The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-15
REPORT FROM KEMPFF.
Interesting Details of the Chinese
Campaign to June ).

''Taku, China, June 5.-Sir: L have the
honor 10 report that at a. m, May %,
received telephone message, a copy of
which is herewith inclosed, and at a. m,
in compliance with orders which I i'm
nlediately issued 10 the commanding Of
fIcer of this ship 100 armed men, consisting
of forty marines and sixty sailors, were
landed at Taku: Capt. b. II. McCalla, u. s.
", in charge; officers. Capt. j. I. Myers.
L. S. NJ. c.; Capt. n. III. Hail. U. S. NJ. c.;
Ensign d. W. Wurtsbaugh, U. s. N; Naval
Cadets ]. K. Taussig. U. S. N; c. E. Court
ney. U. S. NJ; Paymaster H. z. Jewett, u.
S. NJ, and Gunner c. II. Sheldon, u. S. N.
Taking the first party which arrived on
shore, consisting of thirty-seven marines,
10 the railroad station at Teng-Eu, they
were refused passage on the train to Tien-
Tsin. owing TO the agent being unwilling
to assume the responsibility of issuing
tickets to an armed force without orders
from the directors of the road. This portion
Of the landing party were then returned
TO Taku, where, by this time, all of the
armed force had arrived Procuring a tug
and lighter from the Taku Tug and Lighter
Company, the entire force was sent to Tien-
Tsin by river, Capt. ]. K. Myers, u. S. III.
c., in command; Capt McCalla and Pay
master Jewett proceeding by train at
1:44 p. m. The landing party reached Tien-
Tsin at 10 O'Clock p. m, where they were
received with demonstrations of joy by the
foreign populace. they being the first Cau-
casian troops to arrive. remained at Taku
with my personal staff.
ION May 30, at 1:A D. m. proceeded to
Tien-Tsin. for the purpose of examining,
as we'll as might, the state of affairs. On
this day the English ship Algerine came
in and landed twenty-seven men, and sent
them to Tien-Tsin, and ships of the various
other nations began arriving and preparing
tc land troops.
ION May 81, having obtained permission
OF the Chinese government, 1 sent fifty
men from Tien-Tsin TO Picking, in COM
pany with about three hundred foreign
troops of various nationalities. They left
at Ais p. m, Captain McCalla in command,
and arrived at the end of the railroad line
at 6:45 D. M, and marched to the legation,
having encountered not the slightest oppo-
sition on the way or in the city.
II returned on board ship June 2, and on
June Captain McCalla, after seeing that
our men on shore were properly cared for
and that everything was in satisfactory
condition, returned on board ship.
Il take great pleasure in saying that our
officers and men on shore have, by their
conduct and management, contributed in
every way to the high standard of eff
cheney held by the navy, yet 1t is proper,
as matter of Justice and in satisfaction
to myself. to mention and call the atten-
ton of the department particularly to
Captain McCalla, whose foresight and
ability In the discharge of his duties in
connection with the whole matter merit
unqualified praise.
AFFAIRS VERY CRITICAL.
AT p. m. yesterday 1 received mes
sage, copy of which is inclosed with my
| report of this date, indicating affairs were
again in a critical condition. a party of
| fifty more men were landed from this ship
this morning at a. m. and Captain Nc
Gala has again gone ashore. Ensign c. e.
Gilpin. U. S. N, and Naval Cadet c. E..
| Courtney, who returned with Captain Nc
Gala from the first landing party, were
| the officers.
THE department was informed by cable
message and the commander-in-chief was
similarly informed and requested to send
| light-draft vessel here for use I'm the river
as basis of supplies for the force on
shore. AS the disturbance here is likely
| to be of such prolonged nature as to re-
| quire the protracted stay of a vessel here.
| ready to land men on short notice. as mem
toned in my message, consider a light
| draft vessel, which can be stationed in
| side, where communication is certain, with
a battalion Of marines, is almost ind.s-
| pensable to the present trouble. in order to
effectively protect American interests and
| property in this locality Other nations
are landing troops to-day in response to
| the messages received last night"
Admiral kempn inclosed with his report
| copies OF the cablegrams which he sent to
| the Navy Department at the time of the
| outbreak. These have already been pub
| lished in the main. but the copies now fur
| nished state few missing details For in
| stance. In the cablegram of June 5. in
which the admiral described the situation
as critical and requested a gunboat. he
| added that such American boat would
| be very useful as temporary base inside
the mouth of the river Then he gives I'm
detail some messages on the strength Of
which the landing was ordered by him.
/ They are as follows:
Il % a. iii.' -ids -S--<AuinlId dl heInpu, united
States steamer Newark: Part of branch
railway To Pao-Ting-Fu destroyed and
| three stations burned by Boxers last even
| ing. Destruction of main line TO Peking
feared. Workshops and godown at second
station from Peking already destroyed
| Boxers are In control Station deserted by
agents and employees. Viceroy promises TO
send troops tomorrow morning. but we
have grave doubts OF their reliability
| There is great uneasiness among foreign
ers here, and the situation never before
looked so serious. Can you land force OF
marines at once with Maxim or quick
| firing guns? IL so. please bring by rail; IL
| otherwise. by river.-G. ". Ragsdale
United States consul, Tien-Tsin''
- p. m, June 4.-From United States
| consul, Tien-Tsin: Telephone message re-
ceived this morning saying that Huang-
| Tsun. railway station on Chinese line be-
| tween Tien-Tsin and Pekine. burned 10 the