THE CAPTURE OF KIUKIANG

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1577, 23 February 1927, Page 7

THE CAPTURE OF KIUKIANG

HUMORS OF CHINESE WARFARE AN ENGLISHWOMAN'S STORY In the following letter an English woman living in Kiukiang describes the capture of that city in November by the Southern (Cantonese) troops:— It's a simply heavenly, • sunny, warm morning, but we seem to have lived an eternity since yesterday. I'll try to give you some idea of what happened all so suddenly and unexpectedly. Fortunately, you've lived in China and) can imagine what a Chinese war might be. The day broke like this one, beautifully sunny and calm, Kuling (a mountain resort about twenty miles from Kiukiang) looking its best and most inviting in the background until about J.O a.m. Mrs W. and I were writing here on the verandah when the air seemed to get electrified and Chinese in fifties or so streamed up and down the road, carrying bedding or boxes, or anything that was particularly valuable to them,.and placing them, through the gate of a Chinese house opposite. Women were let through, but men were kept outside. At 1.30, after tiffin, Mr M. arrived from Kuling—he had gone up on business the. day before, and we had got scaring rumors that a foreigner had been taken and luggage, but it wasn't true. Anyway, we were glad to see him, and he brought the latest, news which he actually knew from eyesight. The Southerners had captured . Saho and Lien Hwa Tung the night of the 3rd, and were in charge there, commandeering the motors. Mr M. said there were "about 20,000 Northerners to about 1,000 Southerners around. (He had had to come through both lines.) At Lieu Hwa Tungj they were planning to walk when a ricksha man hailed them, but the Southerner near forbade them. At that, juncture a Southern captain came up and toldMr M. to tase the ricksha, but to hurry along, as they were about to fight in a, very short while. And Mr M. said it would prove a tremendous battle owing to.the numbers of Northerners and so few Southerners. He had-barely finished telling us when we heard shots, and I've never imagined anything *of : warfare progressing-so rapidly as did yesterday's battle. It was almost humorous, even though tragic. No sooner had we heard shots at the. back towards the plain than we ■heard"them right and left-nf us. The volunteers were called out < and/took positions, and the gates, were all closed. Hundreds of the brave ( ?y-Northern-"ers situated the othe'r side of the creek and on the creek took to their heels and got on to the boats and sampans, going for their lives down, river. Those who failed to get boats swam down. The China Merchants' boats turned tail and went down river as fast as possible, Sun Chuan-fang (the Fukien leader) among the braves! . . . J. said it really, was amusing, and it certainly " was amusing to watch the Northerners flying down river to goodness knows where! . Ten thousand of the Northerners turned neutral at the should say the other 10,000 fled without fighting. Do you wonder the i Southerners get a footing? J I The Northerners outnumbered the ' Southerners by thousands, but appar- ! ently the slightest resistance was put i up. The navies of the French, American, Japanese, and British landed men, ■and we were well guarded. Chinese (were pressing to get on to the Con- '. cession, and J. said money galore was J offered. What Chinese were on when I the gates were shut were put into the empty tea longs: , At 4 p.m. there seemed to be a lull, so J. took me on the' bund, and w€ walked along towards the creek. II looked bare, with the exception of a few Northerners unarmed and dismantled making a fire or two on thf foreshore. The creek practicallj empty! We were just chatting to i Yank sailor when J. ducked, and wai ynst going to ask him why he did thai when a..hullet.whjazed by and soundec close—that was the second, and thei a third followed} and we got behind s wall, waited a minute, and made fo: : home; more or less dodging bullets al down the bund. '. Mr 3* said, the Southerners deservec to win, with their small numbers, i that was the way the utterly senseless panic-stricken N.'s. acted.. Sun hj» i scooted, too—imagine their leader sil ting in the river for days, scooting a • the first shot! One Northerner sai ; to Mr'J.: "We soldiers do have. . very hard life of it—l've run forty-fiv » li this morning without stopping!' j good few more swam that, too, I re< kon! Some army! ■ -.'. '■•-**" The Chinese dnve the foreigner oul f I but during their own battles come t i the Concession and stampede even t where for protection—green withfrigl s at then; own people! I wonder whei * they'd/: stampede -if there -were no Cpi I cession carefully guarded. They wei 1 bribing our men to let them througl l Imagine! How it proves' their chai | acteristic infidelity and absolute" lac a of- loyblty—it's what., they do—bribi f, bribe,; bribe-