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 BELEAGUERED IN 
 PEKING 
 
 1 
 
 THE BOXER'S WAR 
 AGAINST THE FOREIGNER 
 
 BY 
 
 ROBERT COLTMAN, JR., M.D. 
 
 Professor of Surgery in Imperial University; Professor of Anatomy, the Imperial Tung Wen Kuan; 
 
 Surgeon, Imperial Maritime Customs; Surgeon, Imperial Chinese Railways. 
 Author of "The Chinese, Their Present and Future : Medical, Political, and Social." 
 
 Jlltwtraten 
 Sebent; eebcn CDIjoto = <0n<jratrina0 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 F. A. DAVIS COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 
 
 1901
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1901 
 BY F. A. DAVIS COMPANY 
 
 pleasant jQSrinterp 
 
 J. HORACE MCFARLAND COMPANY 
 HARRISBURG PENNSYLVANIA
 
 PREFACE 
 
 IN the following pages I have endeavored to 
 give an accurate and comprehensive account 
 of the Siege in Peking and of the Boxer 
 movement that led up to it. 
 
 Authentic details furnished by representatives 
 of those legations whose work has been specially 
 mentioned have made possible a greater detail 
 in those cases. I regret that others who had 
 promised me accounts of their work have failed 
 to furnish the promised material. 
 
 The siege at Pei Tang or North Cathedral, 
 coincident with that of the legations and civil- 
 ians, is not described for the reason that we 
 were absolutely cut off from them for over sixty 
 days and knew nothing of their movements. 
 Much detail that might be interesting to many 
 I have been obliged to omit, as it would make 
 the book too cumbersome. 
 
 I make no claim for the book as a literary 
 effort, the object being to state the facts in the 
 clearest manner possible. The illustrations are
 
 iv PREFACE 
 
 from actual photographs, the authenticity of 
 which is absolutely proved, and these carefully 
 studied, add much to the information of the 
 volume.- 
 
 To my sixteen-year-old son, the youngest sol- 
 dier to shoulder a rifle during the siege, I am 
 indebted for much of the diary and great help 
 in copying. A considerable portion of the book 
 was written with bullets whistling about us as 
 we sat in the students' library building of the 
 English legation. 
 
 There are several men whose work entitles 
 them to decorations from all the countries rep- 
 resented in the siege, and their names will be 
 indelibly written in our memories even if the 
 powers and ministers concerned overlook them. 
 I refer to F. A. Gamewell, August Chamot, 
 Colonel Shiba, and Herbert G. Squiers. 
 
 ROBERT COLTMAN, JR., M.D. 
 PEKING, CHINA, September 10, 1900.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. Riot at Marco Polo Bridge Men Wounded by Captain 
 Norregaard Dr. Coltman Accompanies Governor Hu 
 as Special Commissioner to Investigate Anti - Foreign 
 Feeling Expressed by Generals of Tung Fu's Army 
 A Bargain with Prince Tuan i 
 
 II. Yu Hsien Appointed Governor of Shantung, Removed 
 by British Demands, Only to be Rewarded Yuanshih 
 Kai Succeeds Him Causes of Hatred of Converts by 
 People and Boxers The Boxers and Their Tenets 
 The Empress Consults Astrologers 31 
 
 III. Cables to America Describing Growth of Boxer Move- 
 
 ment from January to June, 1900 46 
 
 IV. Diary of the Author from June i to June 20 .... 62 
 
 V. Diaries of the Author and His Son from June 20 to 
 
 End of Siege 78 
 
 VI. Reflections, Incidents, and Memoranda Written During 
 
 Siege 143 
 
 VII. Work During Siege Done by Russians Work by Amer- 
 icans 167 
 
 VIII. Work Done by Staff of Imperial Maritime, Customs, and 
 
 British Legation Staff 190 
 
 IX. Work Done by Austro - Hungarians Mr. and Mrs. 
 
 Chamot 209 
 
 X. Edicts Issued by the Empress During Siege, with a 
 
 Few Comments Thereon 221 
 
 XI. Now What? 245 
 
 (v)
 
 Beleaguered in Peking 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 RIOT AT MARCO POLO BRIDGE MEN WOUNDED BY CAPTAIN 
 NORREGAARD DR. COLTMAN ACCOMPANIES GOVERNOR 
 HU AS SPECIAL COMMISSIONER TO INVESTIGATE ANTI- 
 FOREIGN FEELING EXPRESSED BT GENERALS OF TUNG 
 FU'S ARMY-A BARGAIN WITH PRINCE TUAN. 
 
 I 
 
 N the autumn of 
 in the month of Octo- 
 ber, very shortly after 
 the famous coup d'etat of 
 the Empress Dowager of 
 China, an event occurred 
 which may have been the 
 influence that shaped 
 after-events, or it may be 
 that this occurrence was 
 but the premature explo- 
 sion of a mine being pre- 
 pared by the Empress 
 and her evil advisers, 
 intended to shake the 
 civilized world at a later 
 date. I refer to the riot 
 at Lukouch'iao, known to the English-speaking 
 world as Marco Polo bridge, from its having 
 been accurately described by that early traveler. 
 
 A (0 
 
 The author in Chinese dress
 
 2 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 This place had curiously enough been chosen 
 as the northern terminus of the Hangkow-Peking 
 railway, although ten miles west of Peking, and 
 the road consequently is generally known as the 
 Lu Han railway. 
 
 The political history of the struggle between 
 the Russian, French and British diplomats in 
 Peking, with reference to obtaining the conces- 
 sion for, and the financing of, this road, is very 
 interesting, and would fill a book of its own; 
 but there is no reason why it should enter into 
 this narrative more than to state that finally the 
 Belgians, acting for Russia and France, obtained 
 the concession to build and finance this greatest 
 trunk line of China. 
 
 To connect this line with the existing Peking- 
 Tientsin railway, a short track was laid from 
 Fengtai, the second station south of Peking, to 
 Lukouch'iao, and a fine iron bridge built over 
 the Hum Ho or Muddy river, a few hundred 
 yards west of the original stone Marco Polo 
 bridge. This short connecting line is but three 
 miles in length, and is the property of the Peking- 
 Tientsin railway. 
 
 With this prelude, allow me to proceed with 
 the event with which I was somewhat closely 
 identified, and am able to speak of with knowl- 
 edge and accuracy. 
 
 On October 23 I was called to Fengtai to
 
 CALL TO FENGTAI 3 
 
 amputate the leg of a poor coolie, who had 
 been run over by the express train from Tien- 
 tsin; and after the operation partook of tiffin at 
 
 MARBLE BRIDGE LEADING TO "FORBIDDEN CITY" 
 
 A beautiful bridge, which would be a credit to any city. Marco 
 Polo, the great traveler, nearly a thousand years ago described a 
 similar bridge, thus showing how old is Chinese civilization com- 
 pared with our own. 
 
 the residence of A. G. Cox, resident engineer 
 of the Peking section of the Peking-Tientsin rail- 
 way. His other guests were Major Radcliffe, of 
 the Indian army service, on what is known as
 
 4 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 language-leave in China, and C. W. Campbell, 
 official interpreter of the British legation. 
 
 During the meal the newly completed iron 
 bridge was spoken of by Mr. Cox, and we were 
 all invited to accompany him after tiffin on a 
 trolley to inspect the bridge. This I was unable 
 to do, as a professional engagement in Peking in 
 the afternoon at four o'clock prevented. 
 
 The next morning I received the following tel- 
 egram, which should have been delivered the 
 night before ; but owing to the closing of the city 
 gates no attempt was made to deliver it : 
 
 " COMMAS, Peking : Come to Fengtai at once. Cox and Nor- 
 regaard both seriously wounded in riot at Lukouch'iao. 
 
 "KNOWLES." 
 
 I immediately rode in my cart to Machiapu, 
 the Peking terminus of the Peking-Tientsin rail- 
 way, and wired down to Fengtai for an engine to 
 come and take me down. 
 
 In an hour's time I reached Fengtai, and went 
 at once to the residence of Mr. Cox, to find both 
 himself and Captain Norregaard, the resident en- 
 gineer and builder of the bridge at Lukouch'iao, 
 with bandages about their heads, and a general 
 appearance of having been roughly used. Their 
 story of the riot was told me while I removed 
 the dressings, applied by my assistant, a native 
 medical student of the railway hospital at Feng- 
 tai, the day before.
 
 TROUBLE AT THE BRIDGE 5 
 
 x 
 
 Mr. Cox stated that he and his two guests had 
 gone shortly after tiffin on a trolley to Captain 
 Norregaard's residence, near the bridge, and hav- 
 ing added Norregaard to their party, proceeded 
 on foot to the bridge. Near the eastern entrance 
 stood a party of Kansu soldiers, numbering fifty or 
 more, who, upon the approach of the foreigners, 
 saluted them with offensive epithets, in which the 
 well-known "yang kuei tzu" or "foreign devil" 
 was frequently repeated. 
 
 Mr. Campbell, who spoke Chinese fluently, re- 
 monstrated with the men, and endeavored to have 
 them stand aside and allow the party to cross the 
 bridge; but they obstinately barred the entrance, 
 and warned the foreigners back. 
 
 At this juncture a military official of low rank 
 appeared on the track, and Campbell appealed to 
 him to quiet the men, and to allow them to inspect 
 the bridge. This officer replied that the men were 
 not of his company and he had no power over 
 them ; but Campbell, knowing well the Chinese 
 nature, at once told him that they should consider 
 him responsible for any trouble, whether he was 
 their particular officer or not. 
 
 Upon this the 'officer ordered the men to open 
 a passage for the foreigners, which they promptly 
 did, and the party of four crossed the bridge. 
 The officer, after they had entered the bridge, left 
 the men and disappeared. They remained a quar-
 
 6 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ter of an hour on the farther side of the bridge 
 and then returned. 
 
 As they again neared the eastern side, they 
 saw the same gang of ruffians awaiting them, 
 with stones in their hands, and, upon their arriv- 
 ing within range, were saluted with a volley of 
 stones, many of which took effect. They val- 
 iantly charged upon the men, and Cox, being 
 rather severely hit, and spying out the man who 
 had struck him, chased him right into the crowd 
 and knocked him down with a terrific blow. As 
 Cox stands six feet four, and is a remarkably mus- 
 cular man, this fellow's punishment was severe. 
 
 The mob, however, turned upon Cox, who 
 was separated from his companions some thirty 
 odd feet, and, surrounding him, bore him by 
 sheer weight and number to the ground, not, 
 however, before he had placed several of them 
 bors du combat. 
 
