Year: 1862




from Europe yesterday was brief teiegraphic
announcement of the death of Mandarin Ward,
who was killed at Rungpoo, China, while de-
Tending that city against an attack of the rebels.
This event will probably change the future OF
the Chinese empire; and is q new and remark
able illustration of the slendsrness of that
thread upon which hang the destinies of ma
tions suppose that cannon ball had not
anded the career Of Charles the Twelfth just as
he was beginning to carry out the gigantic
military schemes which he had conceived and
how vastly different would have been the sub
sequent history Of Europeg Suppose that the
great Napoleon, who disorganized and recon-
structed almost every government on the Euro
pean continent, and who moved the world
rapidly by the force of his tremendous genius,
had been shot while crossing the bridge OF
Lodi, and the imagination is lost in conjectures
in regard to the results Of this misfortune. In
Mandarin Ward China loses general with ell the
military enthusiasm of Charles the Twelfth and1
the revolutionary power Of Napoleon the First
Ward was, indeed the Napoleon Of the EaSl
Unless some rare accident shall supply bis
place, the future historian will record that the
regeneration Of China, once successfully begun
was delayed for another century by ball or a
sabre stroke.


What Mandarin Ward could have accomplished
may he judged by what he had already done
Landing in China - the mate OF coasting
schooner, with half dozen dollars in his pock-
ct, and few great ideas in his head, young
Ward had fought his way up to high honors
and world wide celebrity in country the
most exclusive and impracticable in the world.
AT the time OF his arrival in China the rebels
had been gaining repeated victories over the
imperial troops, and had captured town after
town without encountering any efiectual re-
sistance Young Ward was by nature soldier
and had received a military education under
Walker, in Nicaragua. With true American
spirit, he felt indignant that the Chinese rebels
to take hand in the contest. 1t was impos
sible, however, to join the imperial army in any
capacity which would enable him TO develop
his talents, and consequently he resolved to aid
the Chinese upon strictly mercantile principles
the only mode of dealing with outside barba-
rians which the Celestals could comprehend and
appreciate AT that time the rebels held
the strong town Of Soonkong, from which
they threatened the important city Of
Shanghae Ward offered, therefore, to
reti.ke Soonkong and relieve Shanghae,
by contract, for so much cash down. This
novel offer was accepted by the imperial
government, and Ward Immediately set to
work to raise and equip an army, mingling
Cinnamon and foreigners in the ranks and
placing competent foreign officers in command
In few weeks this composite cosmopolitan
army was ready to take the field; Soonkong
was soon restored to the imperial government
and Ward received his money.


sThus having introduced himself to the
Chinese, Ward soon showed that he had other
objects in view besides the accumulation Of a
fortune. The Emperor bestowed upon him the
rank of general, and gave him commission
to raise whatever armies and retake whatever
towns he might choose, at his own price and
upon his own terms. This was in fact equiva-
lent to the supreme command of the imperial
Ward mandarin; and, having taken to himself
tiny-footed, almond-eyed Chinese wife, the
Young American now became natnralized
Chnaman. The English and French admirals
on that station, who had at first intrigued
against Ward, and denounced him as seces-
sionist and a Hlibustsr, were soon won over to
his cause, and afforded him every assistance in
their power. When led by proper officers
the Chinese were found to fight quite a.
well as the English sailors and French ma
rines, who battled side by side with them
at Soonkong This fact established, Ward
labored earnestly to increase and drill his army,
and, relying upon his ability to convert the Ce.
lestials into sailors as we'll az soldiers he or
dered gunboats to be built for the Chinese GO
vernment both in this country and in England
Only those who can appreciate the Chinese
charBter can fully understand the immense
reforms inaugurated BY the coTnniingling Of
natives and foreigners in the imperial armies,
and by the introduction Of modern inventions
in the art Of war in the place Of the barbarous
usages Of the uncivilized Celsstials. With such
an army as Ward had, and with such navy as
he soon would have had-botb of his own
creation, under bis own control and commanded
by officers Of his own race and attached to him
by every possible interest-there were no in
superable obstacles in the way Of his ambition
and no one would have been surprised to hear
at any time that Ward had usurped the imperial
throne and established Yankee dynasty in
China, just as Napoleon, beginning at the siege
OF Toulon, like Ward at the siege of Soonkong
advanced step BY step until by . coup d'etat he
superseded the Bourbons and established the
Corsican dynasty in France. With such ruler
China would have been a live nation, reclaimed
to civilization and doing its proper share in the
great work Of the world. As 1t is, the battle Of
Rungpoo has ended oil these plans by the death