Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-02-23

flight the crowds OF European boats. Awuk -
the lion of the Danish Esqunaux, and they al
ways speak of him with respect.
The War In Chin"-Operations of 4. y. Vessels
mt Canton.
Tho Hong Kong Register gives the following
resume Of the operations of the United States
vessels in the attack on the forts at Canton be-
ri inning with a recHptulation ut the forts taken:
Left bank. lower fort, b guns; lIowqua's fort,
on north end of Wampoa island. AZ guns; Ma
piers fort on island, b guns; left bank, upper
fort IL guns-total 100 guns.
The gentleman who kindly furnished the above
account. mentions the following officers with
great praise:-C Commander Foote, Of the Ports
mouth; Commander Bell. ofthe San Jacinto, and
Comm ander Smith of the Levant also. Lieuts.
Lewis. Watmaugh. Guthrie. Davenport, English,
Carter and simpson, in charge OF boats; also
Lieut.. Belknapp, with Adams and Shepard.
ters in charge of the field pieces (chlled in the
American service howizers,) and Captain Sims
and I.ieuts. Kirkland aud Tyler, in command of
the marines
he ships suffered very little damage. The
lie want had her main stay shot away aud one of
hen guns damaged by shot striking ii in the
mt zzle.
1t appears that some of these forts had been
pre- viousy taken by the English, who had salts.
flee themselves, however, with spikng the guns
a1d leaving them, The Chinese subsequently
l. fortified them.
\ letter in the Boston Post also mentions the
gallant conduct of Lieut.. Macomb, of the Ports
month; Lieut.. Colocoressls, of the Levant, who
led attacking party, and Assistant Surgeons
Van Iapdt. of the Portsmouth,, and Daniels. of
tn San Jacinto. \ CORES pundrnt of the New
York Times, writing of the attack on the forts
Iv the Port mouth and Lesaut, say:
! was surprised to see the terri lie effect of the
shot and shell from the two ships, which visit
to the fort, exhibited. Tho massive granite walls
of the first f5si, which was within range of $50
wards of the smouth ON the 10th ultimo,
shattered, overthrow and. in some Instances,
uuyerzpd to powder as fine as flour. The
curncy of the firing, too, most remarkable.
The cmbrasnres of the forts provided with
doors lined with iron, which are closed while the
guns are run in and being loaded. One OF these
doors was penetrated by shot in three places
The she'll burst very perfectly, and into very
small pieces. As the forts were crowded with
Chinese, they must have suffered fearful loss
All the buildings inside the walls unroofed
and torn to pieces by the explosions. The enc
any could stand with comparative ease iii" solid
shot of the l.eyant, but the "rotten shot of the
-'bnck devil AS They have styled the Ports
mouth, aud also the shell and shrapnel from the
slieieht hnwilz RS, were altogether inlolerHhIe.-
Had the Portsmouth been equipped with u less
efficient battery han the one which shr now r
= She could hardly have sustained the rapid
ana accurate fire IF the four forts Ms she did on
Sunday the lGlh. She fired on that day alone
no less than two hundred and Thirty she'll; and
the total weight OF the iron and powder which
she threw durin-e the several engagement, was
abaut eighteen tons.
The totul Number # Chinese in and about
these defen>es did NOT amount 10 less than 1000
to 10000 men. Their guns were well fought;
they made most effective nse OF armed rockets.
uni during the passage Of The boats from font to
tort they were surrounded with showers of mis-.
shes Shells round shot, grape aud canister
struck the halls and the eta and spash"d up
the water in every direction.hut without striking
Il man. The four forts. which were of ennrmpu.
thickness constructed of blocks If granite aud
armed with nearly 200 guns Of the heaviest cali
ber stood on the four sides OF tho squarethe riY-
cr passing between them.
The excellent aud sodier-NAe behavior Of tho
companies ct marines from the San Jacnto,.
Ioft-mouth and llevant was such rs to call for
special commendation. Their perfect drill and
discipline and their cool bravery did much to-
wards nsuring to the stormias parties such COM
pIeie success.
The same writer, referring 10 the explosion
of one Of the mines laid 10y the Americans, >ays:
1.-Two sramen from the Portsmouth were blown
to pieces, aud their arms and legs and mingled
bodies scattered in all directions. A boatswain's
mate from the San Jaciuto was also instantly
killed. Two men from the Portsmouth and
en- from the levant were woundrd-most of them
severely, though it is believed thry will all r.
cover, Lieut., Helkuap', escape was narrow
one. lie WAS within u few feet of the mine when
the explosion took place.
The eXcitsm eut and exposure If the men gene
rally subsequently increased the sick lit II about
~ each on the Leyaut, Portsmouth and san ia
onto.
Since the above was in type, We learn from thu
Washington Star that the Department have Dis
patches from the United States East India squad
ron omhracn, full particulars of The late engage-
nent> If our forces in the China >ras. They ara
considered satisfactory. Com. Armstrong, at.
ter the battle issued an order 10 the seamen who
wore engaged in il, in which he says:
la the midst Of peace you ha,n been called
upon 10 redress an assault upon The iag Of our
country Thu Necessity Of such step Is, much
To- be regretted by u all. though the manner in
which your stern duty has been performed i, -
honorable TO yourselves.
Il ,uoald omit an aetof 1,tice to you,to tho,n
who have brayey fallen in the performance ot
then duty, and to- the service t. which yoa b.
long. il br>itatel In make tl, o.lciai acknowl-
eagmrut Of faithful AMI honorable manner in
which ali have done their part"
fne following i, the stor the kiilodani you III.
ed OF the crews of the United State, steam hi.
gate San Jacinto, aud the l.. :. eioeps Ports
mouth and Levnnt during tho capture and de.
strueion of the Barrier forts, on Canton river.
China
San JaciHto.-killel-E Edward Mullen. cox.
swan; james lloagland. carpenter, mate; WIN.
Mackln, seaman; Alfred Turner coxswain: jos.
Gibson, boatswain's mate. Wounded Smith
Benjamin, ordinary seaman; Jas. McGreevy,sea.
man; John Brow seaman; William johnson. cox.
swan; lhumas l'obinson, ordinary seaman; F.
b. petro, andsman.; John Mitchell, ordinary sea-