o the stakes before alluded to, and landed
the infantry. The Imperial gunboats, now very brave, pulled up
the stakes, and a general advance with the steamer and troops
was made. The rebels stood for a minute, and then vacated the
stockades and ran. The reason of the rebels defending these
stockades so badly was on account of the ill-feeling between the
chiefs in charge of Quinsan and Chunye, and the neglect of the
former to furnish rice to the latter.

"The _Hyson_ [with Gordon on board] now steamed up towards
Soochow at a slow pace, owing to the innumerable boats that
crowded the creek, which, vacated by their owners, were drifting
about with their sails up in every direction. The rebels were in
clusters along the bank, marching in an orderly way towards
Soochow. The _Hyson_ opened fire on them and hurried their
progress, and, hanging on their rear, kept up a steady fire till
they reached Ta Edin, where a large arch bridge spanned the
creek, and where the rebels had constructed a splendid stone
fort. We expected that the rebels would make a stand here, but
they merely fired one shot, which was answered by a shell from
the _Hyson_, which went into the embrasure, and the rebels
continued their flight. It became rather hazardous to pass this
fort and leave it unoccupied, with the number of armed rebels who
were between Chunye and Ta Edin. The _Hyson_, moreover, had no
force on board of any importance. There were with me five or six
Europeans and some thirty Chinamen--gunners, etc. However, six of
us landed, and held the fort somehow till more Imperialists came
up, while the _Hyson_ pushed on towards Soochow.

"The _Hyson_ continued the pursuit, threading her way through the
boats of all descriptions which crowded the creek, and harassing
the rear of the rebel columns which extended along the road for
over a mile. About two miles from Ta Edin another stone fort was
passed without a shot being fired; this was Siaon Edin.
Everything was left in the forts by the rebels. Soon after
passing this place the steamer headed some 400 rebels, and
Captain Davidson ran her into the bank, and took 150 of them
prisoners on board the _Hyson_--rather a risk, considering the
crew of that vessel and her size. Soon after this four horsemen
were descried ridin