July 28, 1853. To his brother, Daniel.
"I suppose you will feel more desirous to learn about the state of politics
and war at Amoy. At present everything is quiet. Three weeks ago another
attempt was made by the Mandarins to retake Amoy. They landed a body of
troops on the opposite side of the island. These were to march across the
island (about ten miles) and attack the city by land. Simultaneously an
attack was to be made on the city from the water side by the Mandarin
fleet. It is said that the land forces amounted to about 10,000. The
fleet consisted of about forty sail. On Wednesday morning (July 6th),
about daybreak, the troops were put in motion. They were met with about an
equal number of rebel troops. They fought until the Mandarin soldiers
became hungry (about eight or nine o'clock). Not being relieved at that
time, as they expected, they withdrew to cook their rice. The Mandarin in
command considering that his life was much more important than that of the
soldiers, kept himself at a safe distance from the scene of action. At
about breakfast-time he started to go down in his sedan chair nearer the
scene of action. When he saw that his troops were retiring to cook their
breakfast, he supposed that they were giving way before the enemy.
Prudence being the better part of valor, he ordered his chair-bearers to
face about and carry him in the other direction. The soldiers, finding
that their chief officer had fled, thought there was no further need of
risking their lives, so they all retired. I cannot vouch for the truth of
the whole of the above statement. Such, however, is the story soberly
related by some of the Chinese. We could see the smoke and hear the
reports of the guns from the top of our house. The fighting commenced very
early. We thought that the Mandarin troops were gradually approaching the
city, until about Chinese breakfast-time (eight to nine o'clock), when the
firing ceased. We know not how many lives were lost in the engagement.
The rebels brought into the city some seventeen or eighteen heads which
they had decapitated. I know not whether these were all killed in the
fight or whether they were the heads of some villagers on whom the rebels
took vengeance for assisting the Mandarins."
"Now for the engagement on the water. The rebel forces on the water were
much inferior to the Mandarin forces, but the Chinese say they fought more
desperately. The engagement opened on Wednesday about noon and lasted
until nearly evening. Towards evening the Mandarin fleet withdrew a few
miles and came to anchor. On Thursday at high-tide (about noon) the
engagement was renewed. Towards evening the Mandarin fleet again withdrew
as before. On Friday the engagement was again renewed with similar
results. On Saturday the Mandarin fleet withdrew entirely and left the
harbor.
"During the three days of the fight, as you would expect, there was much
excitement in Amoy. The tops of the houses and the hills around about, at
the time of the engagement, were thronged with people, and there was a
continual discharge of cannon. But I have not given the number of the
killed and wounded in the three days' naval action. Reports, you know, are
often much exaggerated on such occasions. According to the most reliable
statements (and I have not yet heard of any other statement), the list
stands thus:
"Killed-None!
"Wounded-None!
"Prisoners-None!
"It is said that one ball from a Mandarin junk did strike a rebel junk, but
did not hurt any one. During the fighting the vessels kept so far apart
that the balls almost always fell into the water between them. On the
second day of the fight, a boat from the city in which were three men, who
were not engaged in the fight, was captured by the Mandarin fleet, and the
three men were beheaded. War is too serious a matter to be laughed at, but
the kind of war we have thus far seen at Amoy is only like children's
play."
Nov. 1, 1853. To his brother, Daniel.
"Our war still continues, fighting almost every day. The day I sent off my
last package to you, two more balls struck our house. One came through the
roof of an unoccupied part of the premises. I did not weigh it, but
suppose it was about a six-pounder. The other struck against a pillar in
the outside wall and fell down and was picked up by some one outside of the
house, so that I do not know the size of it. It was a merciful Providence
that it struck the pillar. If it had struck on either side of the pillar,
it would have come into a room in which many Chinese were collected. On
Sunday last there was much fighting again. A small ball came into our
veranda. A small ball entered Mr. Doty's house, one entered Mr. Alexander
Stronach's house, several entered Dr. Hirschberg's house; other houses also
were struck. Dr. Hirschberg's house has been the most exposed. We have
all been preserved from harm thus far. He, who has thus far preserved us,
I trust will continue to preserve us. The fighting is more serious than at
first. A little more courage is manifested and more execution is done.
But I do not see any prospect of either party being victorious. The party
whose funds are completely used up first, will doubtless have to yield to
the other. I cannot tell which that will be. I shall be heartily glad
when one of the armies withdraws from Amoy. The country around Amoy is
becoming desolated. Houses and whole villages are plundered and burned. In
Amoy suffering abounds, and I suppose is increasing. When I go out into
the street I usually put a handful of cash into my pocket to distribute to
the beggars."
In November, 1853, Imperial authority asserted itself.
"The Imperial forces having collected from the neighboring garrisons,
appeared in such overwhelming strength that the insurgents hastily put off
to sea. Many succeeded in escaping to Formosa and Singapore. The leader
was accidentally shot off Macao. The restoration of Imperial authority was
followed, however, by terrible scenes of official cruelty and
bloodthirstiness. The guilty had escaped, but the Emperor Hienfung's
officials wreaked their rage on the helpless and unoffending townspeople.
Hundreds of both sexes were slain in cold blood, and on more than one
occasion English officers and seamen interfered to protect the weak and to
arrest the progress of an undiscriminating and insensate massacre."