Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-30
BETSY, THE INTERNATIONAL
GUN, IN THE BOXER SIEGE
American Gunner Saved the Day for the Allies When
He Rugged Up Rusty English Cannon Barrel

TN these DAYS of worldwide con-

IN these days of worldwide con-
ffict, when big guns of apparently
perfect workmanship are accept
ed by governments only after the Sc
verest tests, it is encouraging to
know that in times of special stress
it may be possible for even an anna
teur gunmaker to contrive an eff
cient weapon for defense.
During the now historic siege of
Peking, which lasted from June 20
until August IA, 1900, the foreigners
besieged in and around the British
legation suffered for lack of any
heavy guns.
! Their munition supply consisted of
rifles, two machine guns and an Ital-
ian one-pounder cannon. These had
been brought into the legation quar-
ters by a small band of allied mar
ines rushed from Fort Taku to Pc
king, a few days before actual siege
| OF the legations was begun.
| In their haste to obey orders, the
Russian marines brought, shells, but
| left their cannon behind and these
| shells, so useless in themselves,
seemed only to aggravate the power
ty of the situation.
! After June 23 the Chinese mount
! ed several big guns on the city walls
and hastily erected scaffoldings, and
| began firing upon the besieged for
eigners. Had their craftsmanship
been anything but the poorest, the
! first few hours would have ended the
fight, for there was only the tiny one
FOUNDER to talk back" and this
| fact the Chinese soon discovered.
Chinese Gun Fire Told
However, enough shells hurled
even in "hit-and- miss" fashion to-
ward a stationary mark will do an
immense amount of damage. Day
by day, after the Chinese opened
rines and civilian volunteers drew
closer around and into the British
legation itself. The French and Ger
man legation quarters, which formed
F, part of the Gordon, suffered heavily
from bombardment: many marines
were killed, and several buildings
within the British legation lines
were partially or wholly demolished.
1t was in this desperate hour that
Mitchell a young American gunner
"a hardy little chap, with never
say die" CLINT in his blue eyes-an-
nounced: 81 can make q gun to fire
at them pesky Chinamen." There
was already an old Italian gun car
riage on the ground. and Mitchell
proceeded to make the gun barrel
by wrapping a piece of brass piping
with heavy wire, but the siege au-
thorities. fearing that this makeshift
gun would explode. forbade him the
privilege of using it. Thereupon
Mitchell sat down beside his creation
in the depths of chagrin and dis
appointment. and was sitting thus
when a Chinese boy passed by. Spy
ing Mitchell and his discarded in
vention, the boy cried out. IT can get
IL can get--like that" and rushed
eXcitedly away.
A few moments later he returned
with two other Chinese boys, drag
ging between them an old rusty can
non barrel, which they had found in
a Chinese junk shop included within
the lines still held by the besieged.
Assembling the Big Gun
This cannon barrel proved to be
of English make. and had been used
by the English in the Tai-Ping re-
bellion of 1S60-1864.
Mitchell was oVerJoyed with the
Chinese boys find" and proceeded
at once to make his big gun.
The gun barrel was mounted on
the old gun carriage and bound
there with wires and heavy ropes.
To avoid a very possible disastrous
explosion, the military authorities
ordered Mitchell to take his gun
outside OF the big legation gate for
a first trial. Mitchell did so. and it
was decided to train the new gun
on the base of a high scaffolding
which supported one of the enemy's
cannon some distance away
Mitchell had named his gun Betsy,
and Betsy was n queer looking con-
trivance os IL stood poised ready to
shoot at one or both ends or burst
in the middle no one knew which,
It's rusty old English body strapped
to the italian gun carriage was as