 At this moment Captain Norregaard received 
 a severe stone cut just above his eyes, which 
 severed a small artery and covered his face with 
 blood. Not knowing how dangerously he was 
 wounded, and believing Mr. Cox to be in dan- 
 ger of his life, Norregaard drew his revolver and 
 fired two shots into the mob. The effect was 
 instantaneous. The brutal cowards dropped Cox 
 at once, and ran away like sheep toward their 
 encampment, half a mile distant.
 
 AFTER THE RIOT 7 
 
 After tying a handkerchief around his head, 
 and assisting Cox to get up, the party hastily ran 
 to the residence of Norregaard and brought 
 Mrs. Norregaard and her eight-year-old son to 
 the trolley, upon which the whole party returned 
 to Fengtai. 
 
 Cox then sent a command out by wire for all 
 the engineers working on the Lu Han railway to 
 give up their posts and retire with him to Tien- 
 tsin to await the settlement of the riot by the 
 Chinese officials, as well as to obtain some guar- 
 anty of future good conduct on the part of the 
 government troops, who were yet to arrive from 
 the southwest. 
 
 After dressing the wounds of these two gen- 
 tlemen they took the train for Tientsin, and the 
 writer returned to Peking. 
 
 The next day, or two days after the riot, I 
 received a message from Hu Chih-fen, the gov- 
 ernor of Peking, requesting me to call upon him 
 at Imbeck's hotel at once. I found the old gen- 
 tleman with twenty retainers awaiting me. He 
 stated that he had been appointed a special com- 
 missioner by the Empress Dowager to proceed 
 to Lukouch'iao and investigate the circumstances 
 connected with the riot two days previously, as 
 well as to inquire minutely into the condition of 
 two wounded 'soldiers reported by their officers 
 to have been wantonly shot and dangerously hurt
 
 8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 by Captain Norregaard. He desired me to ac- 
 company him into the camp, and examine the 
 wounds as an expert, so that he could make a 
 proper report to the Empress. 
 
 I confess I did not much care to go alone 
 into the camp of the famous Kansu, haters of 
 foreign, but I was under many obligations to 
 Governor Hu, and wanted to oblige him. Be- 
 sides, there was a spice of adventure about the 
 undertaking that was pleasant to a correspondent. 
 I preferred to go armed, however, as, although 
 knowing a revolver would be of no use in a hos- 
 tile camp for offensive warfare, yet if Governor 
 Hu remained with me, I reasoned, I could by 
 placing a revolver to his head and holding him 
 hostage prevent any harm to myself believing 
 as I did that the Empress' special commissioner's 
 person would be sacred in the eyes of her gen- 
 erals. The sequel proved how false this belief 
 was, and that before many hours. 
 
 So I requested permission to return home for 
 a moment to obtain a small instrument I might 
 need, as well as to inform my wife of my leaving 
 the city, that she might not be anxious if I did 
 not return until after dark. 
 
 Governor Hu replied that I could get what- 
 ever instrument I needed at the railway hospital 
 at Fengtai, and that he would se-nd one of his 
 retainers with a message to my wife. I insisted,
 
 WITH HU AS COMMISSIONER 
 
 MAIN STREET OF PEKING FROM THE CITY WALL 
 
 This shows the main street of Peking its "Market Street," as 
 Philadelphians might say, or its "Strand," from the English point 
 of view. Although a main street it is scarcely better than a coun- 
 try road, and busy trading seems to be going on in the foreground 
 in the open air. Here and there a sign indicates that business is 
 conducted within, and that unavoidable feature of a Chinese city, 
 the open pool of stagnant water, is in evidence. 
 
 however, that a return home was imperative, and 
 that I would rejoin him in half an hour. Where- 
 upon he decided to order tiffin in the meantime, 
 and told me to hurry back, take tiffin with him
 
 10 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 at the hotel, and we would then proceed to 
 Machiapu, where a special train would be waiting 
 for us. 
 
 I hastened home, obtained my Smith & Wes- 
 son six-shooter, and, after a good tiffin with Gov- 
 ernor Hu, rode in a springless cart to Machiapu, 
 entrained, and was speedily at the station at Lu- 
 kouch'iao. 
 
 Upon our alighting from the cars we were met 
 by a sub-official from the camps, and were accom- 
 panied by him, and about twenty Kansu soldiers, 
 to the entrance to the railroad bridge, the site of 
 the riot two days before. 
 
 Here Hu ordered the bridge watchmen to be 
 brought before him, and he interrogated them as 
 to the occurrences described by Cox and Nor- 
 regaard. The two watchmen's stories were the 
 exact counterpart of the two foreigners' ; they 
 agreed in every particular, and placed the whole 
 blame on the Kansu soldiers. 
 
 I was surprised at the fearless testimony of 
 these two poor watchmen, one of whom was 
 afterward murdered by the soldiers for testifying 
 against them. 
 
 Hu now walked to an inn in the village of 
 Lukou, and told the sub-official to order the 
 general and colonels of all the regiments quar- 
 tered near-by to appear before him at once, as 
 he would hold an investigation by order of the
 
 BEGINNING OF INVESTIGATION n 
 
 Empress. He and I drank tea until they ar- 
 rived. 
 
 The first, a General Chang, appeared in about 
 fifteen minutes. We knew some one of import- 
 ance was coming by the hubbub in the court- 
 yard, the murmur of voices, and the sound of 
 horses' moving feet. Then a soldier appeared 
 in the doorway, and announced : 
 
 "General Chang, of the Kansu cavalry, has 
 arrived." 
 
 "Ch'ing," replied Hu, and immediately there 
 stood before us as ferocious looking a ruffian as 
 the world could well produce. A tall, weather- 
 beaten man, fifty years of age or more, with 
 rather heavy (for a Chinaman) yet black mus- 
 taches, and a more than ordinarily prominent 
 nose; dressed in a dark blue gown, satin high- 
 top boots, official hat with premier button and 
 peacock feather, held at right angles from the 
 rear of his button by an expensive piece of jade. 
 His eyes were deep-set and small, and the whole 
 expression of his face was ferocious and cruel. 
 
 He only slightly inclined his head to Hu, 
 took no notice of me, and, ignoring Chinese 
 ceremony, proceeded at once to the highest 
 seat in the little room, and seated himself in 
 the intensely stiff attitude of the god of war 
 one usually sees in a Chinese temple. Hu 
 seemed completely taken aback at this inso-
 
 12 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 lence, and allowed the ruffian to remain in the 
 seat of honor throughout the interview. 
 
 Before Hu had become acquainted, by his 
 polite questions, with the age, rank, and prov- 
 ince of his haughty guest, four other military 
 officers of the rank of colonel and lieutenant- 
 colonel had arrived, namely, Chao, Ma, Wang, 
 and Hung. 
 
 Finding their general in the head seat, and 
 noting his imperious bearing, they took their 
 cue from him and maintained throughout the 
 interview the most lofty manner, and treated 
 Hu more like a subordinate than a civil officer 
 of the premier rank and a special high commis- 
 sioner of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. 
 
 After a few mouthfuls of tea, Hu informed 
 them in most polite and bland terms that as he 
 was Director -General of imperial railways, as 
 well as Governor of the metropolitan prefecture 
 of Shuntienfu, Her August Majesty, the Em- 
 press Dowager, etc., etc., etc., had appointed 
 him to visit the general and officers of the 
 Kansu regiments in camp at this place, to in- 
 quire into the circumstances of the late riot. 
 
 He stated also that he came gladly because 
 he felt that, by careful inquiry into the circum- 
 stances, it could doubtless be proved that the 
 soldiers had acted in a rowdy manner without 
 the knowledge and consent of their officers, and
 
 DIFFICULTY OF AGREEMENT 13 
 
 that by a well -worded report the latter would 
 escape all blame, and the matter could be set- 
 tled to the satisfaction of all, especially as no lives 
 had been lost, or imperial property destroyed. 
 
 General Chang haughtily replied that it was 
 entirely unnecessary for Hu to come out at all; 
 that Prince Ching had sent a messenger to him 
 in the morning, and the Empress was doubtless 
 aware, through this messenger, of the exact cir- 
 cumstances of the case already, and consequently 
 Hu might as well return and save himself any 
 further trouble. 
 
 His impudent manner indicated that, having 
 given his own side of the case to a trusty hench- 
 man of Prince Ching's, and obtained that influ- 
 ential prince's partial testimony in his favor, he 
 did not care one way or the other for anything 
 Hu might report later. 
 
 But Hu, although very quiet and apparently 
 humble, was firm and determined, and upon the 
 conclusion of Chang's defiant speech, replied: 
 
 "It is very well that Her Majesty should have 
 as early a report as possible, and I am glad you 
 have informed her of the events ; but as I have 
 been appointed to inquire officially, I should not 
 return without having done my duty, and I hope 
 that none of the officers present will refuse any 
 testimony I require, and compel me to report a 
 lack of respect for Her Majesty's commands."
 
 U BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Chang bit his lips and pulled his mustaches 
 fiercely at this, but said nothing. But Colonel 
 Chao took up the cudgels in a most unexpected 
 manner. Excitedly rising, he commenced a most 
 venomous speech against the introduction of rail- 
 ways into China. He denounced them as the 
 instrumentality of the foreigner to subjugate the 
 country, declaring they had taken away the em- 
 ployment of thousands of carters, boatmen, and 
 wheelbarrow coolies ; that they had raised the 
 price of rice and other cereals; that they em- 
 ployed foreigners at high wages, who carried all 
 the money out of the country at the same time 
 that they abused and maltreated the natives under 
 their control, and wound up his rather long dis- 
 course by declaring that the abolishing of railways 
 and driving into the sea of every foreigner was 
 the duty of every loyal soldier or subject of the 
 empire. 
 
 Hu mildly endeavored to interrupt him several 
 times by telling him that the railways were all 
 Chinese property, and the foreign employees 
 were their Empress' own employees; but Chao 
 drowned Hu's every utterance so that the old 
 man, after several attempts, was, perforce, obliged 
 to keep quiet until the irate colonel had exhausted 
 himself and sat down blowing like a porpoise. 
 
 I knew Hu was very unwilling that I should 
 hear all of this speech, which he realized I
 
 PAGODA NEAR PEKING 
 
 In and around Peking are to be seen many specimens of noble archi- 
 tecture ; among which is this beautiful Pagoda, built hundreds of years 
 ago. Such buildings are not erected now, and in some instances they are 
 found standing almost solitary and alone, miles from any great city.
 
