[63] This the Chung-w.a.n.g proposed, if the Tien-w.a.n.g would authorise such policy. As for his having even thought of "giving up the cause," the a.s.sertion is equally false and absurd, which subsequent events have proved.
[64] Here we have Gordon"s reasons for approving the treachery.
[65] It was a follower of the Nar-w.a.n.g who first attacked the Mo-w.a.n.g.
[66] It will be seen that Gordon here admits he was not an Imperialist officer, but a _local_ Mandarin"s.
[67] This sinister statement, when combined with the fact that Gordon soon afterwards returned to companionship and active co-operation with General Ching and the Futai, regardless of his responsibility for the Soo-chow treachery and ma.s.sacre, certainly affords some ground for the belief that the whole tragedy was previously arranged; that Gordon retired only while compelled to do so by the unanimous expression of indignation among all Europeans (General Brown and other authorities included); and that his future course he originally intended to follow whenever the universal excitement became somewhat abated, and public attention less directed towards himself. Whether this conclusion be correct or otherwise, Major Gordon and his Manchoo friends alone can say; but in either case the Englishman fully deserves the imputation.
His first conduct occasioned and made him _particeps_ in the treachery; his last act condoned the atrocities at which he had pretended to be disgusted.
[68] This statement is quite sufficient to make Gordon entirely responsible for every circ.u.mstance connected with the surrender of Soo-chow. He made all the a.s.surances and guarantees, it appears, but never troubled himself to insure their observance, although he had complete power to do so.
[69] Here is another extraordinary admission; for, though Gordon"s honour was pledged to preserve the lives and property of the deceived traitors, he very coolly took himself off to Quin-san, without making the slightest exertion to save the unfortunate people who had trusted to his word as a British officer. Subsequent to this event hundreds and thousands of the betrayed garrison were cruelly put to death. Who is responsible for the ma.s.sacre--the Manchoos, who followed their natural instincts and barbarous laws, or the British officer, who obtained the surrender, guaranteed the terms, and then quietly permitted the violation of his pledges?
[70] This concluding paragraph is simply a tissue of mendacity and absurdity. Does the dishonoured officer intend to qualify the treacherous destruction of _his_ prisoners, by introducing the totally irrelevant opinion that they have no Government, or "real ideas" of Christianity?
[71] See Inclosure 1 in No. 9, "Return to an Address of the Honourable House of Commons," dated July 1, 1864:--for "Copies of Communications which have pa.s.sed between Sir F. Bruce and Colonel Gordon."
[72] See "Our Interests in China," by H. Lay, C.B., late Inspector-General of Chinese Customs, pp. 37-41. This _expose_ of British policy in China fully proves, together with Blue Book information, that Gordon never held any commission from the Emperor of China; that neither did he hold any commission from the local authorities, but, by serving without, was in reality a "filibuster."
[73] It will be seen that Gordon"s letter is dated from Soo-chow.
[74] Italics by the Author.
CHAPTER XXV.
Operations Resumed.--Attack on Kin-tang.--The Battle of the Brickbats.--Ti-ping Success.--Active Operations.--Manoeuvring.--Hang-chow Invested.--Fall of Kar-sing-foo.--Gordon"s Proceedings.--Chang-chow-foo.--Narrative of the Siege.--Fall of Chang-chow.--The Foo-w.a.n.g.--Manchoo Cruelty.--Debate on the Chinese War.--Lord Palmerston"s Policy.--Its Errors.--Mr. Cobden"s Policy.--Mr. Layard.--His Inaccuracy.--Extracts from the Debate.--Result of Lord Palmerston"s Policy.--Fall of Nankin.--"Imperialist"
Account.--The Chung-w.a.n.g"s Capture.--Other Reports.--Digest of Events.--The Chung-w.a.n.g.--His Position in Nankin.--Events in the City.--Newspaper Reports.--Doubts as to the Chung-w.a.n.g"s Fate.--The Retreat from Nankin.--Newspaper Extracts.--The Shi-w.a.n.g"s Proclamations.--Lee Shai-Yin"s Address.
