The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-31

riding at the head of the Fourteenth u
s. infantry, marched to the Tartar wall
the wall shouted You are just in time.
We need you in our business" Where
can we get IMP" said General Chaffee.
Through the canal. The British entered
Then the American gensraf looked dis
appointed. Although the Americans en-
tered behind the last of the British
forces, their reception was just as en-
thusiastic as If they had been first. When
the stars and stripes emerged into view
Mr.. Tewksbury, the missionary, cried:
Americans, cheer your flag" Ladies
waved their handkerchiefS and the sold
ierS cheered the ladies.
On entering the grounds of the Brit
ish legation the American troops stared
in amazemnet and inquired if there was
a lawn party in progress. They had
expected to find the relieved in worse
condition than themselves, whereas the
contrast between the appearance of the
rescued and the rescuers was surprising
ly in favor of the former. The British
minister, Sir Claude Macdonald, was
shaven and dressed in immaculate ten
mis- fiannels. Mr.. Conger, the United
States minister, was equally presentable.
The assemblage of ladies was fresh and
bright in summer clothing. Only few
civilians were carrying arms.
On the. other hand, the reScuers were
haggard and rough bearded. They
dragged themselves along as if ready to
drop, their khaki uniforms dripping
with perspiration and black with mud
But second glance showed that the
rescued were pathetically pale and thin.
They looked like camp of invalids.
Every part Of the enclosure testified to
their tragic experiences. There was a
plot of new graves, headed with wooden
crosses, including the graves of five chill
dren- The second secretary's house was
the hospital, and it was filled with
wounded. French nuns ninistered to
them. At one time all but four men of
To- NJ nnr7ff in oroV7f Jo1 I,<0~ r.
hospital, wounded.
There were several caves, rooted with
timbers heaped over with earth, which
served as bomb proofs.
The bulletin board was covered with
significant notices For instance: LAS
there is likely to be a severe dropping
fire today, women and children are for
hidden to walk about the grounds"
Here is another: Owing to the small
supply of vegetables and eggs the mar
ket will be open only from to 10 here
after: All horse meat is inspected by
physician
Mr.. Conger had the first secretary's
house. Seventy American missionaries
occupied the chapel. The French con-
tingent had the pavilion on the lawn.
The bravery of the women was note
worthy. They became so accustomed to
fire that it was difficult to restrain them
from walking about the grounds at all
times.
When proposal was made to petition
the tsung Ii yamen for vegetables, some
said they would rather starve than take
help from that quarter. The yamen's
food supply was farce, only sufficient
for one day. When meat was asked for
the reply was that this could not be fur
nished because a state of war existed
in Pekin.
The tsung Ii yamen placarded a proc
Ianat1on exhorting the people to kill
all foreigners. because the latter had
made war on China in attacking the
forts at Talxu.
The legations were fierce1y attacked
from July IL to July 25. At the latter
and extended to August 8, although the
Chinese repeatedly violated it. There
was considerable rifle fire from August
to August IL, and the Chinese mounted
smooth bores. The mainstay of the
foreigners was an old gun used by the
British in 1860, which was found in
junk shop by Mitchell, the American
gunner This was mounted on a Rus
sian carriage found by an Italian Am
munition was fitted to it, and it was
christened the international gun"
The foreigners remarked that relief
had been long delayed, but they insist
ed that they had never despaired of the
outcome. The Chinese are said to ad-
NIT that they lost 5000 killed during
the siege. The foreigners did not waste
their ammunition, shooting only when
a target was in evidence. The Chinese
method on the other hand, was a con-
tinuous heavy and indiscriminate fire.
The enemy would advance to the bar
ricades at night, creeping up with their
arms filled with bricks, and in the
morning the foreigners would find
new wall few feet closer. Finally the
barricades came so close that talking
could be distinctly heard.
During the last two nights the Chi
nese officers urged their men to charge
the foreigners and externinate them be-
fore the international forces could ar
rive The Chinese soldiery replied that
they could not stand the bayonets- On
the night before the relief they fired
several thousand rounds, the foreigners
replying with two shots only. The Chi
nese artillery and soldiers in Pekin
were apparently much inferior to those
in the fighting at Tien Tsin.
The relief of Pekin was a notable
achievement, chiefly for the forced
march of four independent armies over
a single difficult road and in sickening
wea Their