 16 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 would perfectly understand, and I felt sure he 
 regretted having brought along a surgeon versed 
 in Chinese. 
 
 To me it was a revelation. I had heard that 
 the Mohammedan troops from Kansu, under the 
 famous general Tung Fu Hsiang, were ordered 
 to Peking immediately after the coup d'etat to 
 support the Empress in her anti-foreign policy. 
 I had heard that they were fanatical, ignorant, 
 and intensely hostile to foreigners. But that they 
 would dare to insult the Empress, in the person 
 of a special commissioner appointed by imperial 
 edict, and reveal the purpose of their general 
 in such open language, and that before a for- 
 eigner, I would scarcely have believed short of 
 the testimony of my own ears. 
 
 Hu realized that it was useless to attempt to 
 argue with or conciliate these men, and at once 
 set about the object of his visit, as yet unachieved, 
 namely, to find out the condition of the wounded 
 soldiers. 
 
 So, upon Colonel Chao's finishing his diatribe, 
 he politely turned to General Chang, without 
 further noticing the enraged colonel, and said: 
 
 "I have been told two of your men have been 
 wounded by one of the foreign engineers, and 
 as I have a very skilful surgeon in my employ, 
 who attends to all the people who are injured on 
 the railway, I have brought him along to ex-
 
 ANTI- FOREIGN FEELING 17 
 
 amine your men, and if you will permit him I 
 am sure he can heal them." 
 
 He then introduced me as Man Tai Fu, my 
 Chinese title. They sullenly acknowledged my 
 presence, for the first time, by a slight nod in 
 my direction, and General Chang asked Hu if 
 he had an interpreter who could converse with 
 me. 
 
 "Oh, he doesn't need an interpreter," replied 
 Hu; "he has lived in China fifteen years, has sons 
 and daughters born here, and speaks our lan- 
 guage like a native." 
 
 Upon this, my nearest neighbor, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Wang, relaxed a little, and observed that 
 he had never talked with a 'foreigner, and would 
 be glad to make my acquaintance. I replied that 
 it was a mutual pleasure, and asked his age, prov- 
 ince, and personal name, which pleased him 
 greatly. 
 
 As it was rapidly growing darker, however, 
 and we had not yet seen the wounded men, Hu 
 cut short our budding conversation by requesting 
 General Chang to show them to me. 
 
 He curtly declared, "They are in camp half a 
 mile away, and he can go and see them if he 
 wants to." 
 
 "Will you go?" inquired Hu. 
 
 "Yes, if you will go with me," I replied, not 
 caring to venture alone into the hostile camp,
 
 i8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKIiNG 
 
 especially after what I had seen of the temper 
 of their leaders; but I added, "I think it would 
 be much better to have them brought here." 
 
 "Yes, yes, that is better," said Hu ; but General 
 Chang interrupted him by saying: 
 
 "Impossible! they are too ill to be moved, 
 and on this cold day would surely take cold and 
 die." 
 
 "Have them well wrapped up and brought 
 quickly," said Hu, without paying attention to 
 the interruption, "foi it is getting late, and al- 
 though I have ordered the city gates not to close 
 until our return to Peking, I am anxious to avoid 
 keeping them open any later than necessary." 
 
 General Chang then strode across the room 
 to the door opening into the court, where up- 
 wards of three hundred of his men were stand- 
 ing packed like sardines, listening to everything 
 we had been saying, as Chinese custom is, and 
 shouted out : 
 
 "Bring the two wounded men in here." 
 
 Now all of the men had seen Governor Hu 
 snubbed, had heard Colonel Chao revile him 
 and his railroads, and had heard their general 
 say the men would die if brought out in the cold ; 
 so, supposing they were to act in a similar way, 
 they, upon receiving this order, held a confab, 
 and a very noisy confab, too, among themselves 
 for a few moments before replying.
 
 DANGER APPARENT 19 
 
 As I watched Governor Hu's face grow pale 
 as the commotion increased, I felt that we were 
 in real danger right in the midst of the officers, 
 and that my previous view that I could insure my 
 own safety by threatening Hu's life would avail 
 nothing, as they hated him as much if not more 
 than myself. I could plainly see that I must 
 change my man, and make the general my target 
 if the necessity arose. 
 
 Then a voice shouted out from the soldiers 
 almost the exact words of the general. 
 
 r They cannot be brought here; the exposure 
 would kill them." 
 
 Chang looked at Hu to see what effect this had 
 upon him, but Hu was no coward, and calmly re- 
 plied : 
 
 ' They must be brought if it kills them ; by 
 Her Majesty's commission, I demand it." 
 
 The general was bluffing; he sullenly gave in. 
 
 ' Bring those men at once, dead or alive, you 
 scoundrels," he shouted stentoriously, "and in a 
 hurry, too !" 
 
 "Aye, aye," responded a hundred throats, and 
 a number of men left the courtyard at once. 
 
 The camp must have been some distance away, 
 for it was over half an hour and nearly candle- 
 lighting time before the two men, each carried 
 on a litter on the shoulders of six men, were 
 brought in.
 
 20 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 The first man was covered up in blankets, and 
 pretended to be unconscious; but he proved to 
 have no fever, had a slow pulse, and absolutely no 
 wound but a scratch at the lower end of his right 
 shoulder-blade, which might have been made by 
 a finger-nail, or possibly by a pistol-ball grazing 
 the skin. 
 
 The hypocrite Chang bent over me as I was 
 examining, and asked in a voice of pretended 
 sympathy : 
 
 "Is he badly hurt? Can he recover? And 
 how long will he be ill?" to which I replied: 
 
 "Not badly hurt; Jie will recover; and I will 
 guarantee he is all right day after to-morrow if 
 you will send him at once to my railroad hospital 
 at Fengtai." 
 
 I said this, thinking that the British minister 
 in Peking, Sir Claude MacDonald, might be glad 
 to get hold of these men for proper punishment, 
 and that if they were in the hospital at Fengtai 
 they could easily be obtained ; otherwise I would 
 have ordered this man to be dismissed at once 
 as shamming. 
 
 The second man also pretended to be much 
 worse off than he really was, but he did in fact 
 have a small bullet-wound in his shoulder, from 
 which I extracted with forceps a fragment of 
 blue cotton cloth, and then sent him also to the 
 hospital, predicting his recovery within ten days.
 
 REPORT TO THE EMPRESS 21 
 
 General Chang thanked me for my interest, 
 and promised to reward me for my services when 
 the men recovered; then, nodding coolly to Gov- 
 ernor Hu, he and his staff marched out of the 
 inn and left us, and allowed a subordinate to 
 escort us to the special train that brought us 
 down, which was as great a lack of courtesy and 
 positive insult as he could give to the Empress 
 Dowager's high commissioner. 
 
 Our return journey was without incident. The 
 city gates were open awaiting us, and were closed 
 immediately upon our entrance. Governor Hu 
 immediately memorialized the throne, stating the 
 result of his inquiries, reported the impudence 
 of Colonel Chao, and made the request that 
 he be turned over to the Board of Punishments 
 for a penalty. 
 
 The Empress acknowledged the memorial, and 
 she decided to deprive Colonel Chao of one step 
 in rank, degrading him to a major. This ap- 
 peared in an edict at once; at the same time she 
 commended Hu for his promptness and general 
 ability. 
 
 But, alas for Governor Hu ! General Tung 
 Fu Hsiang, the man who was to prove the curse 
 of China, was unacquainted with all these cir- 
 cumstances, and had yet to be heard from. This 
 man had obtained his reputation first as a brigand, 
 and afterward as a leader of Her Majesty's army
 
 22 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 in putting down a rather formidable rebellion 
 of the Mohammedans in his own province of 
 Kansu. Bold, cruel, and unscrupulous, he had 
 murdered his own provincials, who were but 
 
 A temple in the Summer Palace grounds 
 
 poorly armed and without military discipline, in 
 a most ruthless manner, and had not only sup- 
 pressed the uprising, but nearly exterminated the 
 rebels. 
 
 His fame spread far and wide as a wonderful 
 general, so that when the Empress again assumed 
 power by forcibly seizing the throne from the
 
 ANGER OF TUNG FU 
 
 weak but good-intentioned Kuang Hsu, she de- 
 cided at once to bring this man Tung and his 
 Kansu ruffians to Peking to assist her in main- 
 taining her authority against all comers. It was 
 
 MEMORIAL ARCHES 
 
 It is doubtful if we should have been able to learn so much of 
 the "Forbidden City" and of the beautiful and remarkable things 
 to be seen in the Palace grounds had it not been for this Siege. 
 These are most beautiful from a Chinese point of view, the archi- 
 tecture dating back for many ages. These arches are built of 
 immense blocks of stone, beautifully fitted and arranged. 
 
 en route to Peking that his advance corps, under 
 General Chang, had the trouble at Lukouch'iao. 
 As soon as Tung Fu Hsiang learned of Colo- 
 nel Chao's degradation, he was wild with rage,
 
 24 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 taking the view at once that the insult was not 
 only upon Chao but also upon himself. 
 
 Knowing the Empress was in a precarious 
 condition without troops she could depend upon, 
 this courageous adventurer, at his first audience 
 upon his arrival in Peking, promptly told Her 
 Majesty that unless Chao were restored to his 
 rank immediately, and Governor Hu were re- 
 moved from his offices as Governor of Peking 
 and Director -General of Railways, as well as 
 prevented from taking his seat in the tsung-li- 
 yamen, or foreign office, to which he had just 
 been appointed, he, Tung, would disband his 
 army and return to Kansu at once. 
 
 The Empress remonstrated with him in vain, 
 alleging that Hu had only done his duty, and 
 that with his knowledge of foreigners he would 
 be a valuable official in the tsung-li-yamen. But 
 Tung remained obdurate, and the Empress re- 
 luctantly yielded aad dismissed Hu to private 
 life, where he has ever since remained. 
 
 As Governor Hu was alone responsible, by his 
 firm friendship for the English, for obtaining for 
 the Hong Kong and Shanghai banking corpora- 
 tion, an English company, the loan for extending 
 the Peking-Tientsin railway, and had signed the 
 contract which gave the real control of the rail- 
 way to the English stockholders, his dismissal 
 from office should have been prevented by diplo-
 
 GOVERNOR HU DISPLACED 25 
 
 matic action. As it was, only a mild remonstrance 
 by the diplomatic representative of Great Britain 
 was made, and the tsung-li-yamen passed it, as 
 usual, unheeded. Governor Hu remarked to me 
 a few days after his dismissal, very bitterly, "If 
 I had been the friend to Russia I have been to 
 England I should not now be in disgrace." 
 
