Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-02

though few, took a leading part IN the
81 operations of
Take Leading Part the allies
Against the Boxers. E F. Ger,
mans, Russians and japanese. They
managed to take first place wherever
chance allowed. and. moreover, it was
largely owing to the United States ma
rine guard at Picking that the foreigners
there lived to benefit from the relief ex-
petition.
The marines in Picking under the COM
mand of Capt Myers and Hall held the
key of safety. and they held 1t by fight
ing, on occasions. forty-eight hours at
stretch against an overwhelming enemy
Had they been beaten back from their
post upon the city wall it is more than
likely that the massacre of all the for
eigners would have been accomplished.
There were only ffty-siX men in the
legation guard, but throughout the siege
they proved themselves a match for the
hordeS of the enemy. In the beginning
twice driven from their position, Capt.
Myers led an assault upon the opposing
barricade from which the Chinese were
making the American post untenable.
This attack was successful and the ma
rtnes held the captured barricades
throughout the terrible siege until broth
err marines and soldiers with the allies
scaled the walls nearly three months
later.
In the course of the siege one of the
marine gunners made three-pound can
non out of junk. which he was able to
use effectively. firing nails. melted pew
ter ware and such other metal scraps
as came to hand.
Maj. l.. W. T. Waller with eight off,
GERS and 1872 marines, led the first Amer
lean force to
Join the Allies at coop e rate
Tientsin and Peking. WV, m,sn 81, .ne a.. a..
relief of Tientsin and Picking. Several
miles out of Tientsin he joined with a
Russian force of 400 men The Russian
commanding officer decided to push on
to Tientsin next morning without wait
ing for reinforcements. To this the
American commander objected that their
combined strength was insufficient to
meet the thousands Of Chinese soldiers
between them and the beleaguered city.
He was overruled. and the small COL
umn advanced next day, led by marine
officer in command OF Colt gun and
gun crew.
Just withut Tientsin they encountered
1000 intrenched Chinese The marines
deployed and returned the fire of the
enemy. The Russians fell back about
half mile. Here. too. the marine gave
evidence of his talent as fighter The
lieutenant lin command of the Colt gun
Kept working the piece unaided after all
OF the guns crew had been shot down
and until 1t damned and refused further
service. About this time the Russian
commander sent word that they would
retreat four miles behind their bivouac
of the night before.
Notwithstanding their protest the ma
rines were the last to leave the field.
They retreated slowly. keeping up con-
| tinual fight with vastly superior foe
They reached their base late in the after
noon. after having marched thirty miles
| and fought for more than five hours.
In the week of action which preceded
| the capture of Tientsin by the allies, the
American ma
Twice at the Head rines succeeded
Of Storming Force. sn,ono oms "a ;. son IL
nearly every engagement Twice they
led storming attacks by the British. and
ELECTED warm compliments from the COM
manding British officer for their dash and
tenacity in fighting. Their efficiency in
this weeks campaign was thus tersely
summed up By their commander in his
report:
Our men have marched ninety-seven