Late in the month of February, 1864, the Futai"s _General_, Gordon, resumed operations against the Ti-pings. Upon this occasion it appears that he acted entirely on his own responsibility, neither under the orders of his. .h.i.therto controller, General Brown (commanding H.B.
Majesty"s forces at Shanghae), nor the Futai. Consequently, the campaign to be noticed partook more strongly of filibustering than any of the preceding raids already described.
The first movement the Anglo-Manchoo force made was directed against the walled city of Yih-sing, on the western sh.o.r.e of the Ta-hoo Lake, and about forty miles south-west of Wu-see. After a short engagement, the usual result of such operations occurred. The garrison, unable to resist the overwhelming artillery employed by Gordon, an arm newly replenished from the British a.r.s.enal at Shanghae before taking the field, was driven from the city with much loss; those who managed to escape retreating to Li-yang, the nearest walled town. Soon, however, they were followed up to this place, but the commandant having received orders to retire to another city, it was evacuated upon the appearance of the disciplined troops and their irresistible guns.
The appearance of the country lately wrested from the Ti-pings is given as follows by one of Gordon"s own officers (who was present during all operations) in his notes, "How the Taepings were driven out of the provinces of Kiang-nan and Che-kiang." Describing the march to Yih-sing, he states:--
"Some commissariat boats also went astray, causing the infantry a few days" hunger, as scarcely any food could be obtained, the country being all deserted and devastated. Seemingly it had not been cultivated easily _after the Taepings lost possession_.
Hundreds of dead bodies were strewn along the roads, people who died from starvation; and even the few who were yet alive, watched one of their comrades dying, so as to obtain some food off his dead body."[75]
Sleep calmly and sweetly, ye China-rebel-subduing English politicians, and speak authoritatively as to the benefit of your intervention in the Chinese civil war, after reading this testimony from the hand of one of your mercenary tools! Is there a man so ill-"liberal" as to consider Lord Palmerston and colleagues are responsible for the results of their policy of interference towards the outlandish Chinamen? What do the starving Chinamen above mentioned say?
Their easy successes seem to have made the victorious enemy too confident in their own prowess, and less cautious than heretofore.
Leaving a garrison at Li-yang, and also a considerable portion of his artillery, Gordon next advanced upon Kin-tang, a small city to the north-west. Elated by his former triumphs, and believing that his appearance alone would cause the submission of all Ti-ping cities in the district, and place their long-haired people under the barber"s razor, Gordon expected no resistance at Kin-tang, and was induced to think that the place would open its gates to receive him as a sort of "conquering hero" whenever he might choose to enter. It will be seen that he became the victim of misplaced confidence.
Although, since my departure from China, and since the Ti-pings have been driven far inland, all information has been received from Chinese sources--false, exaggerated, and figurative--it seems pretty certain that the Chung-w.a.n.g, after parting with me at Wu-see, placed the Shi and Foo w.a.n.gs in charge of the military position, while he proceeded to Nankin in order to confer with his king, the Tien-w.a.n.g. Chang-chow-foo became the head-quarters of the Foo-w.a.n.g, and it so happened that Kin-tang was similarly occupied by the Shi-w.a.n.g (a general second only to the Commander-in-Chief in talent and capability), when Gordon arrived before its walls. Both cities were situated on the southern road from Nankin, and their retention was absolutely necessary to maintain either the communications of the capital, or insure the retreat of the garrison, should they be obliged to abandon their charge. In consequence of this the Chung-w.a.n.g divided about 10,000 of the best Ti-ping troops between his two lieutenants for the express purpose of holding Kin-tang and Chang-chow, while another force was organized to co-operate in the field.
