Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-03-05
Correspondence fthe N. Y; Times.
Particulars of the American Operations
at Canton.
u. s. SLooP-oF-W WAR PORTSMOUTH,
OFF THE BARRIER FORTS,
December 9Th, 1856,

the attack upon the copture OF the last
of the Barrier Forts, a party OF sailors
and mariners from the Portsmouth, and
LecaAt occupied that fort, preparatory
to the work of demolition, upon which
the Commodore had decided; and on
the 25th, Commander Bell having re-
turned from Whampoa, with powder
and mining implements, together with a
Reinforcement of men, the work was fair
lly commenced. To-day it has been
completed, after two weeks of incessant
and exhausting labor, and the two ships
are now dropping down the river to
Wampoa, leaving the fort in ruins.
| The plan adopted by Capt. Bell was
to undermine the wall betweene every
two embrazures, and to excavate to the
lowest tier of the huge blocks of granite
which for::::: the foundations. Upon this
floor was placed thel powder, (fifty
pounds of which were used for each ex-
plosion;) the heavy guns of the fort, and
other weights were then placed over the
mine, and train of powder introduced
through hollow bamboos. This plan
was entirely successful. In majority
of instances the explosions resulted in
the entire and immediate overthrow of
that part of the walls which they We're
intended to affect-and in the remaining
instances they SO shattered it from its
foundation, that an hour or two OF work
with crowbars would compleat the de-
molitlon. The aggregate number of
mines exploded was one hundred and
twenty-five. Toomuch credit can hard
ly be awarded to Capt. Bell, and to the
officers and men under hin for the ener-
gy and skill with which their difficult
work has been undertaken and carried
through to its conclusion.
While occupying the forts our party
was almost nightly aroused by alarms
of the Chinese, and on one occasion they
actually approached within twenty yards
Of the fort in large numbers and with
the evident design of making an attack.
A few rounds of musketry, however,
and prompt use of the howitzers, was
sufficient TO. dispense them. They man
aged to throw humber Of rookie IS and
stink-pots, but without doing any injury
to our men; and in their retreat they
left behind them two or three Of their
scaling ladders which they had brought
with them.
just when the party had nearly finish
ed their work, and when the mines in
the last fort were nearly ready to be eX-
Iploded, a most fatal and distressing ac-
cidcnt occurred, by which three men
were instantly killed, and nine others
| w cd, locr
had been prepared, the powder deposi-
ted, and the train laid; Lieutenant
Belknap, who was experimenting it,
had gone away for moment in order
to direct the removal of heavy Gun up
on the mouth Of the mine, when one of
the workmen carlessly struck the steel
POINTED end of his crowbar against a
stone upon which the train was laid
AS might have been expected, it struck
fire, and a spark communicated 20 the
powder. The man who was using the
croWbar, "a seaman from the Ports
months and another seaman from the
same ship, were blown to pieces, and
their arms and legs and mangled bodies
scattered in all directions. A boat
SWANS mate from the iSu2e Jucinfo was
also instantly killed. Two men from
the Portsmouth and seven from the Lee
cant were wounded-most Of them Sc
verely, though it is believed they will
all recover
| There is not a single embrasure in any
one of the four forts from which a gun
could be safely fired. They were very
strongly constructed, their natural posi-
ton was most admirable, and their de-
struction has been accomplishments
by scientific engineers, but by officers
and men to whom the work was entire
| ly new.
was surprised to see the terrible eff
! feet Of the shot and shell from the two
ships, which visit to the forts exhibit
ed. The massive walls Of the first fort,
which was i'll range of $50 yards of the
| Portsmouth on the 10th ultimo. were
shattered, oyerthrown, and, in some in
stances, pulyerized to powder as fine
as flour.
The accuracy of the firing, too, is
most admirable. The embrasures of
the forts are provided with doors lined
with iron, which are closed while the
guns are run in and being loadeC-one
Of these doors | noticed penetrate with
shot in three places. The shell burst
very perfectly and into small pieces
AS the forts were crowded with Chinese,
they must have suffered a fearful loss.
All the buildings inside the walls were
unroofed and torn to pieces by explo-
sions. The enemy could stand with
10 Il l.. l..
| H. as they styled the Portsmouth, and
also the she'll and sharpnel from he eff
| ticient howitzers were altogether intol-
cradle. She fired on that day 10 less
than two hundred and thirty shells; and
the total amount of iron and owder
which she threw during the seye al en-
gagements was about eighteen ons.
y fact has come to light, since my
last letter was mailed, which accounts
for the unprecedented skill and accuracy
with which the guns Of the Chine.e were
handled. The French 1rigate Sybille,
when she arrived on this station three
years ago, had lost large mum Der of
her crew by some very fatal cpilemic.
and i'll order to supply their place she
shipped hundred and twenty Chinese.
who remained with her until abort two
months ago, when she was ordered
home, and they were discharged. These
men, with all the advantages of strict
and proracted French discipline and
! training, were in the forts, emf loving
their superior skill and courage il work
ing THEN powerful guns, and the act of
their presence must have embo .dened
their countrymen to a resistance more
neltinacions and effectixc thal thn,.