Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-13

seemed to lead the fire about as tame elephant
precisely as they willed; and, strange to say,
il never seemed to spread inward, or to stray
from the line of the city walls. expect that
when, at some more convenient season, | come
to see the interior, shall find that all the con-
fagrations we have been watching to night with
an awe stricken pity have destroyed only that
line Of old houses which leant against the inner
side of the wall, and afforded cover to those
gigalls whence all our great losses in affairs
with the Chinese have arisen.
THE STORM AND EscALADE OF THE WALLS.
/ mark the change of days, but they are not
divided by repose. All night the city was grit
by line of flame. The approach Of morning
was indicated by a suspension of the rocket
practice, and by the reopening of the mortar
battery with redoubled energy. AS the day
broke the flames sank down and the sun rose
upon perfectly smokeless city.
The charges Of powder must have been in
creased in the mortar batteries, for the shells
now flew high up to the hill forts. One of them
Mt daybreak burst upon an embrasure of Fort
Cough, and another went right over it, The
ships that had been enflading the eastern wall
now ceased firing 1t was the moment for the
assault. In the nNighborhood of the east fort
the three divisions formed and the rush was
made. For two hours nothing is visible but
smoke-nothing is heard but the rattle of mus
kerry and loud cheering.
What deeds are done among this broken
ground-among these trees and brushwood on
the tops and in the interstices of these grave
covered hillocks--how fare these forces, spread
over more than mile of attack, what divisions
are first, who fall and who survive, i must tell
hereafter AT o'clock the wall is gained, and
| see the blue jackets, English and French, ra-
cling along it northwaryls Coughs Fort gives
out its fire, let us hope without effect, but well
served, its guns might sweep the wall. There
is check and silence for half an hour / can
recognize the blue trousers of one of the divi-
sions of our naval brigade The leaders are
probably teaching them how to take that five
stored pagoda upon the northwestern wall
Along the city wall, and protected by its
battements, they pass, ] think, unscathed,
the fire from Cough Fort away to their right,
and come In front OF cleaning white bate
ry, newly built, and full of guns, erected upon
a ledge If thu rock upon which the wall and
the five storied pagoda here stand. If the as
saiants would only 60 to proper distance,
how these guns would riddle them But with
a rush and a cheer detachment strikes from
the cover of the wall, which the guns do not
command, and houses itself safely at the foot
of the very rock which bears the battery. Not
shot can it fire. The rihemen from the walls
now ply this half moon for some minutes, and
in quarter of an hour the detachment at the
foot Of the rock has gone round and taken the
position from behind
Relieved from these guns, which might
have swept them down by hundreds, our men
in serried masses are now swarming along the
wall. The five storied pagoda (Which Is no
more pagoda, according to our notion of
a pagoda, than it is bumboat, but an old
squared building divided into stories) is car
ried by the bayonet and the French and
English colors are hoisted simultaneously.
Now Coughs Fort opens out sulkily upon its
late ally; but the assailants, not waiting TO
reply, hurry along the intervening wall west
ward. | can follow them for some time from
my position, and | hear them cheering when
i lose them in the hollow.
few minutes Of sharp fusillade, and blue
jackets emerge from the trees and buildings
upon Magazine hill A moment after. and up
go the the two bits of bunting which tell that
this key of Canton is our own.
1t is now twenty minutes after ten. In four
hours, therefore, the hill defences of this city
have been captured. Coughs Fort vet holds
quiet; but this is mere question of a few
hours or minutes more or less. The Magazine
hill commands it, and it is within point blank
range.