The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-18
SIEGE OF TIE LEGATIONS.
Events Leading Up to the Rescue By
the Allies,


Following is a chronological review CT
! the events leading up TO the attack on the
legations. together with news received in
this country concerning the siege:
On May 81 Minister Conger and the
other ENJOYS in China Joined in repre-
sentation to the Tsung-li- Yamen, pointing
cut the unsatisfactory conditions as a re-
suit of the Boxer movement and demand
ing that prompt punishment be meted out
| to the offenders
On May 20, as the conditions did no. i'm
prove, the diplomats. fearing for their own
safety, demanded OF the Government that
foreign guards from the warship at Taku
be permitted to enter Pekin TO guard the
legations. The imperial authorities at
first Indignantly refused such a demand,
and claimed that no Civilized nation"
could grant it.
On that same day. however. in response
to the requests of the ENJOYS, $50 ma
rines were landed in Taku. Among them
were 90 men and Z officers of the Amer
lean Marine Corps
On May 81. as the situation was grow
ing more serious. the marines were rushed
forward by special train to Pekin
On June. thirty foreigners were re-
ported as attempting to escape from Pao-
ting-Fu, and four were killed by the Box
ers. AT the same time the rioters, grow
ing bolder. stopped ali railway traffic be-
tween Tientsin and Pekin.
On June .. in response TO the worldwide
demand that relief be sent the Ministers,
Admiral Seymour's column left Tientsin
for Pekin. 1t was made up of $50 British,
100 Americans 40 Italians, and 50 Aus
trians.
On July the Boxers at Pekin had
grown SO strong and were so confident
OF support from the Empress that they
murdered the japanese chancellor.
On June IA the isolation of the ENJOYS
was complete. The mob cut off all conn
munication with the outside world. and
during the following month not a word
was allowed to reach Europe direct from
the envoys.
On June 16 the German Minister. while
On mis- way to the Tsung-li- Yamen, was
set upon by Chinese and killed At about
the same time the foreign residents. to
the number of about 500, took refuge in
tne British Legation in the old Tartar
CITY, close under the Chinese wall. With
them were many native Christians The
whole group was guarded only by the
$50 marines who had been sent forward
from Taku on May 81 Meanwhile the ex-
pedition under Admiral Seymour was
odds. The allies had been keeping up
running fight with the Mohammedans un-
der Tung Fuh-sien
On June is the American Government
decided to rush additional troops to China
and the Ninth Infantry, under Colonel
Liseum. was dispatched from Manila
On June 10 the Chinese rioters, mounted
on the walls of the native city, were
bombardins the legations. On the same
fssa
hours to leave Pekin. They refused
On June 20 the allies in Tientsin were at
tackled by Cninese troops, and an engage |
ment continued for three days, when the |
foreigners captured the place. About the !
same time reports from all over China /
became current that the foreigners in |
Pekin had been slaughtered with incon- !
ceivable barbarity. Circumstantial tales |
OF an absolute massacre gained strength |
until they were generally believed
On June 2e General Chaffee was ordered |
70 China
On June 27 Admiral Seymour and his |
little column were forced back to Tientsin. |
On July the allies believing the enyoys 1
all dead, gave up the attempt at relief. |
The stories of a general slaughter were |
almost universally credited and the date of |
the massacre was set at June 30 or July l. |
On July 10 Minister WI, who had stead
lily declared his faith that the ENJOYS were
alive, undertook TO transmit a cipher mes
sage fro mthls Government to Mr.. Conger. |
and to gel, reply.
On July 13 the allies to the number OF |
1900 stormed the Chinese city of Tientsin.
They met with great loss, and Colonel |
Liscum, of the Ninth Infantry, was killed. /
The allies, however, succeeded in taking
the city. On the same date America
planned TO put an army Of II, goo men into
China.
On July 10 Wv Roekhill was appoint
ed by the President as Special Envoy in
China.
On July 20 Minister Wu received mes
sage from China conveying a cipher de-
spatch from Minister Conger to this Cow
ernment in reply to the enquiry sent by
Secretary Hay on July TO-
Claude Macdonald, the British Minister
assurance that the foreigners were alive
up to July 16.
On July 81 another despatch from Con-
ger. dated July p, gave assurance that
the foreigners were alive.
On August . 1900 allies started for
Pekin.
On August 4 the allies defeated the
Chinese at Peitsang after battle lasting
seven hours.
On August the Chinese were routed
at Vanishing.
On August 10 Matow was taken.
On August 12 the allies captured Tung
Chow.
On August Is. almost exactly two months
after the siege OF the foreigners in Pekin