October 12th.
Two days after the capture of Chinghae, the Admiral having
reconnoitred the river as far as the city of Ningpo, the Tartar
troops and many of the inhabitants were seen making their escape from
it. In order, therefore, to prevent it falling into the hands of the
rabble, he at once returned and ordered up the squadron. A large
portion of the troops were on board the 'Nemesis' and 'Phlegethon.'
They reached Ningpo about 2 P.M., and anchored within a few feet of
the floating-bridge, which connects the city at the east end gate
with the suburbs across the river. The men were disembarked with
great ease by stages from the bows of the vessels, the battalion of
seamen and marines under Captain Herbert, landing at the same time in
the suburbs on the city side, a short distance below them.
The gates of the city were all found secured and barricaded, though
not the slightest opposition was offered, and an entrance being
effected, the British marched quietly in. The mandarins and troops
had all left the city, the latter, since their defeat at Chinghae,
having refused to fight. Numbers of the inhabitants crowded the
banks of the river as spectators, and others assisted voluntarily to
remove the barricades at the city gates. By three o'clock the little
army, consisting of nearly 800 men, was drawn up on the ramparts of
the important city of Ningpo, the band of the 18th Royal Irish
playing the national anthem of "God save the Queen." Never was there
so bloodless or more satisfactory a victory. Order was at once
restored, and the Chinese were assured of the protection of the
British. Unfortunately a ransom was afterwards demanded, and a tax
of 10 per cent. on the estimated value of property was levied to pay
it; which, although it was not raised, was the cause of much ill
feeling on the part of the people. The troops having remained in
Ningpo about two months, an expedition was undertaken to dislodge a
Chinese force reported to be posted in the town of Tuyow. On the
27th of December the three steamers 'Nemesis,' 'Sesostris,' and
'Phlegethon,' with a number of boats in tow, and 700 troops,
including seamen and marines, proceeded up the north-western branch
of the river, on which Tuyow is situated. Sir William Parker and Sir
Hugh Gough were on board the 'Nemesis.' Having dispersed a party of
Chinese soldiers on the way, the troops landed near the town, and
took possession of a hill overlooking it, on which a joss-house is
situated. Here they took up their quarters for the night. The next
morning, which was bitterly cold, the ground being covered with snow,
preparations were made for escalading the town. Just then some of
the inhabitants came out and stated that the troops had been
withdrawn. This, however, proved to be a ruse, their intention
having been to let the English enter, and then, while off their
guard, the Chinese soldiers were to return and cut them to pieces.
Fortunately the 'Nemesis' was sent with a squadron of boats higher up
to meet the troops, when, from her masthead, a large Chinese force
was discovered outside the walls. She, and the 'Phlegethon,' which
had followed her, opened their fire on them, and the British troops,
forcing their way through the town, put them to flight, and followed
them for several miles, killing several of them in the pursuit, and
taking others prisoners. The town of Tsekee, about four miles from
the river, was visited the next day, but found undefended, and the
troops then returned to Ningpo. The remainder of the year 1841
passed away without any naval event in China worthy of notice. On
the 5th of March the 'Clio,' Captain Troubridge, arrived with the
mails, and with the announcement of the promotions in consequence of
the capture of Canton, and the exploits in the Canton river.
On the 7th of March, Captain Collinson, with Lieutenant Bates, who
had gone in the 'Nemesis' to reconnoitre an island called Tai-shan,
to the north of Chusan, where it was reported the Chinese were
fitting out an expedition of fire-boats, had, in company with Mr.
Hall, Mr. Freeze, mate, R.N., and other officers of that ship, a
spirited brush with the enemy. On first landing, not expecting to
encounter any armed men, they were nearly surrounded and cut off.
They, however, with great gallantry fought their way back to the
boats. They then again landed with a larger party, mustering in all
66; and encountered a force of some five or six hundred Chinese
troops just landed from their transports. These they charged, and
putting them to flight, killed a mandarin and 50 men, took eight
prisoners, and captured their military chest; and after burning the
transports and some of the houses which had sheltered the soldiers,
returned on board.
The effect of the victory was to save Chusan from further molestation.
