Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-09-03
THE REBELLION IN CHINA.
SAD AND APPALLING MAssA q


The incidents of the progress of the Chinese
rebellion, which seems to toreshadow the over
throw of the reigning dynasty, and to put an
end to the Manchu rule in that empire, are Of
most thrilling interest The correspondent Of
the New York Times, writing from Shanghai
under date of the 14th of CSune, gives the fol
lowing graphic narrative of the capture by the
rebels of Hang chan, populous city, and one
of the strongholds of the empire =
THE sAcKING OF HANG.cHAN.
The story of the capture OF Hang chan is a
sad one for it has been attended with a terri
bic destruction of human liie-greater by fal
than that which attended the great battle Of
| Soterino; and this destruction OF lite was ac
companied with horrors and atrocities of the
most fearful character. 1t was early i'll March
that rumorS first reached Shanghae that an
army of rebels was threatening Hang chan.
| This army, in an incredibly short space of
| time, was seen gathering upon the hill tops,
and occupying the temples in the vicinity.
They showed very little respect either to the
priests who resided in these temples, or to
their numerous idols. Many Of tbs priests
were slam, and the idols were behedded! In
many instances whole rows of idols had their
was large number of images of the deitied
disciples of Buddha, and among them those
of the deceased emperors OF the present dy-
nasty. This army OF idols was on one occa-
sion pressed into the rebel service in rather
singular manner They were all taken out
and placed on one OF the neighboring hills in a
conspicuous position, each displaying the rebel
| flag. 1t was hoped that the imperial troops
would mistake them for real, living rebels,
and sally forth to attack them, in which case
an ambush was prepared to cut off their re-
| treat. 1t seems, however, that the impetuosi.
! ty of the imperialists was not sufficient to
| lead them into the snare. On the 18th OF
| March the insurgents succeeded in springing
a mine under the city wall, where it crosses a
high hill lying partly within the city. A
breach being thus effected, the rebels rushed
to the attack, drove back the imperiaIists, and
| secured Judgment within the walls. From
| the hill thus occuped-the only one within
the walls-they overlooked the whole city
Here they were met by the large Tartar
| garrison, numbering in all 10000 souls, ana by
the citizens who stood in their own defence
| The brawny arms OF 20 900 men, employed in
the manufacture of tin foil, were engaged tor
the defence of the city ; and they appeared
armed with the heavy hammers used in their
trade. During six days this desperate con.
what their horrors really were. Here was an
immense population OF million souls, shutup
within the walls enclosing a space not more
than three miles in diameter. The gates were
all closed and guarded, SO that there was no
escape. Forty or fifty thousand men were
engaged in constant irregular warfare in
their narrow streets. Thousands of thieves
and robbers, always abundant in large city,
started up, to make the most OF the state OF
terror and anarchy which prevailed. The
will of the strongest was law, and woe 10 the
man who had not the means of defending his
property his wife, his daughter, his life, from
the lawless marderers who provided about in
search of plumber. There was no time for
consultation, and there is too little mutual con.
fidence among the Chinese to admit of comb.
nations i'll times of great danger. Crowds
were seen flying hither and thither, trying to
escape from some scene OF slaughter, or some
| burning conhagration. Women and children
were trampled to death. Parents forsooll
their little ones, or lost them in the crowd
Cannon balls and bullets were flying in all
directiOns-swords and spears were flash
ing in the flames of burning houses, and
demoniac yells Of brutal violence, or
shrieks of terrer were heard in all
directions. Such scenes must have been OF
constant occurrence during the fearful wreck
as was testified by the smouldering ruins and
blackened corpses, found lying in all directions
when order had been in some measure restor
ed Besides this multitudes committed suicide
rather than meet the thickening horrors Of thai
scene; or driven TO desperation by their ter
rors, whole families plunged together into
ponds, or wells, rather than fall into the hands
Of the feroci0us savages who were plundering
and numbering their neighbors. One instance
especially has been mentioned to me, of
wealthy family who knew that their reputed
wealth would draw the banditti to them, and
who therefore deliberately resolved to escape
or die together. There were twenty sever
persons in a--parents children, grandchl
dren, and daughters in.law. When it was
toun, that the slaughter had begun, and thai
there was 10 hope Of escape, they all leaped
into deep well and died together.
AT length, however, these scenes of blood
were brought to an end. The rebels found il
impossible to storm the Tartar quarter OF the
city, and hearing of the advance of a large
imperialist force sent to the relief OF the city
they abandoned the place and made good theil
retreat. The loss of life at first reported al
Shanghae was 10000 This, however, proves
to have been far below the mark Mssiona
rcs, who have visited the city since, saw the
common estimate on the spot was from $4,000
TO $4,000, and rs the dead had to be buried
this number is probably not much exaggerated
From what these gentlemen themselves saw
OF the effects oil this terrible tempest, more
than month after the retreat Of the insur