The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-04

babes in their arms wept at the joy of
being saved. And after we had marched
in they brought us ice water and made
US as comfortable as they could. Their
SufferingS there must have been awful,
for they consumed the flesh of ever SO
many horses and mules. and it was only
question of few days when even
that would have given out
"That night we camped outside the
legation walls, and the next morning
were ordered to take the four gates Of
the imperial city, where the empress
and officials reside and where the gov
eminent buildings are located. We
took the first three after much hard
lighting and after being exposed to a
cruel fire from the enemy. AT this time,
for some reason never known to the
Americans, the commander of the allied
forces ordered US back. 1t was during
this that Major Riley was killed while
was considered the finest artillery Off
Ger in the United States army, and was
certainly a brave man.
THE rest of the time we put in doing
garrison duty around the legations.
When we were leaving Pekin several
months later we We're escorted outside
of the city by the third squadron of
the Sixth cavalry, Riley's battery, Gen
Wilson and staff the battery firing
national salute in honor of the Four
teenth."
The regiment returned to Manila on
sailed for America in time to arrive at
San Francisco July 81 On the way
General Arthur Macarthur was picked
up at Yokohama, Japan, and it acted
as his escort for the remainder of the
trip home. Tasker speaks very highly
of the conduct of the American soldier
in the Orient. He says that beyond
doubt they were the best fighters of
any of the allied forces. He says that
when they marched out of Pekin it was
regretted generally by the Chinese of
that city, whom they had protected.
The success of the regiment he says is
largely due to the way in which Col.
Aaron Daggett and Lieut.. Col. Quinton
handled the men,
The Fourteenth since returning to the
states has seen some distinguished
service. Companies l and L guarded
the Milburn house during the mortal
illness and the death of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley, and four sergeants ac
companled the body to Washington A
detachment of company c has been on
duty around the Mckinley vault at
Canton, Ohio, portion of the time
since then
Ennis Brown, of company G, and Ser
geant Barrett, now of the Thirtieth in
fantry, in the Philippines, are two other
Topeka boys who went through the Chi
neSe campaign. Clinton Graham a St
Marys boy, also enlisted in the same
regiment, company c. In the fight al
Yang Tsan shell which the Russian
artillery threw by mistake into a group
of American soldiers burst, inf1icting
such wounds upon Graham to result
in his death a few days later He was
a brother of Lewis Graham clerk in
the pension office here. Private Tasker
brought with him some of the personal
effects of young Graham.
Tasker has until about the first of
April to complete his term of enlist
ment, at the end of which time he ex-
poets to return with enthusiasm to the
arts of peace. The hardship of army
life in the Orient has told on him per-
ceptibly, and he says it has broken the
health of a great many men who went
through the Chinese campaign. He is,
however, proud of the part which he
has taken. and says he would go again
if the call were to come to him.