It Was Only, However, To Collect His Forces For
The Delivery Of A Decisive Blow.
On August 13 a second battle was fought
with a result favorable to the Chinese.
Two days later the enemy, who held
a fortified camp at Gumti, were bombarded out of it by the heavy artillery
brought from the coasts of China for the purposes of the war, and after
twenty-four hours' firing three breaches were declared to be practicable.
The place was carried by storm at the close of four hours' fighting and
slaughter, during which 6,000 men were stated to have been killed. Kinshun
followed up his victory by a rapid march on Urumtsi. That town surrendered
without a blow, and many hundred fugitives were cut down by the unsparing
Manchu cavalry, which pursued them along the road to Manas, their last
place of shelter. As soon as the necessary measures had been taken for the
military protection of Urumtsi, the Chinese army proceeded against Manas.
Their activity, which was facilitated by the favorable season of the year,
was also increased by the rumored approach of Yakoob Beg with a large army
to the assistance of the Tungani. At Manas the survivors of the Tungan
movement proper had collected for final resistance, and all that
desperation could suggest for holding the place had been done. Kinshun
appeared before Manas on September 2. On the 7th his batteries were
completed, and he began a heavy fire upon the northeast angle of the wall.
A breach of fourteen feet having been made, the order to assault was
given, but the stormers were repulsed with the loss of 100 killed. The
operations of the siege were renewed with great spirit on both sides.
Several assaults were subsequently delivered; but although the Chinese
always gained some advantage at the beginning they never succeeded in
retaining it. In one of these later attacks they admitted a loss of 200
killed alone. The imperial army enjoyed the undisputed superiority in
artillery, and the gaps in its ranks were more than filled by the constant
flow of re-enforcements from the rear. The siege gradually assumed a less
active character. The Chinese dug trenches and erected earthworks. They
approached the walls by means of galleries in readiness to deliver the
attack on any symptom of discouragement among the besieged. On October 16
a mine was sprung under the wall, making a wide breach; but although the
best portion of the Chinese army made two assaults on separate occasions,
they were both repulsed with loss. Twelve days later another mine was
sprung, destroying a large portion of the wall; but when the Chinese
stormers endeavored to carry the remaining works, they were again driven
back with heavy loss, including two generals killed in the breach.
Although thus far repulsed, the imperialists had inflicted very heavy
losses on the besieged, who, seeing that the end of their resources was at
hand, that there was no hope of succor, and that the besiegers were as
energetic as ever, at last arrived at the conclusion that they had no
choice left save to surrender on the best terms they could obtain.
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of 191255
