Washington sentinel., 1854-06-28

Chinese with, but which proved to be entirely
unavailing against the soles OF kimbal and
Beesley's best The wall of the fort, too, was
covered with sharp bamboo points, which are
very dangerous. Yet We opened our howtzers
again, and with canister we poured leaden
hail among them. This lasted for ten minutes,
when the order was given to scale the fort our
men passed over and in like an avalanche, and
the Chinese fled at every gate. The fort was
taken and set on fire.
While this was being done by the Americans,
Captain O'Callaghan, with his Englishmen,
was scaling another one, and it was immedi-
ately, also, in blaze. The rebels, too, had
come out from the city in o large body to wit.
ness how foreigners fight. After they had seen
100 arms take fort and fire il, containing
over 1000 Cinnamon, and 200 Ehglishmen do
the same thing in the space of forty minutes,
they made an attack upon another fort which
is near the wall, and being repulsed they sent
in to General Leu, asking for an additional
force. Leu replied thatt foreigners, with one
third his number, had just taken two forts, and
that he and his men should have nothing to
eat till they took that one. This had the de-
sired effect--the fort was taken.
The Americans and Englishmen met, each
having marched through the forts of the i'm
perialists, and jointly attacked the third and
last fort which contained soldiers who had made
attempts to come down on the settlement. 1t
required only few shell to put it in blaze,
and the soldiers to flight, in every direction.
The whole action of the combined forces lasted
one hour and half; the Americans lost one
killed and three wounded, and the English the
same; the wounded are all doing we'll. The
Americans were the smallest force, but they
had three howitzers, while the English only
had one; the post of danger was therefore
selected by the Americans; and when the
within thirty PAGES Of the fort, where the shower
of balls fell among US for ten minutes, / never
shall forget the appearance Of Captain Kelly;
he is usually little stopped and looks about
FIVE feet ten inches, but when the bullets began
to rain among us and one Of his own men was
shot down dead at his side, he seemed to be at
least seven feet high, his bright uniform mark
for the jinggalls, and his whole conduct so dar-
ing that it is miracle he escaped.
Lieutenant Guest, the executive officer, led
the charge and engineered the howitzer belong
ing to the Plymouth, his conduct throughout
was cool and brave
Just as this charge was made, the merchant.
men, under the command Of Midshipman Grey,
were ordered up, which sweed the American
force to one hundred and thirty men. These
fellows were Californians principally, who did
great execution for few minutes with their
rifles.
Thus the whole force employed from first to
last, was three hundred and thirty men, and
three field twelve-pound howitzers, and iu a
series of engagements, which lasted one hour
and halt, they dslodged ten thousand China
men from three separate forti6cations with the
loss Of two killed, and six wounded. The loss
of the Chinese was immense, but no one has
pretended to put figures to the number that was
killed.
We now resumed our march to the settle
ment, loaded with jinggalls and flags, as every
Chinese soldier has hisown flag. From the church
steeple, where many ladies had witnessed the
battle, and from the houses. the white handker-
chief was waved silently saying :" well done."
A heavy patrol was left on shore for the night,
by English and American officers, and we slept
with a greater feeling of security than we have
enjoyed for months.
APRIL IL, 1854.
We have learned from port in Japan with
which the Chinese trade, that the Emperor of
China has fled into Tartary. 1t is probably
true, for we know well that the rebels are near
Pekin, and must eventually take the whole
empire. Our minister has not yet arrived; his
services are much needed just now, as the
United States officers who are here are pretty
nearly worked down.
Affairs are quiet; even the rebels have
ceased firing at night, which has not occurred
before for months. ORIENTAL.