1842 Rajamundry HG 2 Cover

1842

25 July 1842, Chinkeangfoo, 30 miles from Nankin – Engaging the Battle of Chinkiang The letter provides a detailed update of the fighting: “…… I should think that of 2,600 Tartars, 1,000 escaped, the rest are lying about in a disgusting state, putrid corpses half roasted – The River Yangtse (as we learned river all the Yangtszekiang is certainly the finest in the world! Such glorious scenery, breadth and depth. My friend Collinson is just come down from Nankin and I believe we go in 4 days – The water is deep enough for the line of battle ships far above Nankin and I shall go in one of the light steamers and see how far up the reiver it is possible to go – I really expect to go 500 miles above Nankin! The General is ill so there is a chance for Lord Salton – We understand that at Nankin there is to be no stupid rushing on and escalade but a proper artillery attack, shell the rascals for a day or two and march in column through two wide breaches. I hope so, for it is dreadful to see guns so utterly thrown away as ours were the other day, with the exception of my own none were of the least use, yet if Sir Hugh would have used his guns, he would have saved 100 men. The weather is fearfully hot, fully worse than India! The town of Chinkeang is a very large one and we are to leave the 55th Queens, and two Sepoy Regiments in garrison with some guns. They will have a disgusting job, if