If Commissioner Yeh Was A Humorist He
Chose A Bad Time For Indulging His Proclivities, And, A Sufficient Force
Being Available, Orders Were At Once Given To Attack Canton.
On December
15 Honan was occupied, and ten days were passed in bringing up the troops
and the necessary stores, when, all being in readiness, an ultimatum was
sent to Yeh that if he would not give way within forty-eight hours the
attack would commence.
At the same time every effort was made to warn the
unoffending townspeople, so that they might remove to a place of safety.
The attacking force numbered about 5,000 English, 1,000 French, and 750 of
the Chinese coolie corps, and it was agreed that the most vulnerable point
in the Chinese position was Lin's fort, on the eastern side of the city.
When the attack began, on December 28, this fort was captured in half an
hour, and the Chinese retired to the northern hills, which they had made
their chief position in 1842. The destruction of Lin's fort by the
accidental explosion of the magazine somewhat neutralized the advantage of
its capture. On the following day the order was given to assault the city
by escalade, and three separate parties advanced on the eastern wall. The
Chinese kept up a good fire until the troops were within a short distance,
but before the ladders were placed against the wall they abandoned their
defenses and fled. The English troops reformed on the wide rampart of the
wall and pursued the Chinese to the north gate, where, being joined by
some Manchu troops, the latter turned and charged up to the bayonets of an
English regiment.
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