Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-11-22
The Horrible StOry Of Hue.

Pierre Lote. an officer of the French
revolutionary force in Tonquin, sends
to the Paris Figaro the following
description of the fall Of Hue: The
beaten Annamites were cOoped 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 Krapotehat repeat
ing rifles with sights carefully adjusted
to the distance. Magazines of rifles
were duly loaded. The men looked on
waiting until flank movement of the
other troops and the firing of the bam-
boo 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 a 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 bull
lets, they rushed on. A great butcher
ing then commenced. Two Yolleys were
fired. 1t was quite treat tO.see these
fan-like streams of bullets sweeping
down upon the fugitiVes. They were
poured in twice in one minute, at the
word of command, and in sure,
methodical manner. 1t was like Jet
from huge watering-pot, which moved
them down by dozens. In cloud o
dust and gravel we could see some who
seemed to be driven mad. picking them
selves up like wounded animals. Gath
ering up their robes in a cOmical man
ner, their long hair unfastened and
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 re-
manned a long time under water. Our
men continued to kill them all the same,
when they came up to breathe, like rats.
The men then amused themselves count
ing the dead-ffty on the left, eighty to
the right. In the village were small
heaps. With those piled in the south
ern forts, about eight hundred or a
thousand must have been disposed of.
The sailors made bets as to the number
destroyed. About nine in the morning
all was over and the rout of the AMMAN
ties was complete. The heat was in
tense, and the sailors, maddened by the
sun and the noise, and quivering with
excitement, rushed out of the fort after
the wounded. Some were crouching in
holes, others were feigning death, while
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out their hands, pleading for mercy and
shouting ''Han Han" in heart-rending
accents. Our men slaughtered them
with bayonets, or Drained them with
the but ends of their muskets. The
Annamite servants, diminutive, effemi-
nate lads, who had followed the infant
~ from Saigon, were hunted out. When
one of the fugitives was unearthed the
sailors would cry out, Here's another
Come give him Leang Leang." These
sailors were absolutely madmen. The
officers attempted to restrain them, and
said to them: ''You oughtto be ashamed
of such cowardly, dirty work" They
replied: 1.-The Annamites are savages.
They carried the head of Captain
Riviere on the top of pole, and if they
carried the day they would cut the
French to pieces or saw them in two
with planks." There was no reply pos
sible to this. 1t was true, and so they
were left to their grim work.