Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-24
Camp Notes
Sergeant Darlington There.

An interesting individual connected
with the Camp is Sergeant William
Darlington, Sth Co., c. A. G., unat-
tached, detailed as Sergt. Instructor
Of the c. A. c. of the National Guard
Of the State of Maine, located at Port
land. Sergt. Darlington was detailed
to this camp to assist in drilling the
enlisted men. BY mere chance the
fact was learned that this soldier, who
wears the much coveted campaign rib
bons on his blouse, designating service
in two very important campaigns on
foreign soil, was one Of the soldiers
that scaled the great Pekin wall in
China, during the Boxer uprising in
1900. He was loath to talk great
deal about the affair but after a while
loosened up a bit and told a very in
teresting narrative Of the part played
by the U. S. troops in conjunction with
the allies consisting Of the Russians.
English, French, Japanese and the
United States.
Sergeant Darlington was a member
Of e Co. 14th U. S. infantry stationed
at the Quartet Mesic, Manila, Philip
pine Islands, when on July Is Of the
same year his Colonel received orders
to go to China, no time being lost in
getting under way and the transport
Indiana with the troops to that coun-
try made the landing at Taku, dis
from the Tong-ku Notifications at the
mouth Of the Pieu river. From there
they proceeded by train to Tien Sin,
which was already invested by troops
Of the allied forces. A few days prior
to the arrival Of the regiment, a de-
tachment Of the U. S. Infantry was
ambushed near the depot and Col. Lis
comb and several others were killed
and wounded. His regiment was later
on duty at Tien Sin as provost. Here
the town was utterly destroyed by the
lawless boxers. The 14th was in charge
Of the mint and many OF the men took
home souvenirs Of bullion and coins.
His story Of the wonderful things OBJ
served reads like a chapter from Stod-
dard's. On August 4th they camped
at Bei-tsang, 80 miles from Pekin and
here fought terrific battle that lasted
three hours and the way the Japs went
into the fray was something awful,
their stoicism when wounded by sever
ell shots, was phenomenal. Then they
started to fight their way to Pekin.
The last battle before reaching Pekin
was Of short duration. At the outer
walls Of Pekin they rushed across the
bridge. under fire. the entire regiment
succeeding in crossing without casual
ties. They then .traversed about 400
yards alongside the wall when Col.
Dagget, who, by the way. was Maine
man. asked his orderly, Musician CAL
win c. Titus. II he thought he could
scale the wall, Titus replying: "I'll
try 1t Sir" At this point the wall was
30 feet high and proved easy Of ascent,
Titus reaching the top of the wall in
i've minutes, followed by two officers
and several enlisted men. Sergt. OAR
r1ngton was the sixth man to reach the
top and while part way up the wall
was handed the colors, and about Is
minutes later the American colors were
planted. the first nag Of any Of the
allies to arrive. At the top Of the wall
they discovered that it had been shelled
previously and there were many dead
soldiers, likewise many live ones, who
were soon put 70 ropt. The next troops