The Red Cloud chief., 1900-12-06

protection of the legation. was with
urhwn at the earliest pra ctical moment
anu All the pending questions were re-
uttted. as far as we were concerned. to
course.
The Chinese government proved. how
ever, unable To check the rising strength
or the Boxers and appeared To be a
prey 10 Internal discussions. In the
UNEQUAL contest the anti-torelgn inhu-
encos soon gained the asc,sdancy under
thc leadership of Prince Tuan. Organ
ized armies OF Boxers. with which the
imperial armies affiliated. held the coun-
trN between Iekin and the coast, pcne-
tratCd into ManChuria up to the Russian
border. and through their emissarics
threatened a like rising throughout
Attacks upon foreigners. destruction of
property and slaughter of native con-
Nerts were reported from all sides The
tsuns-h-yamen, already permeatcd with
hostile sImpathiCs, could make no eff
fcctiVe response to the appeals of the Lee
cations. At this critical juncturc. In the
carry spring of this year, Il proposal was
mauC by the other powers that 4 COM
bined fleet should be assembled in Chi-
nese waters as "A moral demonstration.
unuer cover of which to exact OF the
Chinese government respect for foreign
treaty rights and the suppression Of the
/ Boxers.
The United States, while not partici-
pating In the Joint demonstration,
pfuinptly sent from the Philippines all
ships that could be spared for service on
the Chinese coast. a small force OF ma
rlneS was landed AT Taku n sent to
Pekin for the protection OF the Americana
legation. Other powers took similar ac-
tipn until some 400 men were assembled
IN the capital az legation guards.
Still the peril Increased. The legations
reported the development Of the seditious
movement In Pckiu and the need OF in
creased provision for defense against 1t
While preparations were In progress for II
larger expedition To strengthen the lega-
ton guards and keep the railways open
an attempt of the foreign ships to make
a landing at Taku was met by a fire from
the Chinese forts. The forts were there
upon shelled by the foreign vessels, the
American admiral taking no part In the
attack on the ground that We were not at
war with China and that "a hostile dem
onstration might consolidate the anti
foreign clements and strengthen the Box
ers to oppose the relieving column. Two
days later the Taku forts were captured
after a snnguinary conflict. Severance or
communication with Pekin followed ard
a combined force of additional guards,
which were advancing to Pekin by the
Pei Ho, was checked at Lang Fang. The
ISOLATION of the legations was complete.
On June 10 the legations were cut Off.
An identical note from the yamen or
dcrcd each minister to leave Pekin, un-
der a promised escort. within twenty
four hours. To gain time, they replied.
asking prolongat.on of the time, which
was afterward granted, and requesting
an Interview with the tsungli-yamen on
the following day. No reply being re-
Ccived, on the morning of the 10Th the
German minister, Baron Won Kctteler set
out for the yamen to obtain a response
and on the way was murdered.
An attempt by the legation guard TO
recover his body was foiled by the Chi
nese. Armed forces turned out against
the legations. Their quarters were sur
rounded and attacked. The. mission
compounds were abandoned their inmates
taking refuge in the British legation,
where all the other legations and guards
gathered for more effective defense. -Four
hundred persons were crowded In us
narrow compass. Two thousand native
converts were assembled in a nearby
palace under protection OF the foreign
ers. Lines of defense were strengthened
trenches dug. barricades raised and prep
arations made to stand "a siege. which
at once began. From June 20 until July
IL" writes Minister Conger. there was
scarcely an hour during which there was
not firing upon some part OF our ,nes
from a single shot to a general and con-
tinuous attack along the whole line Ar
tillery was placed around the legations
and on the overlooking palace walls, anc
thousands OF 3-inch shot and shell were
fired. destroying some buildings and dam
gazing all. SO thickly did the balls rair
that, when the ammunition OF the be
s!eged ran low. 1--WE quarts OF chinese
bullets were gathered In an hour In one
compound and recast.
Attempts were made to burn the lega'
ions by setting neighboring houses OF
fire. but the flames We're successfully
fought off. although the Austrian, Bel
gian, Italian and Dutch legations were
then and subsequently burned.
To save life and ammunition the be
sleged sparingly returned the incessan
fire OF the Chinese soldiery, fighting only
to repel attack or make an occasions
successful sortie for strategic advantage
such as that Of iifty-ive Americans, Brit
ish and Russian marines, led BY Captair
Myers of the United States Marine corps
which resulted In the capture of a for
m.dable barricade on the wall that grave
~ menaced the American position. /
was held to the last and proved an IN
valuable acquisition, because c~ommandtni
the water gate through which the relic
column entered.
During the siege the defenders los
sixty-five killed, 1876 ounde and sever
by disease-the last all children.
on July IA the besieged had their frs
communication with the sungli-y amen
from whom a message came inviting t,
a conference, which was declined. Cor
respondence, however, ensued and a sor
of armistice was agreed upon, whicl
stopped the bombardment and lessene'
the rifle fire for a time. Even then NJ
protection whatever was Afforded, nor an.
aid given, save to send to the legation
n small supply of fruit and three sack
of -four.
Indeed, the only communication ha'
with the Chinese government related L
the occasional delivery or dispatch of
telegram or 10 the utIllhluS VI ~ ihhilbl
yamen for the withdrawal of the Legation
10 the coast under escort. Not only ar
the proteqtations Of the Chinese govern
ment that II protected and succored tn
legations positively contradicted, but ir
resistible proof accumulates that the at
tacks upon them were made by imperia
troops, regularly uniformed, armed an
oficered, belonging to the o
lung Lu, the imperial co~mmander-in
chief. DEGREES encouraging the Boxers
organizing them under prominent i'm
perial officers, provisioning them and eve
granting them large sums In the nam
of the emp .ess dowager are known {
exist. Members Of the tsungli-yamen VIII
counseled protection OF the foreigner
were beheaded. Even in the distant prov
inces men suspected of foreign sympath
were put to death, prominent anon
? these being Chang Yen Hooh, formerl
Chinese minister IN Washington.
With the negotiation OF the partial ar
= mistice OF July II, a proceeding which wa
; doubtless promoted by the representation
OF the Chinese envoy in Washington. IN
= wey was opened for the conveyance I
Mr., Conger Of "A test message sent b
I the secretary of state through the Ain
offices OF Minister WI TIM Fang. M
I Conger's reply, dispatched from Pekin o