The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-28
FIRST RELIEF COLUMN
THE SEYMOUR EXPEDITION FOR RE-
LIEF OF LEGATIONS IN PEKIN
mand Of the American Contingent.
Continually Fighting Their Way For
ward-Harassed by he Enemy on the
Retreat-The Final stand Within Five
Miles OF Pekiu

Washington, August 23.-The navy
department has made public the report
Of Captain B. II. McCalla. who was in
OF the American contingent
Of the international column under Ad-
miral Seymour that on June 10th,
made the first move for the relief
Of Pekin. but which was cut of by
h Chinese troops on the road and
forced to turn back from Yang Tsun,
being in danger OF complete annihila-
ton before coming into touch with the
reinforcements sent out to meet them
from Tien Tsin.
The force, of which Captain Nc
Calais command was a part, was
made up OF eight nationalities. Brit
ian, japanese, French and American
marines and blue-jackets. Its aggre-
gate strength was 2,07S men and Off
GERS, of which 112 were the Newark's
men. These forces were all with NOM
inal independence, but were largely I'M
der the command OF Admiral Seymour
and operated as one body. The COOP
Grafton of the entire force seems TO
have been perfect Captain Nc
Gala has nothing but the warmest
praise both for Admiral Seymour and
all of the other officers who partici-
pated in the expedition.
The start of the international COL
umn for Pekin was inaugurated az
ter the receipt of urgent messages
from both the British and American
legations in Pekin. The allied force
was furnished with railroad transpor-
tation by the Chinese authorities in
Tien Tsin, although it was thought at
first they might have to seize the
necessary ain The start was made
on the 10th of June and from that
time on the was made under
constantly increasing difficulties.
Whole sections Of track were torn up.
bridges and ulvertS found wrecked,
stations burned, and pumping appli-
ances at the water tanks were destroy
ed.
The first attacks on the column were
by parties of Boxers, but these soon
were joined by regular Chinese troops,
and the column had to fight its way
forward, repairing the track almost
rail by rail, with thanking parties out
to protect the construction train. while
other attachments foraged the sur
rounding country for supplies.
The advance continued up to the
10Th, and was met by two messengers
at different times bearing urgent re-
quests from the beseiged legations for
relief.
Captain McCalla and his marines A.
nally were put in charge of the con-
directions. and the work pushed as
far as the important city Of Yang
Tsun. From his point the railroad
was so badly crippled that evidently
1t was impracticable to fur
the by train, and the international
column secured the country for horses
and carts, hoping to make a forced
march to Pekin by road.
The 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
killed 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 commanders, it was de-
cided tina 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 Newarks
men, gathered in four large sampans.
1IliS lllllC Iolliid was
among the allied forces and the whole
column embarked on the 18th for the
return to Tien Tsin.
The sailors from the modern war
ships at first made slow work of navi-
eating these unwieldly oriental craft,
but they made fair progress. The
strongest opposition was met at Piet-
san, where a sharp fight occurred.
The casualties Of the Newark's officers
and men in this fight were n killed
and nine wounded, while the allies only
lost the services Of Captain Jellico,
AdmiraI Seymour's chief of staff, who
was severely wounded.
The resistance to the party increased
steadily On the trip down the river un-
til they came in the vicinity OF the Chi
nese arsenal where the little column
cleared out the Chinese occupying the
walled enclosure and took shelter in
the position that the Chinese had
evacuated. Here the American gun
was mounted on a parapet command
ing h road leading into n arsenal
and an all day fight occurred. Three
of the Newark's men were killed and
thirteen wounded, while the percent
| age of loss among the British and
| Germans was about the same. 1t was
| here that the commander of ths
| Kaiserin Augusta was killed while di.
| recting the defense from the western
rampartS.
An attempt was made at midnight
on the 22nd to SEND a party Of 10
| British marines through to Tien TsiI
to summon relief. They met heav.
opposition in the darkness n wer
forced to retire. Thereafter, there wa
nothing to do but make a firm stand II
the arsenal grounds. The whole wal
Of the enclosure was occupied n tn
German captain. Won Usedom. having
a supply of high explosives, assiste'
he Americans in blowing up the tres
tie work roadway leading into thei
section of the arsenal grounds and i
terrifying the American position
Communication was opened wit
Tien Tsin, five miles distant, by mean
Of signal rockets. and on h 18th tn
relief force, consisting Of a mixed co
umn, under Lieutenant Colonel Schrim
sky, came in sight and was greete
with cheers as it scattered the masse
Of Chinese who were continuing the al
tacks on the arsenal enclosure
On the 2eth the march back TO he
Tsin began, the allies having mrs
fred the Chinese arsenal The tots
losses Of the allied forces amount
to 2 officers, and IS men killed, ana :
officers and 30 wounded
In conclusion Captain McCalla pay
nv