Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-11

whose name | cannot remember We
were on high ground and saw plainly
the battle from start to finish. We
were so close that Chinese shells burst
within % yards of us. That was an
exceedingly nervy battle but the
sturdy little JapS were equal to it.
They are unquestionably the best
fighters in the world excepting the
America. They are jewels every
one of them and every American has
learned to love them since this cam
paign brought US together. In that
battle the japanese made a most gal
liant charge of over 400 yards across a
clearing, right in the face OF almost
impregnable trenches which were
filled with rifiemen and rapid fire
cannon. The fire was whitening. but
on went the brave JapS and took
everything, killing about 500 boxers
also. JapS lost some 400 killed and
wounded After this we moved on
ward and our suffcrngS began. Gen.
Chaffee was in the lead and he might
make a good leader for an express
train but he is no man to lead
infantry. The sun is scorching here
throughout the day but that didn't
OoCliCl UllC al vi LID lolSC. w Z
would march three or four miles, then
the General and his staff would call a
halt when they reached some shade
trees and leave us poor soldiers back
in the burning corn fields where the
tall broom corn shut OFT all breeze. All
along the road poor soldiers played out
and overcome with heat were lying
grOaning and crying for water, but on
went the column. After the 3rd day
it began to get terrible and hundreds
fell by the wayside. | hate to think
of it, it was SO terrible. We even went
SO fast that the ration train could not
catch us at night SO on we would go in
the morning with nothing to eat but
raw corn or a water melon. We
marched most of the way across
country through blistering corntields,
up and down hills, etc, which made it
harder for us. Thus things went on
from bad to worse until August 6.
After sleepless, rainy night we broke
camp at 3 in the morning and started
out over a stubble field in a long
skirmish line expecting the enemy
almost any place. We struck the rail-
road about o'clock a. m. and Skirted
along that the rest of the time keep
ing its high embankment between us
and q town in the distance. We were
double timed and switched about until
we were all played out and our canteen
nearly empty when the scouts came
back from corn field suddenly with
the news that the boxers were strongly
intrenched in the town Yeng Soon in
front of us. Well, my company was
picked for the lead with two more
companies for fiankerS and the rest
for support and reserve. We were all
nearly dead and terribly thirsty, but
on we went with line of English
Bengal lancers in front Of us, who hid
at the first shot, so We passed them.
| threw away my blanket roll, tent
and everything but gun. belt and can
teen, and felt sixty pounds lighter at
once. We plunged into a dense corn
field and scrambled along for perhaps
mile unable to see thing, when all
at once we heard the most awful belch-
ing of cannon and splitting of rifles
imaginable and found ourselves within
200 yards of long line of we'll forti-
fed trenches. Oh Lord, how the
schrapnel tore around us. The first
vOlley killed two men and wounded
five all within my sight. We were Or
dered to fire three volleys then charge
fifty yards. We did so and all the
time the awful Chinese firing moved
us down and tore around US beyond
my description. A shell burst within
four feet of me, wounding three men
and knocking me about twenty feet,
nearly senseless. My canteen was
shot away and my pants leg torn open.
| was SO fatigued and thirsty | cared
for nothing. On we went, firing and
rushing, but the boxers made a stand
and poured the Schrapnel into us with
their rapid firing guns. Two more
companies of the 4th reinforced us at
this point. &c. X. was ordered to fix
bayonets and charge the trenches.
On went the bayOnetS, then the
Chinese broke and fled into the mud
city and my company in the lead after
them. The Russian artillery opened
up then from the other side of the
city but their range was imperfect
and their shells burst among the
Fourteenth Infantry doing consider
able damage. On we went into the
city after them shooting at everything
that moved but they failed to make
another stand and kept on going over
the railroad track and into the high
corn beyond. We lined up along the
track and had fine shooting at about
500 of them until they got out of
range when the artillery commenced
on them. The Indian cavalry from
Calcutta come in on their flank about
two miles beyond here and killed about
200 more. We were SO nearly dead
that we went no further than this city
Of Yeng that day but went back over
the battle ground hunting for and
aiding wounded. My regiment had 81
killed and wounded in this battle
which actually lasted only about Il
hours. Wasn't that terrible? After
we had gathered and carried all the
wounded to shade in the city where
the hospital corps dressed them and
we threw our tired selves down and |
never even moved for over four hours,
| was so nearly dead. can't describe,
mother, but its something I'll always
remember. | dream of the awful
screeching of those shells yet. How
| ever got out alive | don't know. 1t
was miracle. At this town the dead
are inCaSed in mating and buried
temporarily and the wounded were
taken back to Tien Tsin. We rested
here one day then drew one days
rations of that detestable corn beef
and salmon and started out with
Chatfe again to be hiked nearly to
death, then stopped in the bliStering
sun to rest and refresh ourselves.
Imagine such refreShment. Our only
salvation and chief food on the whole
trip was the lovely water. Towns
are only about OF miles apart and
| every town has several wells of the