Daniel Caldwell leads a squadron of British Navy gunboats to the den of the infamous pirate Shap ng tsai. Shap ng tsai and his pirates are killed and their fleet of junks destroyed.
China Extracts
Destruction of the Piratical Squadron of Shap-ng-tsai
From the China Mail, November 1.Diplomatic Department.Government Notification.
His Excellency her Majesty’s Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., has much satisfaction in publishing for general information the accompanying official communication, dated, ” Cho-keum. Cochin-China. 23rd October, 1849, ; from Commander John C. Dalrymple Hay, to the address of His Excellency Rear Admiral Sir Francis A. Collier, C.B., K.C.H, Commander-in-Chief, reporting the success which has attended the operations of the Columbine, Fury, and Phlegethon, aided by a party of officers and men of Her Majesty’s ship Hastings, at the entrance of the Tonquin River, against the piratical squadron under the command of the notorious Shap-ing-tsai.
The following translation of an official communication, addressed by the Chinese Naval Commander-in-Chief, chief on the Hai-nan Station, to his Excellency her Majesty’s Plenipotentiary is likewise published for the information of the public.
By order,A. R. Johnston.Victoria, Hongkong, 1st November, 1849.
Her Majesty’s sloop Columbine, Cho-keum,
Cochin-China, 23rd October, 1849.
Sir,I have the satisfaction to report to your Excellency the great success of the expedition you did me the honour to place under my command. Fifty-eight piratical vessels, mounting about 1200 guns, and with crews of 3000 men, have been totally destroyed by fire, and by the blessing of God, without the loss of one life of the officers and men under my orders.
After leaving Hongkong, on the 8th October, I searched the harbours of Concock, Sattei, St. John’s. Mong, Mamee, Sungyne, and Tienpak, and proceeded to Nowchon. From information received there, I determined to proceed to Holbow in Hainan, inside the shoals, and through the Junk passage, for I found good pilots, and junks with 14 feet draught going through, and we drew little more than fifteen feet ; moreover Shap-ng-tsai had boasted be would go where English ships dared not follow him. This vaunt I determined to belie.
We reached Hoi-how on the 13th, and found the Governor-General (Ho), whom I visited at the capital, in great fear of the pirates, and with a most friendly feeling to the English nation. He immediately ordered a Mandarin named Wong, to proceed with me, taking with him eight war junks, and I gave him a passage, to prevent delay, on board the Fury. On the 16th, we reached Chookshan, which the pirate fleet had left five days before, and we found the same sad story of towns destroyed, men murdered, and women taken away, that mark his track along the coast.
On Thursday, the 18th, we fell in with one of his look out vessels, which, having got into shallow water was overtaken by the Phlegethon, and destroyed by her boats under the command of Mr. Simpson, first officer. On the 19th. we reached Hoonong his reported haunt, and found he had gone about twelve miles farther, and I feared we had lost him, but that invaluable officer, Mr. Daniel R. Caldwell, impressed me so strongly with the correctness of his information, that I decided on a reconnaissance in the Phlegethon in spite of our shortness of fuel ; and proceeding into Chokeum for that purpose, on Saturday morning, the 24th, saw thirty-seven of the fleet underweigh.
From seven until four o’clock p.m , like terriers at a rat hole, we hunted for the channel. Then a pilot managed to escape from the shore, I proceeded in the Phlegethon, with Fury astern, Columbine in tow, over the bar fourteen feet (mud), and at forty minutes past four, had the pleasure of finding all the ships warmly engaged. At five minutes past five, Shap-ng-tsai’s junk blew up with a tremendous crash, and at forty minutes past five they had ceased firing.
