The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-09-29


and French ambassadors to force the passage Of
the Pei-ho. Mr.. WARD, the American Minister,
it appears reached the mouth of the Pei-ho, on
the Dist of June. He went thither, in the Poac-
hatan, from Shanghai, in pursuance of informa-
ton received from the Imperial Commissioners
with whom he had been in communication, and
who had assured him that he would find at that
point an escort to conduct him to the capital
Upon arriving at the Pei-ho, Mr.. WARD found
there Mr.. BRUCE and NJ. BoURBoULoN, the English
and French Ambassadors, with an English and
French feet Of twenty-one vessels. OF these,
however, only thirteen were of sufficiently light
draught to cross the bar at the mouth of the
rive. As Mr.. WARDS right to visit Pekin
at all, depended altogether upon the Favored
''nation clause" as it is called, in the treaty con-
Guided by Mr.. READ, and not upon any express
stipulation to that effect, it was deemed proper,
and was in fact suggested by the the Chinese Com
missioners that he should ascend the river in
company with the English and French representa-
tives. This, Mr. WARD had accordingly prepared
to do, having followed the Allied squadron from
Shang-hae for the purpose, and having brought
with him light steamer, the Toey- Van adapted
to the navigation of the Pei-ho. Upon entering
the mouth of the river, however, Mr.. WARD found
his progress impeded by chain-cables stretched
from bank to bank, and by stakes planted in the
bed of the stream, and forming complete che0aur
de frse, extending across the entire width of the
channel. On either side of the river, moreover,
were earth-works constructed so as effectually to
command every approach, and though no guns
were visible-the embrasures being covered with
mats, and not soldier TO be seen-capable of offer
ing formidable resistance TO any attempt to force
passage. Mr.. WARD was informed by Admiral
Hope, the Commander of the English squadron,
that on his arrival few days previous he
had been requested by the ambassadors to open
the door which was closed against their ad-
mission and that he had accordingly given the
Chinese until Saturday the 25th Of June to re-
move the distinctions. Mr.. WARD replied that
he had no intention of forcing an entrance but
having been directed by the Chinese Commission
ers to repair to this place. he should proceed to
notify the authorities of his arrival, and unless
fired on or prevented by force, he should ascend
the stream. On the oath of June, he accordingly
steamed across the bar in the Toey- Van and con-
tinued until, through ignorance of the channel the
steamer aground close to the Forts and within
easy range of their fire. A party was sent ashore
who found everything silent about the forts and
earthworks, and who were told by the natives
that there was Mandarin of rank in the neigh
berhood; that the Ambassadors were waited for |
at the north mouth of the Pe-ho some ten miles
distant; and that the distractions in the chan
mel were placed there not to prevent the
Ambassadors from going to Pelin, but as a
protection against the rebels and that any
attempt to remove them would certainly be re-
sisted In The meantime, the Toey- Van re-
manned hard and fast upon the bank on
which she had grounded. Admiral HoPE sent his
to Commodore TATNALL to advise
him that when the tide fell his vessel would prob
ably prove total wreck; that, moreover his posi-
sion was very exposed one, as the forts might
open fire upon him at any moment; and to offer
him, accordingly, the choice of any of Her Maes-
TVS gun boats to which he might wish to transfer
his pennant, with his officers and crew, and the
American Minister and suie-and leave to hoist
the American ensign at the peak. This polite and
highly complimentary offer Commodore TATNALL
declined, but stated that any assistance towards
rescuing the I0ey Van from her uncomfortable
and dangerous position would be thankfully re-
celved That assistance was promptly rendered,
and the English men-of-wars men tugged
manfnlly but without success to get the 7oes,-
Van off the bank With the tide, how
ever, she at length foated ont, and seeing
that the English were bent on forcing a
passage, and fearful lest the lights on board the
steamer might be mistaken for signals by the Allied
squadron and thereby cause confusion, and
possibly draw the fire of the forts upon him. Com
modore TATNALL dropped down the river, and
anchored below the English vessels. At mid
night between Friday and Saturday, the oath
and 18th of June, two explosions, followed by
the report of gun, announced that the work of
blowing mp the barriers in the river had COM
menced. AT twenty minutes to 8, the next after
noon, the English squadron in order of battle
attempted to pass the forts and the action COM
menced The masks were triced up and from
the iorts on poth sides of the river tremendous
lire was opened on the squadron and with pre-
cslon and accuracy of aim never before expert |
enced at the hands of the Chinese At o'clock
IN the afternoon, the Allies having evidently had
the worst of it, Admiral Hope requested Commo-
dore TATNALL to lend his assistance in towing up
the river from some junks anchored below. the |
boats containing the landing party, composed of |
soldiers and marines. To this request Commo- |
modore TATNALL, upon consultation with Mr..
WARD, acceded, and accordingly the Toey-
wan was employed in towing up barces
filed with English troops These LANDING. |
made gallant but Intellectual attempt to carry the
forts by storm. Reserving their fire. until the
troops were within easy range, the Chinese poured
upon the advancing columns perfect hurricane of
cannon and musket-balls, gingals and arrows.
Wading in mud and water to their waists, the |
gallant Englishmen struggled on with ''soddened |
pouches and useless ammunition" but with I'M |
tagging courage and determination. Out of the |
whole ''six hundred fifty succeeded in reaching
he third ditch, and would have attempted to scale
he shot or stuck fast in the mud. OF ten men,
Who reached the walls three were killed, and |
i've desperately wounded. The call to retreat |
being at length reluctantly sounded, the scat
cred survivors of the gallant band ATTEMPTED
% regain their boats, and in doing so. were shot
Town 'like birds' by the Chinese marksmen
whose aim was aided by the glare of the bombs
thrown from the vessels, and of the rockets and
olne-lghts that were sent up, for the purpose from
he forts. AT 10 O'Clock at night the fire of the
Allies ceased, half of the vessels of the souadron
having been sunk or run aground, and the officers
and crews being engaged in desperate efforts to
bring off their wounded. In this labor of hnmani-
ty they assisted by the boats of the Toey- Van
Out of twelve hundred men engaged, between four
and five hundred were killed and wounded, in
Guiding eight officers among the former and twenty
'nree among the latter. On the AdmiraFs gum
boat, out of forty-one men, all but three were
killed or wounded. The Commander had his head
carried OF by cannon ball, and the Admiral
nimseli was severely wounded by splinter in
the thgn. Refusing to be carried below, vet I'M
sble to stand, the Admiral had supported himself
oy rope, until that was shot away. and was
found by Commodore TATNALL, lying belnless nm
the deck. The result of this disastrous affair vo.
Of course the withdrawal of the squadron from,
he river and the return of the allied Ambassadors
% Shang-hae. Mr.. WARD proceeded, as he had |
been directed by the Chinese, to the north mouth |
IF the Pei-ho where he found the Chinese officials