The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-09-28


published.
The North China Herald gives full account o
the British attack upon the ToKu forts, from which
we make some extracts. After detailing the event.
of the early part of the action, the Herald says:
AT 5.45 the boats having assembled alongside
the Nimrod pushed for the shore, as near to the
stakes as possible, and opposite to the left bastion
about 600 yards distance from it. The landing here
was composed OF mud about knee deep, and the
greatest difficulty was experienced in getting up
the scaling ladders and bridges. The marines and
naval brigade, small portion of which had only
just landed, pushed to the 'front.' under heavy fire
from six guns in flank and in front. The fire from
the walls, of gingals, rifles and arrows, was also
very heavy.
No check had hitherto taken place. but here a
ditch five feet deep and ten broad occurred, and the
men, having no choice, plunged across and thereby
wetted their ammunition. A party of some fifty
officers and men again pushed on and crossed anoth-
er wet ditcn, which took them within twenty yards
of the wall. In the meantime. Captains Shadwell
and Vansittart, as also Col. Lemon, having been
wounded, the command devolved upon Commander
Commerell and Major Parke. 1t was now about
nine o'clock, and darkness had set in The position
of the landing party was most precarious, fifty Off
GERS and men alone remained in the first ditch, and
about $50 in the second. Many had been killed and
wounded, and with the exception of a small body
one hundred and fifty yards further back no rein
forcements appeared to be Offering, ana the men
already at the front were perfectly exhausted and
WITHOUT uFy ammunition OF flUeS III TO use.
The officers in vain encouraged their men to
charge to the wall, but it Intellectual; the men
were few and done up, and even if they had, they
never could have carried them against the thou
sands that lined the walls. Under these crcum-
stances, the commanding officers dispatched an Of
icer to the rear to ask for instructions, and the
senior officers sent him back Immediately with or
ders for the force to Withdraw as no reinorcements
could be sent. Directly this order received
the wounded were despatched to the rear by twos
and threes, and two hours having been given them
to get in the boats the small advanced party re
treated in good order from ditch to ditch examin-
ing the ground in their retreat for any wounded
that might have been overlooked MANY poor fel-
lows, alas, in the retreat fell to rise no more but
the wounded were saved and brought off
In the meantime, the boats of the squadron un-
der Capt. Willes employed themselves in embark
ing the wounded and landing party and at O'Clock
or a little after they were ali off The gun-boats
did their duty ably, and covered the landing party
up to the latest moment it was prudent to fire. and
shortly alter, as testimony OF their hard fought
day, the Lee and Kestrel sunk, and the Naughty
just managed to keep herself afoat till themorning
when she went down, but fortunately out of range
At } A. NJ, the CormOrant, with the admiral on
board, and full of wounded, was so fast aground
that 1t was considered necessary to leave her, as
she was right under the batteries and at DAYLIGHT
the enemy would doubtless concentrate their fire
on her, whereas, if she were temporarily abandon
ed, 1t was hoped that the enemy would cease firing
on her. and the next night we should be able to get
her off For the same reasons, the POver and Star
ling, both immovably aground, were cleared of
their crews.
The morning of the 26th showed our squadron in
sad condition-hardly gun-boat was undisabled.
However, during the day the carpenters of the
squadron were employed patching them uD temDo-
rarily, and the Startling having tioated her second
master proceeded in dingy and cut her cable
when she drifted out of range with the ebb. That
night attempts were made by Captain Wies to re-
cover the COrmorant and Plover but without sue
cess. The Cormorants ships company having re-
maned till ii P. NJ. to endeavor to float her. most
terrific fire was opened upon her from batteries
both north and south, and it became evident
that she was sinking Orders were therefore sent
down to Commander Woodehouse, ordering him to
abandon her. if he had no hopes. Her ships COM
pany and officers embarked accordingly, but
not before the water was up to the lower deck;
and half an hour afterwards she went down head
foremost.
