The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-24
EXPEDITION UNDER SEYMOUR.
McCalla Describes its Difficult Advance and
More Difficult Retreat
(By the Associated Press. J

Captain B. II. McCalla, who was in COM
mand of the American contingent of the
international column under Admiral Sey-
mour that ON June 10th. made the first
move in the relief of Pekin, but which
was cut off by the Chinese troops on the
road and forced to turn back from Yang
Tsun, being in danger of complete ami
hilation before coming into touch with
h!:e reinforcements sent out to meet
them from Tien Tsin.
The force of which Captain McCalla's
command wcs a part was made up Of
eight nationalities, British, Russian, Ger
man, Austrian, italian, japanese, French
and American marines and blueiackets.
It's aggregate strength was 2,07S men and
officers, Of which 112 were the Newark's
men. These forces were all acting with
nominal Independence. but were tacitily
under the command of Admiral Seymour
and operated as one body. The cooper
alton of tie entire force seems to have
been perfect and Captain McCalla has
nothing but warmest praise both for Ad-
miral Seymour and all the other officers
who participated in the expedition.
The start of the international column
for Pekin was inaugurated after the
receipt CT urgent messages from both
the British and American Legations in
PelIin. The allied forces were furnished
with railroad transportation by the Chi
nese authorities in Tien Tsin. although
it was thought at first they might have
to seize the necessary trains. The start
was made on the 10th of June and from
that time on the advance was made under
constantly increasing difficulties. Whole
sections of track were torn up, bridges
and culverts were found wrecked, stations
burned and pumping appliances at the
tanks were DESTROYED. The first attacks
on the column we're by parties of Box
ers, but these soon were Joined by regu-
lar Chinese troops and the little column
had to fight it's way forward, repairing
the track almost rail by rail with thanking
parties out TO protect the construction
train, while other attachments foraged
the surrounding country for supplies.
The ADVANCE continued up to the 18th
and was met by two messengers at diff
ferent times bearing urgent requests from
the besieged Legationers for relief. Cap
tain McCalla and his marines finally were
put in charge of the construction train,
by Admiral Seymour's directions and the
of Yang Tsun. From this point the rail-
road was so badly crippled that evidently
it was imoracticable to advance further
by train. and the international colmn
secured the country for horses and carts,
hoping to make forced march to Pekin
by road. TIE resistance encountered at
Lang Fang amounted to a, pitched battle
and resulted in the killing of seven and
the wounding of forty of the allied
forces. Four hundred Chinese were kill
cd in this engagement. The news from
the direction of Tien Tsin showed that
the railroad had been destroyed in their
rear, and after a meeting of the COM
manders it was decided that a retreat
must be made by way of the river.
At this point, a German force from
the column captured four large junks,
while Ensign Wurtzbaugh and Cadet
Courtney, with parties of the Newark's
men gathered in four large sam pans.
This little fotilla was distributed
among the allied forces and the whole
column embarked on the 10Th for the re-
turn to Tien Tsn. The sailors from the
modern warships at first made slow work
of navigating these unwieldy oriental
craft, but they made fair progress. The
strongest opposition was met at Pie
Tsang, where sharp fight occurred. The
casualties of the NewarlS's officers and
men in this fight were one killed and
nine wounded, while the allies only lost
the services of Captain Jalico, Admiral
Seymour's chief of staff who was Sc.
verely wounded. The resistance to the
party increased steadily on the trip
down the river until they came in the
vicinity of the Chinese arsenal where the
little column cleared out the Chinese oc-
cupying the walled enclosure and took
shelter in the position that the Chinese
had evacuated. Here the American gun
was mounted on a parapet commanding
The road leading into the arsenal and
an all-day fight occurred. Three of the
Newark's men were killed and thirteen
wounded. while the percentage of loss
among the British and Germans was
about the same. 1t was here that the
commander of the Kasern Augusta was
killed while directing the defense from
the Western ramparts.
An attempt was made at midnight of
the 22nd to send a party of 100 British
marines through to Ten Tsin to summon
relief. They met heavy opposition in the
darkness and were forced to return.
Thereafter, there was nothing to do but
make a firm stand in the arsenal
grounds. The whole wall of the enclosure
was occupied and the German Captain
Won Usedom, having a supply of high ex-
plosives, assisted the Americans in
blowing up the trestle work roadway lead
ing into their section of the arsenal
grounds and in fortifying the American
position.
Communication was opened with Tien
Tsin, five miles distant by means of sig
nal rockets and on the 25th the relief
force consisting of mixed column I'M
der Lieutenant Colonel Schrimsky, one
of the 12S East Siberian regiment, came
in sight and was greeted with cheers as
it scattered the masses of Chinese who
were continuing the attacks on the arse
nal enclosure. On the Goth the march
back to Tien Tsin began The allies hav-
ing first fired the Chinese arsenal.
The total losses of the allied forces
amounted to two officers, and 55 men
killed, and % officers and 210 men
wounded
In conclusion Captain McCalla rays a
high tribute to Admiral Seymour, and
asks that medals be given a number
of foreign officers in recognition of their
services