The Chinese Government, forgetting the lesson they had received in the
former war with Great Britain, or believing that they could follow the
bent of their inclinations with impunity, committed a series of
aggressions on British subjects, which demanded our immediate
interference. Sir Michael Seymour, the admiral on the station,
commenced vigorous measures, without loss of time, to recall them to
their senses, with the squadron and marines under his command. He began
by opening fire on Canton in October. On the 5th of November he
destroyed several Chinese war-junks; and on the 12th and 13th of that
month, the Bogue Forts, mounting 400 guns, were captured. On the 12th
of January 1857, the marines, with a detachment of the 59th Regiment,
attacked the suburbs of the city of Canton, when a few casualties
occurred both among the seamen and troops.
We now come to the month of May, when more active operations were
commenced. Near Canton several creeks run into the Canton river, with
which the English were but slightly acquainted; up these the war-junks
had to take refuge whenever the British ships approached. Commodore
Elliot heard that a large number of war-junks were collected some five
miles up one of them, called Escape Creek, and accordingly, early on the
25th of May, he went on board the _Hong-Kong_ gunboat, and got under
weigh, followed by _Bustard, Staunch, Starling_, and _Forbes_, towing
the boats manned from the _Inflexible, Hornet_, and _Tribune_. Steaming
into the creek, they before long came upon forty-one Mandarin junks,
moored across the stream. Each junk had a long twenty-four or
thirty-two pounder gun forward, and carried also four or six
nine-pounders. The _Hong-Kong_ gallantly led. No sooner had she got
within range, than the Chinese, with much spirit, opened fire, the first
shot striking her, and others following rattling thick and fast on
board. The other gunboats coming up, formed in as wide order as
possible, and opened fire. It was wonderful, considering the exposed
position of the Chinese guns, that the crews so long stood the return
shower of shot sent at them by the gunboats. In time, however, they
began to show signs of not liking the treatment they were receiving.
First one was seen to cut her cable, get out her oars, or hoist her
sails, and, falling out of the line, turn her stern for flight up the
creek.
The example set by one was quickly followed by others. The whole
Mandarin fleet was soon in full flight, firing away, however, with their
stern-chasers; but they were guns of light calibre, and were not well
served, thus doing little damage. The junks were fast craft, and the
crews pulled for their lives, to aid the sails, so that the steamers had
to put on all speed to come up with them. They had not got far before
the water shoaled. The gunboats drew upwards of seven feet, the junks
less than three. One after the other the gunboats grounded. "On, lads,
on!" cried the commodore, leaping into one of the boats towing astern;
"never mind the vessels." Imitating his example, officers and men
jumped into the boats, each boat having a gun in her bows; and after the
junks they pulled with might and main. Away went the junks up the
creek, the boats hotly pursuing them. The guns in the bows of the
latter kept up a hot fire on the enemy, and told with great effect. The
speed of several lessened, and, one after the other, numbers were
overtaken. Though all hope of escape was gone, when a boat got
alongside, the Chinese fired a broadside of grape into her, and then,
leaping overboard on the opposite side, swam towards the shore, and were
soon beyond pursuit among the rice-fields which bordered the banks of
the stream. In this way sixteen junks were captured in succession, and
destroyed in the principal channel. Ten more took refuge in a channel
to the left, but a division of the boats was sent after them. No
sooner, however, did the English appear, than the crews, setting fire to
their vessels, abandoned them, and swam to shore. They burned like
touch-paper, and were quickly destroyed. Another turned into an inlet
on the right, but some boats were quickly after her; and so frightened
were the crew, that they forgot to set her on fire, and she was thus
towed out in triumph.
The heat of the sun was terrific, many men suffered from sunstroke, and
the casualties from the shot of the enemy were considerable. Thirteen
junks escaped by dint of hard pulling, and the commodore determined to
have these as well as many more which he suspected were concealed in the
various creeks.
Next day he accordingly blockaded the mouths of all the creeks. Captain
Forsyth, in the _Hornet_, was stationed at the mouth to prevent escape,
the _Inflexible_ at that of Second Bar Creek, and the _Tribune_ at the
Sawshee channel entrance. This done, the commodore, with the gunboats
and a large flotilla of the boats of the squadron in tow, proceeded up
the Sawshee channel. For twelve miles no enemy was seen. At length,
leaving the steamers, he pulled up another twelve miles, when suddenly
he found himself in the midst of a large city, with a fleet of war-junks
before him, one of large size and richly adorned, while a battery
frowned down on the invaders. It was not a moment for hesitation.
Every gun and musket was discharged at the enemy ahead, and then, with a
cheer, the British seamen dashed alongside the big junk. As they
climbed up the side the Chinese sprang on shore, and immediately a hot
fire from jingalls was opened on the boarders. The marines at the same
time were landed from the other boats, and, forming, prepared to charge
the enemy. As they were about to do so, flames burst out from the
houses near the big junk. "To the boats! to the boats!" was the cry of
the officers on board her. It was discovered that a quantity of powder
had been left in her, and that a train was laid from her to the shore.
Not a moment was to be lost. Her captors sprang into their boats; the
crew of the last, a pinnace, were leaping from her sides, when up she
went, with a loud explosion. Several of the seamen were singed, if not
more seriously hurt. The other twelve junks were immediately set on
fire, while the gallant marines charged down the street, and put all the
jingall firers to flight. No work could have been accomplished more
effectually, though at severe loss, for one man in ten at least had been
hit. The surgeons having attended to the hurts of the men, the boats'
heads were once more turned down the creek. The crews had fitted them,
from the captured junks, with an extraordinary variety of sails,--some
of matting, others of coloured cloths, or any material which could be
stretched on spars to hold wind. In this guise they returned to the
steamers. The town thus unexpectedly entered was found to be Tunkoon.