On the evening of the 9th, a desperate and well-planned attempt was
made by the Chinese to recapture Ningpo, and though the British had
been forewarned, they were very nearly taken by surprise, from having
often before received similar reports of intended attacks, which had
proved unfounded. The 'Columbine,' 'Modeste,' 'Queen,' and
'Sesostris,' were anchored off the city, and the first alarm was
given by the Chinese firing two guns at them which they had brought
down to the banks of the river for that purpose. Fire-rafts were
also sent against them, which were not without difficulty towed clear
of the 'Sesostris' by her own boats and those of the other ships.
The ships then opened their fire on the suburbs to impede the advance
of the Chinese.
The approach of the enemy had been made so cautiously that they had
actually succeeded in scaling the walls; and had not Sir Hugh Gough
admirably disposed his troops so as to concentrate them at the point
of danger, the loss to the British might have been very considerable.
The Chinese fought with great bravery, but were at length repulsed
and driven along a narrow street of the suburbs, with dreadful
slaughter.
Their force was supposed to exceed 5,000 men, and their loss 500 or
600.
In the morning, the boats of the squadron were sent up the river in
search of fire-rafts, and those of the 'Columbine,' under Captain
Morshead, discovered and destroyed 37 fire-vessels. Near Tsekee,
many more junks full of combustibles were discovered and destroyed.
Chinghae was attacked at about the same time, but the Chinese were
driven back by a force under Colonel Schoedde and Captain Daubeny.
On the morning of the 10th, 10 fire-vessels were sent against the
ships-of-war and transports off the town, but the boats of the
'Blonde,' under Commander Goldsmith, and of the 'Hyacinth,' under
Lieut. Dolling, immediately pulled towards them, and towed them on
shore, where they exploded.
Sir Hugh Gough had been informed that a strong body of Chinese were
entrenched on the Segoan hills, at the back of Tsekee, under the
command of three of their best generals. On the morning of the 15th
of March, an expedition of about 1,000 men, including seamen and
marines, was embarked on board the 'Nemesis,' 'Phlegethon,' and
'Queen,' to attack them.
The naval brigade was commanded by Captain Bourchier, of the
'Blonde,' assisted by Captain P. Richards.
The troops having landed and marched towards the city, the
'Phlegethon,' 'Nemesis,' and two boats of the 'Cornwallis' and
'Blonde,' were sent higher up the river to harass the Chinese army in
their retreat. 14 fire-rafts, five gun-boats, and a considerable
amount of warlike stores, were destroyed on the way.
It is out of our province to describe the movements of the military.
The Chinese were found posted in great force on two hills on the
other side of the town. While the General with his troops, attacked
one of the heights, the naval brigade, led by Captains Bourchier and
Richards, and Commander Watson, the Admiral taking an active part,
rushed up the other hill, across a paddy-field on the Chinese right.
They were boldly met by the enemy; and two officers of marines, two
of the naval battalion, and 11 men were wounded, and three men were
killed. Lieutenant Fitzjames and Mr. Jackson, of the 'Cornwallis,'
poured in some rockets with great precision into the enemy's
position, they firing in return with gingals and matchlocks. A
valley separated the two hills into which the enemy was driven, large
numbers being killed and many destroying themselves. As they fled,
the 'Nemesis' and 'Phlegethon' opened their fire on them and
completed the rout.
The expedition returned, after this well-conducted and brilliant
affair, to Ningpo. The British force was now augmented by more
troops, as also by some ships-of-war, namely, H.M.S. 'Vixen,' from
England, and the H.E.I.C. steamers 'Tenasserim,' 'Auckland,'
'Ariadne,' 'Medusa,' and 'Hoogly,' from Bombay, well armed and
adapted to river navigation.
A well-concerted attempt was again made by the Chinese to destroy the
British shipping off Chusan, by fire-rafts, but information was
received in time, and preparations made to receive them.
The steamers and the boats of the squadron were constantly employed
in searching for them, and upwards of a hundred were thus destroyed.
A movement on Chapoo, an important city on the great river Yangtzee,
being determined on, the troops at Ningpo were re-embarked, and that
place was evacuated on the 7th of May.