The Republican journal., 1877-04-26

tiio titN lAtllelSt't w l'tlt lllcll tltdtl tUL-
rade on board before she filled When
the Americans stood on deck, they cast
their eyes around, and in every direction
lay scattered the evidences of war On
the quarter deck the admiral sat on Il
campstool badly wounded, but still di-
recting the fight. Forward there was an
eight inch gun with one or two men near
it: but it was silent. After the commo-
dole had exchanged few moments con-
NelSatiOn he came to his boats crew. and
tod them that they would have to stay
here until he could procure another boat,
'meanWhile, my good fellows, You might
man the gun forward, until another crew
arrives just do as YOU would on board
your own ship.
The men went to the gun, and 4 bright
boy Of twelve or thirteen supplied them
with powder, and for about half an hour
that old gun made her mark every time.
Then they We're relieved 10y boat full of
men, and the Americans took the boat
and pulled back With the commodore to
his tender, :; small side wheel steamer at
anchor just outside the bar.
The sun had gone down and it WIS
growing dark fast The English intended
to carry the main fort by storm under
c4Enr of darkness. 10 execute this the
admiral had a force Of two thousand ma
rines in launches at the bar, and he in
tended to lead the assault With 4 torlorn
hope OF blue jackets. Talnall had agreed
To low up the Stormers and aid them in
the landing, and the gunboutS agreed To
concentrate every gun upon the main
work; the signal to assault was to be
three rockets sent up from the PloNer.
The cannonading, which had been rather
deliberate since the opening of the fight,
now began to swell anG wax continuous.
All the forts Oh shore contributed to the
din, and tile heavy roar of the great gun
in the marshes boomed above the deep
toned thunder Of opposing cannon. Each
gunhoat hau got the exact range uf the
main fort, and their we'll delivered fire
Silcnccd its guns, and in that direction
there was no firing. Then Tatnall stood
up the river with the stormers -half an
hour more and full three thousand men
We're on the shore, ready 1or the dash
then the three rockets shot upward, and
the dark forms oi the stormels disap-
prared over the low ridges that slirted
the river.
Hitherto John Bull had always been more
than Il match for the soldiery Of China.
Their primitive tortitcatons would go
down like Il house Of cards before the iron
hail Of the English, and i'm no instance
We're the Chinese known to resist the cut
lass Or bayonet. But at the Pei Ho there
evidently was 4 sharp contrast to ali for
ncr experiences That such was the case
became ecident when the gunboats ceased
firing, for the silent fort in an instant be
came lurid with light and the ramparts
.'Warmed with defenders. \ lighted ''cir-
c,tSs," fired from Il mortar, fell at the feet
OF the aasaulting column, and Illuminated
with painful distinctncSS every foot OF
ground in front ot the turt. The Storm
els steadily pushed on until their prog
rcss WAS stopped by a deep ditch full
Of water and planted thiclly with stout
stakes, With sharp points slanting towards
the stolmels. The sailors rushed madly
down into the ditch, but the sharp stakes
hndeltd the advance, and the few that
struggled over We're noWn down by the
ceaseIess Nollirs of musketrI from the
fort. The onward progress ot the as
>tlt at"ppcd, but at length ladders were
thrown across and the brave ncn began
surglng over. regardless Of that ceaSelcSS
tEWht Of bullets that was telling upon them
with such trighttul effect; and apparently
lorgetiul Of the fact that the now brilliant
lNlighted ealthWork was topped by a gilt
tering array Of pixies and spears. Sudden
lV IL Wild amt prolonged hurrah burst from
the forts defenders, and its effect on the
Slolmtis was ealiulIy demoraliZimg. The
head Of the column halted and shouts of
'RllSSanS" "kuSsians!" passed down the
line. Then the officers rushed in their
front and begged OF them To advance
they enlreHted them, threatened them,
even struck them; bat that we'll known
Russian cheer haze taught them that they
We're NOT lighting the Chinese, and after
Waytrng Il moment they broke ranks and
ran for the beach. Their flight was q per
feet rout, ana Shot and shell and "gingall"
moved them down.
At the beach The fugitiNes piled INTO
the boats buj there were not enough to
take in 0nc-elghth of the stormrrS, and
even here the men could not stay and live,
for the beach Was swept b. the fire from
the fort. 1t was Il terrible hour, ana it
was in this emergency that ratnall earned
tllf W ~ ttl Ills tttittitlt vi llt
He cot his LIGHT lralght tender in close
To the shore and took the tugitives from
the boats. In this way much life was
saved, and finally they were all taken
off and transferred tu the gunboats and
launches
That night at high tide the English
dropped down the river leaving two of
their best gunhoats sunk in the mud
and, after Il few days Of making things
straight, the whole fleet departed, sadder
but wiser men.
The next winter the PoWhattan ran
down the coast for Hong Kong. As she
steamed up to her anchorage, she passed
the English ag ship, and a splendid band
struck up:
should aud acquaintance he forgot:
with variations from:
"tolumblus the Gem OF th, Ocean"
Then the flag ship ran up the American
flag to her fore and saluted it with tWcn-
ty-one guns. LII response the PoWhattan
saluted the English flag. Then the ad-
miral and commodore exchanged their
mutual regards with another round OF
saluting with each others flags Hving at
lllt lore 10y tl HilSt uttttl llt'l tllt Oli1tI
vessels Of Admiral Hopes squadron ran
up the American ensign and also Saluted
it with tWenty-one guns. BY this time
the harbor was envcloped in clouds Of
smoke and it was almost impossible to
see anything that was going on. Pres
entity another ship down the harbor com
menccd blazing away; and when the
smoke had partially cleared, u Russian
trigate was seen flying the American flag
at her fore. Before the PoWhattan could
honor this compliment, the French frig-
ate Girondc, a little way on the port bow,
ran up the stars and stripes, and delivered
the most brilliant sllutes Yet fired, from
her main deck batteries gun ring
inc like brass pieces. 1t was a regular
mutual admiration society, all round, and
the people in Hong Kong tloclled to the
waters edge to learn what all the firing
was about.
After that there was no more riots be
tween John Bull and Brother Jonathan !;