Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-13
.,,.o. ON tn. Chinese Fort.

.,r-ssnondeut of the Philadelphia Led
rr;,;ps from China, gives thrilling 40
E' os the capture of the Pecho Forts by
roo,;.b and French. After stating tha
'ne reclish steamer Cormorant, Captain
tae ars, was ordered to open the battle, the
.riter proceeds: s 49,
INST the hawser, it parted like length Of
as,T,bread and gave the signal Of battle to
la0As 1r,s Their earthern sides at once
tne y, forth iron and fame, tearing the va.
peta' s,ores Of places aud hulliog the ad,
&c. n,,g steamer upon her port side.
'' Fiat down at your guns" cried the IN,
:, S,um,rsz. And at the command
''ev'' nan cas-, himself fat upon the steam
"s'' 1ack and allowed the iron shower to
CT IN ia wav. He, himself, however,
p past ;upatieutly the elevated poop like the
S ,Ioss man he is, directed the men at the
'la,' eyomired the forts through bis glass.
eusFiI .,eped for any hail from bis sailing
Spu OHIO also walked along the forecastle.
% %ss ron shower was succeeded by second
lu ,b;rd--inally the discharge was al
So. oor,;noous. Still the steamer moved
n aoss;Iv ahead, dark, silent, mutilated-but
'brs,,enipg as a sleeping volcano. AT length
W. .as her arrive abreast OF the NTH lott,
VA a. the sane Instant We notice signal
a.. from the masthead OF the gunboa;
Ha, W. ,wo sdnirals. l, is the parting OF
VI u. ~ t,u.cr" Of the allies; the emblem of
To" ',. ,be longed for signal for the bursting OF
wa, I,.no Successive and dense volumes
'"0 onLe now burst from the sides OF the
U..os,od steamer, envelope her in surging
n'aI and hide from view the furious work
mo ot the guns which succeed: The RAPID
and heavy discharges, preceded 6y iur'a
S "I If i me and followed BY clouds of
ano,nnd signs of disorder in the fort, tell
.ta;nIv enough. however, Of the work OF death
,bs, il under way. -,
The homta.dmeut is now general, and has
,.s,sd ,or an hour or more. Still, the CHI
100 hang bravely by their guns, urged to
.on,o,e nv their mandarins; who, strange to
s,r are net. in this case, the first to run.--
Snme hold mar Uu7re must therefore De re-
.,r,ed 10, for many Of the steamers have been
h,dIv hulled, and macy valuable lives al
,sady lost. There it gIcs! Another hutter-
in, :igpal from the gun-boat of the admiral.
Tss, sipnal mean>--"Away there, storner,
and scae the fortsw One would think that
!, was writteu in large letters, instead OF be-
inc indicated ty flags. so quickly is itop6ey,,
a. hundred boats are suddenly urged
awards the rivers side, and eighteen hut
dred men leap in the mud and Chamber up
tho broken banks. Thee, with leVelied bay
one,. and heayy tramp they press forward
their solid masses upon, into, through the
yavr;pp embrasures The foe can stand no
ionOer. Even the Mantchoo Tartar shrinks
before such threatening front of advancing
steel ard deserts his guns for tumultuous
fight So long as the allies are 10 the mid
die Of the river he could brave the danger OF
the exploding she'll, but as soon as they near
ed him 50 steadily with their bristling front
being naturally u ticklish mao-he takes
up a hurried ght. The whole 10000 who
had garrisoned the forts we're now IN full re-
treat. la vain the brave old maudsrlns
Something that they have never done beore)
throw themselves in their way; blows curses,
en,resties are 10 longer OF ary avail. Fear
has overcome authority; discipline 10 at 40
end, and victory declares for the allies after
struggle Of . hours so ninutes.s
The writer adds, that on The very day of
the battle, Mr.. Reed, the American Minister
was to have gone on shore to have signed a
treaty which yrCn,ted us ererything zoe hare
asked for and which bad all been arranged
previously. Though We may say that 1.-The
battle Of the Pi-llo" had resulted in any thing
but benefit 10 Us.