NATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE TAKING OF SHANG-HAE. [From the North- China Herald. March 3.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XII, Issue 835, 29 June 1855, Page 3

NATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE TAKING OF SHANG-HAE. [From the North- China Herald. March 3.]

On the 17th of February, throughout the day, several of the rebels g»t out and escaped : in the evening, some person residing in the city sent a letter to the southpm camp, stating that the greneer part of the rebels wero drinking and gambling, without the least care or concern, thus laying themselves open to attack. As soon, as the officers in the southern camp heard this, they ordered the soldien to prepare their suppers, and be ready for making the aisault. About four o'clock on th« following morning, Le-ae-dong, heading the troopa that were under him, mounted the wall at the liltle south gate. The battalion under Ting followed them, and set fire to some of the people's houses near the wallt, and after that to some buildings in other plaeos. The rebal chiefi had previous to this, set fire to the offices which they themselves had occupied, in the centre of the city, and gone ©ut at the west gate, from whence they dispersed ia various directions. At Hun^keaou the imperial soldiers laid h<Jd on a reb^l chief with a yellow-dress, and killed him, but they did not know hi» name. After this, they caught nrat killed seven of the smaller rebels, who had on the reb 1 dress, with arms in their hands. At Fah-hwa. twenty-eight persons were killed. On the morning of the 18th, the imperial soldiers on the south side, had already set fire to the city, and vrere busied in seizing the rebels, whi'e the troops on the north side did not knoxr the real state of the caae, nor from what source the fire which they saw raging in the city originated. Thus they were advancing and retiring, and trying to find out what was the matter, when thev ascertained that the rebels had already escaped, and that the imperialists from t! e south s^de had entered the city ; whereupon they to-ik courage and entered the north gate ; the first thing they did was to go into the houses of the people to rifle and steal : having got all they could find there, they went iato the pawn broker's shops. One of the imperial leaders named Hoo, seeing this, drew his sword and cut down two of his followers, when the disposition to pillage was a little checked. It is said that rn the south side of the city they found about 100 rebels, amongst whom was Pwauhi'ng, the father of Seaou-kin-tsze (ih« murderer of the former magistrate), they also found the daughter of Chow-leih-chun (the former leader of the Tsing-poo insurrection) ; together with Le-seen-yun, the secretary of the Hing-hwa guild (where the American guard were stationed). The imperialists from the northern camp also captured about 100 men, who wei e all beheaded. On the 19th, 20th, and 21st, the imperialists found in the coffins and empty jars in the city, about a dozen live rebels, which induced them to open I all the receptacles of a like description throughout the ! place. The whole number beheaded docs not exceed 400, while it is believed that not one of the chiefs have been taken. Where thoy are gone, however, the imperialists cannot tell. The natives say, that Governor Keih, in his despatch to the emperor, has stated that the French were the first to assist in bringing about obedience to the imperial authority ; while the English Consul was willing to give up the race-course, and to allow of a battery being established at Taylor's bridge, by which means supplies were prevented reaching the city: but no mention is made of the part taken by the Americans in the reduction of the place.