The two w.a.n.gs had concentrated all their strength at Chang-chow when intelligence of Gordon"s advance upon Kin-tang reached them. The Shi-w.a.n.g, with a division of several thousand men, by forced marches, managed to throw himself into the city just before the enemy appeared.
When the Anglo-Manchoo contingent arrived under the walls on the 20th of March, they summoned the place to surrender, but no reply was made, for the battlements were silent and deserted, neither soldier nor spear, nor sign of living occupation being visible. The gates were all fast closed, and although Gordon had been looking forward to enter peaceably, and when he had arrived could see neither trace of man nor prospect of opposition, something there must have been ominous and suspicious in the stillness reigning over the city, for he preferred battering the walls down to knocking at the gates and demanding admission. The heavy guns were moved up to within a few hundred yards; the boats, containing supplies, followed them by the creeks; and batteries were soon thrown up, still amidst the same profound and mysterious silence upon the part of the garrison. During the bombardment all the noise was on one side; nor flag, nor face, nor living thing could be observed about the encompa.s.sed battlements. After several hours" constant firing, a large and practicable breach was effected, and the 1st regiment of Anglo-Chinese ordered to storm the silent ramparts. The enemy came forward with a loud cheer, bearing with them bamboo bridges to throw across the moat, while the stormers were closely supported by portions of the 2nd and 5th regiments, who were allowed to enter the city ditch in their boats and cross unopposed. The short s.p.a.ce between the moat and the foot of the breach was soon pa.s.sed, and the storming column began to ascend. At this moment the hitherto invisible garrison appeared and broke their previous silence in a manner fatal to the a.s.sailants.
Manning every available position, they threw such incessant showers of brickbats that the Imperialists, despite the gallant behaviour of their foreign officers, were unable to advance. The Ti-pings then rushed into the breach, and charging with their spears, drove them back in confusion. Three times the enemy turned to renew the struggle, but on each occasion were hurled back with loss, being quite unable to cope with the Ti-ping soldiers in a hand-to-hand combat. The breach was now played upon by the artillery, and the defenders driven back with great loss of life from the canister, grape, and sh.e.l.l. Gordon then ordered his Adjutant-General, Kirkham, to bring up fresh companies of the 2nd and 5th regiments, and himself to lead them forward to a second a.s.sault.
Scarcely, however, had he given the order, when a jingall ball reached him at his almost secure distance and wounded him in the leg. _Colonel_ Kirkham, with great bravery, led his men into the deadly breach, but when half-way up, fell severely wounded. Still, with courage worthy of a better cause, his men followed their officers only to be again charged by the valiant garrison and completely routed after a desperate conflict at close quarters. Again the murderous artillery swept away the defenders of the breach, and _Major_ Brown, Gordon"s _aide-de-camp_, leading forward fresh columns, made a last desperate attempt to storm the yawning chasm. Again the disciplined Chinese and their foreign officers rushed upon the blood-stained ruins; but with dauntless and undiminished courage the Ti-pings again met them--spear to bayonet and firelock, and man to man. After a terrible struggle the a.s.sailants were finally driven off, and retreated upon Li-yang, with _Major_ Brown and all their commanding officers _hors-de-combat_. This action has been called "the Battle of the Brickbats," such missiles being the princ.i.p.al means of defence used by the garrison.
The attack upon Kin-tang was the most severely contested action that the Anglo-Manchoo troops had ever fought. Their defeat is to be attributed to the fact that they were not a.s.sisted by an overwhelming park of artillery, which usually did all the fighting. If the Imperialists had not been supplied with British guns, men, and munitions of war, _ad libitum_, the Ti-pings would have been quite able to manage the disciplined legions. Gordon, in this a.s.sault, lost fourteen European officers and nearly one-seventh of the men engaged. The destruction amongst the defenders of Kin-tang must have been equally severe, not less than 600 having fallen.
