The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-31

From the San francisco Herald

18th Of June The following is bis confession:
am man of the district of Hang shan, in tho |
prefecture Of Hang-chau; am thirty years of age;
my parents are both dead, and have neither bro
theirs, wife nor children; have been from youth |
devoted to letters, and have several times entered
the Examinations; but az the officers did not &C.
knowledge my talent for writing, and repressed |
my abilities, i became a priest had not long |
left the priesthood when again entered the Ex- |
animation, and, as before, was unsuccessful This
greatly irritated me, and began to study books
on the military art very carefully, in order to
scheme against the empire; aiso made myself |
perfectly familiar with the topography OF every |
part Of the land. While was priest kept my 1
self quiet and retired, diligently examining all the
works strategy, that all the rules OF discipline
and war since the days OF antiquity were familiar TO
me; and was emalous to equal Kung Ming; Gn the
Icould carry out my plans speedily, and iii follow
ed the plans of Kung Ming flattered myself that
could take the empire as easily ne turn my hand
E.a.
Several years ago, when priest, was
travelling Kwangtung, and when in the dis
trct Of Hwa became acquainted with Hung Stu
tsuen (who is not my relatively and Fung- Yung-
shan, both of whom are literary persons Of great
talents, and the former, like me, had been unsuc-
cessful in the Examinations. He had formerly
been through both the Kwang provinces, and
formed association of reckless persons OF the
Triad Society. Every one OF those who joined 1t
in Kwang- tung adhered to Fung; and this was
done several years, he deluding every one who
joined the association to take their oaths that they
would live and die with him, and exert all their
effo;ts TO assist him. They gradually increased in
numbers, and it was feared that there might be a
want of hearty union in some of the members; SO
Hung Stu tsuen learned magical arts, and to talk
with demons. and with Flng- Pun shan made up
a story about ga heavenly father, heavenly bro
Their, and Jesus, narrating how the heavenly bro
Their came down from Heaven. and that all who
would serve the heavenly father would then know
where the best interests and profit lay; that when
he sat it was in small hall of Heaven; and when
he had been put to death by men, he sat in great
hall of Heaven With these infiamng words they
beguiled the members of the association, 30 that
of them left it, and this procedure was well
In December, 1850, when tueir numbers and
strength became large, went to kwangs, where
l cav Hung Stu tsuen; he then had engaged the
graduate Wei Ching, alias Wei Chang k E OF
Tung, to go out and begin to plumber and hight
the government The members of the brother
hood willingly followed these men, giving them
so that they had funds for their purposes, and
bought horses and engaged troops Their hopes
were now high, and they took at this time the
names of the Shang-ti Association.
When reached Kwang 81, Hung siu-tsiuen
called me his worthy brother, and honored me
with the title of king Tien teh Celestial virtue,)
and took all his lessons in the art Of war from me.
Yang was generalissimo of the troops, with civil
powers, and had the title OF Eastern King; Stu was
deputy generassimo Of the right, with the title OF
Western King; Fung Yon Shan was general OF
the advance, with the title of Southern King, and
Wei Ching was general of the reserve, with the
title Of Northern King.
Ministers were also made; thus Shih was ap-
pointed minister over the Board of Civil Office and
king of the right wing; Tsin the Board
of Revenue and king of the left wing; w Lai
and Tsang were Generals of G uard, Chu was Judge
. advocate, and Tsang Yuh Siu-Lo lieutenant gen.
erals. There were many military officers whose
names do not remember, some of them over three
hundred men and others over one hundred men.
In action, whoever backed out was executed and
their officers severely punished; while rewards
and promotion were given to those who were vic.
torious. The government troops killed many OF
men. called Hung Siu-tsiuen my elder
brother, and those under our lead addressed us
both as Your Majesty; we addressed them by
their names. i' ... r.r s. ~
On the 9th August, 1851, we took Yungngan,
Wei Chung having before given battle to and de.
feated the Imperial troops. and Hung entered
this city in our sedans on the I'd Of September,
and occupied the official residence which we
called our court, and where we permitted none to
dwell. This Hung Siu-tsiuen received most OF his
knowledge Of tactics from me, but my opinion
did not accord with his, and often spoke Of this
being a email spot, and asked where was the pro-
priety of having 70 many persons styled kings
Moreover, he relied upon his gical arts for as
sstance, but no one, even in ancient times, ever
reached the throne by them; added to this, he
was both wine bibber and a licentious man
having thirty-six women with him. wished to
hear OF his destruction and defeat for then could
myself succeed in obtaining dominion.
At this i.ue the Eastern King Yang managed
the forces, sending them out and appointing their
duties. and the officers who should be over them
Wei Ching had the supe-intendence of actual en-.
gagement with the troops, in which he was botf
lskful and unwearied; be was a most courageous
man; even ten thousand Of the Impe.lal were
not q match for him with thousand men under
him. During the several months we occupied
funy' ngan-chau, which we called our court, all
our officers memoriaized us respecting the affairs oil
atate; calendar was issued under the direction OF
Yang, in which no intercalary month was insert.
ed; but in this matter was not party
Now, when ii happened that the ingress into the
city was stopped, and rico, gunpowder, and other
ammunition was beginning TO fail, we reflected
that the members of our association in Kwangtung
and in the department of Wuchau, were formerly
very numerous, and plucked up heart to make the
attempt to get out of our hole. On the 7th OF
April VIC rallied our spirits and attempted the
sorte dividing the forces into three bands. About
Sp. IN. Vie Ching sailed out with 5000 men
under him, followed by Yang and Fung Yunshan,
with 5000 or 5000 men, about 10 p. M to cut their
way through; these took Hung siu-tsiuen and his
women with them, thirty or more persons, with
horses, sedans, and all. s.E y 3D.. ..' se.-.i "
About2 a. m, having more than thousand
from Hung Su-tsiuen about a league, and were
attacked by the government troops and pursued.
Stu would not attend TO my ord rs or signals and
our force routed, more than one thousand
men losing their lives, and was taken prisoner.
1t was our intention to have gone by way of a
place called Kuchuh to Chauping -hieu, Tin the de-
and thus get into Kwang .tung. The firing OF the
east fort when we sailed from the city was my
fault, and also directed putting fire in the city,
to facilitate sortie. 49,. ..,I
My original surname is not Hung, butt is only
since contracted a brotherhood relation with
Hung Siu-tsoen that changed it to Hung Tai
sseun. / wore embroidered clothes and yellow
cats the four kings had red bordered caps like
mine: The rest of the high officers yellow en-
broidered aprons when they went into action, and
carried yellow flags. In the Yamun wore yell
low robe; and did not Of my own will desire to
sit on the kings throne.
This confession is true.
List of Patents
Issued from the United States Patent Office for the
,Deek ending December %, 1852 and bearing dats
December rs, 1852. .a.
Daniels Bayles, of Brooklyn, N. Y.--For i'm
proved parcels for yards of vessels.
M. A. Bcrtolet, l.. Kirk & A. NJ. DeHart, OF