The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-01 00:00:00

TEE SUN, LONDON) •THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 1, 1842.

Malcolm, and informed that his rank was not sufficiently
high to admit of such taking place. The Prefect, with
ever-ready Chinese falsehood passed it off by saying that
he had come to chin-chin Elliott before he went away.
CAPTAINS HERBERT AND BOURCHIER.—TAKING OF
CIIIN•HAL—For this attack, which took place on the
10th of October, 1841, the order of the day commanded
that the number of seamen and marines to form the
landing party, under the command of Captain Herbert of
the Blenheim, and to take with them one day's provi-
sions, were to be from the Wellesley and the Blenheim
a hundred and fifty each, from the Blonde fifty, and the
Modesto twenty, making in all three hundred and seventy
seamen, with a proper proportion of officers ; marines
the same as detailed in the memorandum of the 25th of
September. The marines from the Cruizer and Colum-
bine were sent that evening to the Wellesley by one
of the small steamers. At an early hour on the morn-
ing of the 10th of October, the ships got into their al -
lotted stations ; the Wellesley and Blenheim being
towed in by the steamers, and the Blonde and Modesto
taking up their positions under sail. The whole of these
vessels settling in the mud, as the tide ebbed became as
steady as forts, and the fire from them was most tre-
mendous, and is thus spoken of by the Commander-in-
chief :—" The precision of the fire both of shot and
shell, far exceeded my most sanguine expectations ; and
the destruction of the works from the commencement of
the attack was never doubtful." By a quarter past 11,
the citadel, on the Joss-house hill was breached, and the
defences reduced to a ruinous state. The Chinese, who
had stood well to their guns, now • began to abandon
them. The signal was immediately made for the right
column to land ; and before noon, in spite of the rocky
nature of the shore, the force landed, and gallantly
mounted the hill to the assault of the citadel. An ex-
plosion at this moment taking place near the gate,-the
last of the garrison fled without waiting to close it. Our
men rushed in, and the union jack instantly floated over
the walls. Scarcely had the men entered wheil 'a second
explosion took place, but providentially without-..injury
to any one. Captain Herbert now re-formed his •men,
and advanced to the attack of the city, on the walls
which the enemy were collected in codstderahle force.
A few volleys quickly' dislodged them from their posi-
tion, and the column advanced steadily, and in good
order, to the escalade. The wall was 26 feet high, and
foeftidactretselvesa were flying .out of
the western gate. The city being very soon fully in our
in
while the enemy, instead
(1') f. was
attempting; escaladed
possession, Captain Herbert remained with the marines
in charge of the town, and the seamen returned
to
on two
to their ships to move them into the offing,
as soon as they. floated with the rising tide,
Attack was nest made upon the large walled city of
Ning-po, which was entered without the firing of a shot.
On the 14th AdmiraleParker issued the following memo-
randum, highly eulogising the bravery and efforts' of the
9fficers above named, with the marines and others under
'their commands.—" The Commander-in-Chief has wit-
nessed, with the highest gratification, the gallantry and
excellent conduct which has been further manifested by
the captains, officers, seamen, and marines of her Ma-
jesty's squadron, and those of the Indian navy under his
command, in the capture of the citadel and city of Chin-
hai, and the occupation of Ning-po, on the 10th and
13th instant. He noticed with great satisfaction, the
admirable precision of the fire from the ships and steam-
vessels against the citadel, and the ardour with which
'the party of officers, seamen, and Royal Marines, headed
by Captains Ilerbert and Bouchier, of the Blenheim and
Blonde, disembarked and advanced to the assault; over a
steep and difficult ascent ; he is no less pleased with the
regularity and dispatch with which his Excellency
Lieutenant-General Sir' Hugh Gough and the troops
were landed on-the right bank of the river, taken under
the, direction of Captain Giffard, o( the Cruizer; and
with the proceedings of the sloops and steam-Vesselg sta-
tioned in that direction. He begs to convey to every
individual of the squadron present, his entire approba-
tion of their conduct and exertions. Lieutenant Somer-
ville, agent, and the master of the transports which ac-
companied the expedition from Chusan, are also entitled
to the Rear-Admiral's approbation and thanks, for the
promptitude with which their ships were got under sail
when the signal was given, and the attention with which
the prescribed positions were taken up at the anchorage
off Chin-hat, as well as the desire which they have
throughout manifested to forward the public service upon
all occasions. Sir W. Parker feels assured that every,
person in the squadron must participate with him in ad-
miration of the gallantry with which the strong positions
of the Chinese were all carried by the British troops on
shore." In the attack upon Tsekee, Sir Hugh Gough
speaks in terms of the highest admiration of the conduct
of Captain Bourchier. His dispatch alludes to him as
follows :—" From the heights it afforded me no small
satifaction to witness the spirited rush of the advance
of the marine brigade, led by their gallant chief, who was
ably supported by Captain Bottrchier, commanding the
naval brigade, Captain Richards, of her Majesty's slim
Cornwallis, and Commander Watson, of her Majesty's
ship Modesto, commanding the seamen's battalion.