At this period the Ti-pings seem to have made a desperate effort to defeat the overwhelming numbers of the enemy encircling them on every quarter. At Nankin, Chang-chow-foo, and Kin-tang they managed to defeat the Imperialist forces almost on the same day at each place. The garrison of the capital having sallied forth in strength, defeated a portion of the great beleaguering army under Tseng-kwo-fan (Imperialist Commissioner and Governor-General of the two Kiang provinces) with much slaughter. Upon reaching Li-yang, after narrowly escaping being surrounded by the troops pursuing from Kin-tang, Gordon received intelligence the same evening that the garrison of Chang-chow had sallied out, completely routing the large investing force commanded by the Futai"s brother, and following up the success by moving between Soo-chow and Shanghae, thereby threatening not only to recapture all the country lately wrested from Ti-ping rule, but isolate his division and more than counteract its operations by a powerful diversion upon Shanghae or Soo-chow.
Leaving a strong detachment to garrison Li-yang, Gordon at once proceeded with the remainder of his force, and all the artillery, to operate against the Ti-pings from Chang-chow. On the 29th of March he came upon them at Hwa-soo, in the neighbourhood of the city of Chang-zu, about 35 miles north-east of Soo-chow. On the morning of the 30th, finding that the Ti-pings did not number more than 3,000, he ordered about 1,500 infantry to attack them, while he followed in the boats with the artillery, to give a.s.sistance if required. Again, as at Kin-tang, the Royal Engineer was completely out-generalled. The Foo and Shi w.a.n.gs were both consummate strategists, and at irregular warfare, when artillery was not employed against them, would easily have foiled Major Gordon.
The Ti-pings continually gave way as the disciplined troops advanced; but they were manoeuvred so as to draw their pursuers into a position from which for a time they were themselves invisible, while a masked breast-work, ingeniously stretched across the end of the slight hollow, helped to conceal them. Barely had the retreating forces disappeared behind their slight intrenchment and the inequalities of the ground, when they were doubled back upon each flank so as to almost completely envelop the enemy. The Ti-pings were allowed to execute their manoeuvre thus easily through the incautious advance of their antagonists, for the latter halted in the very hollow to which they had been enticed, directly they lost sight of those whom they were pursuing. When next the Imperialists saw their opponents, it was in the form of a serried line, surrounding them upon every side except a small s.p.a.ce in their rear, and charging them on front and both flanks. After a feeble resistance, during which they lost seven English officers and more than 200 men, the ranks of Gordon"s force were broken, and the whole mercenary contingent fled from the field with precipitation.
According to the published accounts of this engagement, the Ti-pings were commanded by the Foo-w.a.n.g, "numbered about 3,000," and were "badly armed." It will thus be seen that, without artillery being brought to bear against them, they were quite able to cope hand to hand with the disciplined troops, officered by foreigners and well armed with musket and bayonet as the latter were, although poorly equipped with a small supply of jingalls, a few bad European firearms, and a majority of bamboo spears.
During the spring of the year 1864, the Ti-pings struggled with desperate bravery against the odds opposed to them; and for some time it seemed very doubtful whether they would succeed or not. While Gordon and the Imperialist troops were being defeated in the northern districts of the Ti-ping territory, the Franco-Manchoo contingent and co-operating forces were meeting a similar fate in the south. Late in February the Imperialists besieging Hang-chow, the provincial capital of Che-kiang, were totally defeated by a sortie of the whole garrison. About the same time another large army was routed by a Ti-ping force in the neighbourhood of Fo-yang, a city not far from Hang-chow. Having recovered from their former repulse and obtained fresh supplies of British mercenaries and munitions of war, the Mandarins again proceeded to invest the provincial capital. On the 2nd of March the Franco-Chinese, commanded by _Generals_ D"Aiguebelle and Schodelana, attacked the above city, and after several hours" hard fighting, succeeded in capturing three forts on the south side; only, however, to be driven out by a desperate charge the Ti-pings made during the afternoon, with a loss of fourteen Europeans and more than a hundred men. On the 29th of the same month, the besiegers recommenced active operations. Supported by a strong body of Imperialists, the Franco-Chinese attacked and carried the outworks of the city a second time, the garrisons retiring within the walls after some hard fighting.
