Evening star., 1901-06-20
Harmless Cinnamon Butchered Wan
tonly by Troops
AFTER TEE CAPTURE OF PEKIN
Gen. Chaffee Condemns Generally
Unprovoked Shooting.
THE AMERICANS RESTRAINED

The report of Maj. Gen. Chaffee on the
campaign in China is being prepared for
publication at the War Department.
Among other matters 1t contains special
reports on the Russian. Japanese, French,
German and British troops; also reports on
equipment. supplies, etc. of foreign troops
and reports on different expeditions.
These reports were made by United States
officers and. from a military point of view,
are Of considerable interest, but nearly all
the main facts have heretofore been pub
lished Some Of General Chafrees COM
ments are interesting. At one point he
says:
For about three weeks following the ar
rival Of the relief column at Pekin the con-
dition in and about the city and along the
line OF communication was bad. Looting Of
the city, uncontrolled foraging in the sur
rounding country and seizure by soldiers of
everything Chinaman might have, as
vegetables. chickens. sheep. cattle, &c,
whether being brought to the city or found
on the farm; indiscriminate and generally
unprovoked shooting of Chinese in CITY,
country and along the line of march and
the river-all this did not tend as was
natural to gain for the troops the conf
dence of the masses, with whom it is GER
tain we have no quarrel, but were In need
Of their labor.
''It is safe to say that where one real
Boxer has been killed since the capture Of
Pekin fifty harmless coolies or laborers on
Farms. including not a few women and chill
dren. have been slain. No doubt the Boxer
element is largely mixed with the mass of
population. and by Staying a lot one or
more Boxers might be taken In
General Chaffee speaks of the restraint
he placed upon American troops. The
Japanese commander also made 1t known
that general war on all classes was not
intended.
General Chaffee says he opposed enter
ing the forbidden city unless looting was
prohibited.
This was agreed to, and he thinks but
little looting has been done there though
articles have been offered for sale said to
nave been taken from the forbidden city.
Damage to Chinese Chrfstfans.
E. G. Tewsbury Of the Congregational
Missionary Society furnishes General Chat
fee the following list of damages done by
the Boxers to Chinese Christians or adj
herents Of the American congregational
mission as basis Of settlement: Number
killed. 1855; houses destroyed, 1874; money
49, taels; land formerly occupied by
mlsslonaries. 96 acres; chapels, 10; ceme-
Maj. w. E. Craighill. reporting on the
Russian soldiers. says: The information
gained of the Russian forces was meager
and unsatisfactory. reply was made by
them to your request for a statement Of
the location and character of their force
at present in orth China in connection with
the relief expedition
He speaks Of the excellent discipline of
the troops. but says their rations were of
the simplest kind. They were industrious
foragers.' he adds. They used no tentage,
but lived in huts made of native mating.
The Patriotic Japanese.
Maj. Charles H. Muir describes the jap
anese troops in detail. and concludes by
saying: He receives almost no pay, but
Is actuated by intense patriotism.
If Japan can keep the armament and
equipment on par with her soldiers, she
is a most formidable ally and a most for
midable enemy.
Maj. w. E. Craighill reports upon the
French soldiers as to arms, supplies etc,
but his comments, like nearly all others ara
omitted from the publication being repre-
sented by rows of asterisks.
Lieutenant Colonel ]. T. Dickinson re-
ports upon the Germans. He says the Ger
man officers are well educated and the
troops under good discipline.
British Discipline Excellent.
The same officer reports upon the British
troops. He speaks OF the pain-staking de-
tail in the mobilization and dispatch of
the expeditionary force. The discipline of
the troops is excellent He also speaks in
high terms Of the Indian regiments
Maj. w. B. Bannister reports upon the
medical departments Of the allied armies.
One interesting fact pointed out is that
treated in the same field hospital but sep
arate hospitals are provided.
The Japanese and German medical de-
DartmentS are commended