The whole brigade soon reached the summit,
carrying the enemy's works." In this attack, also,
the spirited conduct of tt number -of other officers
was specially noted, and their names mentioned by
the same commander. They were as follows :
Lieutenant C. E. Tennent (flag lieutenant), Lieutenant
G; Elliot (slightly wounded), 11.
.r. G. 11. Hodgson, mate
(slightly wounded in a personal recontre with a Chinese),
Mr. W. Bowden, volunteer Ist class ; and Mr. D. C.
Cunningham, secretary's clerk, all of her Majesty's ship
Cornwallis ; also of Lieutenant Harriott, 1{31,, of her
Majesty's ship Blonde; Lieutenant J. Fitejames and
Mr. C. Kajaekeon, mate; both of her Majesty's, ship
Cornwallis% 'pi ete officers accompanied Sir W. Parker
with the advance. Lieutenant A. J. B. Hambly, of the
loyal Marines, was severely wounded at the head of his
company in the advance to the hill. The officers of the
49th, among whom were Captain Reignold (wounded) ;
Lieutenant and Adjutant Browne ; Lieutenants Ramsay
and Mitchell, of the Grenadier company ; Lieutenant
Lane (whose left arm was amputated on the field), and
Lieutenant Montgornerie (severely wounded in tha
thigh), also Captain Balfour, of the Madras artillery.
LIEUTENANT Watvisterr.—After. the capture of
Amoy, and the separation of the vessels composing the
fleet, the Phlegethon arrived at Keeto point on the 15th
of September. It was represented to Lieutenant
M'Cleverty by the master of the Lyra, that his first
mate and a Lascar had been seduced to a village, and
there treacherously murdered by the Chinese. Lieute-
nant M'Cleverty at once determined to attack the Man-
darin station; and for that purpose proceeded at daylight
on the 16th, accompanied by Lieutenant B. Crawford,
RN., serving as a volunteer, acting Lieutenant R.
Ryeves, fifty British seamen, and eighty Lasears. On
arriving at the village, it proved to be the one in which
Mr. Stead, late master of the transport Pestonjee Bo-
manjee, had been so cruelly seized a few months pre-
viously. The station and village was therefore de-
stroyed, and three prisoners were taken, from whom it
was ascertained that about five hundred Chinese troops
were quartered in a small town at some little distance,
and that was the spot at which the people of the Lyra
had been killed. These troops were fully prepared and
expected to be attacked. At eleven A.M., Lieutenant
M'Cleverty assembled his small force, and advanced to
destroy this nest of murderers. As they neared the sta-
tion about noon, a smart fire of &jets and matchlocks
was opened on the party, but without effect ; and as they-
rapidly closed on them the Chinese fled up the hills at
the hack of their position. The barracks and maga-
zines were blown up, and the town set on fire, when the
party returned to the Phlegethon without any loss.
