Three Of Their Forts
Were Carried With Little Or No Loss, But At The Fourth They Offered A
Stubborn If Ill-Directed Resistance.
Even then the engagement was not
over, for the Chinese rallied in an intrenched camp one mile in the rear
of the forts, and, rendered confident by their numbers, they resolved to
make a fresh stand, and hurled defiance at the foreigners.
The English
troops never halted in their advance, and, led by the 18th or Royal Irish,
they carried the intrenchment at a rush and put the whole Chinese army to
flight. The English lost seventy killed and wounded, the Chinese losses
were never accurately known. It was arranged that Canton was to be stormed
on the following day, but a terrific hurricane and deluge of rain
prevented all military movements on May 26, and, as it proved, saved the
city from attack. Once more Chinese diplomacy came to the relief of
Chinese arms. To save Canton the mandarins were quite prepared to make
every concession, if they only attached a temporary significance to their
language, and they employed the whole of that lucky wet day in getting
round Captain Elliot, who once more allowed himself to place faith in the
promises of the Chinese. The result of this was seen on the 27th, when,
just as Sir Hugh Gough was giving orders for the assault, he received a
message from Captain Elliot stating that the Chinese had come to terms and
that all hostilities were to be suspended.
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Page 377 of 704
Words from 102387 to 102639
of 191255
