New-York tribune., 1900-07-30
NINTH INFANTRY'S LOSSES
TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT OF THE MEN
ENGAGED KILLED OR WOUNDED
AT TIEN-TSN
AT TIEN-TSTN.
[1Y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.


dates indicate that telegraphic communication
between Tien-Tsin and Taku has not yet been
re-established by the detachment Of the Signal
Corps. which was sent from Manila with Colonel
Liscums command June 81 with materials
FOR that purpose Lieutenant Colonel Coolidge's
dispatch was merely an amplihcation of the
one he sent on July q. 1t reads as follows:
six companies 9th Infantry, under Liscum
With marines commanded by Meade, Joined
British forces under General Dorward IN con-
Junction with French and japanese, and at
tackled southwest part of walled city at day
break on the 18th The 9th Infantry on the
right. were east Of the south gate protecting al
lied force from fianking fire. After being under
fire for fifteen hours were withdrawn to outer
mud wall at night Ninth Infantry had Ia
killed, 80 wounded and l missing, out of 420 en-
gagged this point. Company A posted at the
railroad station, east Of the Pe-Ho was exposed
20 heavy shrapnel fire. losing two killed and
seven wounded IN addition TO the foregoing
Morning of l4th Japanese blew up south gate
entering walled city Allied forces entered town.
assigned southeast quarter to Americans for
police and protection. Guards established in
American quarter, which already on fire
British commander highly praised American SOL
7fers for arduous * and gallantry in COM
runication 10 Meade
From this il appears that the casualties in the
arh Infantry-ninety- -four-amounted to more
than % per cent Of the total number engaged.
which was an exceedingly high percentage. The
dispatch does not indicate that any men were
missing after the engagement, as did the first
dispatch Of Admiral Remey after the battle
but il confirms his statement in that dispatch
that the result Of the assault on the walled city
on July 13 e repulse Of the international
troops. which were forced TO withdraw to the
mud wall which is several miles from the
fortified wall OF the native city. Until now there
has been some doubt about the statement OF a
rerulse. The dispatch also shows that only six
Of the eight companies of the 9th on the ground
were under the personal command Of Colonel
Liscum, two companies having been detached.
apparently. and sent to the railway station, on
the opposite side OF the Pei-Ho, where Com
pany A lost two men killed and seven wounded
Il also appears that the town was already burn
ing when the international forces entered It,
having probably been fred by the shells thrown
into II the previous day and night.
NO WORD OF TIEN-TsIN SITUATION.
It VIII be noted that Lieutenant-ColoneI Cool
idge's dispatch is silent in regard to existing
military conditions and preparations at Tien-
Tsin, although its date nine days after the
occupation OF the walled city by the interna-
tional forces. It is. Of course. conceivable that
other dispatches have been received from him
and withheld from publication for good reasons.
The other dispatch received at the War De
partulent and made public was dated at Kobe
Japan, July %, and was from an officer of the
Quartermasters Department. It announced
that the animal transport Lennox sailed &rom
that port yesterday for Taku; that the animal
transport Conemaugh arrived yesterday from
San Francisco and would sail to-day for Taku
and that the transport Leelanaw, which sailed
from San Francisco on the same day as the
Conernaugh, had not yet arrived at Kobe It
IS expected that the first two transports will
arrive at their destination on Thursday and
Friday OF this week The three vessels are
carrying the horses and horse equipments of
the 9th Cavalry and also animals and equip
ments for pack trains. together with large sup
plies OF forage, sufficient, it is understood. TO
feed the animals for several months. The
prompt arrival Of these transports at Taku is
essential TO an early advance Of the United
States contingent OF the international forces
from Tien-Tsin.
MAY MEET STRONG RESISTANCE
II the press dispatches from Tien-Tsin which
were published this morning are correct 1t
seems probable that the Peking relief column
may meet with stout resistance within few
miles Of Tien-Tsin. According to these dis
patches. a Chinese force estimated at twenty
thousand men has been concentrated at Pie
Tsun and Yaug-Tsun. The former town is
about twenty miles north Of Tien-Tsin and the
latter about nine miles, both being on the rail-
way and south Of the Pei-Ho Yang-Tsun is
the town from which Admiral Seymour, with
the first Peking relief column, began his re-
treat 10 Tien-Tsin. In his report Of the expe-
dition TO the British Admiralty. under date Of
June q, the Admiral said:
The extensive destruction Of the railway on
our front having made further advance by rail
impossible, l decided June 16 to return TO
1ang-Tsun, where l proposed to organize an
advance by the river on Peking. After my de-
parture from Lang-Fang two trains which had
peen left 70 follow were attacked on June is by
Boxers and Imperial troops from Peking, who
lost from four hundred TO five hundred killed.
Our loss was six killed and forty-eight wounded.
1hese trains Joined me at Yang-Tsun the same
evening. The railway at Yang-Tsun was found
70 De entirely demolished, and the train was
1mmoVable- The forces were short of pro
visions, and We were hampered by our wounded,
which forced us 70 withdraw to Tien-Tsn with
when we had not been in communication for
sl1 DAYS and our supplies were cut OF.
n describing the retreat Of his little column
admiral Seymour dwells the fact that the
enemy, when defeated in one village, retired 10
ne next, and retarded the column by occupy
ING vel selected positions, from which they had
70 oe forced often at the point Of the bayonet |
"a me face Of a calling fire that was difficult
The dispatches published to-day indicate that
ne country between Yang-TsUn and Peking, a
CClnslahce Of sixty miles, was clear Of armed
-AIhese week ago. Some persons who seem
t. De Id-alilar with the nature Of the country
between Iien-Tsn and Pekng have criticised
[A1IlIFa4 seymour for attempting TO follow the
IeS4IHay me which runs west Of the Pei-Ho
through fat, swampv region They say that
Si4Oulu nave marched I'D east of the river,
-e MHtGh d low but continuous watershed
C,to7. , -.lI ne reached a point opposite Tung-
E--o.-' - Il0 me river should have been crossed
i tloh Iung-Chow 70 Picking the distance is
-. - ----4Cr' u4tough a country in which mill
- .-oFelIells are not difficult. These critics
- - I'yL seem 70 attach due weight 10 the fact
Laat the railway line was intact when Admiral |
80 -iocI i = coluihn left Tien-Tsn Now that It