. The
position was most formidable. Sir Hope Grant
therefore determined to get up the heavy guns at
once, to throw a bridge over the Peiho, nearly
opposite Sinho ; and, after crossing with a portion
of the force, to engage the north forts in the rear,
while the navy attacked them in front. A large
number of junks and sampans were found at Tang-
kow, which the sailors boarded over, and prepared
for the bridge. On the afternoon of the 14th a flag
of truce was sent in by the enemy, with letters for
Lord Elgin and Baron Gros from Hang-fuh, Go-
vernor-General of the prbvince. Mr. Parkes re-
ceived the messenger, on whose banner was written
in English characters, " Respect the flag of truce."
Shortly afterwards another arrived from the people
• of Taku, begging we would settle our difficulties,
as the war inflicted great hardships on the people.
" Bill," said a private of the Buffs to his comrade,
the Chinamen have sent a flag of truce. What
for ?
.Cause they find this here fighting so uncom-
mon disagreeable." They were, indeed, to be
pitied, for they suffered through the pig-headed
obstinacy of the Pekin Mandarins and the vain-
glorious confidence of the Tartar troops, who were
linable to defend them.
Every day during the week messengers arrived
from Hang-fah with letters for the Ambassadors,
Lord Elgin remained at Pehtang, Baron Gros en
board his frigate with the fleet. Five letters having
been received, Mr. Parkes, accompanied by Major
Anson, was sent on the 18th with Lord Elgin's
answer. They left the gate with a flag of truce, and
walked down the river's bank for some little distance,

when they were met by the Aide-de-Camp of Hang-
fuh, who demanded their business. Mr. Parkes
said he was the bearer of Lord Elgin's letter, and
that he must cross and see the Viceroy. The Aide-
de-Camp declared this to be utterly impossible, and
that he would lose his head if he allowed them to
pass. Mr. Parkes replied that was not his affair ;
he must either deliver the letter to the Viceroy
himself or return to Tang-kow. He therefore
recommended the Aide-de-Camp at once to consult
the Viceroy on the subject. The boat was accordingly
sent back with a message, and in half an hour
returned with the required permission. Mr. Parkes
and Major Anson crossed at once, and after marching
between files of Tartar troops drawn up in what
was intended for an imposing array, they reached
the Viceroy's yamun. Hang-fuh is a wizened little
man, rather over 50, very polite and very 'cute. He
remarked that, as they had brought a flag of truce,
the war was at an end. " No," replied Mr. Parkes,
" hostilities are only suspended until the flag be
withdrawn, and we have merely come to deliver a
letter." " That is not so in China," said the Viceroy;
" with us a flag of truce causes an absolute cessation
of warlike proceedings." " Indeed! then how was
it that, after sending in five flags of truce, you
yesterday fired on our reconnaissance ? I don't
understand military matters; I am only a civilian."
Haug-fah begged hard for two days delay to enable
commissioners to arrive from Pekin, but he was
distinctly informed that no delay whatever would
be granted, and that hostilities would recommence
immediately.
The 15th, 16th, and 17th were spent in getting
up ropes, anchors, and materials for the bridge,
heavy guns and shot to use against the forts, and
commissariat stores. On the morning of the 18th
Col. Levy, of the French Engineers, crossed the
Peiho with a party of 300 men, to fix on the best
spot for the bridge on the south side. He found a
good road leading up from the river, along which
he was advancing, when a brisk Are was opened by
the Tartars from the orchards which lined the road.
The French quickly threw skirmishers into the
orchards to drive out the enemy, and, advancing a
short distance, found al intrenchment on the road
defended by some hundreds of Tartars. The French
soon got on their flank, and took the intrenchment
in first-rate style. It was found at the junction of
the South Tien-tsin road, which the enemy had be-
gun to break up. Large bodies of Tartars appearing
in every direction, Col. Levy requested Capt. Bra-
bazon, R.A., who had accompanied him, to return
to Gen. Montauban for reinforcements. This he
did. A regiment, with two rifled guns and some
mountain pieces, passed over at once, and our allies
established themselves on the south bank of the
river. Shortly afterwards the junks which had
been prepared at Tang-kow were floated up the
stream for three miles to the spot where the bridge
was to be made. The Chinese had added some
guns to the battery on the river, which opened on
the sailors who fired the junks ; so two of Barry's
guns were brought up to the corner of the village,
on the plain, and directed to silence them. The
guns were hardly unlimbered when the Chinamen
opened fire from five guns in good line, but 20 feet
too high. The first shot from the Armstrong's fell
to the right and missed them ; the second burst in
their battery; the third dismounted a large gun,
sending the carriage into the air in splinters ; the
fourth plumped in among the fugitive gunners,
who never fired another shot. Every junk passed
up safely without the slightest accident, and the
materials for the bridge were secured.
