The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-08-30
PRESENT CHINA
EVENTS RECALL
BOXER REVOLT.
Marines Did Brilliant
Service in Defense
By EARL GOODWIN

SO446uS SSCAu bL1G ulBIlbkuhIO u
the Chinese-Boxer rebellion Of 81
years ago when United States
forces Joined with the troops Of
other nations to relieve the lega-
tons in Pekin (now Peiping) in
one Of the most exciting military
occurrences of that time.
United States Marines played
a brilliant part in that episode,
and the aftermath Of that event
established a part at least Of the
present situation in which treaties
and agreements protected foreign
interests in China.
NATIONALIST MOVE
The Boxer rebellion was the up.
rising Of a nationalist movement
in China by q Chinese organiza-
ton bitterly opposed to foreign
intrusion. The word Boxers"
comes from fists" the Chinese
name for the society translated
literally means "the society OF
harmonious fists" which bears
with 1t the idea of calisthenicS,
but more deeply does it carry the
idea Of the old Chinese culture.
The Boxers had determined to
wipe out every foreign devil" and
ali their works-including Ameri-
can missionaries and the residents
of the legation quarter OF OLD
Pekin.
It was a sort of "back to old
China" movement, and it wreaked
havoc on the foreigners and the
Christianized Chinese in the IN
terror, and by 1900 the wave had
reached near the sea coast ana
was threatening Pekin.
Although the Chinese govern
ment had no official part in the
Boxer movement, there seems to
be evidence that Chinese officials
we're favorable to it, and that i'm
pressions prevails today in some
of the printed histories OF the &C.
currenceS.
CAUGHT IN TRAP
The United States had 4s
marines on guard at the Legation
in Pekin and sent for more.
Meantime a mixed force Of about
1000 troops and sailors OF half
a dozen nations started from
Tientsin on the coast to the relief
of the foreigners up country in
Pekin, but this force found itself
caught front and rear between
strong Boxer forces and had to be
relieved itself by forces rushed to
China by all the nations interested
including the United States.
During this time, with Pekin be-
sieeed by Boxers, the small force OF
Marines at one time had q long
section of wall surrounding the in.
ternational compound to defend
and were under constant fire. The
Boxers one night erected a high
tower right against the American
wall, from which they could have
picked off anyone in range. Ma
rires charged that tower with
nothing but pistols and rifles and
chased the Boxers SOC yards down
the wall and away from the danger
spots.
In time other Marines arrived
from the Philippines under Major
L, w, Waller, who, according to
Marine records, is no longer living.
This force, cooperating with other
nations forces, had to take Tent
sin first: and the battle to take
Tientsin became a major affair.
WORK WITH BRITISH
United States Marines COOP
Grated with a British outfit known
as the Welsh FuSilierS, and the fra
ternity then established between
the two outfits persist until this
day.
In that campaign two Marines
well known to Washington dis
tinguished themselves under fire.
One was Henry Leonard, now an
attorney here, who lost an arm
bringing in a wounded comrade
under fire. Another was Smedley
Butler, now brigadier general Of
Marines, retired, living near Phila-
delphia.
Lieut.. Leonard is a native Of
Capitol Hill, a Washingtonian
who Joined the Marines for the
Spanish War and was reap
pointed.
A third Washingtonian there
at that time was Lieut.. Freddy"
Wise.
After TentSin was reduced,
other American forces landed in
command Of General Chaffee and
the column fought its way to
Pekin. Marines had much of the
"shock troop" work to do in ad-
vance, at one time drying off a
considerable force Of B oxer
cavalry. It was late summer be-
fore the siege of Pekin was
raised and Americans were safe.
Pekin was entered by blowing
10 one Of the gates Of the city.
Raised by . she.Bear That Stole Her