Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-24
A HARD FIGHT IN TONOUIN
THE FRENCH REPULSED WITH
IL KILLED AND 54 WOUNDED.

IL KILLED AND "a WOUNDED.
Thirty Chinese Allies Also SIain-Tbe
Retreat an Orderly One-Infantry and
Gunboats Engaged in the Action
Haidnong the Only Place Cap
tured.
LONDON, August pa correspondent
OF the Daily Ne1cS telegraphs from Hong
Kong that on the 18th inst. an attack was
made BY the French on Phouhai in the
direction OF Sontag, a strong post seven
miles from Hanoi. The French force was
1000 strong, and the enemy numbered
$4,000. The position was carried, but
found untenable. A portion of the troops
retreated to the river covered by gunboats.
while the rest went in the direction of
Hanoi. There have been terrible floods.
causing loss of life in the vicinity of
Hanoi
The Standard has the following dispatch
from Hanoi: "The French divided into
three columns, of five hundred each. as
far as SOntag. The right column then adj
Yanced along the river bank, supported
by nVe gunboatS. After going five miles.
the enemy were found intrenched. The
gunbOats fired among them. and the in
trenchments were carried The troops
then advanced to carry the fortified vii
lage with the bayOnet, but the defense was
SO vigorous that they were thrice repulsed.
towards evening the French, finding
tnelr attempts fruitless, decided to renew
the attack on the next morning. The cen
tire column met with faint resistance, and
occupied Hanoi. There they awaited the
turning movement to be effected by the
lett column. The latter advanced along
the road which the late Captain Riviere
took -Four hundred Chinese occupied it.
The column reached Wong, and there
found the road barred By Il strong en-
trenchment. The artillery then fired into
the works. The column advanced with
difficulty, owing to floods. The horses
were unused to harness and refused to
drag the guns, and men took their places
IN dragging up the artillery.
When within three hundred yards of the
enemy's entertainments the French opened
lire. For a time there was no return
made by the enemy, but after some delay
they opened with tremendous fusilade,
winch resulted in checking the advance
OF the column. 1t was now manifest that
the position could not be carried by a di
rect attack, and flank mOvemenC was
impossible; so the French retreated. The
enemy, shouting an triumph, issued from
their entrenchments and began pursuit
of the French. They pressed around both
tanks of the retreating columns.
The French then opened out with
artillery, firing she'll into the ranks of the
pursuing forces, but the enemy continued
to follow their retreat. The French pre-
served excellent order and carried every
thing OF the field, including their killed
and wounded. At O'Clock in the after
noon the enemy suddenly drew off. The
French column reached Hanoi at O'Clock
IN the evening completely exhausted.
Their centre column also returned to
Hanoi. The right column occupied a
position which the enemy vacated during
the night. The French loss is two officers
and ten men killed and "a seriously
wounded; 80 Chinese allies were killed.
The entire Red river delta is flooded
ana many villages have been DESTROYED
and thousands of lives lost The French
plan was to strike simultaneously at Son
tag, Hue, Bacnih and Haidnong. SO far
only the latter place has been taken.
The Times correspondent at Hong Kong.
in referring to the movement of the
French i'll T0nquin, of which reports
were received last night, says that the
enemy was mainly composed of Chinese
armed with Remington rifles. Gen. BOul
commanded the left column of the French
troops. 1t is believed that the enemy's
loss was small. French doctors complain
vi want OF medicines and stores. The
operations of the French have been
stopped for the present, the number of
troops being insufficient to attack Sontag
and Bacnih, which are the strongest posi-
tions in the Delta. The repulse of the
French has disheartened them and en-
couraged the enemy. Four thousand ma
tive Christians are being armed.
The Summaries correspondent at Hanoi.
in his report of the movements of the
French, adds that at is generally admitted
that the French will require a force of
10000 men to be able to cope with the
enemy successfully. The number of gun
boats is also inadequate.
Five hundred coolies, who accompanied
the French columns as carriers, fled at the
first shot. 1t is stated that the enemy
has entertainments one behind the other
over the whole twenty-five miles between
Hanoi and Sontag. but it is
thought that the floods have de-
stroyed many of them. The
black flags have been strongly re-en-
forced from Yunnan. No Annamites par
ticipated in the fighting.
The Z tnleS says that the capture of
Haidnong is of some Importance. as it
gives the French complete command of
the Tong Chic canal, which is the most
convenient approach to Hanoi.
PARIS, August 23.-An attache of the
chinese legation here has started for
emma with lmDOrtanf diSDatchac