The next day fire was opened upon the city from numerous siege artillery, and a practicable breach was soon effected. Again the Franco-Chinese, or more correctly speaking, Manchoos, led the a.s.sault, but met with such gallant resistance that they were driven back to their supports in confusion. Twice they bravely rallied, and twice they endeavoured to storm the breach, rendered impregnable by the brave hearts and ready hands defending it, and each time they were repulsed with great slaughter. At the close of the day the a.s.sault was given up, after a heavy loss of life, and a vast expenditure of British shot and sh.e.l.l without other result.
Although Hang-chow could not be wrested from the Ti-pings by force of arms, a few days later it fell from external influences, having been rendered untenable through the capture of Kar-sing-foo by the enemy, whereby its supplies and lines of communication were cut off.
About the same time that Gordon commenced his raid upon Yih-sing, Li-yang, and Kin-tang, Manchoo General Ching proceeded with a large army and an auxiliary force composed of detachments from the English contingent, to beleaguer the city of Kar-sing-foo, situated about midway between Soo-chow and Hang-chow, on the Grand Ca.n.a.l. Ching was the bravest native general engaged against the Ti-pings; he was a renegade from their cause, and we all know that such people make the most bitter enemies. He had already been defeated before the city, shortly after I had left it on my last return to Shanghae. Gordon"s subordinate, _Colonel_ Bailey, had charge of the large siege train accompanying the army, and in a few hours after establishing his batteries, managed to effectively breach the walls of the doomed city. On rushed Ching"s men and their allies, but their efforts were useless, for every a.s.sault failed; and Ching himself received a wound which, more than a month later, proved mortal. Some few days subsequent to this repulse, large reinforcements were received by the enemy, fresh breaches were made, and the small but devoted garrison was compelled to evacuate the place at night, having lost their gallant commander, Yoong-w.a.n.g, and nearly two-thirds of their number. When the Imperialists at last entered, they put to the sword all the unfortunate non-combatants who had not fled the city,[76] sparing neither man, woman, nor child, during their cruel butchery of the unoffending inhabitants. Does Colonel Gordon, R.E., call this "observing the rules of warfare as practised among foreign nations," according to the proviso of Sir F. Bruce? Does Sir F. Bruce, after the ma.s.sacres at Wu-see, Kar-sing, &c., still term Gordon"s conduct "a service in favour of humanity"?
After the loss of Kar-sing, Hang-chow was also evacuated, and the two garrisons retreated to the large city of Hoo-chow-foo. The fortune of war now set strongly against the Christian patriots. With a few memorable exceptions, they were everywhere defeated, through the British influence so cruelly brought to bear against them, for which they were always unprepared, and equally unable to resist.
Having retired to Quin-san (the head-quarters of the Anglo-Manchoo contingent), after his defeat at Hwa-soo, Gordon was shortly joined by an Imperialist army of 15,000 men. A body of troops, commanded by officers of H.B. Majesty"s 67th regiment, was also moved from Shanghae to support them. The Imperialists and the whole disciplined force, together with the latter"s large park of artillery, now took the field again and moved upon the Foo-w.a.n.g"s position. The Ti-pings were still lightly intrenched at the village of Hwa-soo; they had been strongly reinforced by the Shi-w.a.n.g, but were considerably hampered by a large number of country people who had fled from the enemy.
On the 11th of April the Imperialists commenced their attack, but, warned by former defeats, they entirely depended upon their artillery, to which the Ti-pings had not a single gun to reply with. The over-matched defenders were at last sh.e.l.led out of their open breast-works with great slaughter, and being outflanked by the disciplined and undisciplined enemy, were much cut up during their retreat, while a great number were made prisoners and savagely put to death, as described in Chapter XXIII. by the letter of an officer present, under the eyes of _General_ Gordon. The loss of the Ti-pings on this occasion was very heavy. Although the Shi and Foo w.a.n.gs succeeded in cutting their way through the enemy with their best troops, at least 8,000 unfortunates, princ.i.p.ally country people, were killed.
