A few remarks upon the city and neighbourhood of Canton, before which
our troops are now for the first time about to appear, (the previous
operations of the 18th March having been entirely limited to the naval
forces,) will contribute to the interest of the subsequent narrative.
The city of Canton, or Kwantung, is situated upon the northern bank
of the river usually known by the same name, though sometimes called
by Europeans the Pearl river, from its Chinese name, Choo-keang. Its
distance from the Bogue is about forty miles.
The scenery around the city is extremely diversified. On the northern
and north-eastern sides it is commanded by hills, the possession of
which by an enemy must, of necessity, place the city at his mercy. In
other directions it presents the aspect of a low and abundantly-watered
plain, cut up by canals and little rivers, which serve both for
irrigation and for communication with the interior. So numerous are
they, that in some parts nearly a third part of the whole surface is
occupied by water. The appearance of the country is rich, and at most
seasons beautifully green, being divided into rice-fields and little
gardens, with here and there a clump of trees or a small village, or
the country residences of some of the wealthier inhabitants of the
city, to diversify the prospect.
About three or four miles to the westward of the city, and curving
round at the foot of the hills which command it, runs the creek or
river in which the war-junks and fire-rafts had been destroyed by the
Nemesis and boats. The excellent landing-place at Tsingpoo, which had
been discovered on that occasion, was very conveniently situated for
the debarkation of troops destined to attack the heights above the
city, which are in fact the key to its occupation.
The city and its suburbs occupy the whole space between the hills and
the river; the suburbs, however, being little less extensive than the
city itself. The latter is surrounded by a high wall, which has twelve
entrances, and it may be about six or seven miles in circumference.
On the south, or river side, a portion of the suburbs extends down to
the water-side; and in the western corner of these are situated the
foreign factories, and the principal packhouses of the Hong merchants,
which are partly built on piles on the river's bank. On the northern
side, the wall rests directly upon the brow of the hills; and, indeed,
there is a hill of moderate elevation actually _within the walls_, the
possession of which would, in fact, give the command of the entire
city, and which could have been held by a small force against any
troops the Chinese could bring against it. Another wall divides the
city into two unequal parts, running from east to west, and called
the Old and the New City, the latter being much more modern than the
former, but differing from it very little in appearance. The residences
of all the high officers, the Viceroy, Lieutenant-Governor, Tartar
General, and others, together with a public arsenal, are situated in
the Old City; but the moment we got possession of the two forts, called
the Dutch and French Follies, we could command the whole of these
places, without in any degree endangering the Factories, which are at a
considerable distance to the westward, in the suburbs.
The heights above the city were crowned with four strong forts, built
principally of brick at the upper part, but of stone below. They
mounted altogether forty-two guns of various calibre, together with
a great number of ginjals and wall-pieces. Between them and the city
walls, the distance of which varied from one hundred and fifty to two
hundred and fifty paces, there was an irregular, and in some parts deep
and broken ravine. The hill before described as _within_ the circuit
of the walls was also within range of the heights; and so important
was this position afterwards considered by Sir Hugh Gough, that he
distinctly declared that, with "this in his possession, he would have
been responsible that the city should have been spared, and that not
a soldier should have entered the town farther than this fortified
height."
With these few preliminary observations, we may now return to the
point at which our combined naval and military forces were all
concentrated, below Whampoa, on the 22nd and 23rd of March, having
sailed from Hong-Kong on the 18th and 19th of that month.
An important general order was now issued by Sir Hugh Gough,
preparatory to the advance of our troops upon Canton. It betokened the
true feeling which animated the expedition; and, while it goes far to
refute the belief that wanton cruelty was inflicted upon the Chinese,
it does honour to the expedition, as _primâ facie_ evidence of the
forbearance with which our power was exercised. After first alluding to
the novelty of the Chinese system of warfare to the British soldier, as
one making up in cunning and artifice what it lacks in discipline, and,
after recommending extreme caution against surprise and stratagem, and,
above all, the observance of the strictest discipline, Sir Hugh Gough
proceeds to remind his soldiers that "Great Britain had gained as much
fame by her clemency and forbearance as by the gallantry of her troops.
An enemy in arms is always a legitimate foe; but the unarmed, or the
supplicant for mercy, of whatever country or whatever colour, a true
British soldier will always spare." Such was in reality the feeling
which animated the whole expedition, although the desultory attacks
of the Chinese, and the refusal of many of them to surrender when all
further resistance was useless, sometimes occasioned a loss of life
which was to be deplored, but which could not be prevented.
