The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-30
THE MARCH TO PEKING
BUT LITTLE RESISTANCE OFFERED
THE INTERNATIONAL FORCES.
How the Chinese for Defeat
ON the Night of Aug. IA.
special correspondence Of the Journal.

SpGClal correspondence Va IA III
PEKING, Aug. 16.-Well, we're here at
last. 1t wasn't as tough as We had ex-
either. The legations are safe at
last, and 1 fancy the civilized world is
breathing freely again. There may be
some stiff fighting ahead of US if we are
to pursue and capture the dowager
Empress. But at present, unless it be the
international commanders, no one is giving
thought to more fighting.
When we left Tien-Tsin it was surely un-
der international control. The American
flag was flying over the southern gate, the
Japanese over the east gate, the French
over the west and the British over the
north. The advance of the allies started
from that once troublesome old mud fort
north of the Tien-Tsin railway station.
Under the protection Of the walls Of the
city we crossed the Grand canal, marching
ever a pontoon bridge made of planks laid
across Chinese fiat-bottom boats. We ex-
pected a fight here. but didn't get it.
The route of the army lay past the wreck
OF the great arsenal that was captured
and destroyed by Admiral Seymour. Up
in this section we got under a scattering,
shipping fire from small parties of Chinese
They were trying to get away with as
much loot as they could before the allies
came. We arrived too soon to suit them.
and so they fired upon us. but they did
no harm, nor did they hinder the advance
in the least.
It began to look like a peaceful days
march. Where was the fight that the Chi.
nese were going to provide us with? The
answer was waiting for us at Peitsang,
seven miles north of Tien-Tsin, on the
east side of the river. General Ma, of the
Chinese imperial army, was there with a
strong force of his yellow braves. The
Chinese have one great fault in lighting
they begin the fight always before they
nave got the enemy within deadly range.
They did it here. Shells went screaming
harmlessly about. Earth flew up in little
jets where short-aimed bullets peppered the
soil. In a few minutes more we were in the
zone of fire, suffering ourselves and firing
like mad. AS usual, the little japanese
got into the thick of ii and suffered the
most. 1t really looks as if these gritty
little brown officers were under orders to
go in and get all of the glory. They do
1t in everything, from a puny scouting
raid to a great battle. The japanese had
the most men here. so doubtless they could
stan the most loss. On the second day
there was six hours brisk fighting. The
Japanese sailed in, got the glory and put
General Mas army on the run.
ALONG THE ROAD.
A rest, and then ten miles were covered.
bringing the troops to Yang-Tsun. There
is a railroad bridge here crossing the river.
1t is a magnificent structure Of iron. Had
1t been down the enemy could have pep
pered us at their pleasure as we crossed.
But the bridge wasn't down. Realizing
how valuabl it would be to US, the yellow
men had tried to destroy it. They might
have cut the girders with cold chisels, for
the labor is cheap here, or they might
have blown up the structure. Instead they
tried to burn it, The iron not proving
highly ~combustible, nor the massive stone
piers any more so, we marched over it as
easily as we would have done with the
Brooklyn bridge.
Hosi-Wu was next on our way. 1t is a
picturesque walled city, said to be we'll
nigh as old as China itself, and is still a
place Of much Importance. A good deal of
the way that followed was along a dyke
built to keep the Pei-Ho from overfiowing.
| AS a curious sample of Chinese methods,
| 1T may be mentioned that the dyke does not
| follow the river closely, but keeps to lines
| of its own.
And now we came into the region of mud
and cornstalk houses. These were piteous
signs of the poverty of the people. Here.
where winter is severe, the poor people
build their habitations with a framework
OF cornstalks. Perhaps 1t would be more
accurate to call them millet stalks. The
Chinese name for the corn, or millet, is
"kiu-ling." Over the framework walls of
mud are plastered. The interiors of these
huts are foul beyond description.
AS the troops went by the people poured
out Of these houses. They were delighted
to see US. for, they said, they had been
robbed and some of their number killed by
the Boxers and imperial troops. AT this
time L was spending part of each day with
the magnificent little Japanese soldiers
There was one little lieutenant among them
who spoke Chinese and English. Though
1 tried several times to acquire the pro-
nunciation of his name. the nearest ]
could get to it was Saka. So 1 called him
Saka San.
WHY CHINESE WE'RE BEATEN.
Ao VIC 4 IA LII AlQ NllidSc JUS
above Hosi-Wu / noticed the inhabitant.
regarding us with mixed curiosity ant
owe. There was much excited jabberins
among them. Lieutenant Saka listened ane
smiled.
What are they talking about. Saks
SAM" 1 asked.
1T is very curious" replied the littl,
lieutenant. They have been told by tn,
retreating imperial troops that the for
eigners are great devils; that it was i'm
possible for the Chinese to kill all the for
eigners because the foreigners, when they
found themselves on the point of being
discovered, changed themselves into foxes
So disguised. they ran close to the Chimes,
soldiers, changed themselves back int
men and began to fire with great rapidity
That Is Why We whipped the Chinese"
And these people?"
"oh. they are waiting"
What for?"
They are very fond of watching juggIer,
and wizards"
"They are waiting" said Saka, ito Sc
us shrink into fox-skins and run about OIL
all fours."
DO the really think we can do it?'