The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-21
THE ANNAM,TE BUTCIIERY.
How Euc was Taken by tho French
Horrible scenes.

A London special says Pierre Lote. an
officer OF the French cxpcditionary force
in Tonqun, sends 10 the Paris Figaro the
following description OF the fall OF Hue:
1.-THE beaten Annamites were cooped up
in the burning village. The only road OF cs-
cape from the flames lay under the guns OF
the fort, which was filled with sailors armed
with Krapotchek repeating rifles. with
sights carefully adjusted to The distance.
Magazines OF rifles were duly loaded.
while the men looked on. waiting until q
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 rs high as they
could and trying To protect their heads
with planks against the impending shower
OF bullets, they rushed on.
THE HAIL or DEATH.
"A great butchery then commenced.
| Two yolleys were fired. II was quite 4
| treas (c' et0h nm piaiSir) 10 sec these fan
| like streams Of bullets sweeping down upon
! the fugitiyes. They were poured in twice
i'm one minute at the word OF command,
and i'm a sure, mcthodical manner. II was
/ like Jet from huge watering-pot. which
moved them down by dozens.
"In a cloud OF dust and gravel we could
see some who seemed e. be driven mad
picking themselves up, limping now one
way. now another, like wounded animals.
Gathering mp their robes in a cOmlcai man.
ncr, their long hair unfa.teued and stream
ing down their backs, made them look like
women.
"Othcrs tried TO escape b. swimming a
/ lagoon to try to reach The iunks. These
were killed I'm the water. Some good divers
remained a long time under water. Our
men continued to kill them all the same
/ when they came ~ 10 breathe like seals.
/ The men then amused themselves counting
| the dead, fifty on the left and eighty TO the
| right.
BETTING on TIE KILLED.
"In the village were small heaps. With
| those killed in the southern forts about
eight hundred or thousand must have
| been disposed OF. The sailors made bets
a. % tho number destroyed. About 9 in
| the morning al was over and the rOut OF
! the Annamitcs WAS complete.
"The heat was intense. and the sailors.
| maddcncd by the sun and the noise. and
! Quivcring with excitement, all rushed ont
| OF the fort after the wounded. Some were
| crOuching in holes, Others were ieigning
| death, while still others at the last gasp
/ were stretching out their hands, pleading
! for mercy. and shouting Han Han in
! hcart-rcnding accents. Ourmen slaughter
| ed them with hayonets, or Drained them
with the butt ends OF their muskcts. The
Annamite servants. diminuliye. eleminatc
! lads. who had followed the infantry from
/ Saigon, were hunted out.
BEYOND RESTRAINT.
When one Of The iugltives was un-
carthcd the sailors would call ont. Here's
another. come and give him Le'ang, Lee
/ 'ang.' These sailors were quite unrccOg-
nizablc. They were absolutely madmer.
! The officers attempted to restrain them,
and said 10 them, You ought to be
ashamed OF such cOwardly. dirty work.
"Thcy replied: The Annamites are
sayagc4; they carried the head OF Captain
! Rivicrc on the top Of a pole. and il they
carried the day they would cut the French
| to pieces or saw them within two panks.
There was no reply possible TO this. 1t was
true. and so they were left TO their grim
| work -