The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-06-28
Henry Savage Lander Tells q Spirited
Story of the Battle of Yangtsun.

Henry Savage n Tells q Spirited
Story of the Battle of Yangtsun.
That American soldiers upheld the hon
or Of the stars and stripes in European
eyes during the Chinese campaign we
have KNOWN. bus It is pleasant to hear of
it III detail from the lips of an English
observer. Many instances of conspicuous
American bravery appear in the pages of
A. Henry Savage Landor's "China and
the Allies" just published by the Scrib-
ners, and here is one that is inspiring
reading. 1t is the story Of the Battle Of
Yangtsun, on the road to Pekin. MI. Ian
dor writes:
"At about 1900 yards the line began to
deploy with no very great opposition and
in comparative sa1eiy, as there was fair
cover from trees, fluctuations in the
at 900 yards the advance became very
slow, and was made under a terrific fire
with no cover at all. The wedge formed
by the embankment Of the road and that
Of the railway becomes gradually narrow
er land eventually forms a point at its
that the First Sikhs and the Twenty
fourth Punjab infantry were forced for
ward in dose formation, with X and NJ
| companies Of the Fourteenth United
States infantry by their side.
The First sikhS advanced a; well until It'll
| llCN 1Oulu 10 Ill u \
preston where they got penned in and
were exposed to very heavy fire. They
held fast to their position. while the
Americans came along in skirmishing Or
der. The Fourteenth, which was ahead,
when coming round the bend in the road,
the Chinese had placed on the embank-
ment near the water-tower. and also
| from the rifles Of the Chinese infantry
men in houses and behind trees.
"The Chinese. furthermore. were lining
the whole parapet of the station plat-
form, whence they kept up a hot fusil-
lade. Their forces consisted of imperial
troops in the center and well-armed Box
ers at the sides.
'The Russians. advancing from the
same direction. fred volley after volley
into the Chinese, and, having brought up
great1effect.
"The Sikhs were for one moment under
such heavy fire that they could not ad-
vance. Those few of the Americans who
We're not exhausted BY fatigue and the
terrible heat, were ordered by Col. Dag
whitening fire from front and flank, to
rush the Chinese position. A handful of
them led by brave Lieut.. Murphy of the
Fourteenth and a handful Of plucky
Sikhs. with Mai. Scott at their head,
stormed the .embanNment. the Chinese
| AuiluiNS AOL ucAi AIlc Ut their iDDrOdcQ.
Lieut.. Murphy was the first to reach
the position where the Chinese gun had
been; then. a second later, came Scott
with six Sinks. Capt. Martin, with six
men Of Co. M u. S. infantry and one
man of CO. I, arrived next. The Chinese
were very smart, and dragged away their
battery when the enemy was only 300
yards off.
1T was very gratifying to hear Capt.
Martin speak in most glowing terms of
the behavior Of the Sikhs on this occa-
sion, and one annot find words sufficient
to express ones admiration for such men
as Lieut.: Murphy, Capt. Martin and Mai.
Scott, whose feat on that occasion spoke
for itself.
$50 narrow was the wedge when the
Americans passed the Sikhs that they ac-
tually formed two single lines. When
double time was ordered the Americans
were SO much exhausted from the long
at II a. m.-and hunger and thirst, that
many dropped on all sides and became de-
lirious, or went clean out of their minds.
1T was understood that, although wells
had been passed, the American general
had given strict orders that the men
fellows suffered agonies from the unbear-
able heat and dust. and the broiling sun;
one soldier particularly. who had become
a raving %lunatic. with his tongue parched
and frightfully distorted features, was
making gestures to his companions to
shoot him because he could bear the pain
no longer.
"Once the enemy dislodged from the
high embankment the victory became
easy. Capt. Taylor of Co. I. Fourteenth
United States infantry. was the first Of
the allies to enter the village to the left,
ard Col. Daggett reached the platform
just in time to see the Chinese withdraw
in good order up the river =.
Pretty Poem, Ugly Tablet. >