The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-02-11 00:00:00

The Wellesley, Blenheim, Blonde, and Modesto were no- I
pointed to cannonade the citadel and eastern part of the city
walls ; and the Sesostris, Queen, and Plilegethon, after land-
ing the troops and towing up the ships to their stations, to
shell the citadel in flank and enfilade any of the batteries in
the harbour which their guns could bear upon ; the Nemesis
to join in the attack on the north side, in readiness to cover
the landing of the seamen and marines as soon as it became
practicable.
The citadel hill cannot be approached for an attack by
large ships, except on the north side,. and the water in that
direction is so shallow, that it is only in the calmest weather
that they can be carried with safety sufficiently near to lire
with effect. The day was fortunately every thing we could
desire, and the Wellesley, as soon as the tide served was
towed by the Sesostris into an excellent position, where the
anchor was dropped, about a quarter before nine o'clock, in
four fathoms, about 1300 yards from the citadel and town
walls. As the water ebbed, she settled imperceptibly into a
bottom of soft mud, anti was as steady as a land battery,
Commander Ormsby (with very commendable activity) im-
mediately afterwards brought in the Blenheim ; the Blonde
and Modeste, favoured by a light breeze, too their stations
under sail, and every ship was placed to my entire satisfac-
tion, as close as possible ; the Blenheim and Modeste touch-
ing the bottom at low water. The precision of the fire, both
of shots and shells, from all, exceeded my most sanguine ex-
pectations ; anti the destruction of the works from the com-
mencement of the attack was never doubtful.
As the troops on the right bank of the river moved forward,
Commander Giffard advanced the sloops towards the entrance
of the harbour, and the steamers all took up very good posi-
tions, and performed excellent service with their guns; they
were for a considerable time under a heavy fire from the
river batteries, but fortunately sustained no damage.
About eleven o'clock we had the gratification of seeing the
British colours planted by the troops on one of the batteries
on the opposite shore, and within a few minutes the others
on that side were all carried, and the Chinese observed flying
in all directions before our gallant soldiers on the heights.
At a quarter past eleven the wall of the citadel was breached
by the fire from the ships, and the defences being reduced to
a ruinous state, the Chinese abandoned their guns, which
they had hitherto worked with considerable firmness, and a
large portion of the garrison retreated precipitately toward
the city. Not a moment was lost in making the signal for
landing the battalion of seamen and marines, with the de-
tachments of artillery and suppers (the whole under the
command of Captain Herbert, of the Blenheim.) Before
noon the boats were all on shore ; every impediment pre-
sented by the difficulty of landing on rugged rocks was over-
come, and the force gallantly advanced to the assault, with
a celerity that excited my warmest admiration. An ex-
plosion at this time took place in a battery near the citadel
gate, and the remnant of the garrison tied without waiting
to close it. The citadel was therefore rapidly entered, and
the union-jack displayed on the walls. Our people had
scarcely passed within them, when another explosion oc-
curred, happily without mischief, but whether by accident
or design is uncertain.
Captain Herbert having secured this post, quickly reformed
his men, and advanced towards the city ; the Chinese still
occupying in considerable force the walls of it, as well as the
batteries beneath the bill on the river side, against which
our troops had already turned some of the guns taken on
the bank. A few vollies of musquetry speedily dislodged
them from both positions, and the battalion of seamen and
marines pushed on in steady and excellent order to attack
the city. The wall (26 feet high) was escaladed in two
places, and in a short time complete possession was taken of
Chinhae, the Chinese troops having made their escape through
the western gates.
While in the act of scaling the city wall, a third and for-
midable explosion took place at one of the river batteries,
within a short distonce, by which I regret one man of the
Blenheim was killed ; there is strong suspicion that it was
caused by a mine, intentionally sprung ; and considering the
number of our men which were assembled at the time, it is
most providential that the consequences were not more dis-
astrous.