CAPTAINS EVREgy min ItNoWLEN.—TAKINO
OF CtlttnAl4.,--Thectipture of Chum was mainly brought
to its victorious conclusion by the skill of these officers.
On the morning of the. 28th September, 1481, the Mo.
dente, Columbine,and Nemesis, under the orders of Cap-
tain Eyres, were detached to " Bpithead," to prevent the
! Chinese from occupying the eizlit-gun battery, or flthe
strengthening their position, These ships soon opened
their fire upon the fort and camp ; and after knocking
them pretty well about, Captain Eyres and Clarke, ac-
companied by about fifty men, landed to reconnoitre the
position, and to ascertain whether there were any guns
in two partially finished works that would command the
point at which It was intended the troops should land.
' This party walked to the Sappers' Point, from whence
they had a full view of the long Sea battery, and into
which several muskets were discharged by the party ;
when the garrison commenced firing in all directions,
and about six hundred troops showed themselves on the
heights above, hut were kept in check by some well
directed shells thrown from the steamer. After com-
pleting their observations, the party returned to their
respective ships. On the 29th, the Blonde, Modeste,
and Jupiter, with the Queen, and Sesostris steamers,
took up a position on the south side of Macclesfield and
Turnbull Islands, for the purpose of covering the artil-
lery, who, under Captain Knowles, assisted by Lieute-
nant Spencer and Lieutenant Barrow, were erecting a
battery of one 65 and two 24-pound howitzers: The
Wellesley was moored as close as possible to the intended
point of landing under Sappers' Pula, The Cruizer,
Columbine and small stremere were placed •ivithin two
hundred yards of the beach, with their broadsides
tti
keep the Chinese in check, All the transports having
arrived during the 30th, and the preparations for the
attack being completed., the ships on the Ist of October
opened their cannonade on the Chinese position, the troops
landing at the same time in • 1 two te Itmh§. The first
column, about fifteen kindred strong, were disembarked
under the heights whereon the entrenched camp was
situated, in which the Tartar
and Chinese
troops were
drawa up about
Regiment were the 2,000 strong. The General and 5.5 th
to a mostfirst on shore, and being exposed
galling fire without any corer, the advance
was at once sounded,and
bill, led by Major F l' tlpushed fh'
they ins y tip the
Bill,
The Chinesa bathe down to
meet them, the ill apparently " •
apparently blaaing With t le fire of
their matchlocks 1.
the impetuosity of
guljals theer eould not withstand
closed within spaele-lir IrG)"'116 ; and as the gallant 55th
, 1. t.Tigth of them, they entae way and
a"nud"
twi-ean'tihemmeilin this advance had the taCer
landed, they, with two bars tie WiSbCti. A-s o'l litth
and driving in ht'seteZii6 insll 'ativantl°
1116
tered the western ens l'skli6B '64 et.)nemee, en-
or tee stet *i"er T
wile
were
retrentitg . eia 3. he Clunese,
under their letave ihe causeway, qtdeltly rallied
ispectable haistanee • a aeo, and made a very re-
force only saving some of the most advanced of our
tols. Haring themselvesovercome by
discharging their pis-•
this obstacle, they advanced
along the causeway, and the Royal Irish soon took pos-
session of their old tut •
the fire from the ships "ers
on
the
Joss-house
hill,which
made too hot for the Chinese. and Royal Artillery had already
of the 49th, '!inese. The second column, con-
sistingmarines, and seamen, were landed as
quickly a:, the boats
end of the defences, Could
accomplish it, at the eastern
and were to have carried the
sea battery, but
While this had been their services were not required.
55th and Madras rifles advanced forward in the suburbs, the
walls, and drove all es advanced on Ting-hai, scaled the
before them. Two hours were suffi-
cient far the whole of
colours, at 2 P.m , the operations'? and the British
ed for a second time ever the city
ivalls. The Chinese force consisted of about 4,000 mere
of whoa very Many fell, nine or ten mandarin
being