The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-29
GHAFFEE ORDERED TO CHINA
To Command American Troops and
Proceed to Pekin.

IoScCN W CHILL
Washington. June 26.-The president
has assigned General Adna r.. Chaffee
to the command of the military forces
operating in China. General Chaffee
was at the war department today re-
ceiving Instructions, and will leave for
San Francisco in time to sail on July
1st with the Sixth cavalry. This de-
tachment sails on the Grant, which
has been ordered to touch at Nagasaki
for further orders. 1t is probable that
the ship will then sail direct for Che
Foo with General Chaffee and the
Sixth cavalry. General Macarthur was
cabled today an order directing the
commanding officer of the Ninth cav
airy and such other forces as may be
operating in China by the time of the
Grants arrival to report to General
Chaffee on his arrival there. Unless
present plans change headqua rters will
be established at Che Foo. General
Macarthur was also directed to send
Captain Russell, of the signal corps,
with a detachment, to Che Foo. Captain
Russell, during the Spanish war,
worked in conjunction with the naval
officers and he has been selected to
have charge of the signal operations
because of his familiarity with that
work in both the army and navy.
CHAFFEE TO COMMAND 5000 MEN.
NAA~A AAoALSC was III - III a
the war department today with the
a%djutant general and heads of the va
rious supply departments with a view
to his future needs in the conduct of
the military campaign in China. 1t is
expected that he will have not less
than 5000 men at his command, the
majority of whom will be Withdrawn
from the Philippines.
The military career of Genera Chat
fee covers a wild field. He was an &C
tive n prominent participant in the
civil war, the Spanish war and various
important Indian campaigns. He has
seen service in every grade of the
army. having risen from the ranks to
the grade of major general. He had
command of the troops which captured
Ell Caney, and practically closed the
Santiago campaign. He has since been
known as the hero of Ell Caney." Gen
eral LawtOn. in his report of the en-
Sagement at FL Caney, spoke of Gen
eral Chaffee as following: 81 consider
General Chaffee one of the best prac-
teal soldiers in the army and recon-
mend him for special distinction for
successfully charging the stone fort
mentioned in this report, the capture
of which practically closed the battle"
Inc purpose of the government to
place an adequate military force in
CHINA was made perfectly clear today
when orders were issued to Brigadier
100000 A- OAAoAASS " %"hS Viii
mand OF the forces in China and to
proceed at once to assume his new du-
ties. More significant probably han
the assignment itself was the word
ing of the formal orders to General
Chaffee, issued late in the day by Act
ing Secretary of War Meiklejohn, di-
recting him ito take of the
troops ordered to China" and to pro-
coed to Pekin by way of San Francisco
and Taku accompanied by his aides.
1t had been expected that the military
forces would be concentrated at Che
Foo or some other convenient mill
tary base, but the direction to pro-
coed to Pekin, the capital of the Chi
nese empire, indicated a firm determi-
nation on the part of the government
authorities to have a strong military
force at the seat of the Chinese govern
ment.
ANOTHER PROPOSAL OF ARM
ISTICE.
The announcement of General Chat
fees assignment, and the orders to
proceed to Pekin came after the state
department had declined to accede to
a second proposition from the six great
viceroys of China that foreign troops
be kept out of China until Lii Hung
Chang reached Pekin.
In more formal manner with the
signatures of the six viceroys, repre-
Senting the greater part of the empire
Minister WI repeated Oday his plea
of yesterday, that the foreign troops
be kept out of the country. Secretary
Hay aid the formal request of the vic
eroyS before the bin meeting. but
there was no disposition to vary from
the presidents determination already
made known by Secretary Hay to the
Chinese minister. to Send our forces
to such points as were menace and
where our officials and citizens were
in danger. While the VicerOyS spoke
for the provinces, they could not speak
for Pekin, and it is to Pekin that the
officials most a~nXiously look.
MINISTER CONGER STILL SILENT
;; Minister Conger is still silent and
the latest advices show that little re-
lance can be placed on the dispatches
from Shanghai saying that the minis
ter and legation at Pekin were safe
For this reason the orders to Genera
Chaffee to proceed to Pekin took on an
{ added meaning.
General Chaffee was in conferences
with the war department authorities
much of the day and in the afternoon
spent nearly an hour with Secretary
Hay going over those phases OF the
Chinese situation in which diplomacy
] will have TO be mingled with military
action.
Secretary Long received nothing dur
ing the day beyond the early dlSpalcI
from Admiral Kempf stating that the
combined forces had entered Tier
Tsin, and that the Seymour expedition
was reported ten miles from Tien Tsln
surrounded. This cleared up one stu
alton, only to present another condl'
ton which may prove even more grave
VI aoc,o1t- IiSt ON tho first an O2 g6-