Following up his success, Gordon pursued the retreating force to Chang-chow-foo. Meanwhile troops were being concentrated upon the same point from every quarter, so that within a few days the city was surrounded by an immense Imperialist army, which was estimated to exceed 100,000 men. The Shi-w.a.n.g having proceeded to Kin-tang, the garrison commanded by the Foo-w.a.n.g cannot have consisted of more than 7,000 to 8,000 effective soldiers, but at least 10,000 civilians, including all persons of any standing in the Chang-chow district, and who were Ti-ping subjects, or held civil office under the Tien-w.a.n.g"s Government, had sought refuge within the city walls, carrying with them their movable property and their families, whereby the number of non-combatants was more than doubled.
Three times already had the Imperialists been completely routed before the city, and the siege raised by the gallant resistance of the garrison, although on two occasions the enemy were a.s.sisted by detachments of foreign artillery and disciplined troops. After much hard fighting the defenders were driven from all their outworks and strictly confined to the city walls, when the besiegers at once proceeded to effect several breaches. The following account of the subsequent efforts of Gordon and the Futai to storm the place is partly transcribed from the narrative of an officer engaged, and which was published in the _Shanghae Recorder_ of May 2, 1864.
The Ti-pings having been driven from all their stockades and intrenchments to the west of the city, and these being occupied by a strong force of Imperial troops, Gordon moved round opposite the south-east angle, and commenced forming his siege batteries, while the Imperialists placed their guns on his left, facing the south of the city. A combined attack was arranged for the 27th of April, but as the Imperialist batteries were ready on the 24th, and the troops who had so often been defeated were eager to storm, and averse to relinquish their hope of taking the city, the Futai gave orders to open fire, and by three o"clock in the afternoon a capital breach was effected. The advance was sounded and the stormers pushed on steadily to the city ditch, but were there thrown into confusion by some defect in the bridges. At last, however, they scrambled across, and advancing through the stakes got to the foot of the breach, where they maintained themselves for a considerable time; but the defenders, notwithstanding a most destructive covering fire from the Imperialist guns and from a battery of Gordon"s enfilading the _terre plein_, manned the breach and wall with great courage, regardless of life, and compelled the a.s.sailants to fall back with heavy loss. This ended the first day"s a.s.sault.
Gordon"s guns having been put in position during the night, and a pontoon bridge laid down over the city ditch (the garrison was too weak to prevent the same by a sortie, and had not a single cannon to oppose its construction), at daybreak he opened fire, while the Imperialists"
batteries did the same to knock away the barricades thrown up in their breach. Bang, bang, went the heavy guns, as quickly followed by the boom of bursting sh.e.l.l tearing up ponderous ma.s.ses of the wall, and burying beneath them many of the defenders, while the smaller guns laid along the parapet right and left operated with deadly effect wherever the garrison appeared, or opened fire with their jingalls or musketry. By half-past twelve o"clock the new breach was rendered practicable, and the signal was given to the Imperialists to storm at the old one. On rushed the 4th Regiment of Anglo-Manchoo mercenaries, bravely led by _Colonel_ Howard, and forward came the Ti-pings to the breach, determined and daring, to be mowed down in heaps by the terrible covering fire of the artillery; but no sooner down than their place was filled by their followers rushing with unabated courage to the defence.
