The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-08-13
FAIR HAVEN BOYS LETTER
INTERESTING EPISTLE FROM U4R-
YEY ROSE NOW IN CHINA.

YEY ROSE NOW IN CHM.
The Young Man is One of the Crew o.
the U. 5. CruiserNeyark and Writes OF
the Boxer Troubles-Some Interesting
Experiences.
Harvey Rose, son of Mr.. and Mrs
William H. Rose of 148 Exchange
street, who is one OF the crew of the
United States cruiser Newark, now do
ing duty in Chinese waters, writes a
very interesting letter from Taku un-
der date of July 6. He was detailed for
land duty with Captain McCalla and
gives the following account of the fight
ing. 1--WE are just back from a five
weeks campaign into the interior. we
first went to Tien Tsin by rail, thirty
seven miles from Taku, then we started
by rail for Pekin, to relieve the Euro
peans and Americans who were in great
danger of their lives from the Boxers
who are very strong around Pekin.
They blame the white people for their
misfortunes and the lack of rain. The
foreign devils,'' as they call them,
they think are the cause of 1T. they
believe that if they kill one what they
will clear themselves of all future mis-
fortunes; If they kill two, 1t clears their
families, and five will clear a whole
village.
After leaving Tien Tsin we got along
finely for 20 miles; then our troubles
commenced. The track was torn up for
nearly a mile and the ties destroyed, so
we set to work to repair 1T. We mad
a construction train with us. In this
way we advanced for twenty-five miles
further repairing the tracks as we went
as every few miles we found them torn
up, and having frequent fights with the
Boxers. 1t was like falling off log
to whip them, but they caught five
Italians away from the train and cut
them all to pieces with their swords.
We then learned that they had torn up
the track twenty-five miles behind us,
cutting off all our supplies from Tien
Tsin, so we had to fall back to the
break in the track. While here China
had declared war on all the nations,
and the first we knew about it was
when we were attacked by the Chinese
imperial troops. We drove them back
and abandoned the train and started to
march back to Tien Tsin. We were in
bad fix, but had plenty Of ammuni-
ton. AS long as that held out we had
no fear of the soldiers as we didn't
think there were enough Cinnamon in
China to whip us. So we fought our
way inch by inch for. seventeen miles,
losing heavily all the time. There was
a fort three miles from Tien Tsin that
we had to pass and In order to pass it
we had to capture 1t. and we all knew
If we didn't there would not be a man
of us alive to tell the story We took
the fort by surprise at 1 o'clock in the
and after five hours of fight
ing they retreated We occupied the
position for three days until reinforce
ments came up from Tien-Tsin. We en-
gagged them from the front, while the
British. German and Japs charged them
from the rear. After the relief came
we left the fort. but destroyed it first,
disabled the guns and blew up the ar
senal. 1t Is a severe loss to China as it
was one of the best she had and taken
by handful of sailors. We had about
2 1000, all told. but the only ones that
did any fighting were Americans, Eng
fish, Germans, and Japanese, making
about 1,400. We lost the heaviest in
killed and wounded, losing over 80 per
cent. but we were constantly being
pushed to the thickest of the fight. We
had twenty-five engagements with
trained troops and eleven fights with
Boxers. Captain McCalla is the pride
Of all the men that were on the expedi-
ton. The Yankee skipper, as they call
ed him, is the most fearless man they
ever saw. He was wounded twice, but
still held up. 1t was no surprise to me,
for l was with him on the Marblehead
Turing the war with Spain. He Is q, |
man of GOODNESS, good judgment and
great courage. I have been with him
IN three wars, the war with Spain, the
Philippines and this one, and If it Is my
OF to take part in a fourth Captain Nc
Gala Is the man I want to serve under. |
You are sure of seeing the hottest of |
he fighting and you are with man |
hat would not send a man where he |
would not go himself. He knows exact
Y what to do at all times. and treats
lis men like men. He is as proud of his
men as his men are Of him.
The Chinese caught a few English |
marines and a captain of marines and
ut their heads off. One of the men
vas found hanging in long strips from
tree Two days after reaching Tien
Tsin the Chinese attacked us in the
ity. We went out to meet them and
hey captured four more wounded ma
ines and horribly mutilated them.
Thank God, they got no Americans to
unless they dug up their dead
'odies along the road we came by. We
ost more than our share in the killed
nd wounded, but we have the satisfac-
ion of knowing that we sent over twen-
Y to every one we lost. But if we kill
d every Chinaman in all China it
would not pay for the lives of our poor
ads, and all for people who in time of
eace, look upon a sailor as little more
han dog. But on. in The wilds of a
ountry thousands of miles away from
ONE, when they need help, they call
or Jack to protect them who in time of
eace is no more to them than the peo- ,
lie we are now fighting.
We are expecting to be landed again
$ the "Chinks' are advancing from the
orth in great numbers on Tien Tsin.
; they need achievements at Tien {
sin we will no doubt be landed again
!, let them know what they run up
gainSt when they meet gang of | ,