Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-01-18

Httes -LafU Il IehH-toucbHy ~ Ue EHpe-
r0r's Pitqce- Description Of its Interior,
Etc. EfcS
The London journals are replete with incidents
relative to the taking of Pekin. It appears that
the Chinese offered every indgnty to the prisoners
they had taken.
They were, whilst with Sang -ko-nsin's army,
treated in most cruel manner, forced to kneel be-
fore every Madarn, however petty their faces rub
bed with dust, they were bound with their hands
behind them, and carried on horses to Tung-chow,
and thence, in the same state, in of the carts
of the country, TO Pekin, where they were placed
in dungeons, and remained SO until ten days ago.
Mr.. Parkes was beaten when he did not instantly
reply to question, and Mr.. Loeb because he could
not speak Chinese.
A correspondent of the North China Herald of
November 3Oth, writes:
| | sent letter to you from the camp six miles
from Tung-chow, on the 4th which will probably
reach you with this. On the following day the al
lied forces were the march in scar,h of the Tar
tars, who were supposed to be in great numbers,
about four or five miles off. The front of the two
armies stretched over large extent of country, b
the enemy were not seen nor any sight OF an aban-
doned camp visible. We halted at o'clock p n
Accommodating parties were sent out at night, and
they fell in with the Tartar pckets, who fred tine.
sLo.s ut them. On the morning of the 6th we
were again on the move at early hour, but on
reaching the ground where the picke,S had been
seen, all was still.
Here are some very high brick kilns from which
several gates and other structures within the walls
of Pekin were distinctly about Ave miles dis
tant. Still in pursuit Of the retreatng enemy, we
marched on through thickly wooded country un-
til within half mile OF the earthwork, which ex-
tends along the north side Of aud distant one mile
from, the Capitol, where some Tartars were seen
among the houses close by. The Kings Dagoon
Guards went in at them, and they fed, ea' ing eight
dead or disabled, and one Of the dragoons wounded
in the skirmsh. ln short time after the earth
work was reached, and a gap Of sixty or eighty
yards opened upon road of the same width leading
to the northeast gate of Pckiu. The troops entered
by this gap, and wheeling to the right, halted
where are within the earthwork--sn en-
bankment OF forty 10 eighty feet high, which would
be strong defence in the hands of efficient troops.
Here The greater part of the British army encamp-
ed. Why IL did not proceed at once 10 the summer
palace, ms was planned, do not know. The French,
and most Of our cavalry with some artillery, did
So but the former did not arrive on the spot until
TWO hours after the latter who were waiting for the
remainder of our army. On the French coming
lp the Brigadiers offered to cooperate wieh them
rhey asked him to go round TO cut of the Tdrtars
weiie they attacked the palace This they did, and
,Ound three hundred eunuchs in charge of il, and
.or,y msn ATha take care Of the gardens only 20
Jf whom had guns. They made a slight re tancs
wo eunuchs were killed and two French officers
wounded, and they then took possession Of the pal
axe
The summer palace is about five miles by cir
tuitous route northwest Of this camp, outside the
earlhwofk. A description of II is given in Staun-
on S account OF Lord MAeartneys Embassy, and
Jther WORKS ON China but no pen can describe cor
rectly the scene that has taken place there within
he last two days lDdisoriminaie loot has been al
owed The public reception hall, the state and
private bedrooms Ane-roOms, bOudoirs and every
other apartment has been ransacked; articles OF
eTtu, OF native and foreign workmanship taken, or
broken ii too large TO be carried away Ornanented
attice work, screens, jade stone, ornaments jars,
clocks watches, and other pieces OF mechanism,
curtains and furnture-none have escaped from
the destruction. There we're extensive wardrobes
Jf every article OF dress; coats richly embroidered
in silk aud gold thread in the Imperial Dragoon
pattern boots, head dresses fans, &C.; In fact
.ooms all but filled with them store-r rooms of
manufactured silk IN rolls such as may be bought
N Ca1ton at twenty dollars 10 thirty dollars per
Tpece. BY calculation made 10 the rooms, there
must have been 10000 or 10000 pieces Hundreds
were thrown down and tramped on, and the floor
covered ihickly with them; men were throwing
them at each other and sl taking many Of them
as they eoud carry. They we're used instead OF
rops TO secure the loading OF carts filed with them.
throughout the French camp were hundreds OF
pieces, some heaped up, others used 10 make beds
! VI tents aud coverets
! .In the afternoon yesterday, party Of French
went through the apartment with sticks ir akiug
Everything that remaincd-mirrors, screens pau
nels &c. 1t is said that they did 50 Ia re,e ge fol
the barbarOus Treatment the released prisoners heiI
= lcOunirymsn had revived.