Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-30
SAVED BY MARINES
Gallant Work During the Siege Of
Pekin.
FOUGHT AGAINST FEARFUL Odds
Held the Key to the Safety Of the
Legationers.
GEN. HEY WOODS REPORT

| hei VIC ueleHSs OF the legations at Pekl1
and the march of the marines on Tiel
| Tsin.
In the early part of the year, when tn,
! danger to the members of the various for
elgn legations in Pekin was first appre
hended on account Of the Boxer" disturb
ances in China, which were rapidly becom
ing more extensive, a marine guard, con
slsting Of one sergeant, two corporals ant
| twenty-five privates, under command Of
Captain John T. Myers, United States Ma
rinc Corps Of the United States steamer
Oregon. was sent to Pekin to guard the
legationers. Captain Myers left the Ore,
gon with his command May a. May 9:
Captain Newt H. Hall, United States Ma
rlne corps, and a marine guard consisting
OF one sergeant, one corporal, one drum
T mer and twenty-three privates from the
United States steamer Newark was sent
10 lien Tsin, China, and thence to Pekir
on May 81, 1900, to reinforce Captain
Myers command. This small guard, ag-
gIegattng only fifty-siX in number, re-
manned in Pekin guarding the legationers
during the long and terrible siege to which
they were subjected by the Chinese; and
the meager reports which have been re-
tains Myers and Hall nave not only per-
formed the duty assigned them efficiently,
but with the utmost bravery and gallantry.
First Official Report.
The first official information received con-
corning the marine guard at Pekin was
contained In a cablegram from Rear Ad-
miral Remey to the Navy Department,
dated Taku, August 10, 1900, as follows:
''Taku, 10th. Authentic report Pekin 18th
from Latimer. Troops moving on imperial
city; clearing out Tartar City. All Ameri-
cans who remained in Pekin are well. There
have been no deaths among them except
one child. Captain Myers has recovered
from wound has typhoid fever, crisis
passed, now convalescent Assistant Sur
geon Lippett was wounded, left upper leg
bone fractured, leg saved, now recovering.
Following killed during Siege in Pekn: Ser
geant J. Tanning, Privates C. B. King, j.
W. Tutcher, ]. Kennedy, R. E. i homas. A.
Turner, H. Fisher. Wounded Private j..
Schroeder, elbow, severe and dangerously
i'll, fever; Seaman j. Mitchell, wound upper
arm, severe, but recovering; all others
wounded and sick have returned to duty.
Casualties: Major Biddle's command at
tack San Tan Pating: First Lieutenant But
Ter, chest; Private Green, wrist: Private
Warrell, right temple; all slight. Reported
from Chinese sources royal family have
escaped and en- route to Sianfu.
The brigadier general commandant has
since been furnished, by reference from the
Navy Depar. ment, with copies of dispatch
from the United States consul at Chefoo,
China, inclOsing memoranda relating to the
situation in Pekin up to July q.
The following is an extract relating to the
worl; done by the American marines:
american marines still hold vital posi-
ton city wall commanding legations after
brilliant sortie July ;; Capt. Myers driving
back hordes kansuli troops; he slightly
wounded. Captured flags, arms"
In the memorandum quoting the gst of
other messages relating to the situation in
Pekin appears the following:
July ) Capt Myers American marines
made wonderful sortie, capturing guns and
standards; he was wounded slightly. Chi
ole had Ir Ilflg tod han thnN-
tempted night attack. Foreigners holding
Legation street from French to American
legations, and British north, all work
ing at barricades, trenches and fighting and
nearly worn out. Chinese seem to be short
of ammunition. Our marines have fought
like tigers against fearful odds. Only Chi
nese cowardice prevented their hordes of
savages massacreing our nationals
Saved by the Marines.
Under date of August %, Maj. w. P. Bid
die, U. S. M. c., commanding marines in
China, forwarded to the brigader general
commandant letter from the United States
minister to China, E. H. Conger, trans
hitting a copy of a resolution passed
by the American missionaries besieged in
Pekin expressing their hearty appreca ton
Of the courage, fidelity and patriotism of the
American marines, who SO bravely and
tenaciously held the key to salvation
during the whole of the trying time" From
Minister Conger's letter of transmission it
seems that he attributes the safety of the
beseged legationers to the courageous and
interchangeable defense maintained by the
marines under Capts. Myers and Hall.
1t would seem by the reports that Capt.
Myers and his small body of marines sue
ceeded in holding a dangerous and almost
untenable position on the city wall, in the
face of Overwhelming numbers, and also
that he made brilliant sortie, driving back
hordes of Chinese, on which occasion he
was slightly wounded. Capt Myers cour-
age and gallantry merit the highest com
mendation, and it is recommended to the
department that he be given proper recog-
milton for his bravery in the presence of the
enemy.
The reports of the battle of Tien Tsin
and the communications relating to the cap
ture of the treasure in that city are the
latest written reports which have been re-
ceived at headquarters up to the present
time concerning the operations of the ma
rines in China.
Later Operations.
Information has been cabled to the effect
that the 4th Battalion of Marines under
command of Maj. w. P. Biddle U. S. NJ.
c., arrived in China August g. and another
cablegram from Admiral Remey, dated
Taku, August 49, shows that the marines
major Biddle, commanding 4th Battalion.
having assumed command attacked San
Tan Pating In this engagement First
Lieut.. S. d. Butler was wounded In the
chest, Private Green in the wrist and Pri-
vate Worrell in the right temple, all the
wounds being slight. No details of this en-
gagement have been received. Major Bid
die, after arriving in China being the senior
marine officer present, relieved Major Wal
Ter in command, the total marine force
amounting to $50 men, which number, it is
presumed, went to Pekin with Major Bid
die. No detailed reports concerning the
march to Pekin and the battle there have
been received.
mand of Maj. Randolph Dickins, T. S. M
c., arrived in China after the besieged le-
cations in Pekin had been relieved. and ac-
cordngly went into camp at Taku
The total number of marines sent to China
is as follows Forty-nine officers and .15I
enlisted men.
Seizure of Bullion.
General Haywood submits the following
account of the taking of considerable
amount of bullion in the siege of Pekin:
In a communication dated July 1S 1900
Col Meade refers to the looting which had
been going in Tien Tsin. He states
that the treasury has been ransacked but
that all the vaults were not looted and
Major Waller with force is searching for
the treasure. The treasure, which consisted
principally of silver bullion, fused with
brick, mortar and other debris, was re-
covered from the ruins of the sale commits