October 10th, 1841.
As winter was rapidly approaching, it was important to secure
winter-quarters for the troops, and Chinghae was therefore fixed on
as commanding the approach to Ningpo. The continued occupation of so
important a place was likely, it was supposed, to have a good moral
effect on the Chinese Government, and might facilitate future
negotiations. Chinghae is a small town, standing at the base of a
high hill, on a point of land joined to the main by an isthmus, and
commands the entrance of the Tahea or Ningpo River, on the left or
north bank, 12 or 15 miles up which is situated the large city of
Ningpo. On the summit of the hill, which is 250 feet high, is a
large temple or joss-house, connected with other buildings by
loopholed walls, and forming a sort of citadel. It is encircled by a
strong wall, with very substantial iron-plated gates at the east and
west ends. The north and south sides of the height are exceedingly
steep; the former accessible only from the sea by a narrow winding
path from the rocks at its base, the south side and eastern end being
nearly precipitous. At the east end of the citadel, outside its
wall, 21 guns were mounted in three batteries of masonry and
sandbags, to defend the entrance of the river. The only
communication between the citadel and the city is on the west side,
by a steep but regular causeway to a barrier-gate at the bottom of
the hill, where a wooden bridge over a wet ditch connects it with the
isthmus and the gates of the city, the whole of which are covered
with iron plates and strongly secured. The space on the isthmus,
between the citadel hill and the city wall, is filled up towards the
sea with a battery of five guns, having a row of strong piles driven
into a little beach in front of it, to prevent a descent in that
quarter; and on the river side of the isthmus are two batteries,
adjoining the suburbs, and mounting 22 and 19 guns for flanking the
entrance: 28 guns of different sizes, and numberless gingals, were
also planted on the city walls, principally towards the sea. The
town is enclosed by a wall 37 feet in thickness, and 22 feet high,
with an embrasured parapet of 4 feet high, and it is nearly 2 miles
in circumference.
The main body of the Chinese forces were posted on the right bank of
the river in fortified encampments, on very commanding and steep
hills, field-works and entrenchments being thrown up in every
advantageous position, with 23 guns and innumerable gingals mounted
in them to impede the advance of the troops. The principal
landing-place on this side is within a considerable creek, close to
the south entrance of the river, and across the creek were driven
rows of piles. Four batteries, mounting 31 guns, were also newly
constructed on this side of the river to flank the entrance; and
about half a mile above its mouth, a similar obstruction of larger
piles was carried completely across, space only being left for one
junk to pass at a time.
On the 7th the wind having veered to a point favourable for carrying
the ships up to Chinghae, they were moved to the anchorage of
'Just-in-the-Way,' and on the 9th they reached the anchorage off the
town itself. They consisted of the 'Wellesley,' 'Blenheim,'
'Blonde,' 'Modeste,' 'Cruiser,' 'Columbine,' 'Bentinck,' 'Jupiter,'
'Rattlesnake,' 'Sesostris,' 'Phlegethon,' 'Nemesis,' and 'Queen.'
At an early hour on the morning of the 10th, the troops proceeded in
the 'Queen,' 'Nemesis,' and 'Phlegethon,' steamers, and the boats of
the transports, to the points of debarkation, in two columns. One,
the main body, 2,000 strong, under the immediate command of the
General, disembarked a short distance beyond the creek; the other,
500 strong, landed at the entrance of the creek, under cover of the
brigs 'Cruiser,' 'Columbine,' and 'Bentinck,' which, directed by
Commander Giffard, took up very judicious positions. A few shot from
them cleared the shore of about 300 Chinese troops, collected to
oppose the landing of the British; and by half-past nine every man
was safe on shore. The 'Wellesley,' 'Blenheim,' 'Blonde,' and
'Modeste' opened a heavy cannonade on the citadel and eastern part of
the city walls; and the 'Sesostris,' 'Queen,' and 'Phlegethon,' after
landing the troops, and towing up the ships to their stations,
commenced throwing their shells into the citadel. The 'Nemesis'
joined in the attack on the north side, and remained in readiness to
cover the landing of the seamen and marines. The citadel hill cannot
be approached for attack by large ships, except on the north side,
and there the water is so shallow that it is only in very calm
weather they can be safely carried sufficiently near to fire with
effect. The day was all that the invaders could desire, and the
'Wellesley' having been towed by the 'Sesostris' into an excellent
position, her anchor was dropped about a quarter before nine o'clock
in 4 fathoms, about 1,300 yards from the citadel and town walls. As
the water ebbed she settled imperceptibly into a bottom of soft mud,
and was as steady as a land battery. The 'Blenheim,' 'Blonde,' and
'Modeste,' favoured by a light breeze, took their stations under
sail, and every ship was placed as close as possible; the 'Blenheim'
and 'Modeste' touching the bottom at low water. As the troops on the
right bank of the river moved forward, the sloops, under Commander
Giffard, approached the entrance of the harbour; while the steamers,
which were for a considerable time under a heavy fire from the river
batteries, did much execution with their guns. About eleven o'clock
the British colours were planted by the troops in one of the
batteries on the opposite shore, and within a few minutes the others
on that side were all carried, the Chinese on the heights flying in
every direction. At a quarter past eleven the wall of the citadel
was breached by the fire from the ships, when the battalion of seamen
and marines, with the detachment of artillery and sappers, under the
command of Captain Herbert, were immediately landed, and the force
gallantly advanced to the assault. An explosion at this time took
place in a battery, near the citadel gate, and the garrison fled
without waiting to close it. The citadel was therefore entered, and
the union jack displayed on the walls. Here another explosion
occurred. Captain Herbert having secured the posts, quickly
re-formed his men, and advanced towards the city, where the Chinese
in considerable force still occupied the walls, as well as the two
batteries beneath the hills on the river side, against which the
British had already turned some of the guns taken on the right bank.
