The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-27


renamed in the nrst ditch and about ono hundred and
nifty In the second. Many had been killed. and wounded,
and with the exception Of small body one hundred and
fifty yards further back reinforceents appeared 70 be
Offering, and the men already at the front were perfectly
exhausted and without dry ammunition or rides n %
charge to the wall, but il was inefecual; the men
were few and done up, and even hey nad, they
never could have carried them against the thousands
manding officers despatched officer TO the TO ask
for instructions, and the senior officer sent him back Inn
medaey with orders for the force 70 withdraw NO re-
Inducements could be sent. Directly this order was re-
ceved the wounded despatched the by twoa
and h a1S two hs having been gwen nen % se
order from ditch TO ditch examining the ground In their
retreat for any wounded that might have been overlook
Cd Many poor fellows alas In the retreat fell 70 rise no
more but the wounded were saved and brought on.
In the meantime the boats Of the squadron under Capt.
Wlles employed themselves in embarkng the wounded
and landing party and O'Clock little after they
were all or The gunboats did their duty ably, and CO.
as an party sp 70 the latest was
hard fought day, the Lee and Kestrel sank and the
Naughty just managed to keep herself aoat till the morn
ing, when she went down. but fortunately out Of range
At "A. N. the Cormorant with the Admiral on board,
and full Of wounded, fast aground that con-
the batteries and at daylight the enemy would doubtless
concentrate their fire on her. whereas, II she tempo
cease firing on her, and the next night We should be able
70 get her or For the same the Flower and Star
s 00n The %m orvn % $ %sss cleared q their
sad condition-hardy gunbOat was undisabled. How
over during the day the carpenters Of the squadron
employed patching them up temporarily, and the Star
ling having her second master proceeded in dingy
and cut her cable, when she dred range with tho
ebb That night attempts were made by Captain wlles
the Cormornnt Power but without sue
GOES The Cormcrants ship company having remained
till II p NJ 70 endeavor to float her terrific ire
opened upon her from batteries both north SOUTH
and IL soon became evident that she sinking.
Orders were therefore, down TO Commander Wode.
house ordering him TO abandon her if be had no homes
Her ships company and officers embarked accord
ngy but not before the water was to the lower deck
and half uto hao
most. The same night fresh attempts made tho
Pover but found impracticsbe, she full Of
water and her shot holes between wind and water gave
hope Of her being able float At daylight the Kes-
tre sunk the 2Gth under the atteres observed
sa anu Ieen ~ se Janus nus n
the enemy got on board the Pover, the mud and
saved the trouble Of destroying her by setting her
lire themselves, but not before great portion Of her
The next three days the boats OF the Chesapeake
were employed destroying the abandoned vessels as much
as possible.
Guf of Pechei July Correspondence Of the Overland
Friend OF China
The feet having arrived at the rendezvous tho
Shah puen islands on the 10th, the Admiral won't in
close to the mouth OF the river the following day and
sent in twa officers, who had opportunity Of looking at
the worksa sight which after accorded 10 tho
whole force. The river found 10 be very cectu2lly
barred by Of iron stakes Of formidable
pearance as well as boos OF ingenious construction
and Of considerable strength.
These booms raked by the FIRE OF newly construct
cd forts either bank Of the river occupying nearly the
fame ground those Of last year. only much improved
in strength and workmanship There altogether five
forts, mounting ninety or one hundred guns, pro-
perly speaking, having embrasures for that number
The principal fort the south side and fifty
embrasures 1t is composed Of three high bastons about
thirty five feet raised above the ground with three
each These bastions connected by battemened
WALL upwards Of twenty feet high through which the re-
naming guns fire.
The whole fort is about 900 yards long, and is protected
front by ditch full Of water Opposite the upper end
Of this fort and consequently on the north side, large
fort, also threatening the passage. Higher up two
more either side and the NTH is quite 70 the south
and retired way back from the rivers bank Each
appeared 10 have similar mound il 1t Ike the bas
tons described above, though the arrangement Of the
outer wall varied according TO circumstances The dis
and half Such is the general appearance presented by
the defences Of the Peho landing effected on tho
17th and some communication made as also on the 10Th,
but decisive adopted before the night
Of the oath, when attempt made TO blow one Of
the booms sufficiently TO enable gunboats TO make
full full The Chinese showed their vigilance by drng two
round shot after the explosion had taken place.
On the morning Of this day the force had been moved
inside the bar and those who had their vessels
TO live in quartered in unks Next morning 25thl
the morning was mainly taken up by the operation OF
getting all the vessels into position that each could fro
without injury to the onsr which q pea S very a
tbs river and the extreme force Of the tide However,
by noon the positions were almost gained and the men
pped to dinner At about half past p. ~ tho
Opossum ahead with Captain wilcs board, and
deliberately made rope fast to the iron spikes and
She then steamed up the forbidden ground TO the
next barrier closely followed by the Pover bearing the
Admirai's flag. Now the aspect Of things changed.
There had been ominous silence in the batteries,
and no sign Of life but sailing boat, which pushed
off just before the stakes pulled and down to-
wards US suddenly went about and returned to the shore
However, sooner did the Opossum enter the sanctum
than the mats fell from the embrasures and shot after
shot poured into the devoted but game little vessels
The squadron returned the fire. Of course and the ball be-
ing we'll opened carried with vgor which showed
that had Chinese foe to deal with such had not
before The Oppossum and Plover, having let 60
their anchors close up to the boom held their position for
time until their losses compelled them to drop down
a little lower. was in the foremost position that Adm
raj Hope wounded, and Captain MKcnna First Roy
the being yery
pretty well together; the Banerer, Pover and
Cormorant were nearly in line across the river and in
this manner the fight was fercely carried on by all.
By about p N. the Lee and Kestrel were in sinking
state but the forts had considerably sackened their fire.
The landing party sent for and the boats lowed
up by the United States Toeywan, obigingty
offered by the commodore, and of the gunboais.
They pulled on shore opposite the lower or southern bas
ton OF the main south fort
The fire from works which had been reserved with
judgment, was then opened with very great effect upon
We have no news from Cochin China, except report
that Ambassadors from the Annamise monarch had
rived the quarters Of the ADMIRAL and that the cholera
was raging among the French troops In propaganda
point Of view believe it is felt and fear with some
reason that the expedition has done evil than good
From the North China Herald, July 1861
We have little to add to the narratives Of our cores
pondents published in our issue Of the inst We have
however, been set right on few details.
One point Of importance glad TO be able to
rect We had understood that the officer first sent the
Admiral was received by mandarin It seems that no
nandarns appeared at ALL Some Of the common people,
calling themselves braves under leader, and contrac
tor engaged fixing the piles and boons which crossed
the river presented themselves but maintained positively
that there nandarins the place and that the
works in progress undertaken the Of the
people, and without any authority from the government;
their object the defence Of the against
rebels pirates and hostility hindrance In
deed the contractor promised have the way clear for
US in two days.
We also glad to be assured that Admiral Hopes ap
pearance at Takoo in the first instance unmstaka
bly, pacific in character solitary man-of wars boat
carried his first message. The Fury aud two gunboats
left outside the barr the rest Of the squadron
lying thirty miles of at Shabby teen, and when the Adj
mra did in he is stated have handed in letter
requesting that market might be opened at the fort as
his ships would remain there until Mr. Bruces return
from Pekin.
There another in last issue: that several
letters and messages passed between Mr. Bruce and tho