The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-21
SAW SERVICE in CHINA
HARRY HELFRICH, AN INDIANAPO-
LIS BOY, NOW AT HOME.
He Was with the Ninth Infantry and
Tells "A Graphic story of Soldier
ing i'm the Orient.

after serving three years with the Ninth
They spent most Of their time in
the Philippines. in the Island Of Samar,
but one year Of their enlistment was spent
in China They were present at the battle
of Tien-Tsin and also at the siege of Pc
king They also participated in other en-
gagements on Chinese soil. Helfrichs dis
charge papers show that ne took part in
twenty-three battles in the Philippines and
in China. Prue was engaged in twenty-five
battles.
Helfrich was a member of Company d,
while Prue was a member of Company G.
Helfrich left Indianapolis on March 4. 1899,
and landed in Manila April IS OF the same
year. He remained in the capital for two
weeks. when his regiment was ordered
north in order to make room for incoming
troops. His regiment was actively engaged,
he said, until June % Of the following year,
when the men received orders to make
ready to join the allies on their march to
the relief of Picking. Hefrich says his
company was far in the northern part of
the Philippines at the time the orders came.
When the men started south all the rivers
were swollen from the heavy rains, and
the men had to swim nearly all of them.
The company arrived at Manila several
days later. There they boarded the trans
port Logan. which conveyed them to Ma
gasak, arriving there on July l. From
Taku they marched to Tien-Tsin and ar
rived on July at about IL o'clock. About
4:30 o'clock on the following morning they
were attacked by the Chinese. He said no
one knows how many Chinese were en-
gagged, but it was estimated by the officers
of the allied army that there were at least
$1,000. The allied army in this engagement
was composed of the Japanese, Russian,
French and American armies. The German
soldiers, he said. did not take part In the
nShtlng, out were content 10 watch the
railroad station. The total number of allies
taking part was $500. Mr.. Helfrich says
that at the battle of Tien-Tsin the WORK
of the japanese soldiers was OF such a
character as TO astound the soldiers Of
other nations The little Orientals he said
were utterly devoid Of fear. The battle
ragged all day of July until the next morn
ing at O'Clock, when the Boxers were
forced 10 retreat.
EXAMPLE OF BRAVERY.
The daring of the Japanese was shown.
he said. when the big gate at T1en-Tsin
was blown open. The lyddite guns of the
British and the naval guns of the Ameri-
cans could make no impression on the big
gate. The officers then attempted to blow
open the gate with the use of gun cotton
He said his company was but few hun
dred yards away when the attempts were
made. Long lines of wire were run up 20
the gate and fastened TO the cotton. Each
time charge of electricity was sent
through the wires the cotton would fail TO
explode. as ii would be found that the Chi
neses had cut the wires. The Chinese were
hidden behind trenches inside moat and
were safe from the fire of the allies. Each
time a soldier OF the European army re-
placed the wire be would be shot down by
the Chinese. This lasted for nearly half a
day, when q little japanese came running
up to the officer in charge and said that in
would be better for one mans life TO be
sacrificed than 100, and If he were given
permission he would go up to the gate
and set fire TO the cotton. He was told to
go ahead by the commanding officer. and
ne placed match to the cotton. Instantly
dense cloud OF smoke The soldiers rushed
forward and found the gate blown Town
but no trace of the brave little japanese
could be seen. Not even the buttons of his
clothes could be found
After the allied-army entered the city of
Tien-Tsln HelfriCh said the American SOL
olers were quartered in the mint and arse
nal- In the latter place they found thou
sands OF Macklin rifles that had never been
used These. he said, had been sold to the
Chinese by the Germans. In the mint there
were piles of silver bullion said to be worth
s9OOO.OOJ There were also several Krunn
guns in the arsenal and thousands of
rounds OF ammunition. He said the Ameri-
cans spent several days in Tien-Tsin bury
ing their dead and getting a water supply
The latter. he said, was very diffcult 70
obtain in China, and in the marches he
saw soldiers drop TO their knees from ex-
nauStlon, their tongues swollen so they
could not speak and with their ewes d.
lated. They presented a CHASTITY appear
ance.
On Aug 4 the troops started ON the march
Oh.
miles outside of Tien-Tsin they were again
confronted by a long line of intrenched
Boxers. The trenches were about five feet
high. and along the top were lonphoIes
which afforded the Chinese opportunities TO
shoot. Alongside the trenches were noats
about five feet deep and about four feet
wide. In this last attack the japanese
were in the lead when the expedition
started. and were therefore the first to
catch the fire of bullets from the Boxers
Nearly two hundred Japanese were killed
I'm this engagement. This battle lasted for
several hours, and the allies would have
had to retreat had il not been for the ar
rival of the artillery pieces, which came
up and tore the trenches TO piece The
troops continued the march. and when thew
arrived back of the trenches they found
many hundred Chinese that had been
slaughtered by the rifle fire and also from
the artillery.
AMERICANS IN THE LEAD.
When the march was again resumed to
American army to take the lead. as each
nation had its day in taking the lead dur
ing the expedition. They had marched near
ly to the Pei-Ho river. he said when they
were again attacked by the Chinese. This
battle was fought with vigor until they al
most reached the outer wall Of Peking.
He said the armies had their allotted time
in which to reach the city. but the Ameri-
cans reached il about half an hour before
their time The British and Russian SOL
diers saw the men moving about on the
outer wall, and. not recognizing them. be-
gan to shoot Many of the Fourteenth In
fantry were killed by this fire. and had il
X, who raised a small American flag the
slaughter would have been greater On the
Sth of August at five minutes to II o'clock
they reached the south gate of the outer
wall at Picking and attempted an entrance
Helfrich said they met with little resist j.
ance and walked on the inside OF the outer
wall TO the sluice gate. which is near the
gate that gives entrance TO the Purple or
Imperial City Here there was another
struggle, and in this engagement they were
assisted by the marines from the legation
under command of Captain Reilly. who
met his death at this place. Hefrich says
TOO much praise cannot be given the
marines. and especially Captain Reilly. for
their work in protecting the legations. 4
day later the soldiers marched into the
Imperial City and rescued the missionaries.
Helfrich said the American soldiers were
about the only ones that did not take part
IN the looting. He said that prior to each
expedition the articles of war were read