The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-10-22
BATTLE WITH
Pirates by American and English Sailors
IMMENSE SLAUGHTER OF THE pIRaTESl
From the emma overland Mail.i

desperate encounter with pirates near Kulan on
saturday, and had eight seamen and marines kin
), gu anu n,leen or sixteen wounded some of them,
It is feared, mortally. Capt FeIlowes. Lieut'
ifando, and other officers, were blown nm in n
junk, but fortunately were but little hurt Ten
pirate Junks were taken and destroyed the greater
portion of their crews having been killed and
seven prizes liberated, five of which belonged 10
the Eaglet's convoy Sixteen of the smaller pirate
junks escaped. 7<
The above paragraph is taken from the Recor-
der shipping list, but the subject is worthy of
much more extended notice than is there given
Last week we mentioned that a lorcha and three
lahks, h should have been two lorchas and five
Iunhsl under convoy of the steamer Eaglet had
pcen cut on by pirates, who displayed such for.
midablc bravery and determined front that Captain
Caldwell was unable to rescue them and had tn
apply to Captain Fellowes, of her Majesty's shin
Rather, for assistance. This readily granted
and the Rather, with Captain Caldwell on board,
started for kulan, near which they sighted the
pirates, and followed them far into the bay as
the depth of water would permit The pirates.
quite aware OF their ability to resist successfully
any attempt that might be made on them by the
boats of the steamer, fired few harmless broad
sides i'll defiance, and stood in towards Kulan si.
Capt. Feilowes thereupon returned to Hong
Kong and invited the cooperation of the United
States steamer POwhatan, now in this harbor un-
der repair, when it determined that the Rather
with three boats and hundred officers and men of
the American steam frigate, should form the expe-
dition Captain Caldwell volunteering the use of his
the Rather, with the Eagct in tow, and the Pow
hatans boats astern OF her again. left the harbor on
Friday about three O'clock the first lieutenant fPe
grauD of the Powhatan, with Lieutenant Jones and
his marines taking passage in the Rather, and the
blue jackets i'll the Eaglet. The steamer arrived
close to kulan before midnight the Eaget anchor.
ing couple of cables length i'll shore Of the man.
of-war. AT five next morning the Launches were
set alongside the Rather for the marines aud thea
with the Powhatan's cutter, and three boats frosu
the Rather besides the Captains gig mas.e fast
aStcrn of the Eaglet which everything being rea
dv, steamed slowly up the bay. AT Kulan only
one junk was to be seen, and it feared the
birds had fiown;. but Captain Caldwell deserted
lorcha at anchor at the head of the bay and steer.
ed in that direction.
The lorcha got under way, apparently with the
intention of escaping, when Captain Fellowes des-
patched the Rattlers pinnace and Powhatan's cut
ter to intercept her, and these had unfortunately
got beyond recall before the pirate fleet with their
prizes, numbering in all some thirty-six SAIL were
observed at anchor in the narrow and shallow pas
sage from which the lorcha had started. AS the
steamer approached, the junks hosted their sails
but without getting under way, until several Con-
greve rockets, discharged from the Eagets quarter
deck by Mr.. Pine, the gunner, and two marine
artillcrymen from the Rather, and two or three
well directed shots from 80 FOUNDER fired by Mr.
Randall her chief officer, startled them from their
fanced security for up to that time the pirates had
either not observed the boats, thought they
would not have the temerity to attack them. In
this however, they soon discovered their mistake,
for the boats, which had at first made for narrow
neck of land, bore up for and roundered the point,
and then from the deck of the steamer was wit
messed as bold an attack as was ever made in these
waters.