A few volleys of musketry speedily dislodged them from both
positions, and the battalion of seamen and marines pushed on in
excellent order to attack the city. The wall, which was 26 feet
high, was escaladed in two places, and in a short time, the Chinese
troops having escaped through the western gates, complete possession
was taken of Chinghae. During the escalade, a third explosion took
place, by which a seaman of the 'Blenheim' was killed. The seamen
immediately returned on board their ships, which as the tide rose
were moved into secure berths. Captain Herbert remained with the
marines in charge of the town until the evening, when Sir H. Gough
arrived, and a considerable portion of the troops were conveyed
across the river in the 'Phlegethon,' to garrison it. The city and
Joss-house Hill were defended by about 3,000 regular Tartar troops,
of whom about 150 were killed.
Ninety iron and sixty-seven brass guns were taken. Admiral Parker,
in his Despatch, mentions Captains Herbert, Bourchier, Maitland, and
Eyres; Major Ellis, of the Marines; and his Flag-Lieut. Charles
Tennant.
Return of officers who landed with the right column under the command
of Captain Herbert, Captain Bourchier commanding the battalion of
seamen:--
Landed with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd companies seamen battalion.
'Wellesley,' Lieuts. Symonds, Maitland, and Carmichael; Messrs. King,
Halstead, and Crouch, mates; Messrs. Birtwhistle, Butler, and
Jackson, midshipmen; Mr. Smith, Assistant-Surgeon.
Landed with the 4th, 5th, and 6th companies seamen battalion.
'Blenheim,' Lieutenants Hawkins and Matthews; Messrs. St. Leger and
Norman, mates; Mr. Dowell, midshipman; Mr. Adair, volunteer, 1st
class; Mr. Scott, volunteer, A.D.C.; Mr. Thomas, assistant-surgeon.
Landed with 7th company, seamen battalion. 'Blonde,' Lieutenant Sir
T. Nicholson; Messrs. Walker and Holland, mates; Mr. Lambert,
midshipman; Messrs. Lion and Coke, midshipmen, A.D.C.
Landed with subdivision 8th company. 'Modeste,' Lieut. Birch; Mr.
Pearse, mate; Major Ellis, commanding battalion of Royal Marines.
Captain Whitcombe; Lieuts. White, Ushur, Whiting, Hewet, Farmer,
Polkinghorne; Mr. Tweedale, assistant-surgeon of 'Blenheim;' Mr.
Stanley, assistant-surgeon of 'Blonde.' Landed 276 Royal Marines.
Artillery, Lieut. the Hon. F. Spencer, 23rd R.A., and two 5½-inch
mortars, and 9 and 12-pound rockets; Lieut. Molesworth, 12th Madras
Artillery; Captain Cotton and Lieut. Johnston with 30 Madras sappers.
Officers in charge of boats.--'Wellesley,' Lieut. Lord Wm. Compton,
and Lord A. Beauclerk, mate in the launch; Mr. Crofton, mate in the
pinnace; Mr. Kennedy, mate in the barge; Mr. Niblett, 2nd master in
the cutter.
'Blenheim,' Mr. Kevern, mate in the launch; Mr. Denny, mate in the
barge; Mr. Konniclas (Greek), in the pinnace; Mr. Pascoe, 2nd master
in the gun-boat; Mr. Swinburn, midshipman, in the 1st cutter; Mr.
Gell, midshipman, in the 2nd cutter; Mr. Bencroft, volunteer, 1st
class, in the jolly-boat.
'Blonde,' Lieut. Daly, in the launch; Mr. Hamilton, midshipman, in
the pinnace; Mr. Anderson, mate, in the gun-boat.
'Modeste,' Mr. Crofton, mate, in the pinnace.