The channel through which our forces were now about to advance upon
Canton was one which had been not long before examined for the first
time, one may even say discovered, by Mr. Browne, the master of the
Calliope; Lieut Kellett, of the Starling; Mr. Johnson, the master of
the Conway, and other officers. It came to be called Browne's Passage,
although Mr. Browne himself called it the "main branch of the Canton
river." It runs to the southward of French Island, towards the Macao
passage, and is a much more important branch of the river than that
which runs along the northern side of that island, which was first
explored in the Nemesis by Captain Herbert and Captain Elliot, and
along which our vessels had proceeded to the attack of the Macao Fort,
as before described.[46]
In Captain Herbert's report to Sir Gordon Bremer, in the middle of
March, referring to some of these passages, he stated that "boats from
the Calliope, Herald, Hyacinth, Sulphur, and Starling, had, on several
occasions, explored the channels in the south branch of the river, from
Danes' Island upwards, and that they had found a safe and deep passage
for vessels drawing sixteen feet water up to the city of Canton, except
two bars, which it required high water to pass." Mr. Browne and Lieut.
Kellett, with the boats, had proceeded along the channel between Danes'
and French Islands, and then entered the passage, which runs along the
southern side of the latter.
The Chinese had commenced preparations for the defence of these
channels at several points; there was a battery of ten guns, another
of fourteen, and one of four guns, in the passage between the two
islands, or French River, which was too small for ships to pass through
it. Other batteries were also found in the so-called Browne's Passage,
one of which was calculated to mount thirty-seven guns. Indeed, in
all the branches of the river, batteries were found, some partially,
some completely, finished. At one of these, a little above the last
mentioned, there were not less than forty guns ready for mounting,
newly cast, and with quite new carriages. But the Chinese offered
no resistance; and, on one occasion, Lieutenant Kellett invited the
mandarin in charge of one of these forts to come and breakfast with
him, presuming that he had more appetite for food than for fighting.
Mr. Browne and Mr. Johnson made a good rough survey of the whole of
this important channel, in which there was found to be depth of water
sufficient for our largest transports, to the distance of about ten
miles. Even a line-of-battle ship, the Blenheim, was carried up nearly
as far as the transports; and hence the beginning of the passage along
the southern bank of Danes' Island obtained the name of the Blenheim
Reach. It is here that our largest merchant ships have since usually
anchored.
The 23rd of May was occupied in completing the necessary preparations
for the conveyance of our troops, marines, small-arm men, and
camp-followers, up to the city of Canton; but it was not until noon of
the 24th that our forces could commence their advance. In the meantime,
Captain Belcher had been directed to collect as many Chinese boats as
possible higher up the river, and to send them down with the tide.
Gradually they had been dropping down from the direction of the city,
until, at length, there were enough collected for the conveyance of
two thousand men, besides camp-followers, stores, and matériel of all
kinds. At the same time, with a view to embarrass the Chinese as much
as possible, orders had been given that all the native trading-boats
should be detained, and that all the salt-junks should be stopped.
In the course of a few days, no less than one hundred and forty-one
trading-junks, of every description, were brought-to, and detained in
the neighbourhood of Napier's Fort, and at the Naval Arsenal below the
city; they comprised little less than ten thousand tons of shipping,
manned by about one thousand one hundred Chinese sailors. The sudden
stoppage of this considerable trade could not fail to make a deep
impression upon the whole people of Canton. No injury, however, was
done to any of the trading-vessels, which were all suffered to depart
without further molestation, the moment the authorities of the city had
agreed to Captain Elliot's terms.
Before our troops finally advanced upon Canton, Sir Hugh Gough
and Sir Le Fleming Senhouse went up in person, to make a careful
reconnoissance, and particularly with a view to assure themselves of
the practicability of the landing-place at Tsingpoo.
At length, soon after noon on the 24th, every preparation for the
advance was completed.
The troops were all embarked in two columns, of which the right was
destined to hold the Factories, and was taken up in the Atalanta
steamer. It merely consisted of the 26th Cameronians, less than three
hundred strong, together with an officer and twenty men of the Madras
Artillery, with one six-pounder gun, and one five and a half-inch
mortar. Thirty sappers, with an officer of engineers, were also
attached to it; it was under the command of Major Pratt, of the 26th
regiment. The left column comprised the main body of the force, which
was destined to carry the heights above the city, being divided into
four brigades. An account of these will be given in its proper place.
