laid the foundation for the later and more conspicuous work of Tsêng Kuo-fan.[1]
At the same time that Anhui was overrun by the rebels, the Eastern king, Yang, in person led a large army up the river to capture Wuchang and thus control the Yangtse above Nanking. The viceroy went to Hwangchow in the hope of intercepting them. During the New Year holiday, supposing that the Taiping vigilance would be relaxed, he launched his attacks on them (February 7, 1854), but failed and was himself defeated and killed. The rebels passed around the imperialists and the latter withdrew under the acting viceroy to Kingk'ow above Wuchang, leaving that city undefended except by the force on the walls. It fell on June 26, 1854, giving the rebels the control of the entire river as far as Nanking.
- ↑ In this estimate of Kiang Tsêng Kuo-fan is said to have concurred, according to the writer of the Hatsuzoku Ran Shi (p. 23), He states that when Kiang first suggested the building of a fleet Tseng was disposed to take issue with him. Later, he goes on to say, "Kuo-fan in conversation with some one said, 'I never met a man who had the foresight of Kiang Chung-yuan; if, at some future date universal fame comes to any one, it will certainly be to this person.'" My own conclusion was set down before I discovered this statement, the source of which is hot given.
