New-York daily tribune., 1859-09-27
CHINA.
DEFEAT OF THE ALLIED FORCES.

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Intelligence from the north is OF the most disastrous
nature having been repulsed at the entrance
of the Peiho with very oss. Mr.. Bruce arrived
off the Pebo the 18th of June, and sought commu.
nics,ion with the authorities thore. No officers OF
rank were found but some messages were nterchangeu
between some petty Mandsrns and Mr. Bruce's suite.
The tenor Of there was, that the foreign Ministers
would be allowed 70 proceed to Pekn by passage TO
the northward, but thst no man'of-war would De
allowed to enter the Psho. They disclaimed ectng
under Imperial ORDERS stating that the forts ana oar
rers constructed by the country people To protect
them against pirates. Failing 70 obtain any salsfsc-
tory intercourse Mr. Bruce handed the matter over to
Admiral Hope who on the 18th OF June, proceeded 10
force passage. ~,
North China Herald of the 9th and l4th inst:
"HER MAJEsTYs SHIP -, oil the Peln0, July L.
"OD the 18th Of June, the negotiations with the
Chinese having come TO nothing but put-of to gam
time the Admiral with his flag flying In the Plover,
followed by the gun boats Lee, Nimrod, Cormorant,
Opossum Bsnterer Starting, Forester hestrel, Janus,
and Haugh,y proceeded to Ake up position off the
Peiho forts ready to attack in case the Chinese should
offer any resistance 10 clearing away the barriers Az
D. No. the stations having been pretty well ooaned
with the exception of the SarDg and Banterer, which
were on shore the former the south and the latter
on the north bsnkl the Plover and OpOssum weighed;
the latter proceeded 10 clear away passage through
the iron stakes which composed the hrst oDstructon
Two of these having been drawn, the Pover followed
by the Opossum passed through them, and also the
second boom, which had been destroyed by the flag
captain on the previous night On arriving at the sec
ond sbe attempted, together with the Opossum, TO
break through it, but without effect Almost immedl
stely, single gun was fired at her, and directly all
the masks were rolled up, and tremendous fire was
opened on the squadron and the action became gen.
ersl. The Lee, by signal from the Plover, passed
through the stakes TO the support OF the Admiral.
TIE Plover and the Opossum were, however, soon
obliged 10 sp the fire being too heavy for them, and,
followed by the Lee dropped clear OF the stakes al
3:l5 The gun. boat Plover suffered very rnuch IN
killed and wounded An officer was cent to the reserve
to order up retuforcemens but the tide was teo strong
for the boats TO attempt to pull mp. The American
flag officer very kindly offered TO tow the boats up 10
position to enable them TO reach the gun,boas AT
4:3O the enemys fire wes slsekened considerably, or,
d.rs cent do Hn to the reserve for Marines and
Naval Brgsdes TO prepare 70 land, and the Forester
ard the Opossum, together with the Toeywan, pro-
ceeded and towed them to the Nimrod, the place OF
rendezvous Al an early period of the action the Al
miral had been wounded on board the Plover by
splinter in the thigh and tha. vessel almost entire
ly disabled. He shifted his flag to the Opossum.
When there he took his station the csboose, and
thence issued bis orders, until round shot cut the
maDstay on which he was leaning and caused him TO
fall TO the deck, hight OF some eight feet breaking
rib and severely shaking him. After a short time he
left the OpOssum in toe Du Chaylas gig, and pro.
ceeded to the Cormorant, where he remained. Al 54o
the boats, having assembled alongside the Nimrod,
pushed for the shore the sakes as possio ole,
and opposite 70 the left bastlon about 6O0 yards d's-
tant from it. The landing here was composed OF mud
pererce in getting up the scaling ladders and bridges
The Marines and Naval Brigade, sma portion OF
which had only just landed pushed to the front under
very heavy fire from six gnns in flank and in front.
The fire from the walls of gingals, niles, and arrows
was also very heavy.
"No check had hitherto taken place, but here
ditch five feet deep and ten broad occurred and the
men having no choice, plunged across, aud thereby
wetted their ammunition. party of some % officers
and men again pushed on and crossed another wet
ditch which took them within 10 yards of the wall.
In the tine Captains Shadwell aud Vansittart as
also Colouel Lemon, having been wounded, the COM
msnds devolved on Commanders COmmerell and Major
PaIke. II was now alb )ut O'clock and darkness had
set in. The position Of the landing party was most
precarious 10 officers and men alone remained in the
fret ditch, and ABOUT 80 in the second. Many
had been killed and wounded, and, with the excep-
ton of a small body $50 yards further back, no
reenforcemens appeared TO be offering and the men
aTeady at the front were perfectly exhausted, and
without dry ammunition or rifles tit to use. The
ofic. vain oursgei their TO charge TO the
wals, but it was inetfectua the men were few and
done up, and even if they had not been they never
could have carried them against the thousands that
lined the walls. ULder these circumstances the com
harding officer dispatched an officer to the rear TO ask
for instr uctons and the senior officer sent him back
Immediately with orders for the force to withdraw
reenforcements could be sent. Directly this order
received, the wounded dispatched to the
by twos and threes and two hours having been given
them TO get 10 the boats, the small advanced party
treated good order from ditch 10 ditch, examining
the ground their retreat for aoy wounded that might
have been overlooked. Many poor fellows, alss in
the retreat fell to rise 10 more but the wounded
saved and brought of.
" In the mean time the boats of the squadron under
Capt. Wiles employed themselves in embarkog the
wounded, and the isnolDg party and o'clock or little
after they all off. The gun-bOats did their duy
ably and covered the landing party up TO the latest
moment il prudent 10 ire and shortly after, a.
testimony Ct their hsrdfought day, the Lee and Kes
re sunk and the Naughty just ,rsged TO keep herself
sfoat TIL the morning, when she went down, but fortn
ns ely out OF range At m. the CormOraLt with the
Admiral board full of wounded, was go fast aground
that considered necessary to leave her, as she
right under the batteries, and at daylight the enc
my would doubtless concentrate their fire on her,
whereas if she were temporarily abandoned it was
hoped that the enemy would cease fnng on her. and
the reIt night We should be able TO get her OF. For
the sane reasons the Plover and Starting both i'm
movsbly aground, were cleared Of their crews. The
morning OF the 10Th showed our squadron in sal con-
dition; hardly gun boat but was disabled However,
during the day the carpenters of the squsdron were
employed pa ching them up Temporarily, and the Star
ling having oe.ec, her second master pro ;eeded IN
db2y and cut her cable when che dred ont Of range
with the ebb. Two night attempts were made by Capt.
Wiles 10 recover the Cormorant and the Plover but
without success. The COrmOrants ships company hav
ing remained till ii TO endeavor 10 hos. her,
mos; terrific fire was opened upon her from batteries
both forth and south and it soon became evident that
she was sinking. Orders therefore sent down
Commander Wotehouse ordering him TO abandon her
if he had 10 hopes. Her ships company and officers
eD barked accordingly but not before the water
up TO her lower deck and half hour sfterwsrd
she went down head foremost. The same night fresh
attempts were made on the Plover but il was found
mpractcsble, as she was full Of water and gave no
hope Of her being able to float. A. dsyigh. the Kss.
e sunk on the 2j.h underline batteries observed
drifting out, and having been towed by the Janus into
shoal water, was eventually recovered. During that
day tie enemy got on board the Pover over the mud
and saved the trouble OF destroying her by setting
her OF tEe the mselves but not before grea. portion
OF her stores had been recovered.
he W. dsv toa of tba