Sir Hope Grant, General Napier and Staff, rode
outside the walls of Tang-kow on the evening of
the 18th to make a reconnaissance of the forts,
and returned more than ever convinced that the
upper northern fort was the key of the
position. It was therefore determined, notwith-
standing objections most strenuously urged against
an attack on the northern forts, that operations
should commence there. At 5 p.m. on the 19th
General Napier—who had occupied four days in
planning roads across the mud, which were made
by fatigue parties of the Second Division—marched
out of Camp with the Royal Engineers and
Madras Sappers, for the purpose of constructing
bridges across the numerous canals, and throwing
up breastworks for th© heavy guns, the 67th Regi-
ment and Milward's battery being in support. It
was supposed that these works would be completed
in 36 hours, and 6 a.m. on the 21st was named as
the hour for attack.
The Northern Taku forts are close to the Peiho,
on a low peninsula about three miles wide. Pehtang
and Sinho form the base of a triangle of mud,
whereof the lower northern fort is the apex., 411 e
mud is under water at high tides, and' intersected
by innumerable 'canals, varying in width from 10
to 35 feet. Saltpits and hillocks are dotted about
in every direction. Starting from Tang-kow, a low
muddy sea beach is on the left attack of our army,
the Peiho on its right.
For about a mile and a half below Tang-kow the
river flows nearly due south until it reaches the town
of Taku on the opposite bank. It then changes its
course to the east for a mile, skirting the mud. houses,
when it makes a sharp bend to the north for a mile
and a half further. Then comes a sweep to the
south-east, in which course it flows into the sea.
The upper northern fort is built on the river's bank
at the head of this last reach. Half a mile further
down, and a mile from the mouth, is the lower
northern fort. On the south side, and nearly oppo-
site the upper northern fort, a strong fort enfilades
its approaches, while about three quarters of a mile
lower down on the south bank lies the large fort
which was ursuccessf.ully attacked last year. Be-
yond, and close to the beach on the south side, is
the fifth fort. The upper northern fort is as nearly as
possible of rectangular form, with angles rounded off.
In the centre of the front face, looking towards the
sea, is a high cavalier mounting two large brass
Chinese guns of great calibre, and one English 32.
pounder, taken from the gunboats. This cavalier is
about 30 feet above the level of the ground, and
reached by a ramp, on the proper right of which
was a magazine with great quantities of powder.
The rear is protected by a crenelated wall 12 feet
high, recently strengthened with mud, straw, and
beams of timber. Heavy guns are placed in posi-
tion on either side of the gate, and below them
loopholes for gingals and matchlocks. The gate Was
built up with mud and straw. On the right and
left faces of the fort are caseinated barracks for
troops, and across the Main gate and in rear of it a
high traverse protects the opening to the fort, The
guns in the cavalier were turned so as to bear on a
force advancing on the rear. The upper sbutlrfort
had no cavalier, but several heavy guns were
mounted on its walls.
The lower north fort, near the mouth of the
Peiho, is of irregular trace, formed of two high
cavaliers joined by a curtain in front, the rear being
protected by a crenelated wall about 20 feet high.
In the cavaliers were four large brass Chinese guns,
one 8-inch English gun, and a 32-pounder taken
from the gunboats. Heavy guns and gingals were
mounted on the crenelated wall in- the rear of the
fort. The gate was shut and built up of the same
materials as the fort itself—mud and chopped straw
well rammed. Two ditches communicating with
the river surrounded these forts. The outer ditch,
25 feet wide, varied in depth from 4 to 7 feet. The
inner ditch, 20 feet wide, was about the same depth.
The space between the ditches and the beam under
the parapet well was completely covered with
sharp-pointed bamboo stakes and abattis, and
thickly strewn with crowsfeet and spikes.
These forts were still further strengthened by
five or six batteries of heavy guns, recently con-
sAtruutchteedhoonustehseinsouththatbapnlakceoflotohkeinrgivteorwaatrdTsatkhue.
river were loopholed for gingals, and guns were
were placed on the tops of many houses.
Early en the morning of the 20th Mr. Parkes,
accompanied by some officers of General Napier*