In the words of the officer whose narrative we are making contribute to this history:--The edge of the city ditch was gained, and over went the 4th Regiment"s colours, accompanied by Colonel Howard, Captain Cane (R.A.), and Lieutenant Stackpole, and up the breach through a shower of missiles and fire-b.a.l.l.s. Then came that deadly pause, the colours waving on the breach, defended by a few brave men. The defenders and a.s.sailants hesitated. They stood at bay for a moment. The "celestial" nature shrank from the dread conflict hand to hand. The officers attempted to break the spell: they pushed their men, they pulled them, they beat them with their swords, but in vain. The Ti-pings, fighting for life, sooner recovered their presence of mind, and every man discharged his missile on the heads of the a.s.sailants. The colours and their defenders were pushed off the wall down the breach, and had to retire over the bridge on their column. A murderous fire was poured from every loop-hole, men were falling fast, yet the attacking force stood its ground, but hesitated to advance to where it would have been comparatively safe, being too low for the aim of the besieged. The retire was now sounded, and the stormers fell back to cover.
The Ti-pings suffered terribly from the superior arms of their a.s.sailants, and now that they had succeeded in repulsing them a second time, they were swept from the shattered walls by the artillery, which still continued to fire on them. At half-past two o"clock in the afternoon the enemy were ready at both points of attack for a simultaneous movement. Up went their signal rockets, a yell burst from the ranks of Gordon"s force, which was taken up and carried along the Imperialist lines, and on came both storming parties at a rapid pace.
The 3rd Regiment of the English contingent now made the a.s.sault, and their colours were borne up the breach by Captain Winstanley (H.M."s 67th Regiment), and other officers rallying around them and fighting hand to hand with the defenders. The Imperialists crossed their bridges, crowded at the foot of the other breach, and waved their flags about, but hesitated to mount it. With their bamboo spears, and undiminished courage, the brave garrison rushed to meet their well-armed enemy, while all who possessed firearms plied them diligently from the walls, and others kept up an incessant volley of brickbats from the heaps piled ready for use around the rampart, and which formed a princ.i.p.al means of defence. Still Gordon"s troops maintained their position on the walls, and, if possible, began to increase the extent of their lodgment, whilst the Ti-pings were falling fast from the musketry of the enemy, which they had but small means to answer. At this critical moment the Foo-w.a.n.g headed a last desperate charge in person. Leading forward all his unwounded men, this gallant chief inspired them with fresh ardour, while the efforts of the a.s.sailants began to flag. As one present stated: The contest every moment became more close, and was prolonged for at least twenty minutes. At length the stormers were driven from the ground they had gained, and hurled to the bottom of the breach. Several times they struggled to mount again, but every attempt was futile. The rear ranks of the enemy being under the fire from the wall, lost heavily in killed and wounded, while the front ranks, so desperately opposed, could not advance. The order to retire was now given, and the a.s.saulting forces were withdrawn to cover, while their artillery again swept the breach with canister, sh.e.l.l, and grape, inflicting fearful havoc among the dauntless garrison of Chang-chow. During all this time the Imperialists had hurried on column after column to a.s.sault by their own breach, but none were able to effect a lodgment within the well-defended walls of the city. Every attack was repulsed with great slaughter upon both sides, and at last the bravest of the late General Ching"s--he had died from the effects of a wound in the head received at Kar-sing--Mandarins advanced with his men, but though he pa.s.sed the sticking point and got his colours partly into the breach, yet he too was brought to a stand and obliged to retire. The a.s.sault was now abandoned, and the besiegers carried off their killed and wounded, including 27 European officers, 400 of the English contingent, and about 1,500 Imperialists.
Although the Ti-pings were victorious, and had succeeded in defeating every attack upon the city, their triumph was only purchased by an awful sacrifice of life. When the stormers mounted the wall a fearful sight was before them. "Far as the eye could see, heaps upon heaps lay dead and mangled." During the different a.s.saults at least one half the garrison were placed _hors-de-combat_, princ.i.p.ally by the murderous fire of the enemy"s artillery, which they were totally unable to countervail, having none to reply with. Chang-chow being completely surrounded by the vast Imperialist army, its fall, either by famine or the sword, was certain.