To the Nemesis was entrusted the charge and the honour of carrying or
towing up the whole of this column, together with the camp-followers
and attendants of every description, (in this instance reduced to the
smallest possible number,) which always accompany our troops in the
East. The enormous flotilla of boats, including, of course, those
belonging to the men-of-war, necessarily retarded the progress of the
steamer very much, particularly in the more intricate parts of the
river. As she advanced, numerous boats from our ships were picked
up, until their number could not have been less than from seventy to
eighty; hanging on behind each other, and following in the wake of
the long, low steamer. It was altogether a very animating scene. The
numerous flags, the motley appearance of the boats, the glitter of the
arms and accoutrements, and the various uniforms of the men, produced a
very exciting spectacle.
On board the Nemesis were the 49th regiment; together with
Major-General Sir Hugh Gough and his staff, Sir Le Fleming Senhouse,
and Captain Elliot, accompanied by Mr. Morrison. Captain Bourchier,
who was to command the naval brigade, and several other officers,
were also on board. The decks of the steamer were crowded. Slowly and
steadily she advanced, dragging after her the long tail of boats, a
more numerous flotilla than any steamer had yet towed.
The Chinese must have been perfectly well informed of the approach of
the force; and, had they not been already panic-struck by the lessons
they had so recently received, they might have occasioned great
annoyance, and perhaps loss, to our troops, exposed as they were in
boats, by firing on them from the banks of the river, in places were
they would have been themselves under cover. No opposition of any kind,
however, was offered.
In the meantime, the Atalanta reached her destination at the factories
more expeditiously, and the right column was landed before five
o'clock, without opposition; when Major Pratt immediately set about
strengthening his post, and making the necessary dispositions, either
for defensive or offensive operations, as circumstances might require.
It was now that the unfortunate Americans were discovered, in the
wretched plight before described, in the midst of the ruins of the
factories, in which they had been turned loose, as it were, like
beasts, after the indignities they had suffered.
It was just dusk when the left column, towed by the Nemesis, reached
the destined point of debarkation at Tsingpoo, where the Sulphur was
already at anchor. By this time it was too late in the day to do more
than land the 49th regiment. This was easily effected, as they could
walk on shore directly out of the steamer, without the necessity of
using boats, or causing any delay whatever. Here, again, as in so many
other instances, the advantage of this description of steamer was
clearly shewn.
During the rest of the evening of the 24th, and in the night, the guns,
ammunition, and stores were also landed, but the remainder of the
force did not disembark until the following morning. As soon as the
49th were landed, they took possession of a large temple, or so called
joss-house, near the landing-place. The general lost no time in making
an extended reconnoissance as soon as he had landed, under an escort of
the 49th.
From a rising ground at no great distance, a general view of the
enemy's positions could be gained. It was now evident that they had
already taken the alarm, and they threw up some of their small harmless
rockets by way of signal, to shew that they were on the alert, but made
no movement in advance. Sir Hugh Gough was in reality at this time
perfectly unacquainted with the nature of the country he would have to
pass over on the following day, as well as of the difficulties he might
have to encounter; but, with the utmost confidence in the steadiness
and perfect discipline of the little force under his command, he felt
assured that no difficulties could check them. Neither could the amount
of the enemy's force be at all ascertained, respecting which there were
various conjectures, probably in most instances exaggerated.
The Chinese system of warfare had not yet been experienced and it was,
in fact, the first time that European troops were about to undertake
operations in China, beyond the cover of our ships. The Chinese had
been known to declare that, if they could get us away from our ships,
they had full confidence that they would be able to beat us in fair
fight ashore. They were now soon to have an opportunity of putting
their prowess to the test. This was the first occasion on which a
British general officer had commanded in China; and it was the first
opportunity which that general had ever had of witnessing the gallantry
of British seamen and marines in service on shore, and of bearing
testimony to their steadiness and discipline, and to the value of their
co-operation. He afterwards expressed himself in general orders, in
reference to the naval brigade under Captain Bourchier, to the effect
"that it would always be a matter of proud recollection to him that he
had had them under his orders."
