The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-13
THE OFFENCE At PEEIN
Captain Myers Report of the Siege
of Pekin.
Gallant Conduct of the United states
Marines and sailors and Their
ORscers-Rescue OF Native Chris
tians-one Hundred and Fifty
Brought in by Ten Americans

The story of the gallant defence OF the
legations in PekfR during their tive months
siege is told in the report of Capt. John T.
Myers, United States Marine Corps. who
commanded the main guard of the Ameri-
can Legation during that critical period. The
copies of the report given out by the Navy
Department do not contain any reference
to the charges of Minister Conger against
Capt. Newt H Hall, second in command
OF the american marines. and there is
nothing to indicate that there was any such
reference in the original. Captain Myers.
however. fails to make mention of Captain
Hail in commencing those Of the American
detachment who distinguished themselves
during the siege, although he speaks high
" OF the services OF Surgeon Lippitt.
United States Army and of some American
civilians. and number of enlisted men Of
the Marine Coz IS The report is from the
United States Naval Hospital at Tientsin,
under date of September 26. and is as fol-
lows:
i have the honor to submit detailed
report of the operations OF the marine
guard, recently on duty at the United
States Legation, Pekin. China, during the
period in which 1 had active command,
from May % 10 July 3. 1900.
The guard consisted Of twenty-five ma
rines from the United States steamship Or
egon; twenty-three marines, three blue
jackets. one chief machinist. and one hos
pital apprentice, from the United States
steamship Newark. Capt. n. H. Hail,
United States Marine Corps. and Assistant
Surgeon T. NJ Iippitt United States Uavy,
were also attached to my command Chief
Aiachinist Peterson reported for duty on
June d. arriving in Pekin unarmed.
The guard. equipped in heavy marching
order and without baggage, left the New
ark on the morning Of May %, aud arrived
al Tientsin that night, having been com
PEELED to come up by boat. as the railroad
officials refused 10 sell tickets TO an arm
ed force without permission from the Vice
roy We were the first troops TO arrive a.
Tientsia, and our reception was enthusias-
tic; nearly all the foreign residents with
band were on hand to meet US and escort
ed us to the quarters which had been pro
vided bv Captain MeCaTa and Paymastei
levitt. VINO had come up by train that aft
ernoOI- We remained there waiting for Tie
ether guards to arrive and for the Eeces'
sary permission to 60 10 Pekin, unt
Thursday May 81, when We left at 4-3
o'clock D. m. reaching the railroad tersni
nus outside the city about II o'clock; Cap
tain McCaIa. PaymasteT levitt, Naval ca
det Courtney and Warrant MachtnisJ Mo
Iinsaux, accompanied US.
I'VE headed the column on the marc
into the city, meeting with no opposition
although we had been warned TO be on tn
lookout fer trouble The dense mass Q
Chinese which thronged either side of tn
roadway for the four miles from IN
station to the Chen-mun gate wa
absolutely silent, silence whic
seemed more ominous than a demon
stration of hostility would have beer
On our arrival We we're asslgne
to quarters adjoining the legauo
compound and in the rear Of IN
Russian bank. The ammunition carrie
was as follows: 9,720 rounds IN men
belts. S66a for Colt gun and 10000 1
boxes making a total of q. 728 rounds, {
which I had been told 7,009 rounds re
NAMED when the relief arrived Five day
rations and two large ships breakers
water were also taken. On June tn
railroad communication was interrupte
any many stations burned The situauo
appeared critical, and I wired Capital
NeCaIIa that twenty-five more men wei
needed TO properly protect the legation
sOn June I, there having been no pla
for common defence adopted by the of
GERS commanding the various guards, II
English marine officer, at my reques
called q meeting of all the officers, and
was decided that at the first sign Of a
outbreak all the non-combatants togeIht
with ali the provisions, should be sent
the English legation; and that all stree
leading into the legation quarter shou
al once be barricaded, no Chinese beiI
allowed TO enter without a pass. II ";
also agreed that We should endeavoT
hold all the legations as long as possibl
and as a last resort to fail back upon u
English Legation.
"On June s. ar the request Of Mr.. Col
ger, 1 sent ten men under Corporal HUI
to guard the Methodist Mission, where
number OF American missionaries We
assembled; the next day, this number b
ing greatly increased by the arrival
refugees from Tung Chow and outlyiI
districts of the city ten more men we
sem, and Captain Hall was detailed
command the detachment. The Missi'
bu lding lay about three quarters of
riile to the eastward and outside of o.
lines on a small street leading of L
Hata-mun.
Unrest in the City
'eOn June 10. II, and L nothing OF az
moment occurred. The feeling OF unre
deepened in the city, and foreigners We
openly insulted in the streets On June
at p. m, the outside chapel of the Net