The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-18
PRAISED BY BRITISH GENERAL
DORWARD, WHO COMMANDED THE
FORCES, LAUDED THE BRAVERY
OF THE NINTH
CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY SHOWN
Both the English and American
Commanders Singled Out Several
United States Officers Who Dis
played Unusual GaIlantry.

| partment today made public the reports
OF Col Robert L. Meade and Maj. X. w.
| T. Waller, Of the United States marine
! corps, on the battle of Tien Tsin They
| give not only a graphic account of this
initial engagement in the Chinese cam
patgn, but furnish the Information with
official exactness. Col. Meade's report
is dated Tien Tsin, July 16 After telling
| Of the situation around Tien Tsin, and
of the decision of July IL, at a confer
ence held at the English generals head
| quarters, to attack the city about day
break the next day, Col. Meade's report
in describing the early fighting in which
the marines and the Ninth infantry took
such a gallant part, says:
I'VE reached the advanced position
about a. m. I took 1S0 rounds per man
with me-1OO rounds in the belts and
eighty in the haversacks. This is not
sufficient for an all day fight, and as it
grew toward night I began to be ap-
prehenstve of being left in advance posi-
ton in fight where no prisoners were
taken on either side, with only the bay
onet to fight with. On the firing line
the action was especially hot, and the
snemy's fire especially rapid and accur-
| ate, and about $3.50 a. m. the enemy
appeared in large numbers upon our left
and among the grave mounds of the field
In which we were, with the evident In
tention Of flanking US. I made O turn
ing movement to the left and rear, and
we drove them away. Later in the day,
| about p. m, they again made a flank
| ing effort, but at this time the infantry
| support Of the artillery company was
| on the mud wall of the city, and aided
US by cross fire. This company was
commanded by Capt. c. G. Long, The
| effort of the enemy proved failure, and
we drove them ins
SHELLS HIT TRENCHES.
1--WE remained in the trenches until
about s p. m, when we received an or
der from the brigadier general command
ing, to withdraw, which was probably
the most important order of the day, as
the enemy had so well covered our posi-
tions that their shots struck the crests
of the trenches and threw dirt in our
faces-many being hit.
Gen. Dorward ordered that the troops
should sleep upon their arms that night,
the city. The south gate had to be blown
in by gun cotton.
"The troops had nothing whatever to
eat on the 18th, save the small luncheon,
If it may be SO called, which each man
carried in his haversack. 1t was not ex-
pected when we started that the action
would prove so long, but Gen. Dorward,
knowing the situation, kindly sent to the
reservation for food and other necessar-
les, and the bivouac proved a success,
and the men, although very fatigued,
were ready for duty.
ION the 14th inst, the south gate hav-
ing been blown in, we moved into the
walled city at about o'clock a. m.
FILLED WITH DEAD CHINAMEN.
1--WE found the city filled with dead
Cinnamon and animals. No resistance
was made to our occupation in the walled
city itself, but an infantry fire was kept
up by the Japanese infantry upon the
enemy, who responded from the suburbs
Since then we have had undfsturbed pos
session of all Tien Tsin.'
PRAISE FROM DORWARD.
Col. Meade enclosed the following let
ter from Gen. Dorward, the commander
of the British forces:
From the general officer commanding
the British forces in China to the Of
ficer commanding the United States
forces:
S@Tien Tsin, July Is, 1sOO-sir: I de-
sire to express the high appreciation of
them in serving alongside their comrades
| of the American army during the long
and hard fighting Of the 18th. and the
subsequent capture of Tien Tsin city.
| md an lot Ion nf +1oa
accorded to me by having them under
my command
"The American troops formed as part
| of the front line of the British attack,
| and so had more than their share of the
| fighting that took place. The ready and
| willing spirit of the officers and men will
| always make their command easy and
pleasant, and when one adds to that the
steady gallantry and power of holding
| on to exposed positions which they dis
played on the 18th inst, the result is
soldiers of the highest class.
I'VE all deeply sympathize with you in
the heavy losses you have suffered, es-
| pecially with the Ninth regiment. in the
loss of their gallant colonel, E. H. Lis
cum, while al the head of his men, and
with the First regiment of marines in
the death of Capt. Davis, who met a
soldiers death in the very front of the
| fight.
''I blame myself for the mistake made
in the taking up of their position by the
Ninth regiment, not remembering that
troops wholly fresh to the scene of ac-
| ton, and hurled forward in the excite
ment of attack, were likely to lose their
way: Still the position they took up and
gallantly, stuck to all day undoubtedly
prevented a large body of the enemy
| from turning the right of the attacking
party and inflicting serious loss on the
| French and japanese.
LIEUT.. BUTLER'S BRAVERY.
Among many instances of personal
| bravery in this action, propose specially
to bring to notice In dispatches the con-
| duct of First. Lieut. Smedley D. Butler,
US. M. lin bringing a wounded man from
| the front under heavy FIRE; Lieut.. But
| Ter was wounded while SO doing, but I
am glad to learn not seriously. The
regimental adjutant, First Lieut.. Henry
/ Leonard, as Lieut.. Butler was suffering
severely, volunteered to carry him to the
firing. hne. This gallant feat he ac-
complished, but I regret to say he was
very. dangerously wounded,in so doing.
THE Ninth regiment was fighting
somewhat outside my sphere of action.
so am able to bring forward only one in
! stance Of personal gallantry in that reg
iment, although circumstanced as they
were, fighting for about twelve hours,
! almost alone and unsupported, and never
| giving back a. foot of ground until d.
rected to retire under cover Of night and