The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-26
| YOUNG HERO FROM
BEHEGED LEGATIONS.
A Yankee Boy Who
Took an Important
Part at Peking.
SON Of SECRETARY Of LEGATION
WAS ORDERLY TO SIR CLAUDE
MDoNALD, BRITISH
MINISTER.
How He Got Food for the Besieged
Legationers-His Description
of the Memorable and
Prolonged Siege.
SON Of SECRETARY OF LEGATION

from China were many who had been
given up for dead by friends and reia-
ives IA the orient and in the States
They we're some Of the people who
were beseiged in the legations in Pc
king. and whom the papers said had
all been massacred by the infuTiated
Chinese in the capital city Of the Ce-
lestial Empire.
There were many women among
them who were not missionaries. but
who were caught in Peking when the
trouble broke out and had TO stay in
the legations until rescued by the allied
troops on the l4th OF August, after be-
ing in great peril OF death for about
two months.
With the party on the steamer was a
young boy who was looked upon by
his fellow passengers as the biggest
kind OF a hero. In the defense Of the
legations he was one of the most active
workers, and by his courage and grit
the imprisoned whites were enabled TO
hold out as long as they did and until
help reached them.
W. G. f. Squires is the lads name.
He is from New York, and is the son OF
the first secretary OF the American
legation at the court of the Son of
Heaven"
Fargo Squires is about seventeen
years old and had been in China about
year when the trouble began. He VAS
with his father al the legation. When
the marines were sent TO the legations
TO protect them it was not thought
that the trouble would be nearly so
serious 40 II afterwards turned out
to be. Soon after they arrived the le-
cations were surrounded by the i'm
peTial troops. This was said by the
government TO be for the better pro-
lection OF the legations from mob vio
ienee. but really to keep the legationers
from escaping from the power of the
Empress Dowager.
Before the actual hostilities began
Young Suuires. who had volunteered for
the service. was the chief Of the COM
issariat He il was who brought al
most all the food that the people in the
American legation had to eat into the
place. With donkey and cart he went
outside the guard Hines OF the imperial
roops and brought wagon load after
wagon load OF rice and grain into the
enclosed place There was riotlng go
InS on all this time, but the efforts OF
the fanatics did not up to this time
seem to be directed especially at the
legations.
When il was finally known that
those in the legations would have 10
lght for their lives. young Squires
Was asked by Sir Claude Mcdonald, the
British minister. to be his orderly. aud
the young man accepted the position.
This is where he saw the real action.
During the different attacks by the
Chinese troops and mobs he was sent
about with orders 10 the different parts
OF the, district where the defenders
around him. but. strange to say. he
escaped injury. although in the Thick
OF the fighting nearly ali the time IL
was going on.
In answer TO the inquiry as to wheth-
er or not he had killed any Of the
Chinese attacking the whites he re-
piled: 1t is hard TO tell If did.
shot at a scod many. but there was
only one that was sure | hit as /
saw him fall. | don't know il he is
dead or not.
When We were relieved We had rs-
tions FOR about ten days left. We had
eaten nearly all the horses and mules
and had some very poor rice and grain
left The horse meat was tough and
not nearly so good as the flesh OF the
mules. but we sot so that anything was
good enough to eat
IF the Chinese soldiers had been
really as brave as some of the papers
say they are We would have all been
killed long before help reached us. The
commanders of the Chinese troops had
a hard time getting their men started
20 attack us and as soon as d few Of
them would make rush they would
be shot down by our side and this
would stop them. Then some OF their
companions would rush out to get their
wounded and dead companions and
hey would in turn be shot and then
he whole lot Of dead and dying Chi
nese would be left there TO be eaten
ny the dogs,
The Chinese troops were always
saying smong themselves that they
could eat us up and would do so when
they got started. bur they would just
get started and then our men woeid
stop them and they would draw on
and have another talk about what they
would do. II we had only had the
Boxers TO deal with It would have
been much easier. as they were not
armed as were the imperial troops, and
they had no generals, The troops we
had against us were the pick OF the
Chinese army.
The Russians had TO be watched
all the time They broke faith con-
stantly. The army that came TO orr
relief was fourteen miles away on the
CAY before the assault on the walls
of Peking was made. At eonsui.z-
ton held by the commanders IL was
decided TO march eight miles and then
wait for morning TO so the rest OF the
way. All the army but the Russian
troops did this They wanted TO be
the first in Peking so that when the
others got there they could say, We
are in possession and so you must not
come In. We viii give YOU the White J