The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21
ANARROW ESCAPE
Story Of the StOrming of Tien
Tsin in Detail.
A Terrible DisaSterWaS Narrow
ly Averted.
HOW COL. LISCUM FELL
Shot by a SharpshOOter While
Holding the Flag.
Under Fire of Three Thousand
Concealed Riflemen.

New York, July 21-The Evening
World publishes the following from it's
Tien Tsin correspondent under date of
July 10, via Shanghai, July 81:
The attack on the native city of Tien
Tsin on July 13, resulted in the mar
rowest escape from what seemed up to
midnight would be terrible disaster for
the allies. The Russians swinging north
and the other allies south at daybreak
the Russians were to take the forts near
the native city wall and the other allies
the city itself
General Fukushina, the Japanese
commander, promised that the Japanese
engineers after three hours shell fire
from all guns would cross the bridge
over the moat before the wall and
blowing up the great south gate make a
breach for the infantry TO enter.
Upon this depended everything Cen
eral F'ukushina had not secuted the
bridge and in "a hours had not secuted
the ground over which the charge on
the bridge had to be made.
The Chinese destroyed the bridge and
flooded the land around it. The allies
shell fire in nowise subdued the Chinese
rifle fire from the loopholed wall which
was 80 feet high with a moat 20 feet in
depth around it.
An outer wall of mud made it impos-
sible for the infantry and marines COM
fire. They lost fifty men in ten minutes,
then rushed back from the mud wall
which they had reached.
General DOrward the British COM
mander, had tended forward with
fragmentary instead of an integral
skirmiSh line.
The American marines and the Welsh
fusiliers, together under command of
Waller were on the extreme left Then
the British marines and the French ad-
vanced with the japanese along the
road toward the gate in the mud wall.
Dorward's plan for the Americans to
support the Japanese was not made
clear to Colonel Liscum of the Ninth
United States infantry. DOrward lays
the blame for the blunder and sacrifice
of life on Liscum, but Forwards chief
of staff was heard to say when Liscum
moved; Get in down the road any
where quickly
Colonel Liscun hurriedly led his men
through the gate in as open order as
possible. They were Immediately under
fire. The staff saw them pass over the
bridge leading to a field which proved
to be a cul de sac.
Before the two battalions of Ameri-
cans numbering 426 men, could extend
sides the fire from the loop holes in the
forts to a fierce fire from the embraz-
ures in a line of fortified mud houses on
their flank.
Three thousand rifles probably were
turned on them with an accuracy which
has amazed every officer among the al
troops made them distinct marks where
the khaki uniforms of the other allies
could not be SEEN Col. Liscum, guild
ing his men, walked up and down the
line, not even ducking his head while
the bullets fell around.
The Americans charged into the flank
fire with rushes. The ground over which
they charged was marshy and lined
with bitches. 1t was evidently Colonel
LiScum's intention to rush the flank
fire and thus get a position for tianking
the wall.
At 1890 the line had just reached the
shore of the canal and 80 yards sepa-
rated them from the houses when the
color bearer fell.
Col Liscum picked up the colors and
stood looking around apparently for a
ford
Better get down or they'll hit you"
shouted Major Regan.
II guess not" was Liscum's reply.
The next instant sharp shooters
bullet went through the colonel's abdo-
men.
i've got it, he said. as he fell. Get
at them if you can," the dying officer
said, and added as his last words:"Don't
retreat, boys; keep on firing" Regan
was hit Immediately afterward.
All day long the allies lay under any
cover the men could find.-funning out OF
ammunition.
The July sun was beating down on
them and they had nothing to drink but
the salty marsh water.
Meanwhile the wounded came strug-
Cling and crawling through the gap in
the mud wall.
There was no order. They were sent
anywhere without men to carry the lit
ters. The doctors were hit by the sharp
shooters while trying to attend the
wounded of the Ninth. They could not
attempt to carry off the wounded from
the bloody field.
Major Regan, Captain Bookmiller and
Captain Noyes were all hit twice Noyes
who was adjutant was hit in the arm
before going into the field and then hit
the ditch with the water to his neck to
report the situation to Colonel Dor
ward.
At 1 o'clock General F'ukushina re-
ported in writing to Dorward that the
Japanese were in the city. 1 could see
the loop holes blazing bullets and lyd-
dite shells. No infantry could charge
until s. Though acting conjointly neith-
er DorWard nor FukuShina knew each
others whereabouts.
Under cover of the darkness the men
of the Ninth crept back from their dan
gerous position bearing their wounded.
They executed this movement with
loss of one man killed. The casualties
were 81 men and five officers out of 426-
The marines lost thirty, including
Captain Davis, who was shot through
the heart, while talking to Colonel
Meade on the night of July 13.
1t was decided to withdraw, when
news came that the Chinese were
evacuating. The Russians were not so
successful hoped during the day and
the total losses of the allies were 200.
The japanese losses were severe. The
Japanese were most gallant in the
fight But for the Americans stopping
the flank fire the japanese loss would
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