Evening star., 1900-12-22
HIGH SCHOOL BOY IN CHINA
PARTICIPATES IN CAMPAIGN AGAINST
THE BOXERS.
His Experience With the Ninth United
States Infantry-visits Japan
and Hawaii.

In an interview with a representative Of
| The Star Mr.. Reynolds Hayden gives some
| interesting details Of his experience In
| China last summer, where he served with
| the 9th United States Infantry. the regi-
ment which saw such heavy fighting at
| Tien Tsin. He was with his father at Ma
Mia when the regiment was preparing to
start, and secured permission from Colonel
) Liscum to go as Of the quartermas-
ter's aids. with the understanding that he
was ready to do anything and go any
where" He Is large and strong for his
age and has a good record in athletics at
the Western High School, in this city.
"Of four officers of the 9th who were at
our mess in Manila he said, three were
wounded in the battle of Tien Tsin on that
fatal 18th of July, when the regiment got
stalled before the moat and wall OF the
Chinese city. We landed at Taku from the
transport Logan in big lighters July and
were towed up the river the following day
The temperature was something terri1c,
and Manila seemed chilly in comparison.
The boats of the I'd Battalion got stuck in
the mud that night and were attacked by
the Chinese, but the troops landed and
drove them off.
"Our first two battalions landed in the
foreign settlement of Tien Tsin at midnight
of the 10th and the Sd Battalion got there
in time for the big battle the 18th.
"A few hours after we arrived the fierce
scrap at the railroad station took place,
and the next day there artillery
drill, in which some thirty pieces took part;
it nothing If not exciting Mean
while We took UP quarters and rushed am
munition and supplies ashore. and were
ready to join the allies in the attack, which
began at 3 or o'clock am. the 18th and
lasted all day. Soon after am. we saw
the explosion of the Chinese magazine, an
unexpected and magnificent sight, that en-
couraged us a great deal and doubtless dis
cOuraped the Chinese. although tuey
fought with great determination all that
day Indeed, they outnumbered US so
greatly that they were going to attack us
$50 we learned from spies) had we not an
ticipated them.
"A sad incident that day was the explo-
sion of a shell which landed in the railroad
round house where Company Of our reg
iment was held in reserve. and killed five
men and wounded eleven. A steady stream
of wounded men came back from the front
all day, and in the afternoon We heard of
our gallant colonels death. That night, as
you know, the regiment was withdrawn,
with the loss of 100 killed and wounded,
and the following day the walled city was
captured, principally by the brave little
Japs who went in like mad against all
odds and ObStructionS.
Long Delay.
After this victory there was a long de-
lay-July IA to August 4-and then the
march to Pekin was resumed, with the re-
Sdit 'iial al tilt Nol III hiloNS tdpl ftdIl-
Sey left me in charge of our ordnance stores
at Tien Tsin, so | did not reach Pekin till
August %, some ten days after the legation
was relieved. At Tien Tsin l met several
officers of the marine corps who hail from
this city-Dunlop. Matthews, Jolly and
Oyster-as well Capt Leonard. whom l
afterward saw at Nagasaki Mrs. Myers
came up to Tien Tsin, determined to go to
Pekin to nurse Capt. Myers back to health
and go she did, in spite of all advice and
opposition. The next time l saw her was
on the train. leaving San Francisco, last
Tuesday evening. and she was looking as
well and happy as possible. She was on
her way home to Mare Island navy yard
from days shopping In town. What a
change from those terrible days, when her
husband was fighting for dear life in Pekin
and she was mourning for him in Japan
'On my way home | met Joe Taussig,
then dangerously wounded. Nagasakl.
He is now on duty again aboard the Nash
vile. AT Yokohama | stopped a few days
with Paymaster O'Leary of the navy. whom
l had known here in the photographic
office. He is keeping house in a pretty little
cottage the bluff near the naval hosp-
tall
Mr.. Hayden is studying up now to try TO
go on with his class at the Western High
School, and is glad enough to be at home
again after his seven months experience in
the orient During his absence he visited
Hawaii, the Philippines, China and Japan
and participated in a most exciting and
dangerous campaign Sort of a strenuous
life one might think, for a High School
boy.