The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-08-23

mates certificate. He took a turn in New York
at the business of ship brokerage and marine
supplies. Thence he disappeared for several
years and was heard of in Central America,
where he had joined Walker, the 1libuster mar
rowly escaping the fate of that adventurer. Ru-
NOR also associated him with the tlstarred ex-
piots of Wheat and Henningsen in the same
region. He had been heard of also in the Cr-
mea enlisted in the French zouaves from
which he managed to escape by desertion to
save himself from drum-head court martial after
having slapped his captain in the(face.
These and other adventures doomed in his
background.
Not disconnected by Tah-ke's cold reception
he took things into his own hands. He had
enough money to hire small force of rapscal
lions, native and foreign, the kind that infest
an Oriental seaport like rats and among them
a few deserters from the British military and
naval forces, who knew something about drill
The most important of these acquisitions was
James Burgevine, a North Carolinian adventur
er, who had severed allegiance to the Heavenly
King" Tah-ke had sold to Ward for a baga-
telle batch of condemned muskets and bayo-
nets which armed this ragged and unreliable
battalion. Ward and BurgeVine whipped them
into shape not only by camp drill but by skir-
mishing with the Tapings at every opportunity
for from their cities of Sung Kiang and Sing
Poo, only two or three days march from Shang-
hal, the rebels made constant irruptions.
Wards primary object was to inspire his
men with confidence in him and in themselves
He lived on the country and when he captured
Taipings he converted them into recruits in.
stead of refusing quarter, as was the habit of
the fmperialsts Very the exploits of
Wards irreguars began to make a bIzz in the
foreign clubs and counting rooms. He had ere
ated his own standing and when he went again
to Tah-ke that worthy received him with low
salaams.
He went straight to his mark like bullet
with the manner of one debating not accent
ing, terms. He proposed formal contract
which Tah-ke to negotiate with the Futai
OF Shanghai Ward to have 100000 from
the government for every city he captured of
which $4,000 was to go to the Chinese part
ners. He was to have the first days Iooting
after which the captured place would be turned
over to the imperialists.
Tahke was pledged to finance Ward for one
year, furnishing him with arms ammunition and
stores, within certain limit of cost which the
other thought would suffice.
Within a month Ward led his first expedition
against Sung Kfang which was garrisoned by
about 5000 Taipings under the command of an
Englishman named Gardiner an ex-oficer of the
British army. The attack failed, with serious
loss to Wards 500 assailants
One thing had happened however which
proved of vast import to him. He had taken a
rebel prisoner of some rank, who confessed IN
him that one Of the bastions had a chokedup
subterranean sallyport. If he could make a
secret entrance through this, it would save the
necessity of desperate and bloody assault
General ward recognized his little command
and. with 5000 imperialists to- co-operate MAD.
his second attempt. Sung Kiang with its Ave.
mile circuit of wall twenty feet high. was can
tured; and to Wards great credit he prevented
anything like indiscriminate massacre
Leaving Sung Kiang with an officer Of b,o
in command. he returned to ShausbsI
where his achievement had caused a tremen.
dous sensation
There comes now interim in Wards fight.
ing tolls, for half score of unhealed wounds
compelled him to go to Paris for treatment but
find him back again in the early summer of
1851 where his presence was sorely needed
The foreign powers still pursued their hands
off policy and allowed the Taipings to sound
their drums and tom-toms within earshot of the
swarming treaty port In diplomatic way in
deed, formal recognition of the Heavenly King"
as the dominant power was in the air
Wards coming shattered that intention
which, If carried out. would have destroyed the
empire He grasped the situation and through