Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-09
Number IS
The LOGAN ARRIVES.
Transport Brings Many Refu-
gees From China.
STORY OF THE IIEN-TSIN FIGHT.
The Logan Landed the First Ameri-
can Troops In China and Brought
to San Francisco Many Sick Sol
dfers and Siege Sufferers.

SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. blue
jackets, marines, ex-soldiers of the Ninth
infantry and refugees crowded the decks
OF the transport Logan, from Taku via
Japan, which has just reached her dock
mere. Inere were men, women and chill
dren on the vessel direct from Ten-tsn
who had escaped from the mobs of Box
ers and the imperial Chinese troops
Nearly all of the passengers in the cabin
had felt the depressing effects of siege
and were more than glad to get back to
civilization. Among them were Dr. DIFF
fendorfer and Mr.. o. Mcintosh, who
were in the mill at Tien-tsn where the
Chinese were held at bay before the
first relief came through.
Master Earl Ragsdale and Miss Ellie
Ragsdale, children of the United States
consul at Tien-tsin, We're also on board.
a large number of the refugees left the
transport at Yokohama to return to va
rious parts of Europe and America by
regular steamers.
To the Logan attaches the distinction
of being the first vessel to land .tmeri
can troops in China. She conveyed the
gallant Ninth infantry from Manila to
Taku, together with detachment of the
signal and hospital corps.
Among the passengers brought here hy
the Logan We're 81 sick men of the Ninth
At Taku TO Christian refugees from
Ticntsin We're taken aboard. All eX
cept As of these left the Logan ut Ma
gasaki.
DR.. Il. Il. Diffendorfer of Philadelphia.
the builder and manager of the first
wooden mill established in the Chinese
empire and Il personal friend of Poo
Tong, brother to the former Chinese
emperor, tells the following story of the
attack on Tien-tsin:
"On the morning of July II the first
clash between the foreigners and the em
pire's soldiers occurred On the afternoon
of the same day the bombardment of the
Taku forts began.
Captain Bailey of the British ship
Orlando was commander of the allied
forces at Tien-tsin on July Il. as Cap
tain McCalla was absent with Seymour
at the time. About ! O'Clock in the fore
noon he saw smoke rising from the rail
road track about four miles distant from
the city, and, suspecting that the Boxers
had fred another bridge, Captain Bailey
ordered 80 of his buejackets, command
ed by a midshipman, to investigate. We
had a three inch gun. and the men were
fully armed.
when our fiat car had travelled about
three miles, we found Il bridge in which
the timbers had been burned away from
the iron girders, and considering it unsafe
to cross our commander ordered his men
to return to the city. We had gone about
300 yards on the back trip when we saw
Il lot of Chinese soldiers. about $50, cross
ing the track at point about mile
ahead of us.
They were walking very rapidly and
as we approached them all doubts as to
their being imperial troops disappeared.
They did not wear the red turban and
sash that distinguished the Boxers, and
as soon as we got within about 800 yards
of them they scattered and got behind
grave mounds, with which the surface OF
the country was thickly studded. Re
garding this action us suspicious, our
midshipman gave the order to fire vol
ley, and they quickly and vigorously re-
turned the salute. Our field piece was
minus a sight, and most of its shots pass
ed over the enemy. so that after ten min
utes of hot fighting we resumed our re-
treat. the Chinese firing at us as long as
we were within range. There were no
casualties on our side.
IF it had not been for the action of
our party that morning the bombardment
of Tien-tsin might not have commenced
that afternoon. In other words. l am
inclined to believe that our attack ON the
Chinese troops precipitated this bonn
bardment of the city. And for that rea-
son the skirmish may attain some impor-
tance when final settlements are being
made
General Diffendorfer believes that the
trouble in China will last a couple of
years.
1T will be II repetition of the TAPPING
rebellion" he said. when the allies have
captured Peking, the Boxers will he
broken into bands of marauders.'