Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-03-28

aroused. ihey are making preparations for
9 long war, ia which it is likely, the United
States will be somewhatinyo They seem
to be no respecters of persons, but have been
striking indscIininately, the English, French
and Americans. We sutjoin the following sc-
count of q most wanton and bloody massacre
one Of the parties murdered, being an Amer
can citizen:
From the Friend Of China, Jan. 81
On Wednesday evening, news reached Hong
Kong Of a fIightiul tragedy This was the cold
booded murder of the captain officers foreign crew,
and passengers, of the postal steamer Thistle-in
s, 'leven souls. The particulars of this dreadful
deed, having been ottained from Chinese who es-
capped, and who during the act we're probably so
frightened that but little power was left for obser-
vation, Imperfect, and in respects con6ic'-
ing. The intelligence, 6rst cleaned, was as iol-
lows
With the shot holes in her bows, and stack tenn
porarily plugged, Capt. Wesliep, undsuuted by the
attack on him Oh the night OF the 22d ult., again
proceeded with the Thistle, on Sunday last on bis
customary voyage to Canton. The up trip was
concluded successfully On the way down. the
water being low in French liver, the vessel took
the mud, and so cboked her feed-pipes that little
below Whampoa, on Tuesday morning, it became
necessary TO anchor for the purpose of cleaning
them. At half past ten in the forenoon of that day
the steamer Shamrock came up. and after ascer-
thing nothing was required, she took in tow her
Msjesty's steam sloop Hornets boat, previously
alongside the Thistle, and proceeded on. Stop
ping oily couple of hours in Canton, the Sham
rock reached Whampoa.
At daylight all doubt regarding the truth OF the
report was put at rest by the appearance of three
of the Chinese servants of the Thistle, who then
told the following tale: The steamer, they said had
not been long under way when the captain left the
upper deck with MaDl4-man seacunny at the
wheel, proceeded toward the engine room hatch~
wav, where he was in the act of STOPPING forward,
looking down, when an assissin from behind stat
bed him with one OF those short-ponted swords of
with every Chinese householder in Hong Kong
has one or more pairs. The first engineer, Mr..
Abraham American, was on the other side OF
the hatchway at that time and was similarly assa'-
ed; two Manila men seacunnies were working at
pump below, and soon shared the same fate: one
got into One Of the coal bunkers, and there,
afterwards, unable to get out when the vessel Was
set on fire was burnt passenger in the cabu-
Poringcse gentleman whose name we do not pub
until further assured of the identity with
his servant, Portuguese, were also murdered as
a sick artillerymsn, who was lying down for
ward, and who was the first victim. The captain,
on being stabbed aft but fell before he reached
the cabin loor. The mate (Peterson(, succeeded
in getting into the cabin and fired several muskets
at the wretches as they attempted to get hold OF
him. stinkpot thrown into the cabin at last
drove him overheard, and he must have been drown
ed, he was never seen to rise. The Manila man
at the wheel was killed from behind, without sc, =
ing the hand that wieed the weapon. In all .
have said, eleven persons we're thus dispose OF
and search was made for the Chinese boys employ
ed in the cabin, one of whom, by jumping over
board and bidding under the the counter OF the YES
sci, succeeded in escaping, as did the Others in
other ways. The Chinese fremen were then direct
ed to remain at their work. and the vessel was steer
ed up the creek called by the Chinese Chowmee, to
the village of LamkOngtow, distant some half do
miles inland. There her wood work was set on
fire, and when that was destroyed every particle
of brass work that could be removed was taken
away; IN TACT the vessel is much disabled that it
is questioned whether is worth while TO repair her,
The assasslLs, said to have numbered under dozen
in al', last time in walking off with the heads OF
their victims in hankerchirfs and at Canton, We
suppose, will receive the rewards said to be offered
for such commodities by the gentry and people.
Having turned all the Chinese passengers out OF
the Shamrock, as suggested by the pilot captain
Wood started for Hong Kong, first communicating
the above TO the Hornet off SuuchOw, and to the
men of war lying at the Bogue.
The other of the postal steamers, the Rose, on
her way up on Tuesday morning, deserted the burn
ing vessel and made all speed up to report the tact
to her Mhjesty's ship yble, at Whampoa. But
nothing could be done without the orders OF the
Commodore, busily engaged with his men in the
Dutch Folly and the Rose was directed to proceed
on her way to Canton without delay. Unfortunate
ly, owing the low state of the trade It was not
possible to get up the usual route, and she had to
make detour by Blenheim Reach Before she could
get round, the Barracuda observed coming up
with the Thistle her hull having been found at the
mouth of the creek. The people of the village off
which she had been taken fearing lest the conse-
quences might be visited on their heads, had pru-
IDENTIFY resolved TO have her moved by fishermen
out into the stream, where in short time che
would have sunk, stopcock being open, aud hole
made in the -tarboard bow, by which means she
was nearly full of water. After some little delay
10 arrange the manner in which the Barracuda
should be safe for any salvage to be awarded, Capt
Ricoby was permitted to take charge OF his owr-
er's j, ssl and return TO Hong Kong. Five head
less bodies were found In the hull and in the coal
bunker before stated, the charred remains Of an
other