 He was replaced in the office of Governor of 
 Peking by Ho Yun Nai, and in the office of Di- 
 rector-General of Railways by Hsu Ching Ch'eng, 
 ex-minister to Germany and Russia. The first 
 of these officials was a well-known hater of for- 
 eigners, who was suggested by General Tung. 
 The latter was a corrupt opium-eater, already in 
 the pay of Russia, as Chinese president of the 
 Manchurian railway, and was suggested by a high 
 palace eunuch, himself in the pay of Russia. 
 
 Tung's influence in Peking now became all- 
 powerful ; his soldiers swaggered about the 
 streets in their fancy red and black uniforms, 
 growing daily more menacing to the foreigners 
 they passed, until finally several incipient riots 
 occurred which resulted in one foreigner having 
 several ribs broken and others being assaulted, 
 so that a few of the foreign ministers united 
 and requested that his army corps be removed 
 some distance from the capital. The Empress 
 agreed reluctantly to this, but only sent them a 
 little over a hundred li away.
 
 26 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Tung, early after his arrival, made the ac- 
 quaintance of Prince Tuan, a stupid, ignorant 
 Manchu, who soon became his complete tool. 
 The question of a successor to the sickly Empe- 
 ror, Kuang Hsu, had been discussed for several 
 years, as he had as yet no issue, and seemed 
 likely at any time to die childless. The sons of 
 Tuan, of Duke Lan, and of Prince Lien were 
 all considered eligible, and from amongst them 
 must be chosen the future Emperor of China. 
 
 Tung saw that Tuan would become his tool 
 much more completely than either of the others, 
 and proposed an alliance between Tuan's son 
 and a daughter of his own, agreeing to support 
 the younger Tuan's candidacy for the throne, 
 with his whole army, if necessary, to accomplish 
 the purpose. Tuan agreed to this, but stated 
 the succession must be made without its being 
 known that he was under obligations to favor 
 Tung's daughter, but that when an apparently 
 open competition for selection of an empress 
 was made, and the various eligible damsels 
 appeared at the court, Tung's daughter should 
 arrive from Kansu in time and be the favored 
 recipient. 
 
 On this understanding everything became 
 smooth sailing, and the consummation of their 
 plans, as far as Tuan's interest was concerned, 
 occurred, when in solemn conclave of all the
 
 BARGAIN WITH TUAN 27 
 
 princes of the blood and great ministers of 
 state, on January 24, 1900, Pu Chun, son of 
 Prince Tuan, was solemnly named as successor 
 to the previous emperor, Tung Chih ; and poor 
 
 CHINESE STATESMEN 
 
 A group of Chinese officials of the highest class ; in Peking, 
 previous to the Siege. 
 
 sickly little Kuang Hsu was succeeded without 
 a successor to himself, but a successor to his 
 uncle being appointed, which, by imperial edict, 
 makes him an interloper.
 
 28 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 This was a nice piece of vengeance the Em- 
 press Dowager worked out, partly to avenge 
 herself on her nephew for his unsuccessful at- 
 tempt to shelve her and run his government 
 himself. Tung's intensely anti-foreign senti- 
 ments soon made him many friends at court, 
 among the oldest and most conservative Man- 
 chus, as well as some of the Chinese. But it 
 was among the former that his influence was 
 greatest. 
 
 Many of these men, stupid in the extreme, 
 and too cowardly themselves ever to have orig- 
 inated any of the designs that have since been 
 worked out, joyfully fell in with the plans in- 
 spired by his ambition for his own success, but 
 always put forward as for the salvation of his 
 country. 
 
 Hsu Ting, Kang Yi, Ch'i Shin, Ch'ung Ch'i, 
 Ch'ung Li, Na T'ung, and Li Ping Heng be- 
 came his warmest friends and admirers, and 
 formed a cabal which soon controlled the entire 
 administration of government. By Tung's direc- 
 tion all important offices, as they became vacant, 
 or could be readily made so, were to be filled 
 by the Manchu friends of the cabal or, if Chi- 
 nese, as rarely occurred, then a Chinese who 
 was of their own set and their own creature. 
 This gave them a powerful patronage under 
 their disposal in the lucrative taotaiships and
 
 MANCHUS IN POWER 29 
 
 other posts formerly more or less evenly divided 
 between Manchu and Chinese, but now almost 
 entirely limited to Manchus. 
 
 Kang Yi was sent on a mission southward 
 through all the provinces to extort money to 
 
 BRIDGE AT WAN SHOA SHAN, NEAR PEKING 
 
 That the Chinese appreciate the picturesque, both in situation 
 and in architecture, is shown in this picture. 
 
 raise more armies, as well as to feel the pulse 
 of the people in regard to, and encourage them 
 in, their anti-foreign tendencies. Li Ping Heng 
 was sent to examine and report on all the de- 
 fenses of the Yangtze valley, as well as to 
 denounce any official of progressive tendencies. 
 Yu Hsien was to succeed the latter as Governor 
 of Shantung, and to sow in that province the 
 seeds of disorder and riot that yielded such a 
 bitter crop when they ripened ; just as only 
 a poorly- organized, semi - patriotic, but fully
 
 30 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 looting society could do an organization that 
 was to be called the I Ho Ch'uan or Boxer 
 organization. 
 
 This programme has been fully carried out, 
 and what the result has been will be described 
 in part only (as we in the north only know 
 part) in the following chapters.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 YU HSIEN APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF SHANTUNG, REMOVED 
 BT BRITISH DEMANDS, ONLY TO BE REWARDED TUAN- 
 SHIH KAI SUCCEEDS HIM CAUSES OF HATRED OF CON- 
 VERTS BY PEOPLE AND BOXERS THE BOXERS AND 
 THEIR TENETS THE EMPRESS CONSULTS ASTROLOGERS 
 
 ITH the appoint- 
 ment of the Man- 
 chu Yu Hsien as 
 Governor of Shantung 
 province, to be the suc- 
 cessor to the anti-foreign 
 Li Ping Heng, whose 
 removal the Germans 
 had succeeded in effect- 
 ing, commenced the 
 governmental recogni- 
 tion of the Boxers' so- 
 ciety as an agent to 
 missionaries, merchants, and diplomats 
 
 HSU CHING CHENG 
 Ex-minister to Germany, mem- 
 ber of Tsung-li-yamen. Beheaded 
 Aug. 9, for favoring peace. 
 
 expel 
 
 alike. This man, whose hatred of foreigners 
 exceeded that of his predecessor, was no sooner 
 in office than he caused the literati all over the 
 province to revive among the masses the "Great 
 Sword" and "Boxer" organizations, which had 
 been a bit shaken by the removal of their en- 
 courager, Li Ping Heng. 
 
 (30
 
 32 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 The foreign residents of Shantung, who had 
 hoped the new government would be an im- 
 provement over the old, soon found they were 
 worse off than before. The native Christians 
 were persecuted most bitterly by their heathen 
 neighbors, and their complaints at the yamens 
 treated with disdain. 
 
 Yu Hsien did his work thoroughly and rapidly, 
 knowing the foreign power which had compelled 
 the removal of Li Ping Heng would also cause 
 his removal. But as he was only placed in Shan- 
 tung for the deliberate purpose of making trou- 
 ble, his removal would mean for him a better 
 post as the reward of his success. 
 
 This came when the " Boxers " of Chianfu 
 prefecture attacked and murdered a young mis- 
 sionary of the Church of England named Brookes, 
 who was traveling from Chianfu city to his station 
 of P'ingyin. 
 
 The British government demanded his re- 
 moval from office, and the Chinese government 
 acquiesced ; but their treatment of him upon his 
 arrival in Peking alone would have sufficed for 
 an intelligent observer to make clear the policy 
 of the Empress without any other confirmatory 
 evidence, abundance of which, however, was not 
 lacking. 
 
 Instead of being reprimanded, we find him 
 granted immediate audience with the Empress,
 
 YU SENT TO SHANSI 33 
 
 and the next day's Court Gazette informed an 
 astonished world that the Empress had written 
 with her own brush the character "Fu," happi- 
 ness, and conferred it upon him publicly. Then 
 followed his appointment as Governor of Shansf, 
 a rich mineral province in which the "Peking 
 Syndicate," an Anglo-Italian company promoted 
 by Lord Rothschild, held valuable concessions. 
 In this province, too, were the long -worked 
 missionary establishments of the American Board 
 (Congregationalist) and the China Inland Mis- 
 sions. 
 
 The Chinese all understood this as an appre- 
 ciative approval from the Empress, and so, too, 
 did all the older foreign residents ; but the diplo- 
 matic corps, beyond a feeble remonstrance from 
 the British and United States ministers, did noth- 
 ing. So, to-day Yu Hsien is pursuing in Shansi 
 the same policy he did in Shantung, the results 
 of which must turn out similarly. 
 
 The Empress appointed as successor to Yu 
 Hsien the man who had turned traitor to the 
 unfortunate young Emperor, Kuang Hsu, Yuan- 
 shih Kai. This man is well known to foreign- 
 ers. He was formerly Chinese resident at Seoul, 
 and it was largely due to him that the China- 
 Japan war occurred. After the war he was made 
 commanding-general of a force of foreign-drilled 
 troops stationed at Hsiao Chan, south of Tientsin.
 
 34 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Yuan is one of the shrewdest and most un- 
 scrupulous men of China, and the Empress, in 
 rewarding him by this appointment for his ser- 
 vice to her in making known the Emperor's pur- 
 pose to send her into captivity, gave power to a 
 man who would desert her, when it suited him, 
 as quickly as he had the weak, but well-meaning, 
 Emperor. 
 
 Yuan, upon his arrival in Shantung, found 
 himself in a difficult position. If he encouraged 
 the Boxers he would make enemies of the for- 
 eigners. If he was severe with the Boxers he 
 would be removed by the Empress, influenced 
 as she was by General Tung Fu Hsiang and 
 his cabal. 
 
 Being a man of great wealth and having a 
 perfect knowledge of the situation, he steered a 
 course that would obviate his striking on either 
 rock. He subscribed to the Boxer organiza- 
 tions where they obeyed him, and punished 
 them where they were refractory, and soon had 
 Shantung, which was in a ferment when he took 
 charge, fairly well in hand. 
 
