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at Tang-ku. I immediately took him to the position which I intended the French force to occupy, and also along the whole front, that he might be thoroughly acquainted with the general arrangements. At midnight I despatched my aide-de-camp, Major Greathed, to conduct the French column by a separate route, which he had previously reconnoitred, so that their line of advance was perfectly clear and unobstructed.
The disposition of the force was arranged as follows:-
Four 24-pounder howitzers (two of Govan's and two of Desborough's), were placed in Battery No. 4 on the left, to play on the defences of the Fort under attack.
Two 32-pounders and two 8-inch howitzers in Battery No. 3 to open on the same defences and eventually to breach near the gateway.
Milward's Armstrong Battery in Battery No. 5 to silence the enemy's guns by direct fire, and to keep down the fire of the furthermost Northern Fort, which supported the Fort under attack.
A Battery (No. 2) of three 8-inch mortars was advanced between the canals, to shell the Fort from a distance of 500 yards.
On my right front a Battery was prepared for six guns to silence the fire from the right bank of the river and the Southern Fort; this battery was armed with one 8-inch gun, two of Barry's Armstrong guns, and two French 24-pounder rifled guns. The remaining four French guns were placed on the right, partly sheltered by the Tartar village, but free to turn their fire upon the numerous scattered batteries which lined the right bank of the river. Two of Barry's guns and two of Govan's guns were placed in position at Col. Sargent's picket on the south-east angle of Tang-ku, to cover the French right.
At 4 A.M. my column of Infantry moved into position, the right wing of the 67th and 44th Regiments, under cover of the canals, in advance, near the Mortar Battery. The remaining wing of the 44th and 67th Regiments, and one half of the Royal Marines, formed the support, which was posted under cover of the canals, near Milward's Battery. The other half of the Royal Marines carrying pontoons. The Royal Engineers and Sappers with material were placed under cover in front of the supports, ready to move forward and keep pace with the progress of the attack.
The enemy opened before these movements were completed, and as their fire was heavy I replied with Milward's guns, although the whole of my Batteries were not quite ready to open, and the French column, though punctual to the appointed time of 6 A.M., had not yet appeared. By 6 the whole of the British Batteries were in play; General Collinot arrived, and took up the position on the right which had been placed at his disposal, and the French Artillery likewise came into action against the Southern Forts and Batteries.
Owing to the great extent of the enemy's position, they were able to open some guns against the right flank of the French column; but their fire was at once diverted, and eventually silenced, by the two guns of Barry's Battery, which were in position at Colonel Sargent's picket at the east gate of Tang-ku.
The enemy replied to the fire of our Artillery from all their guns that could be brought to bear; but the fire of the Fort attacked had already sensibly diminished, when a shell from the Mortar Battery, or Milward's guns, alighting in the magazine, caused a grand explosion, soon followed by a similar one in the remotest Northern Fort, with which the gunboats had been for some time engaged.
The guns of the Fort immediately attacked being nearly silenced, I directed, with the consent of his Excellency, an advance of all the Field Artillery to new positions within 450 yards, and the fire of our batteries was concentrated on the left of the gateway, with a view to breaching.
The skirmishers of the Allied Forces pushed vigorously forward, and obtained a position on the edge of the outermost of the two wet ditches which surround the Fort.
The French on the right succeeded in crossing the ditches by ladder bridges, and effected a lodgment on the berm of the unflanked angle of the work abutting on the river. The English pontoon bridge, carried by a party of Royal Marines, advancing on the line of the causeway opposite the centre of the Fort, was met by so heavy a fire that half the carriers were immediately disabled, and the construction of the bridge rendered impracticable.
Lieut.-Colonel Travers, R.M.L.I., Major Graham, R.E., were also wounded in attempting to carry out this duty. I thereupon directed the ladders to be brought forward and passed across the ditches towards the right. This was carried out by Lieut. Pritchard, R.E., and parties of our Infantry effecting the passage of the ditches, some by means of the ladders, others by swimming, made their way to the gate.
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The enemy made a noble and vigorous resistance, no entry had yet been made, the breach had not been completed, the gate was known to be built up, the attempts of the French to escalade at their angle were unsuccessful. At this juncture, with the permission of the Commander-in-Chief, I brought up two 24-pounder howitzers and two 9-pounder guns of Govan's to within 80 yards of the rampart, which firing over the heads of the men on the berm, cut away the parapet at the point where the defence was most obstinate.
After a lengthened struggle the French entered the embrasure at their angle by escalade, and the British climbed into the partial breach near the gate at the same moment, Lieutenant Rogers, of the 44th Regiment, being the first man on our side established in the place. The troops of both nations now poured into the place, but foot by foot the brave garrison disputed the ground, and as there was no means of exit other than by dropping over the wall and crossing the defensive obstacles of ditches, stakes, and abbatis, the loss of the enemy when they were ultimately driven out of the work was very severe, both from the rifles of our Infantry, who crowded the cavalier, and from guns moved round to the left, which swept their line of retreat on the further Northern Fort.
It was half-past eight o'clock when this Fort, now proved to be the key of the whole position, was in our hands.
The guns of the cavalier were turned against the opposite Southern Fort, on which fire was still maintained from the heavy batteries on our right attack.
With the view of following up the advantages gained as soon as possible, fresh regiments, viz., the 3d Buffs and 8th Punjab Infantry, under the command of Brigadier Jephson, were brought to the front by his Excellency's orders, and the Artillery was put in position to enfilade the Fort still untaken on the north side. Suddenly firing on the part of the enemy ceased in all quarters, and white flags were displayed in all the Forts still in their hands.
I need not refer to the further proceedings conducted by the Commander-in-Chief in person, which ended in the surrender of the remaining Northern Fort and the abandonment of those on the south side.
Captain Biddulph, Military Secretary,
&c.
&c.
&c.
I have, &c. (Signed) R. NAPIER, Major-General,
Commanding 2d Division China Force.