週四我參加了一個“毀燒圓明園”的狂歡活動。圓明園離我這兒大約有四英里，其中一部分優雅地坐落於山坡上，融入壯麗的山色中。不同於一切歐洲宮殿的風格，它由一大群散落山腳平原的樓閣組成，無邊無際。
這些廟宇裡滿是絕美的青銅和琺琅，但實在太大太沉，搬不動……我成功搶到了不少青銅和琺琅花瓶，還有一些極其精緻、鑲繡帝王黃綠龍紋的瓷杯與茶碟，但是它們太脆弱易碎了，我真害怕能否完好無損地把它們帶回家。
以上是1860年英國海軍上校哈利·埃文斯寫給家人的信，信中講述了英法聯軍洗劫圓明園的細節。
以下是哈利·埃文斯的另一篇日記：
10月25日
Rather a good trait in their character was it not， restoring the prisoners without having tortured them or done them any injury… we found that our shells had done great execution。In one place I counted not less than 18 dead bodies in a space of less than 50 yards
清軍性格中的這一點很好啊是不是，他們釋放的俘虜都未受虐待、毫髮未損……我們發現我們的炮彈殺傷力十足。在某處方圓50碼以內，就有不下18具屍體，傷員全都被運走
Their loss was tremendous。A flag of truce was sent over and the surrender of the remaining forts was demanded
他們的損失極為慘重。最終一面停戰的旗幟被送來，剩下的堡壘也全被要求投降。
The war is now virtually at an end， and before many months are over I expect we shall all be on our way home， I am afraid that I shall not be at home in time for Xmas
現在戰爭顯然已經結束了。我估計過不了幾個月，我們就該踏上回家的路了，我擔心我沒法在聖誕節前趕回家了。
Peking is now virtually ours， one of the gates have been surrendered to us several days ago， on the day on which we were to have opened fire
北京現在已經幾乎是我們的了，就在好幾天前我們將要開火的時候，它的一個城門上向我們豎起了白旗。
the following day we were to have gone on to the Summer Palace。 there being only about 300 servants left to look after the place， and a small guard of about 50 men， who of course did not attempt any resistance
第二天我們就要進入圓明園了……那裡只留下了大約300個照看圓明園的僕人，和50人左右的衛兵，當然他們沒嘗試任何抵抗。
The French got lots of valuable loot in the way of watches， clocks， fur coats， silks etc。 The General （Sir Hope Grant） sent out all the carts he could find， brought in as much as they could carry， and all the things were sold by auction for prize money for the force actually present on the 6th， and a considerable amount was realized as the things went at fabulous prices
法國人搜刮了大量值錢的戰利品，包括手錶、鐘錶、皮大衣、絲綢等。霍普·格蘭特將軍號令用上所有能找到的推車，能裝多少就裝多少回來。而所有這些寶貝都被現場拍賣掉，賣的錢作為獎勵發給6號參戰的部隊，這些寶物售價高昂，最後的金額相當可觀。
There was also a large sum of sycee silver and gold found， which will also be divided amongst the troops。Some of the money has already been distributed。I expect to get about five and forty Pounds for my share
還發現了一大筆銀錠和金錠，這些錢也會被分發給軍隊上下。其中一部分已經被派發出去了。我預計自己能分到54鎊。