The sun., 1900-08-10
Yangtsun Taken IL Hours
After Peitsang.
AMERICANS IN THE Fight.
Chaffee Reports the Victory and
His Losses.

Army On,cers Believe That the Chinese Arc
Now Demoraiired and in Fiixht-surmi,e
That They May Not Give Battle Again Out.
side the Gates Of Pekin-Two Routes Op.n
to the Advancing Eorce-Im Importance Of
Maintaining Railroad Communication
with Tentsln-Siege Guns Likely to BE
Needed to Batter In the Ancient Wall.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 9-The international re-
! lief expedition which left Tientsn last Fr day
night to Rescue the foreign Ministers in Pekin IL
| exceeding the most sanguns expectations. In
less than five days force Of about Is 900 troops
has marched about twenty-five miles through a
hostile country and given battle TO about
| $1,000 Chinese. who were undoubt-
edly defeated with heavy loss in each
engagement. 1t was not expected that
langtsun would be occupied without an en-
gagement which it was thought would mean
heavy losses on both sides. The report received
from Gen. Chaifee this afternoon makes II ap-
pear that there was little resistance on the road
from Pe.tsang to Yangtsun. and that tn,
latter place was occupied within les. than
twelve hours after leaving lhe scene Of the last
| p"'NN, uuout hiVtH iliutS away.
The first news Of the occupation Of Yangtsun
came in brief cable message from Major
Scriven, chief signal officer of the American
expedition. Major scrvens message was
directed to the Signal Office in Washington and
said:
"AUo, a-Yangtsun captured to-day. Wire
up. Need own transportation. All we'll.
'ScRIyRN."
| The hour when this despatch was filed was
not given. but there was no doubt as to It's au-
thenticity and War Department officials simply
wondered The last information received yes
| terday afternoon from Gen. Chatfee was dated
Peitsane. Aug. s. and. reporting the result Of a
battle at that place. he explained that
| the allied troops would cross the Pei
| no the next morning and move on YangtsIn.
! That this move could be accomplished in
! less than twelve hours was not even thong at OF
here. Gen. Chaffee had previously ported
that the Chinese forces between Peitsang and
Yangtsun numbered 10000 and il was the
| opinion OF army officers that the enemy would
not retreat beyond Yangtsun. II now appears
that the allied forces completely routed the
Chinese at Peitsang and that becoming utterly
demoralized. the latter fed toward Pekin.
The astonlshment at the news conveyed by
Major Scriven had hardly diminished when ad-
vices were received from Gen. ChafYee These
came to the War Department at 23s by way Of
Chefoo and we're dated Aug. Q. presumably at
Yangtsun. Tie despatch said:
'Yangtsun occupied to-day. Wounded,
Second Lieut. Frank r. Lang. Ninth United
States Infantry. moderate, and casualties
about sixty enlisted men. Ninth Infantry.
Fourteenth Infantry. Battery F. Fifth United
States Artillery. Nearly all from Fourteenth
Infantry. Names later. Many men prostrated
heat and fatigue"
This showed that II was not without some
opposition that the allied forces had been able to
march about fifteen miles and occupy such an
important place as Yangtsun. The despatch
also proved that the American troops had
taken an active part in the movement
As Yangtsun was the immediate objective
OF the international forces. IL Is the opinion here
that the troops did not move from there with
out at least day 5 rest. In fact. 1t is believ,
that two days were spent at Yangtsun for the
purpose Of reorsanizing the different COM
munds. perfecting the lines OF communioa-
ton with Tientsin and awaiting
the arrival OF tho Sixth Cavalry. which
should have been ready by Tuesday or
Wednesday TO push out to the front Another
reason for a delay at Yanstsun Ia that when
the troops left Tientsin the commanders had
not agreed upon any plan Of organization
other than making Yangtsun their immediate
objective. According to information received
from Gen ChaiIee. il was decided that a. soon
as Yangtsun was rea ched there should be an
other conference OF the commanders for the
purpose of selecting the line Of march from
there to Pekin or some other place on tho way
TO the Imperial city.
At lanStsun the railroad and the Peiho d.
verge, so that the commanders would be COM
PEELED TO decide whether the relief expedition
should push along the line OF the railroad in
one body. or whether II should march along the
river route third proposition which would
be made. in all probability. would contemplate
a division OF the expedition at Yangtsun.
part pushing lis way along the river and part
moving up the railroad. While this was sug-
gested by one OF The army officers In the War
Department as likely to be considered. other
officers Of the opinion that the international
army would find 1t better TO move In one body
along the railroad and thereby make
sure Of its line OF communication. 1t u
pointed out that division OF the troops would
make necessary the establishment Of two lines
OF communication. while II the entire body
moved up the railroad track 1t would be better
prepared TO give battle to any great body OF
the enemy and at the same time would be able
N hold It's line OF communication with less dlf-
nculty.
There is considerable favorable comment on
the work OF the signal corps in getting its wires
up so as to send the news OF the occupation OF
Yangtsun practically as soon as the troops en-
tered
Some Of the army officers are OF the opinion
that Lang Fang on the railroad will be the next
objective Of the allies. IL was here that Ad-
miral Sey mour had his battle with the Ch nese
and the place has a number Of natural adyan-
tages which would commend 1t to tie Chinese
a ground on which to reorganize and meet the
sdvancinR troops There is a general belief
acre, however. that the Chinese, now that they
are in full retreat. will not stop south Of Pekin.
but will make for IN" walled city and reinforce
the army there. They believe the city wall TO
be absolutely invunerablc. and knowing that
the purpose of the re cuing party Is to go
TO Pekin, IL Il not unlikely that they
will fall back 10 the city and pre-
pare intrenchmenrs and otherwise fortify the
place agains' attack II TINS be true It will
take the allied troops only a short time to reach
the gsu's OF P.kin. They occu pied Yanstsung
on Mo- day As thi. Ia about twenty-fi five miles