Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-12-23
DESTRUCTION OF LIFE IN CHINA

cS. "A. narrative oil the war mas, nOWcNeI,
Just issued from the press from the pen of
Captain Bingham, II. N. who has served
with the expedition throughout, which esti-
mates the number of the unhappy Chinese
who have fallen since the commencement OF
operations at from fifteen to twenty thou
sand.
"Their losses" says Captain Bingham,
"since the commencement of hostile opera
tons against them, may be estimated III
round number at from Is to 10000 men,
and about 1900 pieces of cannon Indifferent
calibre, with an immense quantity of the
other materials of war Their navy, such
as it was, is nearly annihilated; but still
these losses are but as drop Of water in the
Chinese nation, and, like the many-headed
hydra, it shoots out new armies as fast as pre-
viously existing ones are destroyed; but all,
while we act with Justice and humanity, TO
be subdued, by the blessing of Providence,
by the British Herculean arm"
Frghtiu as this picture is, the details, as
given by Captain Bingham are even more
appalling Let us take for example his ac-
count of the frightful and savage slaughter
at Ningpo:
"About IL 900 (Chinese) advanced upon
the southern and western gates, the guards
retiring before them. On the Chinese pen
tratng to the market-place in the centre oil
the city, they were received by heavy fire
from our troops drawn up. This sudden
check so damped their ardor, that their only
object appeared to be to ret ont Of the city as
fast as they could, in doing which they were
crowded in dense masses in the narrow
streets The artillery now came up, unlim-
bered ,cithin one hundred yards Of the cron-
Died fngitires, and poured in destructive
fire of grape and canister. So awful was
the destruction of human life, that the bodies
perc obliged to be remored to the sides Of the
streets to aNor the guns TO ddcdnce, and the
pursuit was followed up by them (the artil-
, ery) and the 49th Regiment for several
: miles"
[ We almost doubted the evidence of OUT
senses when we first met with this pregnant
! illustration of the character Of this msera
Die war, and cannot trust ourselves to com
r ment on the conduct of those with whom the
: responsibility of so frightful and fruitless I
b massacre may happen TO rest. On the arr
l val Of the general, he put stop to the slaugh
I ter, or twenty thousand instead of eight OF
: nine, might have been massacred. The loss
on the side of the British troops is said tt
have amounted TO two or three killed ant
some dozen wounded But if few guns
employed on shore could have produced
such terrific results, what must have beer
the effect of the bombardment of densel,
e populated towns by the powerful naval arm
:, ament by which our troops were supported
y Let Captain Bingham answer for US. Tit
e scene he now describes is Annoy;
1t "The general had this day a good oppor
y tunity of displaying his skill in military tao
S tics Perceving that the enemy had 500
II men in an extensive encampment on tn
southern bank of the river, while the cit
&c was on the northern, he determined TO attac
h the former first (the troops had been lande
IS under cover of the fire of the Cruizer, th
Columbne, and the Bentinck.) Having d
is vided his small army into three columns, tn
= right and left were despatched towards tn
:. TANKS of the enemy, which movement the
D, were enabled to execute without being pei
u ceived by their opponents, under cover oil
u rising ground. The centre column advaI
a. cling at the same time, the Chinese bod
ID came boldly out to meet them. The BIRTHS
| troops advanced steadily until within goo
i range, though the Chinese had for som
I'd time opened fire ofgingals and matchbox
= directed solely against this column. Th
H. order was given to fire, when, at the sam
moment, the flank companies debouche'
II pouring in their yolles on the now bewlde
In ed Chinese. Being utterly COMPOUNDED
'u this, to them most wonderful increase
It, force, they gazed in stupid and motlonle
'u amazement A few of them only returne
re feeble fire to the incessant peals whc
IN came from every quarter, and then, as
us were in a sudden panic, moved, broke u
in and fled in every direction, leaving the fie
e, thckly strewn with their dead and dying
nd Our men followed in close pursuit, al
is many hand to hand encounters took place
list but the long Chinese spear could make b
little resistance against the British bayonet
ee MANY of these men fought with desperatio
= apparently resolved to conquer or die. III
er. residue fled by hundreds to the water, hopiI
es- by that means to hide themselves from Il
~, vengeance of the 'red-haired race. III
he fire of the rifles was most deadly the strea
it shortly became tinged with their blood, VIII,
AS the general, accompanied by Mr.. Thor
l coming up, the latter bearing flag, with I
to following words in the Chinese language u
is on it-'Yield and be saved resist and pt
lat ish;' many of them took quarters, and
Irs carnage ceased. On this day, so unhap
in for the black-hared race, fifteen hundred
lay ,chom must haze persisted, our loss amount
ZEN to sixteen killed, and few wounded. Wi
ct, such tremendous bombarbment as h
my been going ON for two hours in this dense
so populated neighborhood, it must be expect
md that pitable sights were to be witnessed.