The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-28
RUSSIA CLAIMS THE HONOR
OfHer Troops Being the First ID Enter
Pekin

st. Petersburg, August 23.-General
Linevitch. commander of the Russian
troops in the province of Pc Chi Ii,
telegraphs to the MINISTRY as follows:
AT 2. o'clock in the morning of Au-
gust 14th our troops stormed the east
tern gate of Pekin and were the first
TO enter the city. The Russian flag
was the first hoiSted on the wall. The
bombardment of the gate lasted four
teen hours. The Russians then scaled
and possessed the wall. The Chinese,
however, still held the observatory
and other towers, whence they sub
jected our troops to a heavy, enfilad-
ing fire until our infantry forced them
to leave their positions. Dur losses
We're: Killed, Colonel Antingoff and
twenty men; wounded, General Wa
silowski, Colonel Modl and five other
officers and 102 men.
In the meanwhile the allied troops
stormed and captured another gate
and entered the city.
I'VE found the imperial government
had fled and that the legations were
in great straits"
The dispatch concludes with describ-
ing the recent ttacks or the legations.
During the siege the inmates of the
Russian legation a five men killed
and twenty wounded.
BRITISH ACCOUNT OF THE CAP
TURE.
London, August 23.-General Gaselee.
the commander of the British forces
at Pekin, has telegraphed to the war
office as follows:
"Pekin, August 18th. via Che Foo.
August 23rd.
AT a conference August 18th it was
agreed that the allies Should concen-
trate within five miles of Pekin august
18th and the assault should begin Au-
gus 18th. The attack, however, COM
menced early in the morning OF Au-
gust 14th and our troops had 10 make
a forced march of fifteen miles from
Tuag Chow in great heat. We were
on the extreme left and attacked the
southeast gate of the Chinese city.
There was practically nc opposition,
as we were not expected at that point.
The Indian troops broke down and
rushed the gate and / entered with
cavalry and guns. l hen sent our
cavalry and the Punjaub infantry TO
the Temple of Heaven to secure u
left flank and camping ground, and
with the other DRIP pushed on towards
the legations. At 3 o'clock We got on
the canal, opposite h water gate,
and were Signaled from h wall held
by the legations. /, with a portion of
the staff and seventy Indians, rushed
across the almost dry moat and enter
Ell I11TOuSH LIE WcJlcI gaze ~ 4OSS.
We found all we'll in the legations.
Macdonald Immediately showed me
around the positions with the view of
further action.
In the meantime our field artillery
had been brought up 10 lombard the
central gate of q Tartar city; but,
a sortie by the Americans and Rus
slams of the garrison along the wall
anticipated the bombardment and the
gate fell into our hands.
Two field guns were then brought
into the legation and the IS We're
sent back to the Temple of Heaven
AT about 5 O'Clock in the afternoon
the Americans under General Chaffee
entered the legation and then we
nov on towards the central gate Of
the Tartar city for the night. by
nightfau We had 400 men in the
legation. (Here apparently some words
are miSSing.)
During the evening at the Temple
of Heaven, we were engaged and after
inflicting heavy losses We occupied the
south gate of the Chinese city"