Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-14
TWO NATIONS HONOR
United States Private Given
EmbIems of Heroic Service.
LED REGIMENT AT TEN TSIN
Worthy of Place Among the Immor-
tails in Chinese Eyes.
CHAMBER OF SACRED WRITINGS
Joseph Allen Breckenridge Modestly
Cashes His Finals and Buys Home
for His Mother.
CHAMBER OF SACRED WRITINGS

vate in the 9th United States Infantry, and
now prosperous young farmer of this sec
ton, has been found worthy of honor by
two nations, the United States and China,
for his work during the Boxer outbreak of
1900. Though the recognitions seem tardy.
neither of the governments are at fault in
| the matter for the ex-soldier himself be-
cause of his modesty, has failed to make
reply for several years to official communi-
cations touching the acts for which he is
| now to be given enblems of heroic doing
and valuable service.
From his own government Breckenridge
Is to receive a medal of honor for his in
trepid daring at the great battle of Tien
Tstn. China, when he led his regiment
across the open plain before the walls of
the city. and was the very first to climb the
masonry and bayonet a fag-bearer of the
Boxer outfit. His act was watched by
| thousands of brave men of many nations
and cheer went up from his comrades OF
the Ninth. In another minute John j. Gil
more, also private in b company, was at
Breckenridge's side. and soon the whole
second battalion of the gallant regiment
was engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter
with the fierce fanatics upon the mud wall.
A Chinese sword pierced the coat of the
hero, and two rife balls ploughed through
his campaign hat. but the young man was
uninjured and fought like a lion through
tIfaI teTTlDle ndlI-flOur upon the wall, aItSr
which, from sheer exhaustion, he fell and
was carried to the rear by his comrades.
Incident Reported.
Among others who witnessed the heroic
| presence of the young American was Col
onel LeGrand. the French chief-of-staff,
and this officer reported the incident in his
account of the fight to his government. and
to this mention is due the fact that the
United States is now about to recognize one
or the most noteworthy acts in a campaign
filled with heroic deeds and daring exam
pies.
That even extraordinary acts are quickly
forgotten and heroes soon lost sight of, Is
evidenced by the fact that for more than
three years the war department has been
trying to locate Breckenridge. He received
his discharge from the service in China,
cashed his finals In Manila, and was COM
pletely lost sight of so far as the army was
concerned. Returning to the United States,
ne sought no notoriety, but went at once
to farming with his widowed mother and
has done nothing else since. In a few days
he will receive the medal of honor and his
friends and neighbors purpose making a
gala affair of 1t.
Entitled to Exalted Place.
China. her reputation for exciusiveness
| and non-intercourss Notwithstanding, has
| also decided to reward in a measure this
| young man. even though he was among
| those foreign devils who blew her supersti-
| ton to the winds and opened up the way
| into the sacred precincts of the Forbidden
| City. But Ii is not for any act of war in
| this case that Breckenridge is to be honor
| ed. though in Chinese eyes he performed
| a service that entities him to an exalted
| place In the land of spirits.
Although Breckenridge received his dis
| charge at Tien Tsfn, he followed the Ninth
| upon that fearful march to the relief Of
the legations at the capital. and was with
| his regiment when 1t entered the Forbidden
| City. and looked into the holy apartments
| of the emperor and empress. Breckenridge
| saw that some of the foreign soldiers who
| were prowling about the imperial buildings
| were carrying away with them many price
| less articles, and this In spite OF a general
| order which had been signed by the various
| commanders prohibiting under pain Of
| death any footing within the walls of
| either the imperial OF Forbidden cities. The
American soldiers were not engaged in
| this footing. for the regiment was marched
in and out again in regular formation.
| Company M was placed on guard with
| First Lieutenant John Schoeffel as speci-
| ally detailed to look after the belongings
| of the imperial household and the Cham
| Der of Sacred Writings." In which was
kept that priceless book of Chinese an
| tiquity. The High Word of Our Ances-
| tors" sometimes called the Holy History
| of Ancestral Worship
Detailed to Watch.
| Lieutenant schoeffeI knew Breckenridge
well and. although the latter was no
| longer In the service. he detailed him TO
| keep extra watch at the entrance to the
! Chamber of Sacred Writings and to
allow no one with the exception of officers
| o. the allied forces to enter. The soldier
| was given a rifle and bayonet with which
| to enforce this order; which he did we'll
! that on the following morning not an ar
| ticle had been disturbed In the chamber.
| However, Just about dusk Breckenridge
| was approached by three Japanese officers
| who exhibited an order purporting to be Is
| sued by the general consent of the foreign
| commanders for the removal of the sacred
| book. One OF the officers of the rank
| of colonel. and Breckenridge did not ques-
| ton his authority. The Japanese wrapped
| a heavy piece of silk about the book and.
! che of them putting 1t upon his shoulder,
| departed Brecken ridge remained at his
pest to keep guard upon the remaining
| articles within the room, never suspecting
that the supposed order was a fake and
| forgery which 1t turned out to be, and the
| men. not Japanese officers at all, but de-
| termined Chinese hooters in japanese mil
| itary garb
Volunteered His Services.
AS soon as the theft of the book was made
| Known at the various army Headquarters
| searching parties were sent out. and orders
1 issued to all officers UP and down the Peiho
| and at Taku. Tien Tsin and Shanghaikwan,
TO be on the lookout for the precious article.
| Breckenridge was called before the gener-
| ais. and gave as good a description as pos
sible OF the men who posed as Japanese
| officers and carried away the book He also
! volunteered his services to search for It.
and without compensation of any kind feel
| ing deeply the fact of his being duped by a
| trio of Chinese robbers.
The generals gladly accepted his services
| and exonerated him from all blame Lieut.
| Schoeffel said that he himself would very
| likely have given the great book over TO the
men upon the production of the order
| Breckenridge said that the order was
! signed BY several officers whose signatures
! were familiar 10 him. and that the body
| Of It was In French and English, like all
orders that were Issued In the name of the
| allies. This caused those who were in
| quest of the book 10 believe that others
| besides the Chinese were parties TO its taxi
| ing away; and this assumption turned out
| to be the correct one. The additional fact
1 that the robbers wore the uniform of Japa-
| nese officers gave clue which pointed IN
| the direction of that army: and Marshal
| Yamagata was forced to believe with
| shame. as he put II. that some OF his Of
| fcers were engaged in the high-haDeied