Shanghai is situated sixteen miles up the Woosung River, and
while part of the force proceeded up the river another marched overland.
Both columns arrived together, and the disheartened Chinese evacuated
Shanghai after firing one or two random shots. No attempt was made to
retain Shanghai, and the expedition re-embarked, and proceeded to attack
Chankiang or Chinkiangfoo, a town on the southern bank of the
Yangtsekiang, and at the northern entrance of the southern branch of the
Great Canal. This town has always been a place of great celebrity, both
strategically and commercially, for not merely does it hold a very strong
position with regard to the Canal, but it forms, with the Golden and
Silver Islands, the principal barrier in the path of those attempting to
reach Nankin. At this point Sir Hugh Gough was re-enforced by the 98th
Regiment, under Colonel Colin Campbell. The difficulties of navigation and
the size of the fleet, which now reached seventy vessels, caused a delay
in the operations, and it was not until the latter end of July, or more
than a month after the occupation of Shanghai, that the English reached
Chinkiangfoo, where, strangely enough, there seemed to be no military
preparations whatever. A careful reconnaissance revealed the presence of
three strong encampments at some distance from the town, and the first
operation was to carry them, and to prevent their garrisons joining such
forces as might still remain in the city. This attack was intrusted to
Lord Saltoun's brigade, which was composed of two Scotch regiments and
portions of two native regiments, with only three guns. The opposition was
almost insignificant, and the three camps were carried with comparatively
little loss and their garrisons scattered in all directions. At the same
time the remainder of the force assaulted the city, which was surrounded
by a high wall and a deep moat. Some delay was caused by these obstacles,
but at last the western gate was blown in by Captain Pears, of the
Engineers, and at the same moment the walls were escaladed at two
different points, and the English troops, streaming in on three sides,
fairly surrounded a considerable portion of the garrison, who retired into
a detached work, where they perished to the last man either by our fire or
in the flames of the houses which were ignited partly by themselves and
partly by the fire of our soldiers. The resistance did not stop here, for
the Tartar or inner city was resolutely defended by the Manchus, and owing
to the intense heat the Europeans would have been glad of a rest; but, as
the Manchus kept up a galling fire, Sir Hugh Gough felt bound to order an
immediate assault before the enemy grew too daring. The fight was renewed,
and the Tartars were driven back at all points; but the English troops
were so exhausted that they could not press home this advantage. The
interval thus gained was employed by the Manchus, not in making good their
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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