The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-28
FEARED TO FIRE
ON OLD GLORY
War Between China and United
States PeriIously Close a
Few Weeks Ago.

MANILA, June la dry military re-
port soundly snoozing somewhere IN
army headquarters at Manila tells of
one of the exciting events in the pres
ent occupation of the Picking Tientsin
Railway and adjacent territory by the
1900 European, American and Jap
anese troops stationed there because of
the strained present situation. 1t is
the report of Lieutenant Colonel james
NJ. Arrasmith, 18th U. S. Infantry,
which tells how war averted by hair s
breadth on March 3.
Things broke loose with bang when
Yuan ,Shih-Kai 8 own troops began to-
loot and burn in the capital city Of
Picking on the night of March /. The
American and all other foreign troops
stationed at Tientsin so miles south
were on the qui vive but they were
not called upon. Tuesday passed off
quietly. Night came on with Tientsin
as quiet as usual. But at $3.50 footing
and firing began in the native city of
Tientsin, and an hour later the Amer
lean forces were galvanized into action
by the receipt of rush telegram from
Minister Calhoun in Picking, calling for
two hundred American troops fully
equipped. The wire said " Urgent.
In the remarkable time of an hour
and half Lieutenant oione Arrasmith
commanding the 18th Infantry in China
at that time, had 239 men aboard a
special train, fully equipped with $780,
600 rounds of ammunition, 10 days ra-
tons, machine guns and mules, horses,
tents and two wagons Then delay
ensued, as word was brought in that a
large Chinese force had gathered at
Fengta1, seven miles below Picking, to
oppose the passage of the American
forces, and Colonel Arrasmith decided
to wait so as to reach the disputed point
at daylight
At three clock in the morning the
command moved out for the relief OF
Picking. Portions of Tientsin were al
ready in flames. The city was in charge
of the British and Russian troops prin
cipally. AS our boys steamed from the
station the sky was fercely aglow be
hind them. Ahead was darkness anC
grim uncertainty.
Reaching Fengtai at dawn the small
American force found $500 Chinese
troops under General Chang opposing
their advance. Deployed along tn,
track were so men of the British Som
ersets. but they had no intention of 90
ing into action. The Chinese wer,
thrown on both sides of the tracks, ant
above the troop train less than one hun
drei yards in advance were six deadl.
machine guns on bridge.
The situation was ticklish but Col
onel Arrasmith had his orders to ge
into Picking to the relief of the Amer
lean legation, and nothing is so sacre,
as orders to soldier of his type, VIII
has spent forty years in active arm
service. To Peking he would go, fgh
or no fight.
A fiat car was coupled ahead of tn
engine and on it the Colonel place
Lieutenant Charles l.. Sampson and tn
twenty one men of his regimental ma
chine gun platoon. Then in plai
view of the hostile Chinese commando
and his armed rabble the regiments
colors and the American flag in all 1t
glory were hoisted aloft on the fiat ca
A murmur of dismay came from tn
NnlHtSe. uVy huGW IHdI IL Htdh
war to FIRE upon that flag. Privat
Frank E. Epley, Co. A and Privat
James A. McDonough, Co. D, voluI
teered to run the engine as firema
and engineer respectively, the Chimes
crew having fled.
The order to go ahead was givel
Every man of the machine gun platoo
on the exposed fiat car stood read
for instant action. The men in tn
windows of the cars had their finger
ON the triggers of their rifles. On
shot from the Chinese would hav
whipped out the command Z" fire =
and the war would have been on.
The bell was rung, the drivers {
the engine began to turn, Old Glor
ahead futtered tauntingly. Not
Chinaman batted an eyelash. III
train moved on and was soon lol
from sight.
Upon reaching Picking at nine o'cloel
being delayed further on by blocl
ade, Colonel Arrasmith and his cor
mand found that they were the first I
the allies to reach the capital. In fac
the other foreign troops did not get i
to Peking until twelve hours later.
the Americans were returning IN the
ternOon they met some Of the allies jus
RplhB up
As. the legations and missions wei
safe after all, the trouble having bee
checked for the time being, Colon
ArrasInith turned over the command
the marine corps officer there who ha
800 mea with him. The entire alta
redounded greatly to the credit of IL
commanding officer who, as an old Il
dian fighter, considered il just a a ii
tie mornings exercise. Nevertheless
American stock went above par wit
the Europeans and nothing has happier
ed since to lower it.
The officers from Manila who aceon
panied Lieutenant Colonel Arrasmith Q
the trip were:
Major A. N. Stark, Medical Corpi
Captain Frank w. Rowell, eommandin
Co. "D"; LIST Lieut.. Emory S. Adam
commanding Co. "Bf'; LIST Lieut.. Hug
L. Walthall adiutant, commanding c,
"A"; list Lieut.. Charles l.. Sampson
Il q n