While our troops had thus advanced upon Canton on the 24th, Captain
Herbert, who was stationed at Whampoa with the Calliope, Conway,
Herald, and Alligator, was directed to push up the river with the
flood-tide, with such vessels as could proceed, or with the boats
of the ships, by the direct, or Whampoa passage, and endeavour to
secure the naval arsenal opposite the city. It was left to his own
judgment to attack the French fort below the city, or not, according to
circumstances.
At the same time, another part of our force, consisting of the
Hyacinth, Modeste, Cruiser, and Columbine, had taken up a position
near the factories, under Captain Warren, who had been directed to
secure the Dutch fort, and to use his own judgment as to an attack
upon any other of the defences which were known to have been recently
constructed. The possession of the Dutch and French forts would give us
complete command of the river front of the city, and of the palaces of
the high authorities.
Captain Herbert lost no time in pushing up the river, with the boats
and marines of the ships before mentioned; while Captain Warren, having
ordered the Nimrod and Pylades to attack the Shameen Fort, (which had
been re-armed by the Chinese) proceeded to place the Hyacinth, under
his own command, abreast of the factories, in order to cover the
landing of the 26th regiment from the Atalanta.
In the meantime, the Modeste, Cruiser, and Columbine, took up a
position to attack the Dutch Folly if necessary; but it was found to be
unarmed.
As soon as the 26th regiment had landed at the factory, the Atalanta
and Algerine (which had now joined the squadron) were ordered to move
down the river as far as possible. The Atalanta unfortunately took
the ground, where she remained for several days, and was got off with
difficulty. The Algerine, drawing but little water, was able to go over
the reef, which is abreast of the Dutch fort, with a strong ebb-tide.
She then took up her berth between the Dutch and French Follies, and
only one hundred and fifty yards distant from a heavy sand battery,
which she engaged single-handed, none of the other vessels being able
to come up to her support. The battery mounted eleven very heavy guns,
and the Algerine was frequently hit. The pinnaces of the Hyacinth and
Modeste were sent to help to shift her berth, but this was impossible,
owing to the strength of the tide. Lieutenant Mason, who commanded
the brig, with instant determination now pushed off in his gig, and,
accompanied by the two pinnaces, dashed ashore and carried the battery
with great gallantry, but not without meeting with strong resistance,
in which Mr. Fitzgerald, of the Modeste, fell mortally wounded,
together with one seaman killed, and fourteen seamen and marines
wounded. Some of the Chinese guns were ten and a half inch.
Captain Herbert and Captain Bethune endeavoured to push up from
Howqua's Folly at sunset, but were stopped by a shot from the French
Folly, which went through Captain Herbert's boat, and the heaviness
of the fire compelled the boats to take shelter under a point of land
for some hours, so that they were not able to reach the brig until two
o'clock, A.M. During the night several fire-rafts were sent adrift, but
were towed clear without doing any mischief. Thus ended the 24th of
May, and our forces, both naval and military, might already be said to
hold Canton at their mercy.
A few words more will suffice to complete the description of all the
naval operations before Canton, before we turn to the military part of
them.
No time was lost on the following morning in securing the arsenal, in
which were found nearly a dozen large war-junks upon the stocks, and
a great many row boats. There were also twelve large war-junks just
finished, lying at anchor off the arsenal.
Having, made a reconnoissance of the French fort, and the other
defences on that side, Captain Herbert resolved to carry it without
loss of time. The Modeste was the only vessel except the Algerine which
could be got across the bar at the Dutch Folly, and that not without
great difficulty, having been warped over the reef at high water. The
Atalanta was still aground; and the guns of the Algerine not being
sufficiently heavy, Captain Herbert ordered shell-guns to be fitted
in three of the captured war-junks, to assist in the attack upon the
French Folly.
The gun-junks were placed under the direction of Lieutenants Haskell
and Hay, and, together with the Modeste and Algerine, opened upon the
French fort and the long line of works connected with it on the morning
of the 26th. The Chinese soon began to give way, and Captain Bethune
immediately landed with the storming party, and gallantly carried the
works. There were altogether sixty-four guns, some of large calibre,
four being ten and a half inch. Thus the whole of the river defences
of Canton were at length in our possession, at the same time that the
heights above the city had been carried by our troops under Sir Hugh
Gough, as will be next described.[47]
FOOTNOTES:
[46] See the accompanying map of the Canton river.
[47] The following concise description is taken from the personal
remarks of several who were present, and from public documents.