 He gave it to be understood that they would, 
 in time, be able to exterminate foreigners ; but 
 they must patiently drill and practice gymnastics 
 until such time as he considered that they had 
 reached perfection, and must not on any account 
 injure a foreigner too early, as it would bring
 
 ENCOURAGEMENT TO BOXERS 35 
 
 down trouble before the government was pre- 
 pared to meet it. At the same time he allowed 
 them to pillage and murder the native Chris- 
 tians freely, well knowing this would please the 
 Court, and would not be actively taken up by 
 the foreign powers as an infringement of treaty- 
 rights, which it certainly was. 
 
 Evidently his idea was, too, that Tung Fu 
 Hsiang's plan to drive out and exterminate all 
 foreigners was an entirely impossible one, and 
 that if he could keep his province from com- 
 mitting any overt act that would lead to a foreign 
 war, for a year's time, the Chihli authorities, all 
 the Manchus, and Tung Fu Hsiang himself 
 would have brought on the war and ruined 
 themselves, while he, Yuan, would then have a 
 chance to cut loose from the conservatives, and 
 come to the front in the new regime, which 
 must come, as a reformer. That he will do this 
 I fearlessly prophesy. 
 
 The Boxer organization was not started by 
 Tung Fu Hsiang, but was, by his advice, given 
 imperial sanction and infused with new life and 
 activity. A similar organization, known in olden 
 times in China under the same name, was a 
 volunteer militia for national defense. The re- 
 cent revival has not only been for defense, but 
 to exterminate the Christian religion and the 
 people who brought it.
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 A MONGOLIAN LLAMA 
 
 Great learning is possessed, according to the Chinese standard, 
 by these priests. The young student or candidate on the left is 
 receiving instruction. 
 
 That the Chinese people have much to com- 
 plain of from the aggressive attitude of many 
 native Christians, and particularly the Roman 
 Catholic Christians, no sane man will deny. For 
 years it has been the practice of the priests and 
 of many of the Protestant missionaries to assist 
 their converts in lawsuits against the heathens,
 
 CAUSE OF DISLIKE OF CONVERTS 37 
 
 and to exert an unjust influence in their behalf. 
 To "get even" with an enemy it is only neces- 
 sary for a convert to tell his priest or pastor 
 that he has been persecuted in some way for 
 his religious belief, to induce the missionary to 
 take up the cudgel in his defense. I have 
 heard heathen Chinese often assert that these 
 men (converts) appear good enough to their 
 priests, who see very little of their ordinary be- 
 havior, but behind the father's back they are 
 overbearing and malicious to all their neighbors, 
 who hate them because they fear them. 
 
 After years of residence in China, I have 
 come to the conclusion that it has been a mis- 
 take of the Powers to insert in their treaties 
 provisions making the preaching of Christianity 
 a treaty-right, in spite of Chinese objection. 
 Nearly all of the riots in China have come from 
 attempts to force the Chinese officials to stamp 
 deeds conveying property to missionaries for 
 residences or chapels. The animosity incurred in 
 forcing a missionary establishment upon an in- 
 terior city, town, or village is not obliterated in 
 a lifetime. It may be barely tolerated in time of 
 peace, only to be demolished when the country 
 is disturbed. This applies to the China that has 
 been barbarian, uncivilized China. 
 
 Should the reformers come into power, and 
 religious toleration be granted as the result of
 
 38 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 civilization, then there would be no reason why 
 the missionaries should not work in the more 
 remote parts of the empire ; but China, as it has 
 been and is, would be much more peaceful for 
 all concerned if the proselyting work was car- 
 ried on only in the treaty ports. I don't expect 
 any of the missionary body to agree to this state- 
 ment, but doubtless many of their supporters, 
 thinking people, who will take the trouble to 
 reason it out, will believe it, supported as it is 
 by the testimony of all the residents of China 
 acquainted with the problem. There are many 
 reasons for the Chinaman's hatred of the for- 
 eigners, but his religion is the chief one. 
 
 In the late riots the railways have been at- 
 tacked and destroyed, but that came only after 
 a half-year's successful campaign against the con- 
 verts had led them to want to root out the people 
 who brought both the religion and the railways. 
 While I am a Christian myself, and would gladly 
 see China a Christian nation, I cannot help see- 
 ing that the policy which has been pursued in 
 forcing Christianity upon the Chinese, in the ag- 
 gressive manner we have, practically at the point 
 of the sword, has not been a success, and has 
 given to such men as Tung Fu Hsiang a power- 
 ful argument with which to persuade his igno- 
 rant followers to exterminate alike the foreigner 
 and his converts.
 
 BOXERS AND THEIR TENETS 
 
 39 
 
 INDIVIDUAL EXAMINATION ROOMS FOR CIVIL SERVICE DEGREES 
 
 A remarkable feature of Chinese social and political customs 
 is the method of selection for public office. The candidates for 
 examination are installed in the little rooms or houses shown in 
 this picture; a supply of water is placed in the large jars at the 
 entrance, and the candidate is expected, regardless of the pangs of 
 hunger, to remain constantly in this little room until he shall have 
 passed this examination, which sometimes lasts two or three days. 
 
 The Boxers are principally of two sorts : the 
 ignorant villager and the city loafer or vagabond. 
 The first easily becomes a fanatical enthusiast ; 
 the latter has joined simply to obtain loot. When
 
 40 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 it became an assured fact that the Empress 
 sanctioned the movement the ranks were rapidly 
 filled, because rewards and preferment were held 
 out as inducements to serve, and the majority of 
 China's population, being poverty-stricken in the 
 extreme, would join any movement that promised 
 an increased income. The Boxer headquarters 
 was the palace of Prince Tuan in Peking. From 
 this place emissaries were sent with instructions, 
 first into Shantung and afterward throughout 
 Chihli, to cooperate with the already-existing se- 
 cret societies, as well as to organize new com- 
 panies. Every city, town, and village was visited, 
 the head men consulted, and the young men and 
 boys enrolled. 
 
 Their gymnastic exercises, from which they 
 derive their name, were taught them, and they 
 were promised that when they had attained per- 
 fection they would be given service under the 
 Empress with good pay and rapid promotion. 
 They were told that if they would go regularly 
 through the ceremonies prescribed every day, 
 in from three to six months they would acquire 
 indomitable courage, and would be invulner- 
 able to bullets and sword-cuts, and that the 
 youngest child would be a match for a grown 
 man of the uninitiated. That thousands believed 
 this nonsense there is no doubt; and thousands 
 of little boys from ten years of age upward
 
 PREMATURE UPRISING 41 
 
 eagerly enrolled. The exercise consisted of bow- 
 ing low to the ground, striking the forehead 
 into the earth three times each toward the east, 
 then south, then throwing themselves upon their 
 backs and lying motionless for several minutes, 
 after which they would throw themselves from 
 side to side a number of times, and, finally 
 rising, go through a number of posturings, as 
 though warding off blows and making passes at 
 an enemy. As a uniform they were given a red 
 turban, a red sash to cross the chest, and red 
 "tae tzio," or wide tape, to tie in the trousers 
 at the ankle. 
 
 The time set for their uprising was fixed for 
 the Chinese eighth moon, seventeenth day, be- 
 ing two days after the annual "harvest festival," 
 or pa yueh chieh. The premature explosion of 
 the movement was not anticipated by those who 
 originated it, but it is largely due to its going 
 off at half-cock, so to speak, that enabled the 
 Powers to combat it so readily after they were 
 aware of its existence as a real government 
 agency. 
 
 Doubtless the government intended before that 
 time to give arms and ammunition to all grown 
 men; but, in the first place, they were to arm 
 themselves with swords and spears only. They 
 were told, among other things, that at the time 
 of their uprising myriads of regiments of angelic
 
 42 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 soldiers would descend from the skies to assist 
 them in their righteous war against foreigners. 
 
 The Empress herself believed this story as well 
 as the possibility of their being invulnerable to 
 foreign bullets. She is exceedingly superstitious, 
 and in the early part of May consulted the Chi- 
 nese planchette to read her destiny. Two blind 
 men, holding the instrument under a silk screen, 
 wrote in the prepared sand underneath the fol- 
 lowing message from the spiritual world : 
 
 "Ta Chieh Lin T'ou 
 Hung Hsieh Hung Liu 
 Pai Ku Ch'ung Ch'ung 
 Chin Tsai Chin Ch'in 
 Tan Kan 
 
 T'ieh Ma Tung Hsi Tscu 
 Shui Shih Shui Fei 
 Ts'ai pai shiu." 
 
 The interpretation of this would read in English : 
 
 "The millennium is at hand; 
 Blood will flow like a deluge; 
 Bleaching bones everywhere 
 Will this autumn time be seen. 
 Moreover, the iron horse 
 Will move from east to west; 
 Who's right and who's wrong 
 Will then be clearly established." 
 
 The millennium is used by the Chinese as a 
 critical period in a cycle of years. The iron
 
 LOOTING FOREIGNERS 
 
 43 
 
 horse is supposed to mean war. The Empress 
 understood this to mean that in the war which 
 she intended to commence it would be clearly 
 shown by her success that she was right. 
 
 A GROUP OF PROMINENT CHINESE OFFICIALS 
 These men are connected with the Tsung-li-yamen. 
 
 The Boxers, however, completely spoiled all 
 her plans by their eagerness to obtain loot. 
 Being promised the spoil of the foreigners after 
 the contemplated uprising in the eighth moon,
 
 44 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 they regarded the property of the Christians 
 and their teachers as already mortgaged to 
 them; and, fearful lest the government troops 
 would acquire some of it, they commenced the 
 campaign themselves before the appointed time. 
 How the government at first made feeble efforts 
 to restrain them, and afterward completely gave 
 in and joined with them is now a matter of 
 history. 
 
 The monumental idiocy of the idea that 
 China could successfully defy the whole civil- 
 ized world was only possible to such brains as 
 those possessed by the densely ignorant Man- 
 chus who surrounded the Empress as her cabi- 
 net. Several of the tsung-li-yamen ministers, 
 like Prince Ch'ing and Liao Shou Heng, 
 weakly tried to reason them out of it, and 
 were promptly given back seats. 
 
 Of the others remaining in the tsung-li-yamen 
 after their retirement, none dared say anything 
 against the movement for fear they also would 
 be shelved. But as they were not strong enough 
 to please the Empress in her final dealings with 
 the foreigners, she, a few days before the com- 
 mencement of the siege, appointed Prince Tuan 
 as head of the yamen, in place of Prince Ch'ing, 
 and at the same time appointed two fire-eating 
 foreign-haters, Chi Shui and Na T'ung, to seats 
 in that obstructive body. These men, with Tung
 
 RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEATHS 45 
 
 Fu Hsiang and the cabinet, must be held re- 
 sponsible for the murders of Baron von Ketteler, 
 F. Huberty James, David Oliphant, H. Warren, 
 Ed Wagner, and the other civilians and guards 
 killed during the siege, as well as for many mis- 
 sionaries in the province that have doubtless per- 
 ished, but of whose fate we, being besieged, had 
 no certain knowledge. 
 
