Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-10-15
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INJUSTICE TO our NAVY Throughout our
country the newspapers have been teeming Of
late with lsudabls sympathy In the painful mar
rafves Of the losses sustained In the Arctic expe-
dision under The lamented Sir John franklin,
and ON the Peiho under Admiral James Hope.
The disastrous rspulss Of the allied forces Of
Great Britain and France, by the Chinese forts,
has seized upon the public mind, both at home
: and abroad; while the brilliant capture and de-
strustlon 81 other Chinese forts by mere handful
OF Americans a. late - November, l65e, seems to
have hess almost forgotten in this country; though,
st the time, IL attracted much notice from the En-
giish pres, and received high encomiums in Par
liamsat hon tae present Enslish Premier, ss he
Commodore Tattnalfs oGicial dispatch relative
70 the Peiho repnl.e has been published; but never,
70 this day, that Of Commodore Armstrong on the
American conquest q the Chinese forts q Cannon
siyes why has q dispatch On actions 70 credit
able to our arms, and oar Navy, been with
held! Doubeieo ~ gallant Capesin Foote, who
led the attacking party, nobly seconded BY Cap
the Squadfon,, cemmodore Armstrong. and sby
him With his comments, 1t was communicated 70
the Navy Department: But why that dispatch
is not the object q inquiry. It's suascisns 70;
The highly esteemed Secretary Of the NAVY NAV
ettep.is an onis on q his Psedecessos, that was
time Of the receipt Of the dispatch near the close
OF zen. Pierce's Administration. 8
During November, 1856, one Of the ships boats.
mouth man Of war, having been prevented a.
cending the river to Canton, it was decided to at
tack the forts, from one Of which Captain Foote's
boat was fred into. a@ :.
For this object--as we learn from an unpub.
nshed manuscript letter before us-tbe eeacient
men from the squadron, under the command Of
C ss;a Arm:ffong, We're put on board two
Armstrong snd suite, with Lieufenant RutIedpe.
Joined Capt. Foote, on board the latfer; Can't B.ll
and Lieutenanis Lewis and Carter on bosrd the
Pm, and at . they were fred upon by two OF the
forts. Here we viii remark, from an obseryation
made bya distinguished military man, ssperfectlv
sequai1ssd with the character. build and situation
guns,o a. described In "The Cruise Of the Meme
sis, - that they are the work Of Europcsa engi-
neess Tneii conquest was considered by him
nfghesf honor on all engaged In Il, fof lshaviug
been 70 brilliantly accomplished ri a ! =
To resume the narrative:--stThe Portsmouth
70 the mortancation Of her onicers. the LEVIN,
grounded barely within range Of IRE, that for
tnree houn was poured upon the Portsmouth, and
onIy cessed At DARK The Portsmouth did great
execution; and Capt. Foote deserves all psaise for
the gallant style he took her into action Several
q the crew were badly wounded, aud nine round
saes struck the shlPs hull. = Il was de-
cidsd % land the men and take Fort No. / the
next morning. Al early daylight the firing bSgap:
and the ships shelled the two forts for an bo7r
the shot, on both sides, dew thick and fast. and
damage and wounds were indicted on board the
ships, and all anxiously waited the e ~,
tsking to the boats. At half past seven (iccI
the 81 Jacinfo's launch, her First Lieutsnsot In
eSsr2e, w Win sowit.er, endeaycred to keep
aneao; all under the command Of Can't Foose
He took the lead with the marines and tie salon
WIN the heavy guns; and succccded In being ara
on shore, where all were united, kuee deep in
they came upon the fort before the soldier in Il
were aware Of their approach. The enemy ned
IN every direction; but our men were exposed to
Capt. simms, With the marines. Behaved ms,
gsllantiy In every attempt TO r.ily, the Chinese
were driven back with great los About nipe
me - oes az e, sso'esg party S :. quiet
guns, was desfroyed, AFTER having been occupied
during the night BY Capt Bell, an oflcer Of dis
sns nlsnsd m, merit who behaved most CALAMITY
IN stack that was made At two O'clock In he
night, attended with most extsaordinayv noiss
peculiar TO chiness warfare. The next day an,
4 force from the ships. with the boats-this ~
On Friday, the 2ist- The guns were OPENED unon
tes@ from the ships, fos an hour before faEina to
N s e ,S snail seenes toek ten boat In Tow,
about eight o'clock The forts opened : nEinS
are upon the steamer, and the launch, commsnded
ssa I ass,o Lsw,s va ss.res By sspoand shos
One man was Killed, two mortsily wounded
who died the same day, and nine othsy. 80
yoanaea; several P1f Aoss De eo.ssas. Thsir
men now went ashore to cut OF the retseat Of TIE
ass lsnded.. 4 few shet from he hewitsess, in
WEB Ws..s sai AZ i,d r.s ably s';isd y Lies
neseH q the Lsvant, scastered the Chinese.
Lieu, ssan wss put In charge Of the captured
,Ss, BY Capt Fooee, TO use the howiisers seainst
tne enemy, whiist an attack was made o.. the
kound Fort, NO .. That was also carried I'm =
~ minuses Thus, On Friday. . smsll ArDericsn
force had cape1red two large forts, and the Ames.
hkm Hwithia = fsw Sesss. At 49,, ecnp g.
next morning., our brave ailoss renewed their
vol, ad.E fse@ re e.ps1,ed fors and fion tie
only howitser taken along, which aid ecod s s
vice, TIE enemy ~ aflses out & ss<ir al isss
sssoeghsld fort No. and s.the wosk uSS dose >.
~ e,eloek, the Amsric.. naes were flying
guas and Thousands driven before 90 mere hand
3ap' Of Americans, at no time exceeding 40 men.
- Ruasssy q AL eagaged In thsSs aghs d
g 10 70 be heped, win some q tReoe dsvs
- sss1a' under the authority Of the Navy
-. x6, :, =, injustice has been done to our Navy
.s,s.s .se memory Of the gallant Decafnr, by TIE
o.s snt, which has beea going the rounds OF
..P.iSoPn s. r. = eesssesoa Win the repuiss Al
ts~s cou%s a = (, higate 'sthe EndymIeu,' p
henry Hope. x. c. b :" fp"cis I. -. m aS sls
sspe y ne clissse sss. cspsnred shs Ameri.
Prr.idsss ~ essxas.a sssh z NOT the fact The
1sl3, y British squsdroa. eo,ssos,, ~ January,
@ Re@eshil sad several ffiRases hax,n, .4 Inc
sIse,, sse iEsss, Is.sso. ..d Pomss., on
"haii dswn.'' FsIrsS TO THE Nv .ssr
Dscrsnos or TIM srcsrrA.r or nm r.r..r