The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-26 00:00:00

lously as my extra Aide-tie-Camp ; Lieutenant Hodg-
son, of the Cornwallis ; and Lieutenant Neatly, Deputy
Assistant-Adjutant •General, who has ever been forward
where he could be useful. These four officers swam the
canal, thus ascertaining its impracticability and the in-
correctness of my iuformation.
12. I was now equally distant from the west and south
gates, but perceiving that the suburbs would give me
cover, I decided on forcing the former ; we soon reached
this point, and covering parties were pushed on close to
the banks of the canal. Major Malcolm, of the 3d Dra-
goons, who acted throughout the day as my extra Aid-
de-Camp, and Brevet Captain Balfour, Brigade Major
of Artillery, were very active in discovering the ap-
proaches to the gate. Two guns, under Lieutenant
Molesvvorth, of the Madras Artillery, were also j udiciously
placed, so as to take the works in flank.
13. Under this cover Captain Pears, the commanding
engineer, with great spirit and judgment, placed the
powder-bars, and effectually blew in the gate, giving the
troops a clear entrance through a long archway, not, as
it proved, into the body of the place, but into an out-
work of considerable extent. In this outwork we met
Captain Richards, of the Cornwallis, who had most
promptly landed the marines of that ship, on hearing
that two gun-boats, with arti!lery, in proceeding up the
canal, had unexpectedly approached the walls, and were
severely pressed ; finding, however, the attention of the
enemy diverted, he escaladed this work in the re-enter-
ing angle near a sallyport. All further difficulties at
this point were cleared, as we found Major-General
Schoedde in possession of the inner gateway.
14. This officer, with his wonted decision, taking ad-
vantage of his discretionary power, converted his diver-
sion into a real attack, escaladed the city walls at the
north angle, cleared the whole line of rampart to the
westward, and carried the inner gateway, which was
obstinately defended. I cannot too strongly express
my approbation of the spirited and judicious way in
which Major-General Schoedde fulfilled my orders ; nor
call I better convey to your Lordship the operations of
his brigade than by forwarding his report.
15. By these combined movements a body of Tartars
was driven into one division of the western outwork with-
out a possibility of retreat ; and as they would not sur-
render, most of them were either shot or destroyed in the
burning houses, several of which had been set on fire by
the Tartar troops themselves, or by our guns. As soon
as I could collect a sufficient body of the 3d Brigade, I
directed Major General Bartley to proceed with it along
the west face, and occupy the several gates to the south
and east of the city. The sun at this time being nearly
overpowering, I was anxious to keep as many of the men
as possible under cover until towards the evening, when
I proposed moving into the Tartar city, and occupying
the principal positions ; but the troops under Major-
General Bartley, consisting of the 18th and part of the
49th regiments, were soon hotly engaged with a body of
from 800 to 1,000 Tartars, who, under cover of some en-
closures, opened a destructive fire upon our men, as they
were filing round the walls. The leading division of the
49th dashed down the rampart on their left, while the
18th pushed forward to turn their right ; they were soon
dispersed, although some of them fought with great des-
peration. It afforded me much satisfaction to witness
the spirited manner in which Major-General Bartley
performed this duty, with a small force of exhausted
men. The Admiral, who was moving will the marines
of the Cornwallis along the line of the wall which had
been cleared by the 55th, hearing the heavy firing, with
his usual anxiety to afford assistance, attempted to move
across the city, and was strongly opposed at several points
in the streets where the Tartars had collected.
16. The sun now became so overpowering that it was
impossible to move with men already fatigued by their
exertions, and I regret to say that several died from the
intense heat. We remained therefore in occupation of
the gates until six o'clock, when several parties were
pushed into the Tartar city and to the public offices.
The Tartar General's house was burnt ; that of the
Lieutenant-General (Hai) it appears had been set on
fire by his own orders, and he was destroyed in it ; his
secretary, who was found the next morning by Mr.
Morrison, principal Chinese interpreter, related this
event, and pointed out the body of the unfortunate chief.
Finding dead bodies of Tartars in every house we en-
tered, principally women and children, thrown into wells
or otherwise murdered by their own people, I was glad
to withdraw the troops from this frightful scene of de-
struction, and plaeed them in a commanding position at
the principal public offices in the northern quarter of the
city. The following morning search was made for arms,
ammunition, and treasure ; about 60,000 dollars worth of
Sycee silver was found in public offices, and all the arms
and arsenals discovered were destroyed.
17. It would appear that the Tartar soldiers did not
calculate on the rapidity of our movements, and consi-
dered the city impregnable ; a great number of those
who escaped our fire committed suicide, after destroying
their families ; the loss of life has been therefore appal-
ling, and it may be said that the Mantchoo race in this
city is extinct. As in all other places we have taken,
the respectable inhabitants have fled, as well as the local
authorities. The suburbs are larger than the city, which
is about four miles in circumference ; plunderers flock-
ing in by hundreds from the country have joined the
populace, and such is their systematic mode of proceed-
ing, that in one instance which came to my knowledge,
they set fire to both ends of a street in the western
suburb, where there was a large pawnbroker's shop (uni-
formly the first object of pillage), in order to check all
interruption, while they carried off their booty by the
side lanes. I was most anxious to put a stop to these
scenes of devastation, but it would not have been prac-
ticable in so wide a labyrinth of streets and lanes, with-
out constant harassing exposures to the troops, during
the hottest season of the year. Cholera has made its
appearance ; Ensign Weir, of the 49th Regiment, died
this evening, and several men of the same corps have
been attacked by the disease.
18. I propose to leave Major-General Schoedde with
his brigade here. Two regiments and a detachment of
ariillery will occupy the bluff height and a smaller hill,
which command the north angle of the city walls, in
which I have directed extensive breaches to be made,
and the whole line of parapet will be demolished. An-
other regiment will occupy the hill above the mouth of
the canal, and opposite to the island of Kinshan ; Sir
William Parker, leaving a proportionate number of
ships, with the remainder of the force, we shall advance
on Nankin.
19. The Mandarin, who has so frequently visited us,
has again brought a joint-despatch from Keying, mater-
nal uncle to the Emperor, and Elepoo, which, together
with his answer, will no doubt be submitted to her Ma-
jesty's Plenipotentiary. It only now remains for me to
express my warmest approval of the conduct of the
troops of all arms, as well native as European ; all were
animated with one common feeling of devotion, and the
anxiety of all ranks to meet my wishes has been most
cheering. Major-Generals Lord Saltoun and Bartley, and
Lieut.-Colonel Montgomerie, report most favourably of
the assistance they derived from the several command-
ing officers under them, and from their respective bri-
gade staff.
To the officers commanding brigades and corps, as to
all the general and my personal staff, I am much in-
debted, and it affords me great satisfaction to add, that
Lieutenant-Colonel Mountain, the Deputy-Adjutant-
General, was sufficiently recovered from the severe
wounds he received at Chapoo to take his usual promi-
nent share in every active operation.
I regret to say that our loss has been considerable,
but not more than was to be expected from the despera-
tion with which the Tartars fought for their homes, and
from the strength of their positions. I enclose a return
of killed and wounded, with a sketch of the town and the
operations before it. I have the honour to be, &c.,
H. GOUGH, Lieut.-General,
Commanding Expeditionary Land Force.
(True Copy.)
11. GOUGH, Lieut.-General.
P.S. 29th July.—l am sorry to report that since the
foregoing dispatch was written, Lieut.-Colonel Stephens,
commanding the 49th regiment, has died in consequence,
I fear, of the great fatigue and exposure to the sun which
lie underwent on the 21st inst.