 That the Powers, in the settlement of their 
 crimes, will treat them as murderers, as they are, 
 we can scarcely doubt, and we hope none of 
 them in any way implicated will be allowed to 
 escape capital punishment.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 CABLES TO AMERICA DESCRIBING GROWTH OF BOXER MOVE- 
 MENT FROM JANUARY TO JUNE, 1900 
 
 T 
 
 CHUNG LI 
 Manchu Boxer Chief 
 
 ,HE murder of the 
 Church of England 
 missionary, Brookes, 
 in Chinanfu prefecture, 
 Shantung province, by 
 the Boxers, was the be- 
 ginning of the explosion. 
 On January 4, 1900, I 
 cabled home the occur- 
 rence of the murder. 
 On January 5 I cabled 
 that the Americans in Taianfu, two days' jour- 
 ney by cart south of the scene of the murder, 
 were in danger, and that the United States 
 minister had requested that they be protected; 
 also that the Empress Dowager had expressed 
 to Sir Claude MacDonald, through the tsung- 
 li-yamen, her horror at the deed, and from 
 thenceforth, under the respective dates given 
 below, I sent cables recording the Boxer prog- 
 ress. 
 
 January 13. Christians in Shantung are being 
 constantly pillaged by marauding parties of Box- 
 
 (46)
 
 DISPATCHES HOME 47 
 
 ers. The Taianfu district is especially dangerous, 
 as the prefect will not allow them to be interfered 
 with. Dr. Smith, of Pang Chuang, in northern 
 Shantung, has also written and telegraphed the 
 United States legation that matters in his district 
 are in the same condition. Christians murdered, 
 chapels burned and looted, and no redress obtain- 
 able from the officials. 
 
 January 15. An imperial edict was issued yes- 
 terday which really commends the Boxers, and is 
 sure to cause trouble. Upon Baron von Ketteler 
 representing this to the tsung-li-yamen he was 
 given no satisfactory answer to account for it. 
 
 January 24. Boxer movement is rapidly spread- 
 ing, and the situation fills many with alarm. Prince 
 Tuan's son has been chosen as the successor to 
 the Emperor, which is an unfavorable omen. 
 
 January 25. An edict has been promulgated 
 apparently from the Emperor, but really from the 
 Empress Dowager, stating that, because of his 
 childless condition and infirm health, he has de- 
 cided for the good of the state to appoint Pu 
 Chun, son of Prince Tuan, as his successor. 
 
 February 5. Although the Boxer movement 
 continues to increase in the northern provinces, 
 Peking remains quiet. 
 
 February 10. The anti - foreign crusade is 
 proceeding apace. Jung Lu, Hsu Tung and 
 Kang Yi have assumed great power, and are con-
 
 48 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 stantly with the Empress. The Boer successes in 
 the Transvaal are being used to show the masses 
 that a very little country can defy a big govern- 
 ment if only the hearts of the people are in the 
 struggle. British prestige here declining rapidly 
 as a consequence. A Boxer mob has attacked the 
 Germans building the railway in Shantung, and 
 driven the foreigners away from their work. As 
 Baron von Ketteler insists upon their going 'on 
 with the work, the tsung-li-yamen finds it diffi- 
 cult to please both the throne and the foreigners. 
 
 February 12. A letter received from a Presby- 
 terian missionary in Chinanfu states that over sev- 
 enty families of Christians have been mobbed and 
 looted in his district, and that they can obtain 
 no redress from the local officials, and that the 
 Boxers, knowing this, are rapidly increasing and 
 growing bolder. 
 
 February 15. Imperial edict orders the sus- 
 pension of any native papers showing reform ten- 
 dency, and the editors to be imprisoned. 
 
 February 19. The annual audience with the 
 foreign ministers took place with most scant cere- 
 mony and in a shabby apartment. This was done 
 with the direct purpose of insulting them, but 
 none remonstrated. 
 
 February 23. A French priest from Tientsin 
 informs me that all that district is pervaded by 
 the Boxers, who openly avow they are drilling to
 
 BOLDNESS OF BOXERS 49 
 
 come to Peking and drive out and exterminate 
 all foreigners. 
 
 February 25. Several thousand armed Boxers 
 have possession of the German railway building 
 at Kaomi in Shantung, and state their purpose 
 is to drive out the foreigner. 
 
 February 28. Yuan Shih Kai, Governor of 
 Shantung, has sent a private messenger, an ex- 
 drillmaster in his army corps, to Baron von 
 Ketteler, the German minister, to say he will 
 disperse the Boxers at Kaomi and restore quiet. 
 
 March 14. The man who obtained for the 
 British syndicate the concession known as the 
 Peking syndicate's Shansi concessions to mine 
 and build railways, was arrested for assisting for- 
 eigners to obtain concessions in China. Upon 
 Sir Claude MacDonald's demanding his release, 
 the Empress promptly sentenced him to impris- 
 onment for life. This will deter others from 
 helping foreigners in any capacity. 
 
 March 15. United States Minister Conger, 
 having protested against the Empress using Yu 
 Hsien, ex-governor of Shantung, in any province 
 where American interests are great, is greatly 
 displeased to learn to-day that, so far from heed- 
 ing, the Empress has actually appointed him 
 Governor of Shansi, in which are not only a 
 number of American missionary stations, but the 
 interests of the Peking syndicate.
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ANCIENT ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS 
 These peculiar instruments, which are of great astronomical 
 merit, were made during the reign of Kublai Khan, A. D. 1264. 
 An especial interest attaches to this illustration, on account of the at- 
 tempt of the Germans to remove these instruments to Berlin, and the 
 protest made against it by General Chaffee, of the U. S. Army. The 
 engraving shows the instruments just as they were used for hun- 
 dreds of years, before they were taken apart for removal to Europe. 
 
 April 24. Boxers aggregating nearly 10,000 
 have collected in one place near Paotingfu, and 
 are very disorderly. The outlook is very threat- 
 ening, not only there but at Tungchow, thirteen
 
 ALARM AND WARNING 51 
 
 miles south of Peking, and at Tsunhua, to the 
 east of Peking. At all these places there are 
 large American missionary stations. 
 
 May 17. Boxer movement has now assumed 
 definite shape and alarming proportions. They 
 have destroyed several Catholic villages east of 
 Paotingfu, and are moving on the property of the 
 American Board's mission at Choochow at Kung 
 Tsun. They have also looted the London mission's 
 premises, and killed several Christians. Boxers are 
 now daily to be seen practicing in Peking and the 
 suburbs. Situation is growing serious here. 
 
 May 18. I have been warned by one of the 
 princes that I should take my family from Pe- 
 king, as he states his own elder brother is a 
 Boxer, and that foreigners are no longer safe in 
 Peking. Have fully informed the United States 
 minister of the situation, but he believes the offi- 
 cial promises that all is well. 
 
 May 21. Foreign ministers have held a meet- 
 ing and discussed question of bringing legation 
 guards to Peking. The French minister favored 
 this, but Conger opposed, stating he believed 
 the government resolutely means to suppress the 
 Boxers. No action was taken, it being decided 
 to await further developments. 
 
 May 24. The tsung-li-yamen has not yet re- 
 plied to the joint note sent them by the foreign 
 ministers four days ago, requesting that the Box-
 
 52 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ers be dealt with summarily. Unless an imme- 
 diate and vigorous foreign pressure is applied, a 
 general uprising'is sure. 
 
 May 25. General Yang was killed at Ting- 
 hsing, Hsien, near Paotingfu, either by his own 
 soldiers or the Boxers. The soldiers then joined 
 the Boxers. 
 
 May 26. The tsung-li-yamen has sent a vague 
 and temporizing reply to the foreign ministers' 
 demand requiring the suppression of the Boxers. 
 They are now regularly enrolled at the residences 
 of several of the princes in this city. 
 
 May 28, A. M. The foreign ministers held 
 another meeting to-day, but still deferred any ac- 
 tion looking toward defense, as the tsung-li-yamen 
 promises that it will shortly issue a strong edict 
 that will suppress the Boxers. Pichon distrusts 
 the Chinese promises and again advocates strong 
 legation guards. 
 
 May 28, 4.10 P. M. Boxers have burned the 
 bridge and destroyed the track at Liuliho, forty- 
 five miles west of Peking, on the Lu Han railway, 
 and are advancing toward Marco Polo bridge, 
 twelve miles from here. The foreigners employed 
 on the railway have all fled. The Tientsin train 
 is overdue, and our communication with the coast 
 threatened. The legations are just beginning to 
 wake up to the fact that the Boxer movement is 
 a perilous one.
 
 PERIL CLOSE AT HAND 53 
 
 May 29. At last it has come to our very .door. 
 Not only Liuliho and Changhsintien, on the Lu 
 Han railroad, have been destroyed, but the junc- 
 tion at Fengtai, only six miles from here, has 
 
 FAMOUS ARCH OF THE MING TOMBS 
 
 A celebrated traveler has said that it was worth encircling the 
 earth to see this beautiful piece of architecture. Were it in the 
 middle of Paris or New York, it would arouse great admiration 
 and wonder; but, situated as it is in the midst of a wild and bar- 
 ren landscape, with huge mountains for a background, and repre- 
 senting as it does, the burial place of a mighty dynasty that for 
 ages ruled a stupendous nation, it fills the beholder not only with 
 wonder and admiration, but with awe 
 
 been attacked, looted, and burned, and all the 
 foreign employes have fled to Tientsin. The for- 
 eign ministers now want guards badly, but, as it 
 is not yet known whether the railroad is torn up
 
 54 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 at Fengtai, there is no certainty of getting them 
 quickly. The fate of a large party of French 
 and Belgian women and children, known to re- 
 side at Changhsintien, is not known. Legation 
 street is crowded with villainous-looking ruffians 
 congregating to loot if opportunity offers. Until 
 troops arrive the situation is precarious. 
 
 May 30. The tsung-li-yamen has requested 
 the foreign ministers not to bring troops, assur- 
 ing them they are not necessary; but the situation 
 here has at last impressed them, and they have 
 disregarded the yamen and ordered up guards 
 at once. The populace are quite excited, and 
 only need a slight cause to break out. 
 
 May 30, P. M. Viceroy of Chihli has forbid- 
 den guards taking train at Tientsin. Fifteen 
 warships are reported at Taku. 
 
