Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-23
DErAIHD ACCOUNT or THE RArrLy
WITH TaH sAvkoks on rHE isLHND O.

VITA TIE 6AVA0kS ON The BLAND OF
The Navy Department u In receipt Of ias,
dispatches from Rear Admiral H. II. Bell
=. s. NJ, commanding the Asiatic Squadron
Among theae we llnd the onlcial rep0fy Of
Commander George Z. Bslknap, Of the nag
chip Hartford. concerning the attack upon she
savage tribes living on the southern extremity
of the Island OF Fornaosa, in June last. He
says:
con leaving this ship on the morning of ths
date referred to, 1 directed Lieutenant Com
mander J. H. Reed, with q company of mus.
rifles, commanded by Master W. n. FoIeer,
and portion OF the w yomtng's detachment,
under the command Of Lieutenant G.. D. r..
Ghdeen, to land in one OF the bays, about three
quarters Of mile TO the eastward Of the place
at which proposed landing, and, pushing for
ward through the jungle to make for the hills,
bearing away to the westward In order TO fiank
the enemy and unite with the main body on
ihesummit of the hills. then pulled into the
bay to the northward OF the ships anchorage,
and effected landing without opposition or
difficulty. Lieutenant Commander A. g. Nc
Kenzie, of your stan, being the first to Jump
on shore.
The marines were Immediately thrown out
as skirmishers along the edge Of the jungle
within a hundred yards Of the be Ich, and az
ter securing the boats and establishing a
strong picket ofseamen and marines provided
under the command OF he gunner Crsss, OF
this ship, and gunner Staples, Of the Wyom.
ing. marched on through the jungle towards
the bills to the right OF the large black rock.
indicated on the accompanying plan. 4
AS we emerged from the jungle we entered an
open space Of some ten acres in extent, with
few struggling huts and clumps of bushes
ii tie further on the hills could be seen rising
from the plain, broken into spurs, with deep
ravines between filled with rocks and q thick
growth OF grass and small trees.
N
and the command pushed on mp one OF the
hills to the right OF the large rock marked in
a great distance on the crest of the hills above
Us, and towards our right, but scattering
fire was suddenly opened upon us from an
ambush just below the big rock.
We fired q volley in return, ana hating q
few minutes under cover of some bushes, I
divided the command, directing Lieut. Com :
mander Mackenzie to remain quiet with his
portion OF the party until could make flank
movement to the right, when, on q signal given
by the drum, he would move up the hill and
reioin me. In the meantime Lieut.. Commander
Read had landed with his detachment, and
could now be seen on the hills on our right, at
distance of about two miles, and an occa-
slonal fire OF musketry was seen to open upon
the party from the hills above.
Lieut. Commander Mackenzie having re-
joined us at the base of the big rock, we kent
on slowly up the hill, bearing away towards
the right, receiving now and then q fire from
the bushes In all directions; some shots close
to, others from great distance.
Fortunately the enemy FREQ too high and
most OF the bullets passed over us.
distance Of not more than a hundred yards,
and Lieut. Commander Mackenzie and Lieut..
Sands advanced with party of scouts, sup
ported by the main body, charged INTO the
wonderful rapidly, and made known their
escape by loud balloos from the thickets be-
yond. Only occasional glimpses OF the enemy
could be caught their presence being generally
discovered by sudden shots from the bushes,
and flashes OF sunlight reflected from their
bright barrelled muskets.
At nearly all the poin Is from which we were
fired upon l noticed small bundles OF bamboo
lashed to the bushes at small angle, SEEM
lngly for protection 10 our cunning foe, and to
serve So marks to guide them from one ambus-
cade to another.
As we advanced, the open spaces on the
hill-sides became more confined, and rocks,
dense u9 3ss ana rugged ravnss
savages. and gave Us no hope or chance OF get
ting at them.
About mile or more above the big rock al .
ready mentioned, the men had become so much
exhausted from the march and the intense heat
of the sun that ordered a halt, and entered q
belt Of jungle to give them shelter and rest.
Lieut.. Com Mackenzie and Lieut. Sands " tn
a party of scouts, were posted in a small
thicket above and to the left of the main body.
and strong picket Of marines occupied an.
other ciump about hundred yards below the
other party: these ontposts, together with the
position Of the main body, making, as it were
the angles OF a triangle.
Three pickets having been established, sent
for Lieut.. Com. Mackenzie, the second in com.
m and 10 consult with him concerning fur
Their advance. He had been with me about
twenty minutes when firing was heard in the
direction OF the advance picket, and he hur-
ried back to the front. Mean while, Lieutenant
Sands had returned the fire. and was charging
towards the spot where the enemy lay con-
called, when Lieut. Com. Mackenzie coming
up ordered halt. The moment the latter
reached the head OF the line he ordered a fresh
advance, him self leading.
During this interval the main body had come
out CT the jnr gle, and was pushing on to tn e
support OF the picket line, when l heard the
cry "a man Wounded"' "Send for the doctor -
front, and soon after brought Lieutenant Com
manCer mckenzie. lying wounded in bIan. .
ket, near the spot where 1 was standing, and
BY my order carried him to the rear.
The spot from which these shots came, was
backed oy deep ravine, and Immediately in
the rear, the jungle came down on all sides, SO
that further advance in that quarter, would
but have expose the command to the risk OF
continued lost without any means or hope OF
reteliatiDg upon the enemy. The men too,
were beginning to show great fatigue, and symp.
toms OF sunstroke, and considering the diff ;
Guilty OF moving either way, encumb ered with
sick and wounded men, determined to fall
back.
accordingly ordered a retreat. sending the
main body ahead, and falling back slowly,
covered by the scouts under commapd OF Lieu i.
tenant Sands. A ehort distance down the hill
Lieutenant Commander Read Joined me with
his party and was directed TO fall buck with
the main body, party OF carbiners, under Mr..
Foiger, remaining with Mr. Sands. Mr. Read
had destroyed several huts on the route. but
failed to accomplish any other object OF the
expedition.
We were fred at from several places on the
way down the hill, but happily none other
shots took effect. Before we reached the PLAIN.
word was sent me OF the death of the Gallant
Mackenzie.
Upon entering the jungle ringing the coasts,
the different squads and companies took diff
ferent routes 10 guard against ambush, and
our progress was slow and fatiguing, particu.
the lamented Mackenzie.
1t had been my intention to remain on the
shore and attempt an ambuscade in the Jungle
during the night, but found both on cers and
men SO worn ont from exertion and extreme
heat OF the day. that concluded TO embark
the entire command and return to the shin
Captain Forney, OF the marines, and Mate
Brownell, OF the Wyoming and q dozen or
more OF the men were already Frustrated with
sunstroke, and I feared other cases might oc-
cur before nikhtfall I"
The WEEKLY STAR ia now ON our counter
Tor sale, and in wrappers. ready for the mails,
containing capital Story entitled "Mode and
Tense" particulars OF the Great Storm; meet.
ing Of the Bar in reference to the Fisher Brad.
ley Difficulty; Camp Meeting Correspond.
ence; Base Ball matters; Army Changes the
Naional Labor Congress; the Baltimore
Schuetzenfest; Movements Of the Working
mi - ~