Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-07-11
The Americans In China.

ghai between the American and British
forces there and the lmperialists. The
cause of the attack was the repeated
outrases Of the Imperial troops who are
encamped 10 that vicinity, warring a.
ganst the rebels who hold possession
Of Shanghai.-The lmperialsfs number
about ten thousand; their ent ampments
we're surrounded by canals and mud
walls. 1t appears tha, the Imperial
lists, who have armed vessels in the wa.
ter, have not heisitated to fire upon the
American or British flags, whenever car
ried by small boats, besides assaultlne
and maltreating foreign residents, when
they could get them into their power
This state OF affairs induced con
sultation of the foreign residents with
the Vice Consuls and officers of tho A.
merican and British vessels .ol.war, and
it was agreed, as remedy against these
repeated outrages, to force the lmperi'
lists, should they not remove OF their
own accord, TO retreat beyond the for
eign residences. Three hundred ma
rines and sailors fom the American and
British vessels, with a volunteer force
from the foreign residents, mustered.
The Americans had thre field pieces to
she'll the camps, and the British took
one. The following is description ol
the after operations: o.. "a. -,,.~.
We marched off to our respective
national airs, and after coming up with.
in three hundred yards Of the lolt we
unlimbered our three howitzers, loaded
with she'll, and at precisely 4 O'clock
commenced firing. For thirty minutes
this firing continued, doing immense
destruction to the Imperialists-but they
did no, return it, as the large fel ID piece
whic was masked and loaded 10 the muz'
zle with nails and slugs, would not 60
off. About this time we had nearly con-
sumea our she'll, and as there were two
more forts to take, the order was given
to charge. 1t was done, and as we we'e
within thirty PAGES of the breasiwork, a
shower of bullets from jing gals Qike
musket, only they are about nine feet
long and carry pound ball,) killed a a
marine from the Plymouth, wounded
Capt. Pearson, Of the American ship
Rose S,andsh, in the face, and MI
Grisu old Gray, Of New York. in both
legs. Captain Pearson's wound is slight
but Mr.. Gray had to suffer amputatlon
ofhis leftleg, and is now doing WE'LL
For fifteen minutes the balls rained a.
mong us. We were only thirty PAGES
from the fort, with deep and broad
ditch between us, filed with iron points
10 stick the feet Of Chinese with, but
which proved entirely unavalling a.
gainst 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 howitzers 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 al
every gate. The fort was taken and sci
on fire. >, 49,, S'tF g'.tr1 -
While this was being done by the
Americans, Capt. O'Callaghan, with
his Englishmen, was scaling another
one, and it was Immediately, also, in
blaze. The rebels, too. had come ou'
from tie city in a large body to witness
hove foreigners fight. After they had
seen. 100 arms take fort and fire it,
con,.inipg over 1000 Chinarnen, and
200 Englishmen do the same thing IN
the space Of forty minutes, they made
an a,tck upon another fort which is
near the wall, and being repulsed they
sent III to General Leu for an additional
force. Gen Leu replied the foreigner
with one+hild his number, had just ta'
ken two forts, andlhat heSand his emeh
should have nothing to eat till they
took that ,one. This had the desired
effect-the fort was taken.ss - Z. : 'sss =. 2, e
> Ths Americans and English met
each having marched through the fort,
Of the lmpsrislis.s, and, jointly attacked
the third and last fort which contl ineea
soldiers who had made attempts TO come
down on.,the settlement. H. required
only / few shells to put itinsa blaxt
and the soldiers 70 aigh,. in'e every dirsc
,iow.-The whole actioniof the combin
cd forces lasted one Kout and p half
The AmeriSans lost pnea killed and thfsi