 May 31. Viceroy of Chihli has been ordered 
 by the yamen to allow guards to take train for 
 Peking, but requested ministers to bring only 
 small guards, as last year. Troops have arrived. 
 
 June i. Populace seems cowed and sullen. 
 Riots in the city may now be prevented, but the 
 problem of dealing with the movement is one 
 requiring active diplomatic effort. 
 
 June 2. Station buildings south of Paotingfu 
 on the Lu Han railway have been burned, and 
 railroad destroyed. Party of thirty Belgians, in- 
 cluding women and children, attempted to escape
 
 MISSIONARIES SLAIN 55 
 
 to Tientsin, and were attacked by Boxers. Sev- 
 eral known to be killed ; fate of remainder un- 
 known. Said to be surrounded when their native 
 interpreter left to obtain help. Native Christians 
 of the American Board's mission at Choochow, 
 and the American Presbyterian mission at Kuan- 
 hsien, are pouring steadily into Peking, to escape 
 murder at the hands of the Boxers. All their 
 houses have been looted and burned. 
 
 June 2, 8 P. M. Serious dissension among 
 Chinese ministers, Prince Ching favoring mod- 
 eration and suppression of the Boxers. He is 
 said to be secretly supported in this by Jung Lu 
 and the tsung-li-yamen. Prince Tuan, supported 
 by Hsu Tung, Kang Yi, and other intensely anti- 
 foreign ministers, is favoring the Boxer move- 
 ment. A crisis is imminent. 
 
 June 3. Church of England missionaries 
 Robinson and Norman killed at Yungching by 
 Boxers, and their chapels looted and burned. 
 Boxers now have entire control of country from 
 Tientsin to Paotingfu, and thence northeastward 
 to Peking; native troops make no effort to sup- 
 press them. All religious and missionary work in 
 North China is ended unless treaty powers com- 
 pel observance of treaty provisions, and demand 
 indemnities for each and every infringement. 
 
 June 4. Native converts from the west of 
 Peking report that many thousand Boxers are
 
 56 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 assembling at Choochow preparing to attack the 
 foreigners and converts in Peking. The mis- 
 sionaries are convinced of the truth of this, and 
 have informed their legations, who will not be- 
 lieve it. Dr. Taylor, of the American Presby- 
 
 CHINESE LITTER 
 
 A typical method of Chinese conveyance. The litter is sup- 
 ported by poles to the backs of two animals, one in front, the 
 other behind ; in it the traveler can make himself comfortable. 
 Beyond are the massive tombs of the Ming Dynasty, the famous 
 arches of which are shown elsewhere. 
 
 terian mission at Paotingfu, telegraphed to the 
 American minister: * We are safe at present, 
 but prospects threatening." 
 
 June 4 (afternoon) . Morning train arrived 
 from Tientsin four hours late, owing to burning
 
 DESTRUCTION UNCERTAINTY 57 
 
 of bridge and destruction of station building at 
 Huangtsun by Boxers. Noon train now overdue, 
 and, as the telegraph wires have been cut, is 
 unheard from. Unless foreign troops are imme- 
 diately placed to guard the railway we shall be 
 cut off from help by way of the sea. 
 
 June 5. The American missionaries in Pao- 
 tingfu have been attacked, and have wired for 
 help. The tsuftg-li-yamen, when appealed to by 
 United States minister, said it would telegraph 
 the local officials to do so. But unless a relief 
 party rescues them speedily their fate is certain 
 death. 
 
 June 5, P. M. American Methodist mission at 
 Tsunhua, with twelve children and four women, 
 are beset and have wired for help. Trains from 
 Tientsin have ceased to arrive ; we are sending 
 a courier overland with mails. 
 
 June 6. United States consul at Tientsin has 
 wired the minister here that the Tientsin native 
 city is in great excitement, and the situation is 
 very serious ; he advised that no women or chil- 
 dren attempt to enter Tientsin from Peking, as 
 they could not get through. Fate of Paotingfu 
 missionaries unknown, as we can get no tele- 
 grams through. 
 
 June 6, P. M. United States consul wires from 
 Tientsin that the situation there is growing stead- 
 ily worse ; an attack is imminent. Here in Pe-
 
 58 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 king we are all collecting in the legations, but 
 have insufficient arms and ammunition. - Never- 
 theless we will make a determined stand. 
 
 June 7. I have overwhelming evidence that 
 government officials are the real causes of the 
 Boxer movement, acting under the direction of 
 the Empress. Therefore the tsung-li-yamen and 
 cabinet are supporting this movement, which is 
 intended to exterminate all foreigners and Chris- 
 tian converts. The senile cabinet has persuaded 
 the Empress this is possible, and they are quite 
 willing to face the inevitable foreign war that 
 their policy entails. The imbecility of this idea 
 does not in any way interfere with the facts. The 
 foreign powers should all prepare for war at once, 
 or entrust the work to those powers nearest and 
 best fitted to successfully undertake it. The 
 sooner this is done the less will be the loss of 
 life and property. The tsung-li-yamen yesterday 
 promised Sir Claude MacDonald, through the 
 secretary of Prince Ching, that if the foreign 
 ministers would not press for a personal audience 
 with the Empress, as they intended doing, Prince 
 Ching would guarantee the restoration of the 
 interrupted railway in two days, and a general 
 amelioration of the condition of affairs. Another 
 useless edict was put out to-day mildly enjoining 
 officials to distinguish between good and bad 
 Boxers, and punish only the bad.
 
 FLIGHT TO PEKING 
 
 59 
 
 June 7, P. M. Twenty converts have been 
 murdered at Huangtsun, thirteen miles south. 
 Missionaries at Tungchow have decided to aban- 
 don their valuable compound, and have tele- 
 graphed the United States minister to send them 
 
 Hsu Yung I Wang Chao Shu Conger Yu Keng 
 
 Beheaded Wen Chiao U.S. Minister to 
 
 Aug. 9, 1900. Shao. Boxer Chief. Minister. Paris. 
 
 A group in front of the American Legation 
 
 a guard of marines to escort the women and 
 children to Peking. This compound contains a 
 valuable college, and will inevitably be burned. 
 
 June 8. Tungchow missionaries have arrived 
 safely in Peking. Two other stations on the 
 Tientsin railway, Lofa and Langfang, have been
 
 60 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 burned, as well as the college compound at Tung- 
 chow. Tsung-li - yamen has refused to allow a 
 reinforcement of the legation guards now in Pe- 
 king. Although thirty warships of all nationali- 
 ties are at Taku, Peking is completely isolated. 
 Why America, after Secretary Hay's much vaunted 
 open-door policy, should allow her representative 
 to be denied sufficient guard for the safety of 
 himself and his countrymen is something one 
 cannot comprehend, unless the representative has 
 not kept his government well informed. 
 
 June 8, P. M. Most alarming situation. Mis- 
 sionaries from all compounds in this city com- 
 pelled to abandon their homes and seek refuge 
 in the Methodist mission, which is nearer the 
 legations, being a half mile east of the United 
 States legation. They have a few shotguns and 
 very little ammunition, and are surrounded by 
 their terrified converts, who have fled with them. 
 Prince Ching's promise of restored railway has 
 proved false. The foreign ministers now realize 
 they have been fooled again, and have lost two 
 days' valuable time. We call upon our govern- 
 ment to make haste and rescue our wives and 
 families quickly or it will be too late. 
 
 June 9. Emperor and Empress return to-day 
 to the city from the summer palace. Another 
 futile edict has been put out to further delude 
 the foreign ministers. It is known that Prince
 
 UNITED STATES URGED TO ACT 61 
 
 Ching has expostulated with the cabinet, but to 
 no purpose. 
 
 June 9, P. M. United States Minister Conger 
 has sent in all twenty marines to assist the Meth- 
 odist mission compound in their defense. Still 
 no word from Paotingfu missionaries. 
 
 June 10. Five hundred marines and sailors 
 left Tientsin to relieve us. They can get as far 
 as Anting, twenty miles south of here, by train, 
 and will then have to march the remainder of 
 the distance. If prompt they should arrive to- 
 morrow. Methodist mission is fortifying the 
 place with strong brick walls and barbed wire. 
 
 After this telegram I was notified that the 
 wires south were cut, and sent only one message 
 more, on July 12, by way of Kiachta, relating 
 the murder of the Japanese secretary and urging 
 prompt government action looking to our rescue. 
 
 The history of the growth of the Boxer move- 
 ment seems to me to have been clearly shown 
 by these telegrams, so that any one of ordinary 
 understanding could have been, by June i, if in 
 possession of this series of dispatches, fully 
 acquainted with the situation. 
 
 The United States minister, the British minis- 
 ter, and the French minister were each acquainted 
 with all the above major facts and much more 
 minor detail.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 DIARY OF THE AUTHOR FROM JUNE i TO JUNE 20 
 
 T 
 
 I HE following tran- 
 scription of my diary 
 gives the principal 
 events in the situation 
 up to the date of the 
 close siege, going back 
 a little in point of time 
 from the last chapter. 
 
 June i. After three 
 CHAD sHiTcHiAO days of exciting mental 
 
 Boxer Member of Cabinet Strain, WC Can at last 
 
 breathe easier. Rumors continue to fill the air of 
 plots within the palace, riots against the Catholic 
 cathedral, railway being torn up between here 
 and Tientsin, etc. But the solid fact remains that 
 a few foreign guards have arrived at six lega- 
 tions, and a machine gun will now have some- 
 thing to say in one's behalf if the excited 
 populace's thirst for foreign blood becomes too 
 pressing. 
 
 With the exception of M. Pichon, the French 
 minister, all the other ministers are greatly to 
 blame for their tardy recognition of the impend- 
 ing trouble, and they have very nearly had the 
 
 (62)
 
 MINISTERS SLOW TO BELIEVE 63 
 
 odium of a preventible foreign massacre to an- 
 swer for. 
 
 Sir Claude MacDonald, for whom the entire 
 English community outside his legation feel, and 
 have openly expressed, the greatest contempt, 
 would not believe that there was any danger 
 coming, and vigorously opposed Pichon's advice 
 that the troops be sent for ten days ago. 
 
 Mr. Conger seconded Sir Claude, partly be- 
 cause the United States legation quarters are so 
 limited that the second secretary and his wife 
 are obliged to live in two rooms over the main 
 office building, and partly because he believed 
 the government willing and capable of putting 
 down the disorder. Both were suddenly con- 
 verted when Fengtai, only six miles away, was 
 burned, and the Boxers were reported marching 
 unopposed upon Peking. Then the most excit- 
 ing telegraphing for warships to come to Taku, 
 and guards and machine guns to come to Peking, 
 became the order of the day. 
 