Having established fresh batteries at a different part of the city, on the 11th of May the enemy succeeded in capturing it. Upon this occasion two immense breaches were made, while the incessant artillery fire, and the overwhelming rush of the enormously superior a.s.sailing force over the wide-spread ruins of the wall, quickly overpowered the last gallant resistance offered by the remnant of the garrison. A comparison of the casualties of the English contingent at each attack affords the best proof that the terrible results of the first had almost exterminated the defenders. At the first attack the contingent lost 27 officers and 400 men; at the second, only 2 killed and 5 wounded! When the Imperialists poured through the two fresh breaches, the best and bravest of the remaining Ti-ping soldiers sacrificed themselves in the futile effort to repulse them, while their comrades, although fighting desperately to the last, were driven from the walls, and then through the streets of the city, still disputing the ground step by step. At last the few survivors were brought to bay in the commandant"s palace. Throughout all the fighting the brave Foo-w.a.n.g had been foremost in leading and encouraging his troops, and now, still unwounded, with several officers and a score or two of men, he made a last desperate stand in his own house. One by one his few followers--unable to conquer, but determined to die with their faces to the foe and their hands raised to the last in defence of their n.o.ble cause--fell around him, and then for a moment he fought alone against a host of a.s.sailants. Still he was not killed, for a price was fixed upon his capture alive. At length this dauntless chief, whose acquaintance I have valued, and whose elegist I am proud though grieved to have become, was overpowered by numbers and beaten to the ground, though not until many an enemy had fallen under his heavy sword. Even when disarmed and helpless in the grasp of the foe, he still struggled against a fate that would never have befallen him but for the unexpected, irresistible, and unrighteous military interference of England. One report of the capture of Chang-chow (_China Mail_, May 30) states:--"The chief (Foo-w.a.n.g) of those who were in command of the city, fought in his palace to the last, and required ten men to bind his hands and secure him; and, when brought into the presence of the Futai, refused submission or to pay any respect to him, saying, "Ah! were it not for the aid of the disciplined troops (under Gordon) he defied all the Futai"s hosts to take the city from him."" If the British army, a.r.s.enals, and navy had been thrown open to supply the young and vigorous revolution, instead of _wasting_ their help upon the corrupt and hopeless Manchoo, how great would the success and future results have been! With all the British a.s.sistance the Imperialists have barely been able to drive the Ti-pings from their cities and possessions in the provinces of Che-kiang and Kiang-nan, much less to suppress the great Christian and patriotic movement, or insure its final extinguishment.
The Foo-w.a.n.g was cruelly put to death by his merciless captors. "The two breaches were carried in a rush, and quarter was given _to only a few hundred men_;" so says the report above quoted from. How many days the triumphant Mandarins were engaged butchering the unfortunate inhabitants does not transpire; but, with the exception of the small number mentioned, the whole 12,000, besides the garrison, with their families, were ma.s.sacred. Two years" provisions were found in the city, and this being stored in the Ti-ping granaries, was the entire produce of the district, and was the sole means destined to support the people during the ensuing season. The whole supply was seized by the Imperialists; and though previous to their success much misery had been caused by the general effect of the war, after their capture of the departmental city the entire department was starved; such being the usual result of Manchoo re-establishment in any locality, and particularly so at Chang-chow-foo, as proved by the letter of the first English-contingent officer in Chapter XXIII.
We have now noticed four authenticated instances (the captures of Wu-see, Kar-sing-foo, Hwa-soo, and Chang-chow-foo), subsequent to Gordon"s return to service, when the conditions upon which Sir F. Bruce gave his approval to that officer"s action were violated by the wholesale ma.s.sacre of the vanquished and prisoners. We may, therefore, while expressing boundless disgust at Colonel Gordon"s persistent continuance in the Futai"s service after each and every one of these atrocities, fairly presume that the astounding a.s.sertion as to his influence in favour of humanity--in spite of the eulogy by Mr.