The same night fresh attempts were made on the
PlOver, but it was found mpracticable as she was
full of water, and her shot holes between wind and
water gave no hope of her being able to float. At
daylight, the kestrel, sunk on the 2Gth under the
batteries, observed drifting out, and having
been towed by the Janus into shoa water was
eventually recovered. During that day the enemy
got on board the Plover, over the mud and saved
us the trouble OF destroying her by setting her on
fire themselves, but not before great portion of
the stores had been recovered
The next two or three days the boats of the Ches-
apeake were employed destroying the abandoned
vessel as much as possible
The Ceylon Observer says that the forts at the
mouth of the Peiho river, which were demolished
last year, had been rebuilt on greatly improved
principles. A correspondent of that paper says:
On the 29th the United States Minister was able
to send a messenger up the coast to the northern
entrance. Three forts were found near it. but the
shallow water prevented the steamer approaching
so as tn lind the entrance. boat sent ashore
near village, whose inhabitants fled en- masse on
her approach; but two or three men came forward
to meet the three foreigners, and soon found ont
their errand, and what nation they belonged to-
having never seen the United States flag. While
they were talking, one of the villagers urged them
to return to their boat, as some troops had been
sent for and were then approaching. These doubt
less had been sent to protect the village on seeing
the steamer approaching, and the villagers did not
like to risk collision. On reaching the boat hay-
ing delivered the despatch to one of the villagers
to forward to the Governor General, a party of
horscmen was seen coming over the land, two of
whom valiantly rushed into the water, half mile
distant from the boat. Two DAYS after an answer
was received stating that orders had been sent to
the Governor General to conduct the United States
Minister to Peking, but no interview has vet been
held with him, nor the time and conditions of
the journey vet known.
The belief is universal throughout the SQUADRON
that Europeans manned the batteries as well as
Chinese. Men in grey coats, with closely cropped
hair, and with Russian features, were distinctly
visible in the batteries and the whole of the fortif-
cations We're evidently of European designing.
Some oi those who advanced near to the wall even
go so far as to declare that they heard men calling
for "mOre powder, in Russian; and this morning it
is reported that two dead bodies hoated out of the
river dressed in Chinese clothes, but having incon
testibly European faces. The damaged forts have
already been repaired and have never ceased to fire
upon the boats that are still engaged under Can
tain Willes and Commanders Commere, Heath,
and Wynnatt, in struggling to rescue the stranded
vessels
The Americans assisted US considerably by means
ot a small steamer, with which they toWed up sew
eral of our boats into action from the larger ships
and also after the action, by taking to their re-
spective ships number of men, to whom they
showed every kindness. They loud in their
praises OF the daring men showed, and have
sent large presents of fresh meats and vegetables
for the benefit Of our wounded.
The New York Post has letter from its Shanghac
correspondent of the 18th of July, giving another
view of the affair. He asserts that the English at
tempted to ascend the wrong mouth of the river,
and that the Chinese deputies were waiting for
them at the right place. This correspondent speaks
of the English attempting bully the Chinese, and
says in private note of July 1G
81 find that the commercial and right thinking
men here all deprecate the hasty and ill-advised
proceedings of the English minister and admiral,
which have ended SO disastrously."
The Hong Kong Daily Press of July 10TH has the
following paragraph
Incredible as it may appear, it is positively as
serted in high quarters at Shanghai that the Taouta
has sent letter to Mr.. Bruce stating that he is
commanded to inform his Exceency that the at
tack of the forts at Taku on her Maiesty's ships
was mistake, for which the Emperor expresses
sincere regret; that the Mandarins who committed
the outrage had been decapitaed, and that the En-
peror would be happy to meet Mr.. Bruce at Pekin
and arrange matters amicably.
The latest Information from Hong Kong is con-
tanned in the following paragraph from the North
China Herald
The Hon. F. W. Bruce and NJ. de Bourboulon the
ministers of England and France with their suites
have arrived in Shanghai, the former in the CorO-
mandel, the latter in the Duchayla. The Magi-
cienne and Assistance are going to an anchorage
off Chinhae, Ningpo, near Kingtang Island, where
the British squadron will rendezvous to recruit
the sick and wounded. The Hesper arrived yester-
day, from the Gulf on the Slh. The Admiral, in
the Chesapeake, waiting until the disabled
gunboats were ready to accompany him to the rem
devious. The Highfyer was to leave on the Sth
for Shanghai under sail, where she will take her
station again as guardship. The Cruiser and two
gunboats will remain in the Gulf
We learn that arrangements had been made for a
meeting of the American Minister, Mr.. Ward, and
the Governor-General of Chilli, Hang The meet
ing was to take place on the Sth inst. at Peh-tang
the northern entrance to the Pei-hO, about ten
miles distant from Taku. The question of going to
Pekin, it was expected would be decided on at that
meeting.
supply of provisions had been sent off to the
American ships, and it said that instructions
had been issued by the Emperor to his high officers
to receive and escort the Minister and his suite to
the capital for the exchange of the ratified copies
OF the treaty The Russian treaty had already
been exchanged.
From The london Ne1cs' ReporterI
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