Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-07-28

Forwards chief Of staff was heard I'd
say when Liscum moved.
"hGet on down the road anywhere,
quickly
"Lscum hurriedly led his men
through the gate in as open order as
possible. They were Immediately un-
der fire. They passed the bridge lead
ing to the field, which proved to be a
cul de sac. Before the two battalions
Of Americans, numbering 426 men,
could extend themselves they were
subjected, besides the fire from the
loopholes in the fort, to a fierce fire
from embrasures in the line of forth
fed mud houses on their flank. Three
thousand rifles were probably turned
on them with an accuracy which
amazed the allies officers. The blue
shirts of the Americans made them
distinct marks. Liscum guided his
men, walking 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 being marshy and
lined with bitches. The line had just
reached the shore of the canal when
the color bearer fell. Liscum picked
up the colors and stood looking
around apparently for n ford.
"'Bctter get down or they'll hit
you shouted Major Regain.
y guess not Liscum replied.
Colonel Liscum Falls.
'The next instant a sharpshooter's
bullet went through the colonefs alb
domen.
1--WE got it. Get at them If you
cam said the dying man, adding:
Don't retreat, boys; keep on firing
these were his last words. Regain
was hit Immediately afterward. All
day long the allies line lay under
any cover the men could find, running
out of ammunition. The July sun
was beating down on them, and they
had nothing to drink but salty marsh
water. Meanwhile the wounded came
crawling through the gate of the mud
wall. There was no order. They were
| sent anywhere. The doctors were hit
by sharpshooters while trying to at
tend the wounded. and could not car
ry off the wounded from the field.
Major Began, Captains Hookmiller
and Moves were all hit twice. Noyes,
wounded in the arm and leg, crowded
through a ditch in water up to his
neck TO report the situation to Dor
ward.
"The loopholes were blazing bullets
and lyddite shells, and no infantry
| could charge in the face of this fire.
From 9 to 5 o'clock, though acting
conformity, neither Dorward nor Fuk-
ushina knew each others where
abouts."
Escape In the Darkness.
Under cover Of darkness the men
Of the Ninth infantry crept back from
their dangerous position, bringing
their wounded. They executed the
movement with one man killed. Their
casualties were 81 men and 5 officers
out Of 426. The marines lost 30, in
Guiding Captain Davis, who was shot
through the heart while talking to
Colonel Meade. 1t was decided TO
withdraw when news came that the
Chinese were ~evacuating. The Rus
slams were not so successful as hoped,
The total loss of the allies was roo.
The Japanese, who were most gallant
in the fight, lost severely. But for the
Americans stopping the flank fire the
Japanese loss would have been much
heavier.
Enter the City.
The French, American, japanese
and British entered the city at 2 in
the morning Of the 18th, unopposed.
The American flag was half-masted
and hoisted over the south gates. The
walls were strewn with Chinese sol
diers, killed by the shell fire which
caused their fight. There was "A ter
rible row over the burning of the
town. Several foreign officers are re-
ported lost. Natives looted the Chi.
nese town. The bank and arsenal
were heavy sufferers. The advance
movement on Picking is not contem-
plated soon. American wounded
crowd the hosnital. all doing we'll"