The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-26
A Desperate Engagement i'm which
American Soldiers Won New Re-
nown and ImperishabIe Honor.
GEN. DORWARD'S BAD MISTAKE
PUT THE NINTH IN GREAT PERIL,
BUT THERE WAS NO FLINCHING.
The Allies Had DO Fight weII-Armed
Chinese Regular Troops, Not Box
ers-Incidcnts of the Siege.
correspondence of the Journal.


nightmare is over, but all is yet chaos here.
The spasmodic bombardment of the foreign
section. which had lasted for weeks. is at
an end, and the American and European
civilians who have endured all the diabol-
zeal torments and indefinable suspense that
goes with barbarian warfare now feel that
they can breathe safely. Already their
flight to Taku has begun. The military Of
fcers are begging every noncombatan
who is not needed by the army to leave the
city at once, for Tien-Tsin sits uneasily on
a powder keg with bonfres raging all
about.
The Chinese enemy have seemingly van
ished, though bodies of scouts are nosing
out small parties of them just beyond the
city. The main body of the yellow enemy,
defeated here, but by no means discour-
aged, is believed TO be not many miles
away on the Picking road. Chinese runners
bearing alarming reports are coming in at
every hour. They secure quick admission
to the various military headquarters.
There, in consideration of the secret
service money handed to them, they glibly
tell the most wonderful stories. Regiments
of imperial troops and hordes of new yell
low recruits, so they say, are swarming
the roads to Peking. But can a Chinaman
be believed? Especially one who claims
that he is selling out his own countrymen
for pay?
Yet, in all the chaos, through the storm
of conflicting reports that come in here
momentarily, one fact is assured. We are
not fighting Boxers. but imperial troops.
Boxers there are in swarms, and they are
very incarnate devils-but they are only
camp followersl They do the guerrilla
work; they come in through our lines at
times in the guise of Christian converts;
they spy, they loot and they cut off stray
glers, attack the outposts of the allies. but
il was the imperial troops, with fine rifles,
using accurate aim and serving modern ar
tillery with a fair degree of precision, who
attacked the foreign concession here and
who were two days ago fought completely
| out of Tien-Tsin. Imperial troops and their
officers were found lying in swaths in the
positions that the allies took. Whatever
the government is at Picking, that gov
eminent is directing it's large and fairly
good army in revolt against the rest of
the world. Let diplomats say what the
| exigencies may require, but every military
officer here knows that he has been fight
ing against the imperial power of China.
As for the Bo~xers-unless every Chinaman
be a Boxer-few of them have been found
among the dead.
A MOMENTOUS DECISION.
1t is yet too early to write the full, thrill
ing story of the capture of Tien-Tsin. For
days the Chinese posted on the walls of the
native walled city had amused themselves
with potting at every soldier of the allied
| ~, = uba cot moor anOrob to no within
possible range. 1t was more than annoy
ing. and besides, if the reported heavy Chi
| nese reinforcements on the way reached
here, it was likely TO result in making the
| native city impregnable to an army much
larger than ours. On Thursday the COM
manders met. The Russians advocated
| swift, reckless attack. The japanese were
all but silent, merely replying that they
were ready to attempt whatever the coun-
ell decided. Brigadier General Dorward, of
| the British army, favored vigorous attack.
| Colonel E. H. Liscum, of the Ninth United
States Infantry, agreed with him. There
was some opposition, on the ground that
the arrival of more troops from Taku
should precede general attack. The voice
of the majority was for determined attack
on Friday morning. the 18th. The council
broke up as soon as arrangements had been
made. The decision was kept a secret. Not
even the correspondents in camp knew
what was to be done. though a suspicion
of the plan was scented. Through the
night a desultory shell fire was kept up be-
tween the artillery of the allies and the
Chinese on the walls. Yet throughout the
allied camps most of the men slept
soundly.
Long before daylight on Friday morning
reveille sounded far and wide. In the camp
of the Ninth the quick. sharp orders OF the
officers told the men that something de-
cisive was up at last. Cook your break
fasts as fast as you can. men, but no ex-
posed fresr' Nevertheless, some of the
fires over which bacon was sizzling must
nave been seen from the walls, for the
enemy tried to reach the blaze with shells.
No casualties resulted from this. Our boys
of the Ninth laughed quietly, and bolted
down bacon, bareback and scalding coffee.
There was a hauling on of haversacks, a
singing of canteens, the adjustment Of
blanket rolls and ammunition belts-and
none too soon, for the assembly blew
briskly out. Men fell in. Almost immedi-
ately the column swung off down the road,
L lQSl AFTER 1OlOuti 1iSNdil Sdilc iiulu6 uR
with his final orders from General Dor
ward. There was a softly-murmured cheer
from the British as we passed them. 1t is
the soldiers wish to lead. With fine cour-
tesy General Dorward had given us the
advance of his brigade.
Somewhere near us in the dark at the
start were the splendid American marines.
We did not see them afterwards, as the
French and the japanese, in the center of
the line. were between the two American
bodies of troops. 1t was a little after 4
o'clock that the artillery of the allies
opened with a souid like that Of thunder.
The walled city was getting its deserts at
last in the shape of a fearful Commandment
In front of the walled city the mud viii
lagos were receiving a portion of the shells.
From the walls came occasional Chinese
shells. For a while We thought the main
body of the enemy had retreated. The
west arsenal fell without much resistance.
which for a time strengthened the belief
in the foes retreat
II was daylight now and the Ninth, plod-
] ding along wretched roads and across mud