The pirate feet formed dense mass the larger
aneheavier armed junks bringing up the rear,
ry now and then yawing round and firing their
broadsdes at the boats, from which, in reply, tiny
puffs of smoke the howitzers in their bows
discharged their deadly contents, the shrapnel
bursting over the junks and making frghtfu havoc
among their crews. The boats soon neared the
pirates, Leutenants Pegram and Rolando, with the
launches of the POwhatan, first, by volleys of
kerry clearing the decks of the two largest, then
boarding and driving the pirates overheard at the
point of the bayonct. This, however, was not done
without hard struggle, for the miscreants fought
with the fury of despair; but they had of course
chance with the marines and blue jackets. Mean
while the other boats were far from idle, and
though small in comparison with the launches, per
formed their share of the work with the utmost gal
lanry, officers and men vieng with each other for
the post of danger and of honor, that five six
more jIInkS were soon secured Mr.. James, the
boatswain OF the Rattler, particularly distinguished
himself, having, with five seamen and a few ma
rines in a whale boat, dignted with the title of
second cutter, boarded and carried junk that
seemed fully match for either of the launches.
Lieut.. Pegram, in the first launch was Fastening
to their assistance but seing the battle nearly won
would not interfere with their well earned laurels,
and turned his attention elsewhere. The pirate
chiefs Junk, after being sheed by the first launch,
was boarded almost simultaneously by her crew
and that of the Rattler's gig, and Capt. Fellowes
was fortunate enough to secure the chiefs flag
The chief himsclf-Lee Alfe principal leader of
the Whampoa patriots was shot by an English
marine who had jumped on deck from the Powhat-
ans launch, and four women threw themselves
overheard and were drowned. The ammunition on
board the pirate feet may be judged of from the
fact that this junk alone is believed to have nearly
one hundred kegs of English gunpowder, besides
stnkpo cartridges and loose powder Up to this
t,,,,n a,,l,- or,a nEna
the attacking force, young American marine,
named Adamson, having been shot with nusket
ball in the groin but two other fatal accidents fol
lowed in quick succession. The Rattlers first cut
ter in charge of Paymaster Brownsdon, ran along
side large Junk. Several stinkpots thrown at
them missed, but at last one, hove from the raised
poop of the pirate by woman with child sung
to her back fell into the boat and being followed Dy
Others the crew were compelled to jump overheard
where two were speared and third was wound
ed and drowned.
One of these, marine who had been wounded
by a spear thrust, called to his comradc to save
him, and the other being an excellent swimmer,
got hold of him for that purpose The Chinese then
threw mat over them and the marine, still hold
ing on by his wounded friend, diyed below and
came up clear of the mat but as soon as he was
| observed, several stinkpOts were pitched at him,
one of which struck him ON the head ana though
not much hurt he was stunned for second or two,
and lost sight of the man he had displayed such a
determination 10 save; the brave fellows name Is
| VIM Robinson. Ihe other 1atu acclueht was tiie
blowing up of junk, which for time had offered
the most determined resistance to the gig, In winch
were Captain Fellowes and Assistant Surgeon VII
| SON. with FIVE men, but which was ultimately taker
| possession of by Lieut.. Rolando and his launch
| Either train had been laid before the crew left
| or some determined scoundrel fired the junk. fo
she blew up with tremendous explosion, and boil
| officers and men were hurled into the water
| Three of the men were killed and several other
| frightfully scorched, one of whom died the sam
night while another is not expected TO live, but IN
| officers miraculousy escaped, though Lieut.. Rolan
do was burned and Capt. Fellowes was injured by
| the falling spars.
The survivors were, however, all picked up =.
| Mr.. Craig, masters mate of the Powhatah, WI
| had luckily gone into the boat the moment ocioI
the explosion took place. In this junk was an M
mense quantity of treasure, said to ainoun. ~ !"
| hundred thousand dollars, and the dcsl eraloh ~
| which her crew fought, may be judged OF from "
fact that even after the Americans gained the dec
| ,hey ,ycre encountered hand to hand. One iaa
made himself particularly conspicuous, aud no
yth,tanding several wounds, continued to tiiro'
stnkpots; but ultimately he ran below, and is b
lived TO have fired the train which blew up II
| vessel
The officers employed, estimate the number
guns taken at 900 large and small, and the pirats
at 1000 five hundred of whom were killed III
| casualties are as follows: Her Majesfy's stenms