Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-24
SLAUGHTER AT HUE.
VOw the Annamites We're HASA,
cred by the Freuch--NO
Quarters Given.

Via French Atlantic Cable to N. Y. Herald.
LONDON, October l9.-Pierre Lote,
an officer Of the French expeditionary
force in TOnquin, sends to the Paris
Figaro the following description OF the
fall Of Hue:
The beaten Amman tes were eooped
up in the burning village. The only
road Of escape from the flames lay
under the guns OF the fort, which was
filed with sailors armed with Krapot.
ehak repeating rifles with sights care
fully adjusted to the distance. Maya
zines Of rifles were duly loaded,
AWAITING THE HUMAN QUARRY.
The men looked on waiting until a
flank movement Of the other troops
and the firing Of the bamboo huts
should drive the human quarry out
before them. We saw them hating
at the end Of the village with singed
hair and garments. Then, after q few
moments hesitation, tucking up their
flowing robes as high as they could
and trying to protect their heads with
planks against the impending shower
Of bullets, they rushed on.
TIE BUTcHERY BEGINS.
A great butchery then commenced.
Two yolleys were fired. It was quite
a treat (c'etait un plaisir) to see these
fanlike streams of bullets sweeping
down upon the fugitives. They were
poured in twice in one minute at the
word Of command, and in sure, me-
thOdical manner. 1t was like a jet
from a huge watering pot, which
moved them down by dozens. D
a FEARFUL SIGHT.
In a cloud of dust and gravel we
could see some who seemed to be
driven mad, picking themselves up,
llmping now one way now another,
like wounded animals. Gathering up
their robes in a comical manner, their
long hair unfastened aud streaming
down their backs, made them look
like women. Others tried to escape
by swimming lagoon to try to reach
the junks. These were killed in the
water. Some good divers remained a
long time under water.
NO QUARTERS.
Our men continued to kill them all
the same when they came up to
breathe like seals. The men then
amused themselves counting the dead
fifty on the LETT eighty on the right
In the village we're small heaps. With
those killed in the southern forts
about eight hundred or q thousand
must have been disposed Of. The
sailors made bets as to the numbers
destroyed. About nine in the morn
ing all was over, and the rout of thu
Annamites was complete.
THE coNQUERoRs MAD AND MRRoI
LESS.
The heat was intense and the sail
ors, maddened by the sun and tn,
noise and quivering with excitement
rushed out Of the fort after tn
wounded. Some were crouohing il
holes, others we're feigning death
while others at the last gasp wer
stretching out their hands pleadin
for mercy and shouting, Han
HAM" in heart-rending accents. Gu
men slaughtered them with bayonet
or Drained them with the butt ends Q
their muskets. The Annamite ser
wants, diminutive, etfeminate lads, wh
had followed the infantry from Saigon
were hunted out. When one of tn
fugitives was unearthed the sailor
would call out. Heres another
Come, give him 'le'sng, le'ang.""
DISCIPLINE AT AN END.
These sailsrs we're quite unrecoe
, nizable. They we're absolutely mad
men. The officers attempted to re
strain them and said to them, "Yo
ought to be ashamed Of such cowardly
dirty work." They replied, "The An
NANTES are savages. They carrie
the head Of Riviere on the top Of
pole, and if they carried the day the
would cut the French to pieces or say
them within two planks. There wa
no reply possible to this-it was true
and SO they were left to their grin
work.