Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/95

Rh the lack of suitable guns. He had only two 6-pounders with him and these were quite powerless against the Taeping position, which was one of considerable strength, and defended, moreover, by the rebels under the direction of an Englishman named Savage. Nevertheless, the attack was delivered on the night of August 2, 1860. It ended in a disastrous repulse, in which all the Europeans save six were either killed or wounded. Ward, though himself wounded in the jaw, elected to make another attempt to win the great reward which was offered for the capture of the position. Proceeding to Shanghai, he enlisted a fresh force of 150 Europeans, purchased two 18-pounder guns and ammunition, and replenished his stores. He then returned to Tsingpu and commenced a vigorous bombardment of the town. Fortune favoured him even less on this occasion than it did previously. After the attack had proceeded some days Ward's force was surprised by a body of the rebels under Chang Wang, a famous leader, and put to utter rout. The contingent lost its guns and most of its stores, and had the enemy been enterprising the entire body would have been annihilated. Encouraged by the success, Chang Wang made an effort to recapture Sunkiang, and, being foiled in the attempt, turned his attention to the city of Shanghai. The Allies, acting up to their proclamation, took measure to assist the Chinese imperial authorities in their defence. The rebels, therefore, had a very warm reception when they appeared outside the city. They persevered, however, in their enterprise, returning again and again to the attack. Eventually, when the best part of a week had elapsed, Chang Wang drew off his forces, sending previously a valiant message in which he blamed the French for his discomfiture, and said that but for the foreigners he would have been triumphant.

As a result of the attack on Shanghai the British authorities deemed it expedient to have a clear understanding with the Taepings as to the precise limits of their operations. For this purpose the British Naval Commander, Admiral Sir James Hope, as previously narrated, proceeded to Nanking and opened up communications with Tien Wang, the rebel chief. The outcome of the negotiations was an arrangement under which the Taepings pledged themselves not to make any attack on Shanghai in the next twelve months, and that the Taeping forces should not advance to any point within a radius of 20 miles of that city. A further development of the situation at this period was the arrest, in May, 1861, of Ward in Shanghai, as a disturber of the public peace. Ward subsequently obtained his release by declaring himself a Chinese subject, but his career at Shanghai was nearing its close. His fate as a commander of European auxiliaries and that of the force which he had got together were sealed by another disastrous failure before Tsingpu, in which out of 80 men 23 were either killed or wounded. Ward and Burgevine, after a temporary period of inaction at Shanghai, turned their attention to the drilling of Chinese after the European method. Their operations were destined to bear noteworthy fruit, for out of the little band of men they trained developed the Ever Victorious Army, which was to win back for the Chinese Government the authority which had so narrowly missed slipping altogether from their hands.

In the closing months of 1861 the Taepings achieved some conspicuous successes against the imperial forces. The important cities of Ningpo and Hangchow fell into their hands, and there were minor triumphs which greatly enhanced their prestige and brought thousands of recruits to their standards. The occupation of the first named place without British opposition seems to have encouraged the belief at the rebel headquarters that Shanghai might now be taken in spite of the arrangement come to between Admiral Hope and Tien Wang. The victorious Taeping forces appeared outside the city and settlement at the end of the second week in January, 1862. Before them were driven great numbers of Chinese who sought refuge in flight from the horrors which almost invariably marked the onward rebel march. Thousands of these unfortunates invaded the foreign settlement in the expectation of finding an asylum there from the dire woes which menaced them across the border. The best that was possible was done for them, but there was much inevitable suffering, an exceptionally severe winter adding to the horrors of the situation. Meanwhile the flagrant infraction of the Yangtse understanding by the rebels was being met by the British authorities in the only possible way—by retaliating. The military force at Shanghai at the time—two native regiments and some artillery—was too weak to allow at the outset of more than defensive measures, and encouraged by the inactivity the rebels showed great boldness, plundering and burning on the outskirts of the settlement, and at one time even threatening Woosung, the port at the mouth of the river. The French made a successful onslaught on a body of rebels which appeared outside their concession, and on the arrival of Sir John Michel with a small body of English troops as a reinforcement of the garrison, a regular plan of campaign was instituted against them by the British and the French. The operations commenced on February 21st, when a mixed British and French force, about 500 strong, with 600 of Ward's newly disciplined troops, marched out under the command of Admiral Hope to the village of Kachiaou, where the Taepings had a strong position. On coming into contact with the enemy there was some sharp fighting, but nothing could withstand the ardour of the attacking force, who, with Ward's men leading, carried the village in gallant style. The Taepings, undismayed by this reverse, gave a considerable amount of trouble to Admiral Hope, and even at one time compelled him to retire. But on his receiving a substantial reinforcement of 450 Europeans with 700 of Ward's Chinese and 7 howitzers, he was able to very effectively continue his little campaign. Tseedong, another strong position of the rebels, was attacked, and while the British sailors operated in front Ward's men made a detour and came upon their rear. Between the two fires the rebels suffered terribly, more than seven hundred being killed. The steadiness shown by Ward's disciplined levies on the two occasions they were under fire, led the British authorities to take a very favourable view of their capacity and usefulness and to give support both diplomatic and practical to measures for their increase. For some weeks following the Tseedong affair, there was, however, a lull in the operations. It was not, in fact, until the end of March, when General Staveley arrived from Tientsin with the 31st and 67th British regiments that any further serious effort was made to deal with the rebels. Then was commenced the task of clearing the country for 30 miles around Shanghai in accordance with the terms of the agreement. In pursuance of this plan the village of Wongkadsa, about 12 miles west of Shanghai was captured, but on an attempt being made by Ward's men to carry a stockade to which the rebels had retired, the attacking party was repulsed and Admiral Hope, who had accompanied it, was wounded. The next day this failure was wiped out and the enemy were subsequently driven out of Tsipoo. Next, attention was turned to Kahding, a strong walled city, which was captured with little loss. A desperate attempt to fire Shanghai, happily frustrated, caused a brief interruption in the operations, but early in May the train was ready laid for an important series of movements, in which a powerful body consisting of 1,429 British troops and 20 guns and mortars, 380 men and 5 guns, Naval Brigade, and 800 French troops with 10 guns took part. The allied force proceeded first to Tsingpu, the journey being made from Sunkiang by boat owing to transport difficulties. A bombardment with the powerful guns carried with the force soon paved the way for an assault which was completely successful, though the Taepings fought well. Afterwards Nanjao was captured and a brilliant little series of movements was closed with an engagement at Cholin which terminated in the complete discomfiture of the rebels. The good effects of this campaign was unfortunately almost completely wiped out by a disaster which overtook an imperialist force about the middle of May at Taitsau, to the north-west of Shanghai. Such was the impression made that General Staveley deemed it expedient to withdraw his forces to Shanghai, Kahding being given back to the rebels. As a set off against this serious state of affairs the imperialists had to their account the recapture of Ningpo which had about the same period fallen into their hands after a desperate conflict. Chung Wang now threatened both Tsingpu and Sunkiang, and as there was nothing to be gained in the circumstances in holding the former place, it was evacuated. Ward after this devoted himself energetically to the training and equipping of a force to recover the lost ground. He soon had a body of five thousand men under his command, and with these carried the war into the enemy's