de of the Canal, but the
Taepings still held a strong stone fort on the opposite side, which
defied all the efforts of the Imperialists. Two hundred of the Liyang
corps gallantly crossed the Canal in boats, forced open the back door
of the fort, and carried it at a rush. With this success all the
outworks of Chanchufu were taken, and the town itself closely
besieged. Gordon then proceeded to plant his batteries opposite the
point he had selected for attack, but a regrettable affair happened in
the night, when the picket on guard fired into the party working at
the battery, and killed Colonel Tapp, an excellent officer who
commanded the artillery of the force. This mishap was quickly followed
by others. The Imperialists under their own generals wished to get all
the credit of the capture, and attacked several times on their own
side, but always without obtaining any advantage. Nor was Gordon
himself more fortunate. After a severe bombardment, to which the
Taepings made no reply, Gordon assaulted on 27th April. His men
succeeded in throwing two pontoons across the ditch, twenty yards
wide, and some of his officers reached the wall; but the Taepings met
them boldly with a terrific storm of fire-balls, bags of powder,
stinkpots, and even showers of bricks. Twice did Gordon lead his men
to the assault, but he had to admit his repulse with the loss of his
pontoons, and a great number of his best officers and men. Ten
officers killed and 19 wounded, 40 men killed and 260 wounded,
represented the cost of this disastrous failure.

Undaunted by this defeat, Gordon proceeded to lay siege in regular
form, and Li Hung Chang lent him the services of his own troops in
order to dig the necessary trenches. Working only at night, and with
equal celerity and secrecy, a succession of trenches were made right
up to the edge of the ditch. At the same time, proclamations in large
characters were exhibited, offering terms to all who came over, except
the Wang in command; and many desertions took place. At last, on 11th
May, the place was again assaulted, this time at mid-day; and owing to
the short distance from the advance trench to the breach, the Chinese
troops of all kinds were able to come to close fighting with the
Taepings without any preliminary loss. The Taepings fought with great
courage, even although their chief Hoo Wang was taken prisoner early
in the fight, but at last they were overwhelmed by numbers. Hoo Wang
and all the Canto