The Washington union., 1858-03-16
CAPTURE OF CANTON.
INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF MILITARY ofE-
RATIONs,


December 2sth, 1857 -co-an cnct.s.ent of the BON
badment landing of the tross~ ON the east or French
Folly side OF the city, Vsture of Fort Lin skrmish
ing with and rcut Of braves from the country between
the landing place and proposed point of assault the
northeast any.o Of the city bivouac or the night of
tho allied ioces in number between five and SIX thou
sand.
december 29th -Bombarn,ent continued through the
night until the hour of ., death Of Capt Bate,
r. NJ shot In the right beas. by small matchbox bull
let whilst in the OK indicating the best position for
she scaling ladders escape Of Admiral Seymour
from the sAxe volley from the walls escaade by the
French and Lieut. Stuart r. e., at halfpast 8, half an
Aov before the hour appointed for attack French and
English private being killed by shots from own
battery Dutch Folly; several others wounded general
escade earlier than intended half the scaling ladders
provided being In ume determined stand Of the Tartar
troops the entrance of thci quarter below the north
gate charge and rout Of them by the naval brigade and
aes retreat OF the braves from the vicinity Coughs
and the other forts the heights when they the
nve-stood pagoda in possession capture Of the high
fort and temple Magazine Hllestablishment there of
headquarters and entertainments.
december 3Oth. March to the West Gate crcumva
ston Of the walls Of the old city by strong party
headed by the Commander-in Chief Admiral Seymour
Admiral Rgault de Genouily, and General Van Strauen
submission Of the people and their evacuation of the
city through the West Gate q
December 3lstEngaged M quaItering the troops, and
in landing provisions, for permanent occupation
JANUARY lst lsSS-Grand procession to headquarters
OF the plenirotentaries Of France and England
January 2d-Commencement Of wet weather garrison
occupiet in securing themselves from Its bad effects.
january Sd Sunday, day of rest.
january 4th-Continued rain.
January 5.-Grand Coup.-Capture of the Viceroy Yeh
at the quarters Of the lieutenant of the Tartar
troops OF PHI quei, governor Of the city, at his own
palace Of the Tartar general in his palace adjacent and
OF fE5 900 sterling in dollars and ingots of silver a the
imperial treasury Removal OF Heh prisoner to II NJ
B. S. IOiexibe, board Of which vesse the Bogue
he still remains, contented and cheerful being engaged
throughout the day generally in convelsihg Oh tiv.l
subjects with Mr. Alabaster the interpreter attached
the suite Of the fallen rnaehata.
January 6-1me afactsed to Pin Quei and the Tartar
general to CONSIDER the terms offered them by the British
and French-tviz: the issuing Of proclamation to the
people in which it is stated that they rule the prov
incc under the protectorate of the city g captors
January -. Installation of Pin que as the teinstacd
1sn OF governor of the CITY, exercising also the pow
ers OF the 1sWfah or viceroy, deporcd Addresses
the occasion by the Earl of En and Baron Gross both
being to the effect of adjuring the newly installed officer
to echew oil treachery unerhand proceedings warn
ing him OF the consequences of doing and announcing
that the psotectote would be continued until atisfacto
ry terms had been made with the government Pekin
Petqvei replying that he understood his position and
WoU.d net with fidelity.
January s.The commissioners viz: Col HaIloway
M. le Captaine de Chenea and Mr. Harry Parkes
charged with the supervision of the government took up
their quarters with strong guard, at the Eoyuen's
paacc of the govcrnor) and proceeded to the work
which they have since been engaged viz the issuing of
proclamatons to the surrounding country inviting peo
persons and property.
From the sth TO the present date everything has pro-
eeeed With the greatest smoohness and there appears
TO be fair prospect of the taking off of the block
ado, and the resumption Of trade within the next
week IL only remains to be said that in all the quar-
tiers Of the city which, ctoM escort we have visited
the people have exhibited signs of submission rule
and an apparent reef from the incubus under which
they have long abored It expected that The east
gate the main artery of the old citywoud be opened
to-day. R|
To this mere chronological recon of events append
the following exceedingly Interesting narrative filling up
the outline of operations presented above
The orders agreed to by all the chiefs. both French
ana English, that the assault should be made at
O'Clock, but the men had been all night in the open
they were drawn up at daybreak in position and the en-
aton between the French and English added their
impatiencc One Frcnchman killed and several
English wounded by the fire from their own ships At
twenty minutes before the appointed time the French
advanced and Of the English could not be kept
back They had crossed the ditch and clustered
under the wall before the scaling ladders could I've brought
up. dare devil young Frenchman had taken off his
shoes and CATERS and trying to work himself up
the southern angle of the bastion aided by Major Luard
who proppin him up with the muzze of the French
mans own tirelock, when ladder placed and
Luard lcping upon it stood first upon the wall He was
followed by Frcnchman tho bantnaster of the seth
and Colonel Hope Graham. At the same instant of |
fime Stuart of the engineers balancing in air upon
breaking ladder, at the north side Of the bason but
although he sprang to another and got upon that be-
eve that two or three Frenchmen springng to the wall
from the breaking ladder, got up before him. Let me
mention, aiso Corporal Perkins and Daniel Donovan
both volunteer Sappes who held their place well among
the French assalans and among the first the
wall
Meanwhile, the Chinese had been tumbing down all |
sorts OF missiles but when the allies once upon
the wall the great body of them retired They poured |
down into the city, and fired from the streets they
dodged behind the buildings the ampars and aimed
their cumbrous matchlocks from behind them few |
single encounters took place. and Luards revolver dis
posed of lingerer but the general to fire
right and left and hurry to the right to sweep the wall
upwards towards the hill Helter-skelter away they
fore them along the WALL until some hundred yards in
front they upon body of the bescgcrs, who
were Just accomplishing another escal~le
The chiefs of the British force Admiral Seymour Gen
Straubcnzec and the staff, occupied cottage within
east gate and five round shot from the walls passed
through it. storm of balls and rockets from the wall
hutled all round this spot and could cross the
footway and the village without imminent danger 1t
was necessary, however, that should an
open patch of vegetables and look down into the ditch
where the best point for placing the ladders would
be Captain Bate at volunteered to co. and Captain
Mann, of the engineers, accompanied him Bate was
of the most scientific of the surveying service
right good officer, and popular commander. He wss
moreover, emincntly religious fy pluck" MS
heard very gallant officer say weeks before this
event, sis quite different thing from Bate's' / go
ahead because never think Of danger Bate is always
ready for desperate service because he always pre-
pared for death Bate had across the open patch
and was looking down into the ditch when shot
1