(Copy.)
Chin-Leann-foo, July 21, 1842.
Sir,—Pursuant to the instructions of his Excellency
Sir Hugh Gough, G.C.8., &c., directing me to land my
brigade at the Bluff Point, overlooking the town, for the
purpose of creating a diversion, but leaving it to my dis-
cretion to convert it into a real attack if I should deem
it advisable to do so, I have the honour to inform you,
that as soon as a sufficient number of men had landed

I took possession of the joss-houses on the hill, detaching
the rifle company tp a small wooded hill in my front,
and, after having reconnoitred the ground, I made my
arrangements for the escalade of the town at. the north-
east angle. Whilst waiting the arrival of the remainder
of the 2d and 6th Regiments Madras Native Infantry,
the enemy opened a very heavy fire upon us from guns,
gingals, and matchlocks ; this was immediately returned
by the rockets of the Royal Artillery with considerable
effect ; and as soon as I could assemble such portion of
the brigade as had been landed, I directed the assault of
the place in the following manner—half of the rifle com-
pany, under the command of Captain Simpson, rushed
from the hill across the valley, and crept up under cover
close to the walls, keeping up a well-directed fire against
the embrasures of the place. The grenadier company,
her Majesty's 55th Foot, and two companies of the 6th
Regiment Madras Native Infantry, with the Sappers car-
rying the ladders, under the command of Brevet-Major
Maclean, 55th Foot, advanced against the north-east
angle. The sappers, commanded by Lieut. Johnstone,
with the greatest steadiness and gallantry, reared their
ladders against the wall, and in a few mints the Grena-
diers of the 55th had mounted, and, dividing into two
parties, proceeded to clear the ramparts, one party turn-
ing to the right, under Brevet-Major Maclean, and an-
other to the left, under Lieut. Cuddy, 55th.
As we had only three ladders, reinforcements could
not follow very quickly, and the enemy defended himself
with the greatest gallantry, disputing every inch of
ground, and fighting hand to hand with our men. Major
Warren, commanding 55th Foot, after he was wounded
himself, cut down two of the enemy, and was personally
engaged with a third, whilst the 55th and rifle company
36th' M.N.I. were obliged to carry every angle and em-
brasure at the point of the bayonet. •
In the course of about an hour and a half we arrived
at the west gate, where I shortly afterwards had the
honour to meet his Excellency. In the mean time, part
of the 24. and 6th Regiment, M.N.1., and the Royal Ay-
tillery,ltaving mounted the ramparts, followed that por-
tion of the Grenadiers which had turned to the ltft;
and after a severe struggle, cleared the walls on their
side until they met the third brigade. I am par-
ticularly indebted to Lieutenant-Colonel Drever of the
6th N.J. whose death from fatigue and exposure to
the sun,
I am very sorry to report ; to Captain Reid,
6th Regiment, who succeeded Lieut.-Colonel Dreyer in
the command of his regiment ; to Lieut.-Colonel Luard,
commanding 2. d N. I. ; to Major Warren, 55th Foot, for
the manner in which he led his regiment, and who was
severely wounded ; toj Brevet-Major Maclean, 55th
Foot, who commanded the storming party ; to Captain
Greenwood, commanding the Royal Artillery ; to Cap-