s progress northward before the 5th
of September. On the 21st it reached the Chusan group of islands, and
afterwards reconoitered the Tinghae and Chusan harbour. The walls of
Tinghae were escaladed, and the British colours soon waved over the
fortifications. In this attack upon Tinghae the enemy suffered severely;
several mandarins were killed, while, on the side of the British, two
only were killed, and twenty-four wounded. The next place attacked
was Chinghae, which was captured with the same ease, although it was
enclosed by a wall thirty-seven feet in thickness, and twenty-two feet
in height. Sir William Parker writes concerning this conquest:--"About
eleven o'clock we had the gratification of seeing the British colours
planted by the troops in one of the batteries on the opposite side
of the shore: and in a few minutes the others on that side were all
carried, and the Chinese observed flying in every direction before our
gallant soldiers on the heights. At a quarter past eleven the wall of
the citadel was breached by the fire from the ships; and the defences
being reduced to a ruinous state, the Chinese abandoned their guns,
which they had hitherto worked with considerable firmness, and a large
portion of the garrison retreated precipitately towards the city. Not a
moment was lost in making the signal for landing the battalion of seamen
and marines, with the detachments of artillery and sappers. Before
noon, the boats were all on shore; every impediment presented by the
difficulty of landing on rugged rocks was overcome, and the force
gallantly advanced to the assault, with a celerity that excited my
warmest admiration. An explosion at this time took place in a battery
near the citadel gate; and the remnant of the garrison fled without
waiting to close it. The citadel was therefore rapidly entered, and the
union-jack displayed on the walls. Our people had scarcely passed within
them when another explosion occurred, happily without mischief, but
whether by accident or design is uncertain." Captain Herbert having
secured this post, quickly re-formed his men, and advanced towards the
city; the Chinese still occupying in considerable force the walls of it,
as well as the two batteries beneath the hill on the river side, against
which our troops had already turned some of the guns taken on the
right bank. A few volleys of musketry speedily dislodged them from both
positions, and the battalions of seamen and marines pushed