The sun., 1900-10-07

tunity Tor the Dancers 10 CUT then oH' Dut WV
Lanoers didn't know Il. The embankment II
about fifteen feet high. and the Kaolian Is fully
that 30 that they could not SEQ even the banners
the Tartars carried Word could have been
sent TO them from the hill. but the order had
Just been given them TO report to Gen. chan ee
TO serve on his right flank as he might direct
The General did not see the Tartars, and when
the Lancers reported 20 him they were sent In
just beyond the Ninth and the extension on our
line
LANcERs DRIVEN BACK.
The Ianoers swung forward through the tall
kaoan, a long. dark line. with only their ye'-
low turbans and their hutterng red lance PEN
nants showing above the green. Their skr-
mlshers were we'll out ahead Of them sud
denly there wasa pun Of blue smoke far abov'
tho long dark line Instantly 1t halted.
Another puff and then a third The Chinese
gunners had found them out.
The long line wheeled. as the skirmishers
did and back through the kaoan they ran
as hard as spurs could drive their horses. Gen.
ChaiIee. standing on the embankment near
the battery, saw IT, and word TO Reilly sent
| half a dozen shells on screaming quest Tor
the Chinese guns. Whether they found out
the enemy or not, the Chinese guns ceased
firing, and that was the last seen or heard OF
| them.
All this time the centre was doing nothing
| but 20 forward Its turn was coming now,
and for little while 1t was to have the hottest
work Of the fearfully hot day. The banners
| in the cornheld in front Of the village had dis
] appeared In cloud Of dust TO the northeast.
| The Russians had come up and were sending
a long column in on the left TO support their
| two companies who were still outside the VII
| lage where they had begun the days work.
| One Of their field batteries went In beside the
| Royal Artillery l5-pounders.
From road to railroad embankment was
| little moro than half mile. The Sikhs and
Punjaubs dcployod in quincuux formation.
which against the csrelessly aimed Chinese fire
seemed to the civilian observer on the sand hill
TO be the formation most likely TO result in large
casualties The Fourteenth started In line of
squads. formation that surprised Gen. Gaselee
immensely, for he thought it was tho way they
intended TO fight. But Ss they drew near the
lighting zone they dep'oyed into the old familiar
thin brown line, far better formation than
that OF ther nelghbors on the left
We had seen the dark blue Chinese figures
crossing from ono side OF the railroad en-
bankment to tho other. and back again, for
some time Now as our line disappeared In
the kaoan tho Chinese all dropped over the
far side Of the embankment and very soon
tho rattlo OF their rifles told us that tho real
fight was on Then for nearly an hour there
was nothing but the crash of small arm fire
and the roar Of the guns. The Chinese shellsd
our advance we'll in spite Of the work Of our
guns, and threw up go many columns OF dirt
and smoke ahead Of our line that several times
the British officers on the sand hill declared
they were exploding mines
BRAVE CHARGE by AMERICANS,
Sharply distinct from the scattering. sllther-
Ing nrs Of the British troops were the crashing
volleys OF the Fourteenth. Across the en-
bank ment, the Ninth and the marines we're
meeting little opposition, Rellly's work hav-
ING apparently cleared tie way for them. As
they swung of TO the east, away from the EN-
bankment. V-shaped gap opened up behind
our right and centre
1t was along the left LEG Of this Y that the
Chinese were making their stand. and the In
dIans and the Fourteenth went straight against
them There the best event OF the day hap
pened, and the honor fell 70 the Americans.
The Royal Artillery and the Russian battery
kept up q lively fire as the line advanced. the
Royal Artillery against the embauktnent and
the Russians in the villages about th' station
and bridge. aheal of their own men. The
ombnaton OF '.r own shels going over
their heads, the chinese shells coming among
them and the heavy Chinese rife Are was pretty
difficult for the Indian troops TO stand. The
Chinese ran small gun well down the en-
bankment and began lively and very well
directed ire with IL, shooting at the dust our
line kicked UP. for the khaki uniforms were
invisible In the corn.
As the adv cling line drew nearer the Chinese
and the fire grew hotter. the Skhs and Pun
jaubls began 10 waver and show signs OF hav-
Ing enough. They were not suffering unduly
but they developsd a tendency to get behind
the grave mounds that were scattered thickly
through the nelds and to stay there. Col. Dag
Eett Of tho Fourteenth tn saw thstif the embank-
ment were 70 be taken 1t must be with a rush
and that was the time SO he called 70 his line.
and with ,hs old American yell they started on
the long-ugged double that covers the ground
so fast
They we're tired by the long march, and
nearly exhausted by the fearful heat in the tall
corn. where no breath OF moving air could reach
them, but at the word they sprang forwars on
the run. The British officers saw and tried 10
follow suit but their men had small heart for
tho work Some Of the officers themselves were
IN the forefront OF 1t all. but when the line. with
Col. Dassett leading. swept out of the corn and
up the emb snkment very few black heads and
was won and the Chinese were in wild re reat
across the held beyond t. Col DRsgett or
dsred bis blown. tired mon TO lie down against
the embankment and rest
AMERICANS KILLED DT ESoLIsH sERLIs.
The Chinese had posted some guns well to the
north Of the emhankment out Of reach OF cur
artillery. and began sheng It heavy as soon
az their men quit II. Col. Daggett had his men
get close under the embanEmsnt to take cover
from this shellinE The line had gone In with
out carving colors. The Royal Artillery dd
not know that they had reached the embank-
ment and pounded away With their lS-pounders.
making eIcellsnt practice, Thus our line was
between Two shell fires.
when the men took cover on the near side Of
the smbankment ditch they got the Chinese
shrapne, but on the far side they got their own,
which was verse. Twelve l5-pounder shrspnel
burst among men of the Fourteenth. One shell
struck within few feet OF Capt Reynolds and
killed three men, woundint four Capt. Tillson
reported officially that three shells burst among
his company,
The men had taken cover IN q Chinese hut
with some OF the Sikhs and Welsh Fusieers
The Sikhs ran away when the shells began TO