The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-07

the legation was complete.
Siege of the Legations.
The siege and thu relief Of the lega-
tons has passed into undying history.
In all the stirring chapter which re-
cords the heroism of the devoted band,
cIinging to hope IN the face of despair.
and the undaunted spirit that lea their
believers through battle and suffering
to the goal, II Is a m of which
my countrymen may be Justly proud
that he honor OF our flag was main
tanned alike In the siege and the reg
cue, n that stout American hearts
have again set high. IN fervenr emuIa-
ton with true men of other race AMI
languarge, he idomitable courage that
ever strives for the cause of right and
Justice.
BY June 10Th the legations were cut
of. An identical note from the Yamen
ordered each minister to leave Pekin.
under a promised escort, within TWEEN
ty-four hours. To gain time they re-
piled, asking prolongation OF the time.
which was afterwards granted, and re-
IL Yamen on the following day. No re-
ply being received, on the morning Of
the Doth the German minister. Baron
von Ketteler, set out for the Yamen to
obtain a response, and OF the way was
murdered.
An attempt by the legation guard to
recover his body was foiled py the
Chinese. Armed forces turned out
against the legations. Their quarters
were surrounded and attacked. The
mission compounds were abandoned,
their inmates taking refuge in the
British legation, where all the other
legations and guards gathered for more
effective defense. Four hundred per-
sons were crowded in Its narrow COM
pass. Two thousand native converts
were assembled in a nearby palace un-
der protection Of the foreigners. Lines
of defense were strengthened, trenches
dug, barricades raised. and prepare
tons made to stand a siege. which at
Orce began
From June Goth until July 18th,
writes Minister Conger, there was
scarcely an hour during which there
Wa not firing upon some part Of our
1iEes and into some of the legations,
varying from a single shot to a general
and continuous attack along the whole
Linz" Artillery was placed around the
leg tons and on the overlooking pal
aca walls, and thousands OF 3-inch shot
and shell were fired. destroying some
buildings and damaging all. SO thick
ly did the balls rain that. when the am
munition of the besieged ran low, five
quarts of Chinese bullets were gather
ed In an o in one compound and re-
cast.
Attempts were made to burn the le-
cations by setting ne~ighboring houses
on fire, but the DANES were success
fully fought off, although the Austrian.
Belgian, Italian and Dutch legations
were then and subsequently burned.
With the aid of the native converts,
directed by the missionaries, to whose
helpful cooperation Mr.. Conger awards
unstinted praise, the British legation
was made a veritable fortress. The
British minister, Sir Claude MacDon-
aid, was chosen general commander OF
the defense, with the secretary of the
American legation, Mr.. z. G.. Squiers,
as chief of staff.
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged sparingly returned the inceSsant
fire of the Chinese soldiery, fighting
only to repel attack or make an occa-
Sional successful sortie for strategic
advantage, such as that of hfty-1ve
American, British and Russian ma
rines led by Captain Myers. of the
United States marine corps, which re-
suited in the capture of a formidable
barricade on the wall that gravely
menaced the American position. 1t was
hid to the last, n proved an invalu-
able acquisition, because commanding
the water gate through which the re-
lief column entered.
During the siege the defenders lost
OO Il ~
the last all children.
On July 14th the besieged had their
first communication with the Tsung Ii
Yamen, from whom a message came IN
viting to a conference, which was de-
clined. Correspondence. however, en-
sued and a sort of armistice was
agreed upon. which stopped the bonn
bardment and lesSened the rifle fire Tor
a time. Even then no protection what
ever was afforded, nor any aid given,
save to send to the legations a small
supply of fruit and three sacks of flour.
Indeed, the only communication mao
with the Chinese government related
to the occasional delivery or dispatch
of a telegram or to the demands of tbs
TSung Ii Yamen for the withdrawal oil
the legations to the coast under escort
Not only are the protestations OF tne
Chinese government that 1t protecte.i
and succored the legations positively
contradicted, but irresistible proof ac-
cumulates that the attacks upon them
were made by imperial troops. regular
ly uniformed, armed, aid Off1cered. De-
longing to the command Of Jung Lu
the imperial commander in chief De-
crees encouraging the Boxers, organ
izing them under prominent lmperla
officers, provisioning them. and even
granting them large sums in the name
of the empress dowager. are known q
exist. Members of the Tsung Ii Yamei
who ~counseled protection of the for
eigners were beheaded. Even in Tie
distant provinces men suspected of for
eign sympathy were put to dean
prominent mons these being han
Yen-hoon, formerly Chinese ministei
in Washington.
First News From the Besieged.
With the negotiation Of the partia
armistice of July 14tn. a proceeding
which was doubtless promoted by the
representations OF the Chinese envoy ir
Washington. the way was opened fol
the conveyance to Minister Conger OF
a test message sent by the secretary oi
state through the kind offices of Minis
ter WI Ting-fang. Mr.. Conger's reply
dispatched from Pekin on July l0tf
through the same channel afforded tC
the outside world the first tidings tina
the inmates of the legations were still
alive and hoping for succor.
This news stimulated the prepare
tions for a joint relief expedition ii
numbers sufficient to overcome the re
s~istance which for g. month had beer
orpap izinp between TaEu and the cap