Lieutenant Graham had a round shot between the calves of his legs, contusing them; but he managed to hang on to his work.
The men were fearfully done up. Keppel gave the order to serve out quinine and biscuits during the time we were rallying; but I do not think a dozen men had time to swallow this frugal meal before Keppel, who was at this moment on top of our paddle-box, suddenly called out, “The beggars are making off. Man the boats! man the boats!” and, shaking his fist at them, further exclaimed, “You rascals! I’ll pay you off for this!” What a rush! Fresh boats had come up; a frantic cheer was given; and on they raced exactly like boats at a regatta, indiscriminately, straight at the junks, which now slackened their fire and appeared to be getting into position with their oars to make away. Now there was no quarter. Junk after junk was taken. Some ran on the banks and were fired immediately: Chinamen jumping overboard in all directions, and swimming for their lives. Some five or so, I believe, got away. The rest were chased for six miles up the river, towards the town of Fatshan; but our chaps were done, and, as Fatshan was fortified and full of troops, we could do no more. So ended a thundering good fight.
The Hong-Kong went up some distance beyond the junks that had been captured in the morning, to cover the boats; but, owing to the shoaling of the water, our progress was slow. We were scraping the mud most of the time.
When the boats returned it was about 3.30 P.M.: so we had been hard at it for twelve hours. As I said before, it was simply marvellous that our casualties were so slight. Between seventy and eighty, I believe, was our butcher’s bill. I fancy that, as the boats and gun-boats were all bows-on most of the time, it must be considered that we offered small targets. Otherwise the smallness of our loss is unaccountable.
I may be allowed, perhaps, to copy a letter from the Commodore that appeared in The Times soon after the news got to England. It will naturally be a description better than my account. It was written on 20th of July, three weeks after the action, from on board the Alligator.—
The three weeks of this month have been full of excitement. We commenced on the 1st with as pretty a boat action as any ever recorded in naval history, though it may never be appreciated because it was fought in China. The troops are now unfortunately required for India, and, I suppose, we shall not get them before summer is over. [This is in allusion to the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny.] So much the better for them, as it is boiling hot here now. In the meantime we have to keep the Canton River open for them, it being the high road to the Celestial City, which I suppose they will have to occupy before Lord Elgin attempts to bring Commissioner Yeh to terms. I am left here in command of the river, the fort of Chuenpee, which I took possession of on the 18th, being my boundary at one end, and the Macao fort at the other. They are about forty miles apart. All the intermediate forts have been demolished, and on the 1st we polished off the remainder of their war fleet, about 180 Imperial war-junks, so that now I have uncontrolled possession. Our worthy chief, a fine fellow he is, remains with his flagship at Hong-Kong, paying us occasional visits in one of the small steamers. I have seventeen ships manned by about 2600 men, stationed at different distances, and this being the anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession, they are dressed out with bunting, and at noon Commissioner Yeh will be edified by royal salutes fired the whole length of the river from Canton to below the Bogue forts.
The battle of Fatshan, showing the sinking of Commodore The Honourable Henry Keppel’s galley, 1st June 1857.
My poor Raleigh no longer belongs to Her Majesty’s Navy, and the Admiral has appointed all the officers and myself to the Alligator, with three tenders to do our work. I live in the Hong-Kong, but come here to sleep when not moving about, this old hulk being a sort of fixture.
We all mess together, viz., Lieutenant Goodenough, Dr. Crawford, Prince Victor, Autey, my secretary, Lord Charles Scott, Montagu, and Stephenson. We are very happy and jolly, and this temporary arrangement is a very good one. We thought we were going to have a little fight the other day. The Admiral ordered me to take the Chuenpee fort; we moved down in good order, but the enemy guessed what they might expect, and very wisely “hooked it.” I am afraid this is the last little affair that is likely to take place this summer. The upper part of the river is not considered so healthy as the rest, so I have the ships relieved every fortnight. There are two islands near where we are anchored, where the officers and men assemble every evening and play at quoits and all sorts of games. Turnour is up at the front; they are obliged to be continually on the alert to look out for fire rafts and all sorts of infernal machines. I generally visit them once a week in Hong-Kong. I hope somebody gave you a good account of our boat fight on the 1st June. It must have been a beautiful sight to those who viewed it from the heights. The shallow water obliged the Hong-Kong to ground, or she would have been in front of everything, but when she grounded I led on my boats in my gig, but as the tide was rising the Hong-Kong followed on as fast as she could.