Before eight o’clock, twenty-seven were in flames, and the squadron in position to blockade the river. On the 21st October, the steamers and boats destroyed twenty-four more ; and nine of them gave Lieutenant George Hancock, in a paddle box boat of the Fury, assisted by Captain Moore. R.M., and Mr. Close, Acting Mate, with Mr. Lean, an opportunity of distinguishing himself. Two large junks turned to bay to defend the retreat of the rest, but Mr. Hancock so handled his boat and her gun, that after an hour and twenty minutes he had beaten them from their guns, and carried them by boarding without loss, and then pursued and destroyed the other seven. Mr. Hancock’s boldness in attacking, and correct judgment in managing this affair, are worthy of the highest praise ; and Captain Moore, R.M., Mr. N. N. C. Leao, a Brazilian Lieutenant, and Mr. F. A. Close, Acting Mate, gave him the greatest assistance.
On Monday, the 22nd I proceeded in the Phlegethon and boats to destroy all that were left. We found that the mandarins had destroyed four, and we finished two others. The low flat islands at the mouth of the river were at times covered with men deserted from the junks, yet afraid of the Cochin Chinese, who had assembled in great numbers to attack them. The ships’ boats and small arm men harrassed and destroyed many by constant fire of shell and grape, whilst the Cochin Chinese destroyed and captured the rest. From the best information it appears that the fleet consisted of sixty-four vessels of war, which may be classed as follows :
[the author lists the specifics of the destroyed fleet]
Of these, two small of the 3rd class, and four of the 4th class have escaped with Shap-ng-tsai, but without much ammunition ; and the mandarin assures me he will shortly destroy him – now an easy prey. He took with him about 400 men – so that 1700 having been killed, about 1000 more remain to be finished by the Cochin Chinese, who have already sent some prisoners to the mandarins.
I shall now proceed to Hongkong with all despatch. I have the pleasure of mentioning the exceeding good conduct of the officers and men during these laborious and hazardous operations. Their unanimity, willingness and cheerfulness, have made it a most pleasant service, and no plunder, rapine or misconduct, has tarnished their honour. Major-General Wong, the mandarin, proved himself a gallant, active, and efficient ally, and I trust his own Government may reward him for his good services.
To have Commander Wilcox with me, is, I feel, to have success. As a friend and an officer he is unequalled, and his ship is in such good order that I believe there is nothing be could not do. His judgement and gallantry are on an equal footing. Mr. Niblett, of the Phlegethon, has handled his ship in a bold and determined manner, and has given me every assistance. As I was frequently obliged to be in the steamer, the command of this sloop has devolved upon Lieutenant J. H. I Bridges, senior Lieutenant, and he conducted her in action on the 20th with much ability. Lieutenant Darnell, senior of the Fury, in command of her boats. has also rendered good service. Captain Moose, of the Hastings, marines, has assisted me most materially in command of that body. Lieutenant Hancock and Mr. Chambers, Acting Mate, in command of the respective detachments of Hasting’s men, have given me much satisfaction: and Mr. Rathbone, Midshipman of the Fury, has brought himself into notice for his zeal. I have also to notice the name of Mr. Algernon Wootton, Midshipman, a most promising young officer, who has acted as my Aide-de-Camp, and been very useful on every occasion.
I have the honour to enclose a list of the officers employed in the boats, who I have no doubt, would equally have distinguished themselves if they had had the opportunity.
I enclose a journal of my proceedings since leaving Hongkong, together with some hydrographical remarks, compiled by Mr. Thomas Kerr, acting master of the sloop, which will, I trust, be of service to commerce and navigation in the Gulf of Tonquin, hitherto so little known. Mr. Kerr, during all this very hazardous navigation, has proved himself a careful and judicious officer.
Mr. D. R. Caldwell, of the police force, has again proved his talent as a linguist, his intimate knowledge of the Chinese character, and the thorough correctness of his information. To him, in a great measure, our success is to be attributed.
Mr. Soames, master of the Hongkong Company’s steam vessel Canton, did his work well as pilot, as far as he was acquainted with the coast.
I have the honour to be. Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
John C. Dalrymple Hay, Commander.
His Excellency Rear AdmiralSir Francis A. Collier C.B.. K.C.H.,Commander-in. Chief, &c., &c, &c.
SG & SGTL 16 Feb 1850 ; p 50-1.
From:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Gazette/Campaigns_etc/Pirates_Of_Shap-ng-tsai.html