The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-21
TIE ENGLISH DEFEAT PEIHo AVENGED


PETHo FoRTs, Aug. 23.-Editors Traveller NV
last communication to you, was, think, about the
18th inst, since which time have to relate the fol-
lowing news. After landing all the troops both
English and French at the Peh.tang forts and get
ting all stores, provisions, forage, &c, on shore
the whole army began on the 18th inst. to deploy
out of the village of Peh-tang towards the Peiho
or Iaku forts, situated to the southwark, and at
the mouth OF the PeihO river, being the same forts
that last year demolished and destroyed the Eng
lish gunbOats and massacred the English naval
brigade which landed before their walls. On the
18th inst, there considerable skirmishing be-
tween the allied forces and the Chinese, about seven
miles from the Peh-tang village. The Chinese
Tartar cavalry engaged the allied forces but we're
soon forced back by charge of English and Seik
cavalry, who drove all before them. In this en-
gagement the Armstrong guns worked admirably.
One discharge at extreme point blank range killed
twelve Chinese, and wounded several Others
1t was impossible to compute the number of the
Chinese, they fighting in squads and to be seen
on all parts OF the horizon. The allies had enga-
ged about 900 men only. In this action their loss
was, English, killed and wounded, 20 French do
%. The loss on the Chinese side was considerable
but in their retreat they carried all wounded from
the ground. BY all accounts the Chinese fought
very bravey, but modern warfare and the skill of
the "white devils" was too much for them. The
following day the allied forces, under command of
Gen. Hope Grant, the English side, advanced
upon the entrenched camps of the Chinese, two in
number, thrown up between them (the allies) and
the Peiho forts. After action of about an hour
the allies took possession, driving the Chinese be-
fore them, taking both entrenchments, one on each
side of the causeway on which the allies were COM
PEELED to keep. on must understand that the
whole march from the Peh-tang village to these en-
trenchments was performed by the allies on
causeway about 50 to 90 feet wide, and bounded on
either side to the horizon by naked mud fats, knee
deep.
Over this narrow road the allied force marched
until they reached these entrenchments which
raked the whole causeway from either side, and
crossed their range in the centre of the causeway
There was way to attack by part of the troops
making detour and coming upon their rear
This was impossible, so they took the last and only
resource, and charged them bravely in front, and
took possession. This same position in possession
OF Europeans, armed with artillery and grape could
be held for a great length of time and never could
be taken without heavy loss to the attacking
party.
After capturing these camps, the allies took up
their quarters therein being about six miles distant
from the Peiho forts, and encamped for three days
to est the men, On the 2lst inst.-lOng to be re-
membered by the Chinese-the English and French
gunboats flour of the latter only being present)
during the night closed in upon the forts as near as
! possible, and at daybreak opened fire upon them,
| throwing shells, round shot, grape, and congreve
| rockets into their midst.
had capital view of all this, being in an
American sail boat, belonging to the American ship
Kate Hooper, of Baltimore. Captain Johnson the
commander of this fine clipper ship, accompanied
me in the same boat. W e were within very short
| distance of the forts. While the gunboats were
attacking in the front, the army were marching up
in the rear. At about A. NJ, one of the maya
zines of the forts set fire from the shells or
rockets thrown from the gunboats, and tremen-
dous explosion took place, throwing its black smoke
to the skies, and carrying up in its vortex Chinese
arms, stores, and articles of all kinds and leaving
when the smoke cleared away, ruined fort, which
a moment before was finely manned, with flags and
colors flying, and all the paraphernalia of war. At
about A. NJ, another and fully as heavy an explo-
nj in thprf fort thab hos
tion to atoms. These forts, L forgot to mention,
| are five in number. The army were in the mean
time advancing, and at l P. NJ, by a coup de main
took or e fort and an officer of the 9th, English
making forward, planted the English coors in the
face of the fire from the Chinese gingalls and bows
for which act of bravery he receives the Victoria
cross. During all this time, the Chinese firing
upon the advancing troops from the different bas-
tions of the forts but gave up firing upon the gun
boats, finding that their shots fell short of them
After the taking of this last fort, all the Chinese
| flags were Immediately hauled down and hundreds
of little white flags of truce hoisted in their place.
The firing on both sides of Immediately
ceased, and Capt. Wallis, of the Chesapeake, was
dispatched on shore to take possession of the forts
held by the army, in the name of the Queen and to
inquire into the meaning of the flags of truce. The
Chinese, it seemed, wished the allies to wait until
they sent to Pekin to if they should surrender
| or not. But this Admiral Hope refused to do, and
gave them until p. ". to surrender all the forts
| unconditionally, take the consequences upon
| themselves. After thinking it over for hour or
| two the Chinese surrendered all the forts to the
allies and the flags of England and France fly from
| every bastion. In this action the English and
French lost l20 men on the army side, none on the
naval. On the Chinese side about 900 were killed,
besides many wounded. The orders after this glo-
rious victory are for all the vessels, both transports
and meD-of-war, to proceed into the Peiho river,
! where they will probably winter. Across the river
stretched iron cables, and in the middle is an
Internal machine, all of which will be destroyed.
AUGUST a.
1.
have proceeded on to Tien sing, and are in hopes
from thence to proceed Immediately to Pekin being
met at Tien- sing by the Viceroy.
The fighting is probably all over. If ANYTHING
of moment occurs before the mail leaves, l will add
few lines more. remain, yours truly, d. D.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH FREEING A SLAvE.-At the
close of the services at Plymouth Church, last even
| ing, Mr.. Beecher presented to the audience mu-
latto girl, twenty-five years DID, named Louisa, ho
| had been purchased from her master in Mary land
| by Mr.. Seibold, of Washington for $1,000, in or
der to obtain her liberty. Mr.. Beecher stated that
| S4O0 had been raised, leaving $500 more required
| for her freedom. The sum of S511 was collected,
| and Mr.. w. H. Sage gave his name for the balance.
| In the collection was gold ring which Mr.. Beech
| er placed on the finger of the girl, saying it was
| her freedom ring, and as be did so she fell pres
trate on the platform before him. Mr.. John B.
! Cough gave the girl fifty dollars to pay her expen-
ses to Washington.-Ne,0 York Post of Monday
Eueaing.
| BAD News FOR WINE DRINKERs.-Sad news for
| the wine drinkers, says the Boston Post. The vim
tage throughout France is declared to be "lament
| able one. At Bordeaux the wine will be bad, ex
| cept that which the lower classes consume In
| Champagne all will be bad. In Burgundy things
are melancholy, but the proprietors are trying tht
| aid of sugar-a hearing with small comfort in it
Cognac gives wine sorey deficient in alcohol, which
| deficiency will not suit the rocky metropolis o
| brandy. Roussilon and St Emilian are said to bt
capable OF better things but Orleans is again un
lucky. And the Rhine and the Moselle are swoler
by the tears of the propretors, whose wine will b'
"scarcely drinkable."
| Fitty-one vessels arrived at the port of New
| York during the last quarantine season, with yel
low fever patients on board.