The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-09-06
THERESCUEDREJOICE
Liberated Foreigners in PekIn
Celebrate.
MEDALS WILL BE PREPARED
Bearing Inscriptions Commemorating
the Imprisonment and Subsequent
Liberation of the Foreigners.

A recent Cable message from Tehlh
by the Associate Press describes the
rejoicing among the rescued foreign
ers so long held captive in the city OF
Pekin, as follows:
"A medal will be struck commemor-
ating the siege of Pekin. 1t will bear
the legond: Men, Not Walls, Make
City" In the grounds of the British
legation, where a handful Of men
withstood the millions of the Chinese
capital for Sc days, a memorable cele-
bration is in progress, in vindicatlon
of that principle. Missionaries, as
sembled about Bell Tower, are singing
the Doxology, rockets are blazing and
soldiers and civilians of all nationali-
ties are fraternizing. The women are
applauding the sound Of the cannon
that are smashing the yellow roofs OF
the Forbidden City.
The tired Sikhs are planting their
tents on the lawn, and the American
and Russian contingents are lighting
camp fires along the stretch OF turf eX-
tending beyond the Tartar wall.
Through the ruins Of the foreign set
tlement an eager, cosmopolitan crowd is
iostling. Indiamans, Cossacks, ladies,
diplomats, Americans from the Philip
pines and French disciplinarians from
Sagoman, who kept discreetly to the
rear while the fighting was in progress.
but came conspicuously tot he front
when looting began. Only the ia
panese, who have earned the first place
are absent.
Resident foreigners welcome the lux
ury Of walking about and immunity
from bullets. The new comers are
anxious to inspect the evidences OF an
historic defence These harricades,
are. after all, the most wonderful sight
in Pekin. The barriers hedging the
British legation are a marvel OF stone
and brick walls and earthworks. Sand
bags shield every foot Of space. The
tons of the walls have inches for the
rifeman and the buildings at their
porticos and windows have armor
boxes and bags and pillows stuffed
with dirt.
Back of the United States legation is
a work named Fort Myers which
the marines held, completely screen
ing both sides Of the walls, with steps
leading to it. There is loop-holed
barrier across the wall which faces
similar Chinese work a few yards
away. Another wall bars Legation
street in front of the German legation,
and confronting the enemys bar
ricades within those limits, are yet
more walls, enabling the foreigners
to contract the area Of defense il
pressed
The tops of the American and Bri-
tish buildings were badly torn by the
Chinese shells. The rest of the for
eign settlement was almost demolish-
ed. Two thousand, eight hundred
shells fell there during the first three
weeks of the nIOardment. 400 in one
day. Buckets full of bullets were
gathered in the grounds.
Four hundred and fourteen people
lived in the compound through the
greater part of the siege. Three hun
dred and four marines, assisted by s.
volunteers, commanded by the Eng
lish Captain Poole, defended the place.
Eleven civilians were killed and II
wounded. Fifty-four marines and sail.
oIs were killed and 112 wounded.
The Americans loss was seven killed
and eleven wounded. Mr.. Gilbert
Reid, who was wounded in the fset,
was the only American civilian in
jured. Two foreign ladies were woun'
ded"