The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-04


eminent proved, however, unable TO check
the rising strength Of the Boxers. and APP
peared 10 be a prey to internal disSensionS.
In the unequal contest the anti-foreign In
fiuences soon gained the ascendency under
the leadership of Prince Tuan. Organized
armies OF Boxers, with which the imperial
forces affiliated, held the country between
Peking and the coast, penetrated into Man
churia up TO the Russian border, and
through their emissaries threatened a like
rising throughout northern China.
Attacks upc foreigners, destruction OF
their property and slaughter of native con
vertS were reported from all sides. The
Tsung-li-Yamen, already permeated with
hostile sympathies, could make no effective
response to the appeals OF the legations.
AT this critical juncture. in the early spring
OK this year, a proposal was made by the
other powers that a combined fleet should
be In Chinese waters as a moral
demonstration. under cover of which to
exact OF the Chinese government respect
for foreign treaty rights and the suppress
sion of the Boxers.
The United States, while not participating
In the Joint demonstration. promptly sent
from the Philippines all ships that could
be spared for service on the Chinese coast.
A small force Of marines was landed at
Taku and sent to Picking for the protection
of the American legation. Other powers
took similar action, until some 400 men were
in the capital as legation guards.
Still the peril increased. The legations re-
ported the d~evelopmnt of the seditious
movement In Picking and the need of in
creased provision for defense against It,
While preparations were in progress Tor a
larger expedition to strengthen the lega-
ton guards and keep the railway open, an
attempt Of the foreign ships to make a
landing at Taku was met by a fire from the
Chinese forts. The forts were thereupon
shelled by the foreign vessels, the American
admiral taking no part in the attack, on
the ground that we were not at war with
China and that a hostile demonstration
might consolidate the anti-foreign elements
and strengthen the Boxers to oppose the
relieving column. Two days later the Taku
forts were captured after a sanguinary
conflict. Severance of communication with
Picking followed, and a combined force OF
additional guards. which was advancing to
Picking by the Pei-Ho. was checked at
Lang-Fang. The isolation of the legations
was complete.
The siege and the relief of the legations
has passed into undying history. In all
the stirring chapter which records the
he-cism Of the devoted oand, clinging to
l:cpe In the face of despoir. and the un-
daunted spirit that led their relisvers
through battle and suffering TO the goal.
IL Is a memory of which my cOuntrymen
may be justly proud that tire honor OF our
flag was maintained alike in the siege
and the rescue. and that stout American
hearts have again set high. in fervent
emulation with true men of ot;fer race and
language, the indomitable courage that
ever strives for tho cause OF right ana
justice
MURCER OF Won KETrEL-ER.
BY June 10 the legations were cut Off.
An Identical, note from the Yamen ordered
each minister to leave Picking, under a
promised escort, within t~wenty-four hours
To gain time they replied, asking pro.onga-
ton Of the time, which was ~fterward
granted. and requesting ar interview with
the Tsung-li- Yamen on the following day.
No reply being received, On the morning of
the 10Th the German minister. Baron
Won Ketteler, set out for the Yamen TO
obtain a response, and on the way was
murdered. An attempt by the legation
guard to recover his body was foiled by
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 persons were ovid in Its mar
row compass. Two thousand native con-
verts were assembled in a nearby palace
under protection OF the foreigners. Lines
of defense were strengthened, trenches
dug, barricades raised and preparations
made to stand a siege, which at once be-
gan.
From June 20 until July IL" writes Min
lister Conger, there was scarcely an hour
during which there was not firing upon
some part Of our lines and into some of the
legations, varying from a single shot TO q
general and continuous attack along the
whole line. Artillery was placed around
the legations and on the overlooking palace
walls, and thousands of three-inch shot
and shell were fired. destroying some
buildings and damaging all. SO thickly did
the balls rain that when the ammunition
of the besieged ran low. five quarts of Chi
naCa hIIllGfQ were gathered IN an nOUI IN
one compound and recast."
Attempts were made 70 burn the lega-
tons by setting neighboring houses on fire
but the were successfully fought
off, although the Austrian, Belgian, lts1-
ian 6nd Dutch legations were then and
subsequently burned. With the aid OF the
native converts, directed by the mission
aries. 10 whose helpful cooperation Mr..
Conger awards unstinted praise, the Brit
ish legation was made n veritable fortress.
The British minister, Sir Claude MacDon-
aid, was chosen general commander OF the
defense, with the secretary of the Ameri-
can legation, Mr.. f.. q. Squlres, as chler
of staff.
To save life and ammunition the be-
sieged sparingly returned the incessant
fire of the Chinese sol0iery, lighting only
TO repel attack or make an occasional
successful sortie for strategic advantage,
such as that Of fifty-five American, Brit
ish and Russian marines. led by Capt. Myers
Of the United States marine corps, which
IcSQllcQ III IA NdplulC Va "A
barricade on the wall that gravely men
aced the American position. 1t was held
to the last, and proved an invaluable ac-
QUESTION, because commanding the water
gate through which the relief column en-
tered. During the siege the defenders lost
sixty-five killed, 135 ounde and seven by
disease-the last all children.
On July IA the besieged had their first
communication with the Tsung-li-Yamen,
from whom a message came inviting a
conference, which was declined. Corre-
spondence, however, ensued and a sort of
armistice was agreed upon, which stopped
the bombardment and lessened the rife fire
for 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 had with the Chinese
government related TO the occasional de-
livery or dispatch of a telegram or to the
demands of the Tsung-li-Yamen for the
withdrawal Of the legation TO the coast
under escort.
Not only are the protestations of the
Chinese government that IL protected and
succored the legations positively contra
dicted. but irresistible proof accumulates
that the attacks were made upon them by
imperial troops, regularly uniformed,
armed and Differed, belonging to the COM
mand of Jung Lu, the imperial command
er-in-chfef. DEGREES encouraging the Box
ers. organizing them under prominent i'm
perial officers, provisioning them and even
granting them large sums in the name of
the Empress dowager, are known to exist.
Members Of the Tsung-li-Yamsn who coun-
seled protection for the foreigners were
beheaded. Even in the distant provinces
men suspected of foreign sympathy were
put TO death. prominent among these be-
fnr rhnn0 Ven How fnrTnnr1x~ rhfnAEa