Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-16
MORNING LEADER.
The War in China-Auaok on the Chimes.
FOrts-AecOHnt by an American

The capture Of Peiho Forts, by the English
and French, was quite an event in the advance
on Pekin. The British lost some IS in killed
and wounded, and the French had Is men killed
aud 40 wounded by the explosion Of , mine
lhe loss of the Chinese supposed TO be very
heavy, as the firing from the ships and gun
boats was very accurate, the shells bursting
with great precision in the embrazures. The
forts were captured in about two hours and a
hall from the commencement of the attack =
Some 9S guns were taken 6S Of which zefe
brass. An American who witnessed the battle.
alter stating that the English steamer Cormo-
rant Capt. Saumarez, was ordered to orNn the
battle, gives the following spirited account of it
As soon as the CormOrant steamed up against
the hawser, It parted like a length of pack
thread, and gave the signal Of battle To the
iorts. Their earthen sides at once beiehed forth
iron and fame, tearing tle water in score of
places and hulling the advancing steamer upon
her port side. Flat down down at your guns. %
erled the intrepid SaumareZ- And at the com
mands every man east himself fiat down uDon
the steamers deck, and allowed the iron show
er 10 pass on its way. He himself however
strobe impatieutly the elevated poop like The
brave man he is, directed the men al the guns
examined the forts through his glass, and lis
tened for any hail from his sailing-naster. who
also walked along the forecastle The iron
shower was succeeded by second and a third
-hnally the discharge was almost continuous
Still the steamer moved steadily ahead. dark.
SILENT mutllated-but threatening as \ sleeping
volcano. At length, we see her arrive abreast
OF the fifth fort aud daff ff.,.-
hee signal floating lrUm the mast head Of the /
gun boat of the two admirals Itis the "partina
Of the hawser of the allies; the emblem Of
war; the longed-f for signal for the bursting Of |
the volcano. Successive and dense volumes of /
smoke now harst from the sides of the arrested 1
steamer, envelope her in surging cloud. and |
hTde fr0mview the furious working of the GUNS
which succeed. The rapid and heavy discbar-
ges, preceded by lurid flshes of flame and fol- /
lowed by clouds Of dust and signs of disorder in |
the iort, tell plainly enough, however Of the /
work Of death that Is under way.
The bomb1rIment is now general. and has 1
lasted Tor an hour or more. Still, the Chinese 4
hang orayely by their guns, urged to courage by |
their mandarins, who, strsnge 10 saw. aTe pof.
IN tins case, the tirst to run. Some bold ma
neuvre must therefore be fesorted to, for many
of the steamers have been badly hulled. and
many valuable lives already lost There it goes,
Another huttering signal from the gun. boat of
the admisal. That signal means-"Away there.
stormeTs, and scale the forts - One would
think that it was written in large letters instead
of being indicated by flags, so quickly is It
obeyed. hundred boats are suddenly urged
towards the rivers sides, and eighteen hundred
men leap in the mud and Chamber up the broken
banks. Then, with leyellcd bayonets and heavy
tramp they press forward their solid masses
upon, into, through the yaEning emlrasures
The foe can stand no longer. Even the Maus
choo Tartar shinks before such a threatening
front of advancing steel, and deserts his guns
for tumultuOus flight. So long as the allies
were in the middle Of the river he could brave
--sar7Ift The exploding shells, but SOON
as they neared him so steadily with their bris-
Ting frOnt-being naturally q tieklish man-be
takes up a hurried flight. The whole 10000
who had garrisoned the forts were now in full
retreat. In vain the brave old mandarins (some-
thing that they have never done before) throw
themselves in their way; blows, curses, ontroat-
les are no longer Of a1y avail. Fear has over
come authority; discipline Is at an end, and VIC
tory declares for the allies after struggle of .
hours so minutes.
The writer adds, that on the,very day Of the,
battle, Mr. Reed, the American Minister, was
to'haye gone on. shore to have signed treaty
which granted rs ererythiag sSs Aave asked for,
and which had all been arranged previously.
Thus we may say that 'sihe battle Of the Pi-
Ho@@bas resulted in anything but benefit to Us.