The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-06-28
HIGHLY INTERESTING FROM
CHINA.
THE ATTACK ON THE IMPERIAL rsr ropcr

SAHa 20 INC a"ach uPon lne lmperlalst CTaoutae's1
iorce, entrenched near Shanghae, which took place
on tne 4tn OF April. The foreign residents had
been repeatedly annoyed by the depredatons of the
| irnperiailsts. who, in addition to other outrages
now and then amused themselves by shooting at
the foreigners as they passed along. On the eve
ming OF the 3rd of April: an English lady, escorted
by gentleman, was attacked by band of Taou-
| taes men; the gentleman wounded severely, by
several sword cuts, having nothing but to de-
| fend himself, while the lady escaped with fright
only, although the chair in which she was riding
| was cut badly in several places. Other English
men were attacked about the same time at different
| points on the course, but none were killed Upon
this news reaching the city, great excitement pre-
| vailed. The Consus of the United States and Eng
| land in consultation with the American and Eng
lish naval captains concluded to land forces from
] the vessels and destroy the fort from which the
| inperialsts had come who committed the outrages
before alluded to. This was DONE and the night
was passed without disturbance The next morn
| ing, the British Consul addressed a note to the
| general of the imperial army, ordering him to
evacuate the forts which he had erected within the
limits OF the ground occupied by foreigners; that if
| the evacuation did not commence at o'clock P NJ,
| and was not completed IA, the forces would bonn
| bard them out with shell and canister. The U. s.
| Consul held consuation with Capt. John Kelly
ofth U. S. sloop-ofwar Plymouth and they con-
| cuded that the entire settlement was in imminent
danger from the undsciplined soldiery composing
the imperial camp Accordingly they agreed to
| lend their aid in compelling them to their
| quarters TO greater distance.
| Three o'clock came, and no answer had been re.
| ceived from Taoutae AT four O'clock a note was
| received from him, saying that the forts could not
| be evacuated. The method of attack was then de.
| ternlined upop.
| we copy irom the correspondence of the N. y.
| Herald the annexed interesting account:
| Capt OCallaghau with his English force two
| hundred mer, was to follow the course to the
| right, and Capt. Kelly with one hundred Ameri-
| cans was 10 march to the lett and attack separate
| forts
| We marched off to our respective national airs,
and after coming up within three hundred yards of
| the fort unlinbered cur three hoWitzers loaded
| with shell, and at precisely four clock commenced
firing. For thirty minutes this firing continued do.
| ing immense destruction to the imperalists-but
they did not return it, the large field piece which
| was masked and was loaded to the muzzle with
nails and slaes, would not 60 Oft About this time
We had nearly consumed our shell, and as there
were two more forts totake the order was given to
| charge. twas done, and we were within thirty
| PAGES OF the breastwork shower of bullets from
jlnn gals (ilke musket, only they about nine
| feet long and carry pound ball,) killed marine
| from the Plymouth, wounded Capt Pearson OF the
| American ship Rose Standish, in the face and Mr.
| Griswold GRAY, of New York in both leps Cant
Pearson's wound is slight but Mr. Gray had to suE-
| Ter amputatiOn of his left leg, and is now doing
| well. For fifteen minutes the balls rained among
| US We We're only thirty PAGES from the fort with
deep and broad ditch between us. filled with iron
| points to stick the feet OF Chinese with but which
proved to be entirely uuavailing against the s0les
of kimbai and Beasleys best. The wall of the fort
| too, was covered with sharp bamboo points, which
| are very dangerous. Yet we opened our howitZers
again, and with canister poured a leaden hail
| among them. This lasted for ten minutes when
the order was given to scale the fort our men pass.
ed over and in like an avalanche, and the Chinese
| fled at every gate The tort was taken and set on
| fire.
While this was being done by the Americans,
Capt. Callaghan, with his Englishmen was seal
| ing another one, and it was Immediately, also in
blaze. The rebels, too, had come out from the city
| in a'large body to witness how foreigners fight
After they had seen 100 arms take fort and fire it.
containing over (, 600 Cinnamon, and 200 English.
| men do the same thing In the space of forty min
utes, they made an attack upon another fort which
| is near the wall, ana being rspulsed they sent in
| to General Leu asking tor an additional force -
Leu replied that the foreigners, with 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 desired effect-the fort was
| taken.
| The Americans and Englishmen met, each having
| udCHeu lHIOu2n tne IOrtS OF the lmperallstE, and
Jointly attacked the third and last fort which con-
| talned soldiers who had made attempts to come
down on the settlement. 1t required only a few
she'll to put 1t in blaze, and the soldiers to flight
| IN every direction The whole action of the com
bined forces lasted one hour and half the Ameri-
| cans lost killed and wounded, and the English
| the same; the wounded all doing well. The
| Americans were the smaller force but they had
| three howitzers, while the English only had one
the post of danger therefore selected by the
| Americans; and when the order was given to
charge, and we came up within thirty PAGES of the
tort, where the shower of balls fell among for
| minutes, | never shall forget the appearance of
Capt. Kelly he is usually little stopped and looks
about i've feet ten inches but when the bullets be-
gan to rain amongst 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
tor the Jlnggalls and his whole conduct so daring
| that 1t is miracle he escaped
| 1t Guest the executive officer led the charge
and engineered the howitzer belonging TO the
| plymouth ; his conduct throughout was cool and
! brave
Just as this charge was made, the merchantmen,
| under the command of Midshipman Grey, were
| ordered up, which swelled the American force to
| one hundred and thirty men. These fellows were
Cailtornians principally, who did great execution
| for Jew minutes with their rifles
| Thus the whole force employed from fret to
last, was three hundred and thirty men and three
neld twelve pound howitzers and in a series OF en-
| gagements, which lasted one hour and half, they
dislodged ten thousand Cinnamon from three sepa-
| ihtC WIN tne loss OF TWO Kllieu anu
| six wounded. The loss of the Chinese was i'm
| mense but no one has pretended to put figures to
| the number that was killed.
| We now resumed march to the settlement
| loaded with jinggals and lags, every Chinese
| soldier has his own flag. From the church steepie
| where many ladies had witnessed the battle, and
from the houses the white handkerchief was waved,
| silently saying, ''well DONE heavy patrol was
LETT on shore for the night, by English and Ameri-
can officers and slept with a greater feeling OF
| security than we have enjoyed for months.
| SUBSEQUENT EVENTS.
| Anusing Incident.-The Sober Second Thought
| Strange Ideas.-Description Of a Chinese Bat.
| tte.-Results Of Missionary Labors.
On the morning of the 9Th, some few of the I'm
perialists approached a mound where Captain
| OCallaghsn and his men were at work throwing
down the walls of fort, and getting upon an ele
waited point, waved their flags and brandished their
spears The captain levelled his howitzer, and the
ball took the ground from under the whole party,
| although mile distant, and from that moment not
| an imperiast soldier was to be seen.