Our Sailors | Page 5

the inhabitants were flying up the river in their
merchant junks, which were allowed to pass without impediment,
although their cargoes, probably containing much that was valuable,
would have made the fortunes of many a British officer. However, they
were allowed through untouched, for our bluejackets had not come to
war against civilians and women and children. Indeed, to their credit, in
no instance throughout the war did the helpless suffer injury at the
hands of either British soldiers or sailors.
On the 5th, vast crowds could be seen along the hills and shores, and
the walls of the city were lined with troops. Twenty-four guns were
placed on the landing-place, which, with the appearance of several
war-junks, showed that resistance was going to be offered.
The troops were landed in two divisions, under Major-General Burrell's
supervision. The fire from the batteries and from the shores was soon
silenced by the British "men of war." Not far distant from the city was a
hill surrounded on three sides by a deep canal and very boggy land, and
our troops took up position on this hill; and though fire was opened on
them till nearly midnight, the effects of it were scarcely felt. On the
morning of the 6th the guns were directed towards the city, but as no
sound could be heard or troops seen, it was thought that the city had
probably been evacuated, and a party was sent forward to find out if
this was the case. The walls of the city were scaled, and then it was
found that, with the exception of one or two unarmed Chinese, the
place was empty. Over the principal gate was a placard on which was
inscribed, "Save us for the sake of our wives and children." The British
flag was, without loss of time, hoisted upon that gate.
On 19th August 1840, Captain Smith, in the Druid, and a few smaller
ships of war and some troops, attacked and defeated the Chinese in a
very spirited manner, stationed in some fortifications known as the

Macao Barrier. The guns were spiked, and the whole of the troops fled;
nor did they ever again occupy the barrier. Two junks were sunk, and
the rest allowed to escape round the opposite point, while the barracks
and the other buildings were burned. The British, having four men only
wounded, re-embarked, and the ships returned the same evening to
their former anchorage in Macao roads. This well-timed and important
piece of service of Captain Smith's was the last hostile movement of the
British during the year 1840. On the 6th November a truce was
announced by Admiral Elliot, and on the 29th he resigned his command
from extreme ill-health, and returned to England, leaving Sir Gordon
Bremer as commander-in-chief.
After this, nothing very remarkable was done till the Bogue forts were
captured, on the 7th January 1841. The Chinese Emperor had only
opened negotiations for the purpose of gaining time it was resolved,
therefore, to attack Canton itself. Several fleets of war-junks were
destroyed, some of the junks being blown up with all on board. On the
26th of February the Boca Tigris forts were taken by Sir Gordon
Bremer; and, on the 5th of March, the squadron having advanced up the
river, Howqua's Fort was captured. Other forts in succession fell into
the hands of the British force; and on the 28th of March, the passage up
to Whampoa being forced, the forts of Canton and a large Chinese
flotilla were captured. After this, the Chinese came to terms; trade was
again opened, and went on for some time with great activity. All this
time, however, the treacherous Chinese were plotting how they might
exterminate the English; and, on the night of the 21st of May, a bold
attempt was made by them to destroy the British fleet by means of
fire-rafts. The attempt, however, was happily defeated, and warlike
operations were once more commenced.
During these operations, Mr Hall performed a gallant act, which
probably saved the lives of Captains Elliot and Herbert and all standing
near. A congreve rocket had been placed in a tube and ignited, when it
hung within it instead of flying out. In another moment it would have
burst, scattering destruction around, had not Mr Hall thrust his arm into
the tube and forced it out from behind. The rush of fire, however,
severely burnt his hand, and caused him much suffering; it was long,

indeed, before he recovered the use of it.
Canton was now attacked both by sea and land; and after some severe
fighting, which lasted from the 23rd up to the 30th of May, that
important city was taken possession of by the British.
Amoy was captured on the 26th of August in a dashing manner,