But All Their Efforts To Scale The Wall Were Baffled, And It
Seemed As If They Had Only Gone To Self-Destruction.
While the battle was
thus doubtfully contested, Major Anson, who had shown the greatest
intrepidity on several occasions, succeeded in cutting the ropes that held
up a drawbridge, and an entrance was soon effected within the body of the
works.
The Chinese still resisted nobly, and it was computed that out of a
garrison of 500 men but 100 escaped. The English loss was 22 killed, and
179, including 21 officers, were wounded. To these figures must be added
the French loss.
There still remained four more forts on the northern side of the river,
and it seemed as if these would offer further resistance, as the garrisons
uttered threats of defiance to a summons to surrender. But appearances
were deceptive, and for the good reason that all of these forts were only
protected in the rear by a slight wall. The French rushed impetuously to
the attack, only to find that the garrison had given up the defense, while
a large number had actually retired. Two thousand prisoners were made, and
the fall of the forts on the northern bank was followed by an immediate
summons to those on the southern to surrender; and as they were commanded
by the guns in the former they yielded with as good a grace as they could
muster. The following day formal occupation was made, and the spoil
included more than 600 cannon of various sizes and degrees of efficiency.
On that day also the fleet, which had during these operations been riding
at anchor off the mouth of the river, proceeded across the bar, removed
the different obstacles that had been intended to hinder its approach, and
Admiral Hope anchored in security off those very forts which had repulsed
him in the previous year, and which would in all probability have
continued to defy any direct attack from the sea.
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