The national Republican., 1867-08-24

btaplot, VI WyUmiukt w t"vtta
large bissk rosk, indicated on shs scoespAaisd
'l.n; A. ". ..rs:a ,s..ss. iu.s,. ". uttered an
open space Of some tsa aefss In sxtsut, with q
| fsv stragsIips huts Add olanps Of bushes scat
tsrsd here and here over ~ surface. A little
further on The hills could be sesu rising from The
plain, broken Into spurs, with deep rsvines BE-.
tween, allied with rock aud deep underground
Of grass and small trees.
Having examined the huts, they were fred,
and the command pushed on mp ono Of the hills,
to the right Of the large rock marked In the
plan. No enemy could be seen, except at a
great distance, on the crest Of tho hills above
us and towards our right, but . scattering nrs
was suddenly opsned upon rs from an snbush
Just below the big rock. I. EEElf.
We fred voiley in return, and halting few
minutes under cover Of some bushes, divided
the command, directing Lieut.. Com. Mscksnhis
TO remain quiet with his portion Of tho party
until could make . flank movement TO the
right, WHOM, on . signal given BY the drum, he
would move on up the hill and rejoin me In
the meantime Lieut. Com. Read had landed
with bis detaohusnt, and could now be seen on
the hill on our right, at distance Of about two
miles, and an occasional fre Of muskstry wa'
soon to open upon the party from the hills above.
| Lieut. Com. Mackenzie having rejoined rs as
the base Of the big rock, we kept on steady up
the hill, bearing away toward the right, reoeiv-
Ing nov and then . hrs from the bushes In oil d.
rections, some shots close TO- others from . great
distance. Fortunately the enemy fred too
bigh, and most Of the bullets passed over Us.
AT one point voliey was poured into US at 9
distance Of not moro than o hundred yards, and
Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie aud Lieuten'
ant Sands, advancing with party Of scouts,
supported by the main body, charged into the
ambush, but tho willy foe had fallen back with
wonderful rapidity, and made known theii
escape BY loud halloes from tho thickets beyond
Only occasional silmpses Of the enemy could b,
caught, their presence being generally discovered
BY sudden shots from the bushes, and flashes o.
sunlight reflected from their bright.barrelled
| muskets.
At nearly all the points from which We wer,
fred upon We noticed small bundles Of bamboo
dashed to tho bushes at = small angle, seemingly
for protection to our running foe, and to serys
ss marks to guide them from one ambuscads L
another.
As We advanced, the open space on the hill
sides became more confined, and rocks, bushes
dense jungles, and rugged ravinss offered In
creasing facility and shelter 10 the savages, and
gave us no hope or chance Of getting at them.
About Q mile or more above the big rool
already mentioned the mon had become 90 much
exhausted from the march and the intense heat
Of tho sun that ordered halt, and entered :
i
Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie and Lieuten
ant Sands, with party Of scouts, were posted
| Ia small thiokst above and to the let Of ths
main body, and q strong picket Of marines oecu
pied another clump about one hundred yard
below the other party; these outposts, together
with the position Of the main body, making, a
Il were, the angles Of triangle.
These picksts having been established. I sen
for Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie, the SEQ
| and In nd N sonaut with him n0noe ruiDf
. further advance. He had been with me sbou
twenty minutes, when firing was heard In th,
direction Of the advance piokets, and he hurriet
back TO the front. Meanwhile Lieutenant Sand
had returned the Are, and was charging toward
the spot where the enemy lay concealed, whom
Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie coming up
ordered halt; the moment the latter reaches
the head Of the line, he ordered fresh advance
himself leading.
During this Interval tho main body had com
out Of the jungle and were pushing on to tn
support Of the picket line, when I hoard the cry
"i man wounded! ssnd for the doctor !"
called out for DR.. Page, who went to the front
and soon aher brought Lieutenant Commando
Mackenzie, lying wounded in blanket, near th
spot whore I was standing, and by my ords
carried aboard.
Tho spot from which these shots came va
backed BY q deep rAyins, and immediately to th
rear the Jungle came down on all sides, 90 this
, further advance In that quarter would but hav
exposed the command TO the risk Of continue
los, without any means or hops Of rstAliatip
| upon the snsny. The mon, too, wsrs beginnin
sss:g iss e moving S1 sss
way unenoumberod with sick and wounded mer
I determined 10 fall back.
I accordingly ordered q retreat, sending th
main body ahead, and falling back slowly, CO,
cred BY the scouts under command Of Lieut.
Sands. A short distance down the hill Lieut.
Com. Read Joined me with his party, and wa
directed to fall back with the main body.
party Of carbinesrs, under Mr.. Folger, remair
Ing with Mr.. Sands. Mr.. Read had destroys
several huts on the route We had taken. bu
failed to accomplish any other object Of the sI
pedition.
We were fred at from several places on th
way down the hill, but, happily, none Of th
shots took effect Before We reached tho plai
word was sent me Of the death Of tho gallar
Mackenzie.
Upon entering the jungle fringing the coa'
tho different squads and companies took dineron
routes, to guard against ambush, and our pre-
grsss was slow and fatigung particularly to th
men who carried the remains Of the lamente
Mackenzie.
It had been my intention to remain on th
shore and attempt an ambusoado in the jungl
during the night, but I found both officers an
mon SO much worn out from exertiOn hnu .,
treme heat Of the day, that I concluded to en-
bark tho entire command and return to Il
ship. Capt. Fornsy, Of the marines, and MAJ
Brownell, Of the Wyoming, and q dozen or mol
Of the men, were already prostrated with sui
stroke, and feared other cases might ocer
before nightfall.
The route over which We passed was entirel
destitute Of cattle, fruit, vegetables, or an
other eatable thing, and We had seen only tw
or three pools Of dirty, stagnant water, unit ft
, any but savage to drink.
I That part Of Formosa is extremely we'll adap
, cd to Indian modes Of warfare, and the burnir
heat Of tho sun at this season Of the year Is
! greater help to the savage even than either b
cunning and cruel method Of fighting, or perfe
/ knowledge Of every foot Of ground over whi'
. he ranges.
q The officers, one and all, gave me hear
and efficient support, and the men did their du
4 cheerfully and steadily.
!. The following are the names Of the office
Q who went In the expedition, viz;
Lieutenant Commander A. s. Mackenzie,
4 your staff Lieutenant Commander ]. Ii. Rsa
+ Lieutenant J. II. Sands; Master W. NJ. Folge
0 Master II. Elmer, Captain James Forney, U.
: M. G.; Assistant Surgeon G. II. Page, Gum,
:. r. II. Gross. Admirals clerk Louis Parker, al
Commanders clerk A. @. briggs, Of this shi
and Lieutenant @. D. d. Gliddoni Mate g.