The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-24
THE FIRST EXPEDITION
McCalIa's Report on the Effort to
Relieve The Legations.
Absolute Harmony in the Force Un-
der Seymour Capture of Boxer
Imperial Authority for Upris-
ing-Recommendntio for Medals.

| Inc report or Capt. bowman Ii. NC
Gala, of the United States flagship New
ark, on the part taken by the force of 112
officers and men from the Newark in the
expedition commanded by Admiral Sey-
mour for the relief of the legations at
Pekin has been received at the Navy De-
partment. 1t bears date of Taku, July 6,
and is. in part. as follows:
From the 5th until the 9th of June
the forces under my command were sta
toned on the Taku road at the northern
extremity of the English concession. at
| points commanding approaches from the
Chinese city of Tientsin.
Recognizing the Importance of perfect
| harmony and cohesion in mixed force
! from several nationalities, 1 told Admiral
Seymour. before starting from Tientsin,
that he might rely upon the forces under
my command complying with his wishes
I while acting concurrently with him.
"On the morning Of the 18th the first
! train, which had gone a mile beyond
I Lang Fang, returned to the station. leav-
I ing an armed car to protect the party re-
! pairing the road, made up of British pio-
neers. Japanese. and the main body of the
Newark's men. Ensign Wurtzbaugh and
twenty men. with several of the donkeys
secured the day before, attached to a cart
were sent several miles up the road to
carry water to force which was under
Major Johnstone. and were reconnoitring
the country in advance of the trains.
about 10 in the morning the train was
suddenly attacked by large force of men
in the Boxer uniform. numbering several
hundred As this force advanced, those
at the head of the column went through
the exercises which were prescribed in
order to ward off the bullets of their foes.
Several of the leaders succeeded in ad-
vaneing as far as the water tank alongside
the locomotive of the first train, but as
the Boxers were without firearms the
assault was easily and quickly repelled.
As the leaders fell the main body of the
Boxers turned and fed, leaving eighty
eight Of their number dead. Unhappily
five Italian seamen lost their lives dur
ing this attack.
Immediately after the repuIse of the
Boxers, the first train advanced to the
point where the road was being repaired,
and Admiral Seymour, with the British
marines and the Newark's men, recon
noitred the country for some distance
in the direction in which the Boxers re-
treated. In the evening the train pro-
aeeded as far up as the track had been
repaired and waited until Major John
stone and his marines and Ensign Wurtz-
baugh and his party returned, then steam
ed back to Lang Fang station about 10
p. m. s1su
BY the Governments Order.
Ore Of the Boxer banners, left on the
field. bore this inscription in Chinese,
which was translated by our interpreter:
Kill the foreigners by order of the Gov
ernment On this day the shuttle train.
which had been running daily between
Tientsin and the relief expedition. did not
make the trip in consequence of delay
at the Lofa station. due to the derailment
OF a car of the fourth train, and partly
in consequence of the unsettled condition
OF affairs. On the afternoon of the 18th
the Boxers also attacked the station at
Lofa, and were driven back by the Brit
ish garrison under Lieutenant Colcomb
leaving over leo dead
"A second courier arrived with a letter
1m Mr.. Edward G. Tewksbury. as fol-
lows:
Pesin, wednesday, July 49, 1890.
captain McCalla. in Command Of Relief Guard:
Dear Sir: We are very anxious for word Of our
soldiers No news lras come to Us since the tcIe
gram Of your starting Sunday at 10 a. M This
messenger, a maa OF resources and a Christian
offers TO seek information in regard to your
movements.
VIII you kindly give him letter to Mr.. Con-
ger, II you wish. and line 10 yours truly,
EDWARD G. TEWKSBURY
(oi committee Of arrangements Of seventh
Americans under protection Captain Hall and
twenty marines at missicn compound in PeAin.)
F. s.-Our spies show that east of Pekin Is
'ree Of Tung Fu SIng soldiers, and then yo,i
V',uld have but one gate to force. This ia case
yju had bad fighting. We expect same.
This messenger returned to Pekin.
carrying with him note to Mr.. Conger
from myself and also one from Vice Ad-
miral Seymour
THE General Tung Flu Slang referred
TO by Mr.. Tewksbury was at this time
according to the best information quar-
tered with some thousands of cavalry
artillery, and infantry, made up Of Chi
nese Mohammedan soldiers, in the In
perial Park south of Pekin and almost due
north of Lang Fang. These soldiers are
said to be hardy mountaineers of Turkish
blood, drawn from the Mohammedan popu-
u.
on the borders OF Tibet. They are be-
iieved to be much braver than the Chinese,
and have thorough hatred for foreigners
while feeling perfectly independent of the
control OF the Peliin Government. In the
subsequent attacks by part of General
Tung Flu Siang's force on the trains at
Lang Fang on the afternoon Of the 18th
this reputation for bravery was sustained
Dividing the Train.
Early on the morning of iae 18th the
first train was divided into two parts: the
first part contained the armed car and
/ the trucks for carrying materials, with
the necessary guards, and was called the
construction train; the second part con-
sisted of cars sufficient to accommodate
all the officers and men who left Tientsin
on the 10th of June in the frst train.
The allied forces advanced under diff
ficulties, and late in the afternoon of the
18th the train, under the command of
Captain de Maroles which had gone to
Lang Fang for carload Of coal returned
with the information that the naval forces
in the second and third trains, about coo
men, had been attacked three times at
Lang Fang between and o'clock in the
afternoon, ana that Captain Won Usedom.
the senior officer, was then falling back on
Yangtsun with all the force.
The first attack was by the Boxers; the
other two following the first were engage
ments which amounted TO a battle and
were with a Chinese military force est-
mated to be between 1900 and 3, eco men.
and the allied force of English, Germans.
Russians, and Japanese under Captain Won
Uzedom. The Chinese were driven back,
leaving between 400 killed and wounded
on the field, Captain Won Usedom having,
il is reported. disposed of his force to the
best advantage There were seven killed