The first division of the Chinese Fleet were simultaneously attacked by about 1900 men. Spread over a large surface they soon gave way, but I did not take up more than a quarter of that number to attack the second division, which was three miles higher up the river, in a well-situated place, and evidently the élite of their fleet. They numbered exactly twenty in one compact row, they mounted from 10 to 12 guns each, two in bow and stern being heavy 32-pounders. I saw I had all the Raleigh boats well up, and I determined to push on. They fired occasional shots as if to ascertain our exact distance, but did not open their heaviest fire until we got to 600 yards’ distance, and then I saw how impossible it would be to force our way until I had reinforcements. Nearly the first fellow who had his head knocked off was an amateur, Major Kearney. I had known him many years. We cheered and I tried to get on, when a shot struck my boat right amidships, cut one man in two and took off the arm of another. Prince Victor, who was with me, jumped forward to tie up his arm with his neckcloth. While he was doing so another round shot passed through both sides of the boat, wounding two others on its passage. The boat was now filling with water and I got on one of the seats to keep my legs out of the water, and just after stepping up a third shot went through both sides of the boat not more than an inch below the seat on which I was then standing. Many of our boats now got huddled together, the oars of most being shot away. A boat of the Calcutta being nearest, I jumped into her, pulling our wounded men with us, my dog Mike refusing to leave the dead body of the man who was his favourite. We were obliged to leave him. I then gave the order to retire on the Hong-Kong and reform abreast of her. While we were going down a shot cut away all the oars on one side. I called to Lieutenant Graham to get his boat ready, as I would hoist my broad pennant and lead the next attack in his boat. I had no sooner spoken to him than a shot disabled his boat, wounding him and killing and wounding four others. I saw Graham one mass of blood, but it was from a marine who stood next to him, and part of whose skull was forced three inches into another man’s shoulder. When I reached the Hong-Kong the whole of the enemy’s fire seemed centred on her. She was hulled twelve times in a few minutes, her deck was covered with the wounded who had been brought on board from the boats. I was looking at him when a round shot cut down a marine and he fell on them. From the paddle box I saw that our heavy firing was bringing up strong reinforcements. The account of having been obliged to retire had reached them, and they were pulling like mad. The Hong-Kong had floated and grounded again. I ordered a bit of blue bunting to be got ready to represent my broad pennant. I called out, “Let us try the row boats once more, boys,”[1] and went over the side into the Raleigh cutter, in which was Turnour and the faithful Spurier[2] bringing the bit of blue bunting. At this moment there arose from the boats, as if every man took it up at the same instant, one of those British cheers so full of meaning, that I knew at once it was all up with John Chinaman. They might sink thirty boats, but there were thirty others who would go ahead all the faster. On we went. It was indeed a lovely and exciting sight. I saw the move among the junks; they were breaking ground and moving off, the outermost first. This manœuvre they performed in beautiful order. They never ceased to fire. Three more cheers and then commenced an exciting chase for seven miles. As our shot told on them they ran ashore and their crews forsook them. Seventeen were come up with this way, and only three escaped. It was in this last chase that my poor Spurier was shot down by my side. I saw his bowels protruding as he lay in the bottom of the boat, holding my hand. He asked me if I thought there was any hope. I could only say—Where there is life there is hope. But I had none. Strange to say, the good Crawford sewed him up, and the Admiral’s last letter from Hong-Kong states Spurier hoped to return to his duties in a few days.
[1] What he did say was, “The rascals are making off.” He shook his fist at them, and further said, “I will pay you off for this. Man the boats, boys.”
[2] His coxswain.
We have a surgeon out here who served in the Naval Brigade in the Crimea. He says he never saw such frightful wounds as these Chinese shot appear to make. By the way, I ought to record a delicate attention from the ladies of Macao. My Commodore’s broad pennant had been lost when my boat sunk. They presented me with a new silk one, worked with their own fair hands! I hope some day to plant it on the walls of the Celestial City, where the “Braves,” as they call themselves, shall respect it.
I will now, in conclusion, give a letter equally gratifying in its way:—
From Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour.
Sir,—I had the satisfaction of communicating yesterday to the squadron generally my high sense of the zeal and gallantry displayed by the officers and men in the decisive action against the Chinese war junks in Fatshan Creek on the 1st inst., but I feel it is further incumbent on me to express personally my admiration of the cool courage and good judgment with which you led the attack, first in the gun-boats until they grounded, and afterwards in the ships’ boats up the Fatshan branch, when in the vicinity of the city of Fatshan the severe struggle with the formidable line of heavy junks moored across the river commenced, and the Hong-Kong again aground bore so conspicuous a part. Also your subsequent determined attack with the boats under your command, which finally dislodged the junk forces, and led to the uttermost success of the day.
The fact that your galley was sunk under you, and that five out of six of your crew were killed and wounded, is the best proof that you maintained the post of honour throughout. I sincerely congratulate you on your safety, and shall not fail to bring your services to the notice of the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty.—I have the honour [etc.],
M. Seymour, Commander-in-Chief.
The action over, all the killed and wounded were placed on board my ship, and we were ordered to convey them post-haste down to the Naval Hospital at Hong-Kong. We took down eighty killed and wounded; and, as we were but a small river steamer,—considerably smaller than an ordinary tug-boat,—it can be imagined that the poor fellows lay thick on deck and below. Our troubles were not over. A sort of sequel to the fight was going on; and a most unpleasant one it was. As we proceeded, we passed through the junks which we had taken in the morning, now all on fire; explosions were going on in all directions; and (which was almost worse) the guns as they got hot (pointing in every direction) were continually going off. It was a case of running the gauntlet: how I did watch the muzzles as we passed close by!