New-York tribune., 1900-07-15
VARRING WITH CHINA.
IN, THE BARRIER FORTS BELOW CAN
TON WE'RE TAKEN BY UNITED
STATES TROOPS IN 1856
tcouy1 ,ght. 1900: BY Robert c. skerre,t.I


y. Nth China is the second time in the history
h- Intercourse with the Flowery Kingdom that
Ave had 10 resort TO force Of arms to conpe
" a--ogant Celestials 10 honor flag and 10
&c upon them determination to guard
~ I .,4atv rights OF citizens resident there The
u n that other time is a tale Of the hfties when
~ ,Dooden walls-mostly sailing ones at that
zsls the dignity Of Old Glory in the Far East and
- o,ber out Of the way corners Of the globe
'.-vard the end Of October Of 1856 the strife be
:, the British and the Chinese at Canton had
me so acute that + became necessary to safe
- our citizens and consul at that place by the
I'll NJ a guard Of marines and blueiackets and on
- qsd Of that month Captain A H Foote Of the
-,,ed States ship Portsmouth, then lying at
1Isnpoa anchorage. q dozen miles below Canton
~ four Of his boats, a howitzer and armed
-. ~ eighty men. and rowed up 10 the city.
,Ie of days later Captain Smith Of the United
+ss shiI Levant. just arrived. brought up an ad-
ss,+,onsl force Of sixty-nine men.
a. October g the British landed an assauIting
,orrv which unfortunately. was accompanied by
- enthusiastic American citizens who incautious-
:, nlanted our flag upon the city walls. That was
he beginning Of our trouble or. rather that was
- imperial Chinese Commissioner Yeh's justifca-
-, FOR the action Of the barrier forts some days
,.s- and was incidentally. so this willy Oriental
.rnued why the American steamer Kun Fa while
.cing through the Macao passage about this time.
RS fred upon by one of the forts.
on the afternoon of November Is. after consulta-
Commodore James
.-ong who had just arrived on the United States
.ssrer san Jacinto. Captain Foote was fred upon
- one Of the barrier forts ne his way
sck 10 Canton TO direct the removal of the Amer
IAN guard Grape and round shot fired at the
tost hve times but fortunately. without doing
,srage The barrier forts situated about five
niles below the city. formed the main defence OF
.ss town and were deemed the key 10 the approach
n5 in the eyes Of the Chinese were looked upon
az the most formidable works in the empire. They
zre four in number. and mounted no fewer than
- elns many Of them being pieces of S-inCh and
g51nch calbre. while the river walls Were mas
sre granite structures. six and eight feet thick
SPEEDY PREPARATION.
The channel Of the Pearl River at the point OF
.ss forts was narrow and tortuous and the current
ds,i5edly swift. At once Commodore Armstrong
Espatched Commanders Foote and Bell-the latter
commanding the San Jacnro-in search of steam
avs 70 tow the Portsmouth and the Levant off the
s.-s to redress the outrage upon flag. the San
1acinto drawing too much water to get beyond
Thampoa
Al daylight next morning, November l6 the
Yum Fa without moestation proceeded up TO Can
I'M 10 nrirg back the marines, seamen, launches
and hoWitzers belonging to the San Jacinto and the
portsmouth IN the mean time Lieutenant William
sou Of the San Jacinto in cutter with an armed
crew. and accompanied by a pilot sent TO sound
out the channel up 10 the forts At noon the lieu
tenant returned reporting that he had sounded to
VAS fired upon three times Edward Mullen, his
ooxswain being killed while in the act Of heavtng
the lead
The Kun Fa succeeded in bringing down the
larger part Of the guard from Canton without mis-
hsp the rest being left at the Consulate under
Commander Smith. OF the Levant-
All of the crew of the San rJacinto that could be
svsred were distributed between the Portsmouth
and the Levant, and Commander Bell, in the ao-
snce Of Commander Smith, was detailed TO assume
oonmend Of the latter vessel. Commodore Arm
r-ong accompanied by the feet surgeon, repaired
N the Portsmouth, on which ship the commodore
hasted his broad pennant.
With everything snug above and with their royals
and topgallant masts sent down the ships left
tbsr anchorage after the men had finished their
dinner and everything been done to prepare for
the hot work cut out for them. II takes no very
vivid Imagination to picture the odds those thin
wooden walls were going face In attacking four
strong masonry forts armed with more than five
tines the number Of guns the vessels bore.
UNDER HEAVY AND WELL DIRECTED FIRE.
The old Portsm outh in tow Of the American
steamer Willamette, headed the procession. with
the little Kun Fa bringing up behind with the
Ievant in tow. Before coming in range the LeVant
grounded and 80 remained until after nightfall
In the mean time the Portsmouth kept steadily
on her way alone up the Whampoa Channel ana
when within FIVE hundred yards Of the nearest
fort-,t being about 40 ?. m.-anchored and
time before the Portsmouth came to anchor the
forts opened brisk and well directed fire The
exceptional accuracy was subsequently explained
by the presence Of some one hundred and twenty
disciplined Chinese sailors lately discharged from
q European rnan-of-war. II was not until the chips
began tc ay that the old ship opened upon the en-
smy and then for nearly three hours she Kept up
30 rapid and continuous shell fire that the nearest
fort was silenced and the rest Of them were at
lacking but feebly when the night closed in.
Ffa mo
skipper Of the Willamette, won the unstinted
praise Of all. Without any means OF defence or
retaliation he steamed boldly up stream at the
head Of the line. never faltering a moment and
east off, from the Portsmouth only when the snip
had come 70 anchor under a heavy fire. For the
whole OF that afternoon the Portsmouth stood the
attack alone but the men that manned her guns
we're fearless and the tale Of carnage their guns
told in that fort was something fearful Smell
after shell from her big s-inch guns tore away
great masses OF masonry. dismounted the enemy 3
guns and slaughtered whole gums crews at a time
Each discharge made the old ship tremble as with
rage from keel to truck, but each shell shook
he enemy more Six times the good ship was
hulled but not dangerously. one shot coming IN
through the stern, wrecking a portion OF the cap
tain's cabin and mortally wounding one or the
marine guard just the vessel unfortunately
swung in position 70 be raked. The enemy nreo
grape shot and round shot but no shell ana II Is
70 their lack of the latter that the portsmouth,
owed her survival The frightful poundlhS the
EoOd ship gave that nearest fort. which had
battery Of ffty-three pieces paved the way for the
Wholesale success that followed and so demoralzed
the natives that they were never again able 10 p-'
up the same defence.
Darkness came upon wearied but happy ere"
On the Portsmouth and the single casualty was
certainly cause for thanksgiving. During the night
the Levant was pulled back into the channel ana
brought up where her guns could bear on the NOR
'oW, and later take her share or the pouhulhs'
Oo
THE PORTSMOUTH AGROUND.
The nev+ day N-o,arnher L the Portsmouth