Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-27

Medal of Honor From United States
For Joseph A. Breckenridge, Who
First Scaled Chinese City's Walls
Decoration From China For Restor-
ing Stolen Chinese Book of Prayer.
Joseph Allen Breckenridge, late
private in the Ninth United States in
fantry and now prosperous young
farmer near Redwood, n. Y, has been
found worthy of honor by two ma
tons, the United States and China, for
his work during the Boxer outbreak of
1900, says correspondent of the
Washington Star Though the recog-
nitions seem tardy, neither of the gov
ernments are at fault in the matter,
for the ex-soldier himself because Of
his modesty has failed TO make reply
for several years to official cOmmuni-
cations touching the acts for which lie
is now to be given emblemS of heroic
doing and valuable service.
From his own government Brecken-
ridge is TO receive a medal of honor
for his intrepid daring at the great
battle of Tientsin, China, when he led
his regiment across the open plain be-
fore the walls of the city and was the
very first to climb the masonry and
bayonet flag bearer of the Boxer out
fit. 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.
Gilmore, also a private in Il company,
was at Breckenridge's side, and soon
the whole second battalion of the gal
liant regiment was engaged in hand
to hand encounter with the fierce ia
naticS upon the mud wall. A Chinese
sword pierced the coat of the hero, and
two rifle balls plowed through his cam
paign hat, but the young man was I'M
injured and fought like a lion through
that terrible half hour upon the wall,
after which from sheer exhaustion he
fell and was carried to the rear by his
comrades.
Among others who witnessed the he
roic presence of the young American
was Colonel 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 of 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 de-
partment has been trying to locate
breckenridge. He received his dis
charge from the service i'll China, cash
ed his finals in Manila and was com
pletely lost sight of so far as the army
was concerned. Returning to the Unit
ed States he sought no notoriety, but
went at once to farming with his wild
owed 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 ii.
China. her reputation for exclusive
ness and nonintercourse notwithstand-
ing, has also decided to reward in a
measure this young man. even though
he was among those foreign devils who
blew her superstition to the winds and
opened up the way into the sacred pre-
cincts of the Forbidden City. But it is
not for any act of war in this case that
Breckenridge is to be honored, though
in Chinese eyes he performed a service
that entities him to an exalted place in
the land of spirits.
Although Breckenridge received his
discharge at Tientsin, he followed the
Ninth upon that fearful march to the
relief of the legations at the capital
and was with his regiment when it
entered the Forbidden City and looked
into the holy apartments of the emper- /
or and empress. Breckenridge saw that
some of the foreign soldiers who were
proving about the imperial buildings
were carrying away with them many
priceless articles, and this in spite of a
general order which had been signed ,
by the various commanders prohibiting
under pain of death any looting within
the walls of either the imperial or For
hidden cities. The American soldiers
were not engaged I'm this looting, for the
regiment was marched in and out again
in regular formation. Company NJ was
placed on guard. with First Lieutenant
John Schoeffel as specially detailed TO |
look after the belongings of the i'm
perial household and the chamber of |
writings" in which was kept |
that priceless book of Chinese antiquity, |
1.-The High Word of Our Ancestors"
called the "Holy History Of |
Ancestral Worship
Lieutenant Schoeffel knew Brecken |
ridge well, and, although the latter |
was no longer In the service, he de- |
tailed him to keep extra watch at the |
entrance to the chamber of sacred |
writings and to allow no one, with |
the exception of officers of the allied |
forces, to enter The soldier was given |
4 rifle and bayonet with which to en- |
force this order, which he did so we'll |