Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-06
EAT
FOOGHl Nv
FAMOUS FRAY
VETERAN OF BATTLE At PElHo
RIVER HERE
~>-
CAPTAIN MCLAUGHLIN PATIENT
AT COUNTY HOSPITAL
Survivor of American Crew That Went
to Assistance of British Admiral
Tells of Part in Historic
Event

1t is doubtless news to many to learn
that one of the American seamen who
fought with the British at the lombard
ment Of the TailSu forts, at the mouth of
the Peiho river China, in 1853 when the
phrase Blood is thicker than water
originated, is living at the county hos
pital.
Captain Daniel Mclaughlin. now gray
with years and unable to walk without
the aid of canes.s but still full of interest
in everyday affairs, is one of the few
survivors Of that memorable "entente
cordiale'' between American and British
naval men. The captain told his story
yesterday afternoon.
1.-THE incident occurred in 1858, when the
English were endeavoring to push their
way on to Tien Tsin. The Chinese, ! re-
member owing to some careful training
given them by the Russians, had learned
how to elevate and lower the guns OF the
fort and train the weapons more carefully
on an enemy than they had previously.
The result was that the English adj
mlral's estimate of two hours for the
capture OF the Chinese forts dwindled
away when he found himself well nigh
defeated and helpless under the CALLING
fire of the enemy.
zone of the stanchions which supported
a boat On board his flagship had been
S1OI away anu plGCc VI CIdAI az
tached thereto had broken boti his legs.
He was pluckily remaining at his post.
Sends for Aid
His name was Sir James Hope. He
sent midshipman over to our American
vessel Commodore Tatnali, commanding
the American forces in these waters.
being aboard. For the Americans were
not engaged in the tight, being neutral
since our treaty with China had been
ratified. while the French and English
treaties had not
Accordingly, when the English mid
shipmar reported Sir James request to
Commodore Tatnall for aid the request
was turned down. For 1t seems they
wanted us to tow q junk with 800 Eng
lshmen aboard into action for them in
order that they might be able to retire
from the engagement in good order. just
as the midshipman was about to leave
the side Of our vessel Commodore Tatnall
asked him:
"'You say your admiral is wounded
and needs those Go men to enable him to
withdraw from the fight? Yes the mid
die answered. Then Commodore Tatnai.
knowing that the act was all his COM
mission was worth, besides being
declaration of war on the part Of the
United States toward China, replsed
Blood is thicker than water; a brother
sailors N distress, and I'll nelp him
out
Accordingly, our tender, the Tanewan
lowered her peDnant and ensign so as to
afford our government loophole Of es-
cape from the responsibility OF the ac-
ton, and towed that English junk with
its 600 reserves into the fire zone.
Fight Way Clear
1--WE Immediately left her adrift and
returned to our ship, while the English
anchored and eventually fought their way
clear Soon afterward Commodore Tat
nall had his gig manned, and his flag
officer, rrenchard, rowed toward Ad-
miral Hopes flagship.
1--WE were all thrown into the water by
our gigs being struck by a solid shot,
and being near the English ship, were
hooked out of the water by the British
tars, who thus, for the first time in his
tory went a-fishing for Yankees and
found that the latter bit quite well. Our
coxswain Hart, was killed. When we
got aboard we found thu dead every
where. rienchard went aft to see Sir
James Hope. who was stretched out on
a couch in his cabin, while we sailor men
went up 10 the bow wher1 we found
pivot gun, usually manned by fourteen
seamen, being clumsily managed by the
survivors, four In number only
I'VE tod those Englishmen to stand
aside, and for two hours we Yankees
made that gun do good work in the fight
against the Chinese forts. At the end
of that time Trenchard came up on deck
from Sir James cabin and asked us what
we were doing. We told him, and with
out any reprimand he had us take him
back to the American vessel. That is
the true version of that famous incident.
And l don't think the second part of
Tatnall's phrase, and a brother sailors
in distress and I'll help him OUT is very
commonly known"
Has Seen Much Service
Captain Mclaughlin has been around
the world and seen many adventures
There is a prototypes to this Angio-Amer-
lean incident which he tells of in connec-
ton with the capture of the American
filibusterer Firefy by a Spanish frigate
off Santiago, Cuba, in 1869. Half the
Americana crew had been shot by the
Spaniards when an English vessel put in
port of Santiago.
The British consul learned a sailor
named Murphy, one of the survivors of
the crew, was an Englishman. having
never declared his intentions of becom-
ing IN American citizen. Accordingly, the
consul told the British captain. who
came ashore, wrapped the American flag
and then the Union Jack of England
about the body of this son of Dublin and
shouted to the Spanish detachment of
soldiers ready to shoot the rest of the
crew, as he stood with his hand on the
mans shoulder, Fire on these flags and
you fire al the United States and Eng
land" And the rest of the crew was