The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-04

Secretary Root, In reviewing the work Of
tae China relief expedition, in his annual
report. gives TO the public for the first
time the text Of the confidential instruc-
lions 10 General Chafee, which, in part,
were IS follows:
Reports now indicate that the Ameri-
can Minister. with all the legation, have
been destroyed in Pekin. Chinese repre-
sentative here insists to the contrary.
however, and there Is. therefore, hope.
which you viii not lose sight OF until GER
faint is absolute.
II IS The desire of this Government to
maintain its relations of friendship with
the part of Chinese people and Chinese
officials not concerned in outTages on
Americans. Among these we consider Ii
Hung Chang. Just appointed V1eeroy Of
Chill. You VIII, to the extent of your
power, aid the Government Of China CT
any part thereof. in depressing such out
RACES and in rescuing Americans. and in
protecting American citizens and interests.
and wherever Chinese Government falls to
render such protection you viii do all in
your power TO supply it
Confer freely with commanders OF
other national forces, act concurrentIy
with them, and seek entire harmony of
action along the lines Of similar purpose
and interest. There should be full and
free conferences as TO operations before
they are entered upon. You are liberty
to confer with them from time to time
as TO common official direction OF the
various forces in their combined opera
Of your own American division, ready 10
be used as separate and complete or
ganization"
Secretary Root also gives General Chat
fees complete report of his expedition
Referring to the attack Of the Fourteenth
Infantry at YangtSun, General Chanee
says:
The Fourteenth assaulted with vsgor
the position Of the Chinese, supported
on its left by the British troops who were
also somewhat mixed with the Fourteenth
in consequence of contracted ground. The
Fourteenth Infantry should not have been
placed IL the attack On the west side Ct
the railr0ad, as there was not sufficient
ground for even the British 20 operate
properly; but I allowed 1t TO attack on
that side because OF the request OF the
British commander. who wished me 80
, support his right. In the attack the
Fourteenth suffered considerable loss
seven killed and fffty-seTel wounded. I
regret TO state that probably Of twenty
five or thirty in this number, some we're
killed and others wounded b. the fire OF
the British and Russian batteries after
the position of the Chinese was in pcs
session OF the Fourteenth Infantry and
some OF the British troops
General Chahee tells OF the queer
actions OF the Russians in attacking
T0oF-s FT
Chow the Russian commander sent word
TO the other commanders that he could
not move forward on that day. as he had
40 rest his troops. 1t was agreed to re-
coEnoitre on that day. the 18Th of August,
but, says General Chaffee, FOR reasons
unknown to me the Russians LEFT their
camp al TcBg-Chow about the time my
troops were marching 20 close on my
advance guard They followed the road
that had been assigned TO them, and about
9 o'clock heavy firing was heard II the
vicinity of Pekin. It vas the next day
ascertaIned that they had attacked the
y Tong pien-men Gate an east gate OF
the city, near where the Chinese wall
joins tl-s Tartar wall. At the time of oe-
eurrence / supposed the firing to be the
last efforts OF the Chinese troops TO de-
stroy the legations
About darbreak Of August II a Jap
anesc stan officer came Up and enQuired
if 1 knew anything Of the whereabouts of
the Russian troops, TO which ! could only
reply that I supposed them at Toug-ChoTv
or on my right flank on The opposite side
OF the canal. To this ne replied that they
we're not on the opposite side OF the
canal
The 18th being the day decided upon
for the concentration on the line seven
miles from Tong-Chow, I made no prep
arationS for carrying on any operations
beyond a small reconnoissan nee by a troop
OF caTalry TO Ely front under Captain
Caben Not long after CabeII marched.
a column Of French troops passed On the
road following him. The commander Of
the French troops informed me that he
Wished 10 cross q bridge some three miles
IN advance. TO join the Russian trocps
informed him that there we're no troops
n trent except a cavalry troop which I
aad sent out 10 reconnoitre, and thought
that the Russians were opposite. on my
right.
My cavalry had been absent not more
than an hour VIXEN Mr. Lowry, the inter
prefer. who accompanied It. raced back and
told me that Captain Cabell was surround
ed by Chinese cavalry. I Immediately or
dered battalion OF the Fourteenth In
fantrT TO fall IN, and We went forward
about mile and hall and found Captain
CaheiI occupying scme houses and firing
IRON the roofs On a village il his trent I
insisted ca the French troops giving ne
the road, which they reluctantly did. Hay
ing joined CabelI. I continued the recon-
nOissance to my front, wishing to get as
near the wall Of tbs city as I could but
not expecting TO move my whole force.
which vas contrary TO the agreement at
Tong-Chow on the evening Of August u.
Without serious opposition We arrived at
the northeast corner Of the Chinese city.
having brushed away some Chinese trocps
or Boxers, that fired from villages to our
Ieft ard front
About 10 O'Clock I saw the advantage
CT holding the ground that I had obtained
and directed all ray force to move for
ward as l had then become aware OF Rus
sian troops being in action en- ny right
and could also hear the JaDsnesz arfiI-
lery farther to the right. At noon two
companies Of the Fourteenth Infantry IN
der the immediate command Of Colonel
Daggett, had scaled the wall of the Chi
nese city at the northeast corner and the
tag CT that regiment vas the first foreign
colers unfuried upon the walls of PekfD'f
After entering the city General Chat
Zee communicated with Minister CopRer
and upon information from tie latter as
saulted and carried the Imperial CITY bv
troops under Captain Reilly, but at that
time it was decided not to occupy the
city, and the troops were Withdrawn.
General Chafiee adds:
The idea Of not occupying the Imperial
City was Tot c0ncurTed in by tas MIn-s
ters at conference held by them the
next day IN their opinion the Imperial
City should be occupied II vas later
decided by the generals to occupy the
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