 Had the Boxers been at all organized they 
 could have torn up the track for a mile or two 
 at Fengtai, and effectually cut off the troops 
 from arriving in time to prevent any city riots. 
 Fortunately, they seem to have been carried away 
 by the desire to loot, and after they had carried 
 off all the furniture and belongings of the eight 
 foreign residences at Fengtai, and robbed the
 
 64 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Empress' private car of all movable property, 
 they were content to set fire to the stations and 
 machine shops, and then clear out home to the 
 adjoining villages. 
 
 June 4. None of the Boxers have been pun- 
 ished, and they have grown bolder, burning the 
 next station below Fengtai, known as Huangtsun, 
 thirteen miles from Peking, killing two Church 
 of England missionaries named Robinson and 
 Norman at Yungching, and defeating a force of 
 Cossacks sent out from Tientsin to search for the 
 surviving Belgians escaping from the Lu Han 
 railway. In spite of this, and with seventeen 
 men-of-war at Tangku, the foreign ministers, be- 
 sides bringing up each a guard of fifty or seventy- 
 five men to protect his own legation, are doing 
 nothing that we can see at any rate to pacify 
 the country. Why they don't land a large force, 
 come to Peking, and seize the old reprobates 
 that they all know are the real bosses of the 
 Boxer movement in Peking, and hold them re- 
 sponsible for any further movement, nobody 
 knows. 
 
 Every minister can tell you that Hsu Tung, 
 Kang Yi, Chung Li, Chung Chi, and Chao Shu 
 Chiao, with Prince Tuan, are the real causes of 
 all the present disorder. Although they all know 
 this, they still pretend to believe the assurances 
 of the government to the contrary. ...
 
 THRILLING EVENTS 65 
 
 June 13. Events have been too exciting to 
 allow of one sitting down quietly to write. The 
 missionaries from Tungchow, thirteen miles south 
 of Peking, have fled into this city, and all their 
 college plant, private residences, and property 
 have been destroyed by soldiers sent from the 
 taotai's yamen to protect them. All the Peking 
 missionaries have gathered together in the Meth- 
 odist mission compound, where, with such arms 
 as they could collect a few shotguns, rifles, and 
 revolvers and with a guard of twenty marines, 
 sent by Mr. Conger, United States minister, they 
 have fortified themselves with barbed wire and 
 brick fences, and are "holding the fort." 
 
 For days we have heard no word from our 
 Presbyterian missionaries at Paotingfu. The last 
 word, now some days since, which came through 
 the tsung-li-yamen and is therefore untrustworthy, 
 was that they were safe at present. Wires south 
 have been cut since the burning of the college 
 buildings at Tungchow, and I have been unable 
 to write home the developments daily occurring. 
 
 On the loth of June, just before the wires 
 were cut, we had a message from United States 
 Consul Ragsdale, saying eight hundred odd troops 
 were coming to our assistance, but to-day is the 
 fourth day since its receipt, and we only know 
 of their reaching Lofa, a burned station on the 
 railway to Tientsin, on Monday night. We have
 
 66 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 been expecting them every hour since, but no 
 definite word of their arrival at any other place 
 has reached us. Why they don't send natives 
 in advance we can't imagine. 
 
 June 1 8. Eleven days we have been besieged 
 in Legation street. Our little guard of four hun- 
 dred and fifty marines and sailors of all national- 
 ities have kept unceasing watch night and day, 
 and are nearly exhausted. Eleven days ago we 
 were told that an army was marching to our re- 
 lief, and although they had only eight miles to 
 come we have not yet seen them, nor do we 
 know their whereabouts. 
 
 We have nightly repelled attacks of Boxers 
 and soldiers of the government, and have killed 
 in sorties over two hundred of them ; but we 
 have millions about us, and unless relieved must 
 soon succumb. Our messengers to the outside 
 world have been captured and killed, and our 
 desperate situation, while it may be guessed, can- 
 not be truly known. 
 
 With fifty men-of-war now at Taku we have 
 to remain within our barricaded streets and wit- 
 ness the destruction of all the mission premises 
 and private foreign residences on the outside. 
 
 The American Board mission's large property, 
 the two large Catholic cathedrals known as the 
 South cathedral and the East cathedral, the two 
 compounds of the American Presbyterian mis-
 
 TIMES THAT TRY MEN'S SOULS 67 
 
 sion, the Society for Propagation of the Gospel 
 mission, the International Institute, and the Lon- 
 don mission have all furnished magnificent con- 
 flagrations, which we have beheld without being 
 able in any way to prevent. 
 
 At each place the furious Boxers, aided by 
 their soldier sympathizers, have murdered, with 
 shocking mutilation, all the gatekeepers as well 
 as any women and children in the neighborhood 
 suspected of being Christians or foreign sym- 
 pathizers. 
 
 At the South cathedral the massacre was shock- 
 ing ; so much so that when some of the poor 
 mutilated children came fleeing across the city, 
 bringing the news of what was going on, a relief 
 party was organized from our little force, con- 
 sisting of twelve Russians, twelve American ma- 
 rines, and two civilians, W. N. Pethick and M. 
 Duysberg, armed with shotguns, who, risking 
 conflict with the Manchu troops, marched two 
 miles from our barricades and, coming on the 
 Boxers suddenly in the midst of the ruins, fired 
 a number of volleys into them, killing over sixty, 
 upon which the rest fled. They then collected 
 the women and children hidden in the surround- 
 ing alleys, and marched them back to us, where 
 they are for the present safe. 
 
 I have just finished dressing the wounded 
 head of a little girl ten years of age, who, in
 
 68 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 spite of a sword cut four inches long in the back 
 of her head and two fractures of the outer table 
 of the skull, walked all the way back here, lead- 
 ing a little sister of eight and a brother of four. 
 As she patiently endured the stitching of the 
 wound, she described to me the murder of her 
 father and mother and the looting of her home. 
 One old man of sixty carried his mother of eighty 
 upon his back and brought her into temporary 
 safety; but how long before we are all murdered 
 we cannot say. 
 
 Our anxiety has been something frightful, and 
 at this moment, many days since we were told 
 that troops were coming to our relief, we are 
 apparently no nearer rescue than at first. We 
 can't comprehend it. Night before last, after 
 being driven away by our hot rifle fire, the Box- 
 ers turned on the defenseless shopkeepers in the 
 southern city, and burned many acres of the best 
 business places and native banks. 
 
 They also burned the great city gate, known 
 as the Chien Men, an imposing structure of many 
 stories high, which must have illuminated the 
 surrounding country for miles. Surely our troops 
 must have seen the glare, if they were within 
 forty miles of us. We begin to fear they have 
 met with an overwhelming force of Chinese sol- 
 diers, and have been driven back to Tientsin. 
 
 The tsung-li-yamen, or foreign office, is utterly
 
 THE GREAT GATE 
 
 69 
 
 MAIN GATE TO PEKING, DESTROYED BY BOXERS SEPT. 16, 1900 
 
 This is one of Peking's main and most imposing gates. Notice 
 the massive building above the wall; note the solidity of the wall 
 itself; an idea of its great height can be formed by noticing how 
 small a proportion is occupied by the arch and yet how small a 
 proportion of the arch is actually required for the passing vehicles. 
 
 powerless, and yet it continues to send us mes- 
 sages stating it is going to protect us, and it has 
 the Empress issue daily edicts, which, while ap- 
 parently condemning the Boxers, really encour- 
 age them.
 
 70 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 The Manchu soldiers have stood idly by in 
 thousands, and have seen the frightful butcheries 
 of converts and suspected converts, without rais- 
 ing a finger to interfere. When questioned why 
 they did not obey the edicts authorizing them to 
 repress arson and looting they have replied, "We 
 have other instructions." 
 
 Mauser bullets are nightly fired at our sen- 
 tries, and every night we have to turn out a 
 number of times to repel the cowardly natives, 
 whom we find sneaking down upon us, and who 
 dare attack only under cover of darkness. 
 
 The behavior of our women and children 
 under these circumstances has been remarkable, 
 and their courage and bravery above all praise. 
 
 Should these lines ever be published I wish 
 to make known to the world the great courage, 
 devotion, and constant watchfulness of Captain 
 John T. Myers, of the marine corps. We will 
 owe to him our lives and the lives of our loved 
 ones if we are ever rescued. His bravery and 
 endurance will, if he survives, mark him for high 
 command some day. While all the officers here 
 have acted well, yet he is head and shoulders 
 above them in coolness and decision, and all the 
 other nationalities come to him for advice and 
 counsel. 
 
 He is well seconded here by ex-Lieutenant 
 Herbert G. Squiers, Seventh United States Cav-
 
 OUR SECRETARY OF LEGATION 71 
 
 airy, who is first secretary of legation. Had Mr. 
 Squiers been minister, we would never have been 
 in our present terrible situation, for he realized 
 the appalling nature of the threatened outbreak 
 while the ministers pooh-poohed it. As he could 
 
 
 HERBERT G. SQUIERS 
 First Secretary, United States Legation, Peking 
 
 not of his own initiative order up troops in time, 
 he laid in abundant stores of rice and other eata- 
 bles, and bought up all the wagons and ammu- 
 nition purchasable. 
 
 The blind trust the ministers (with the excep-
 
 72 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 tion perhaps of M. Pichon) placed in the prom- 
 ises of the tsung-li-yamen, in the face of the 
 daily increasing riots and murder, is an instance 
 of childlike simplicity which I trust they may 
 never have an opportunity to repeat elsewhere. 
 The entire community here, of civilians and 
 military alike, condemn them as a set of incom- 
 petents. 
 
 They now, of course, all see their mistake in 
 being fooled by the tsung-li-yamen, and pre- 
 vented from bringing a sufficient force here 
 until the railroad was destroyed and hordes of 
 fierce Kansu ruffians placed in the way of ad- 
 vancing relief. 
 
 The marines of the Newark and Oregon, of 
 which we have fifty, that compose the entire 
 American force, are a sturdy lot of courageous, 
 devoted men. Sober, intelligent, cheerful, en- 
 during, all of them are as brave as lions. Ser- 
 geant Walker alone, at the South cathedral, 
 killed seven of the Boxers. 
 
 The district held by us is about a half-mile 
 east and west on Legation street, and is guarded 
 by blocking the streets at the Italian legation on 
 the east and the Russian legation on the west. 
 At each barricade there is placed a machine gun. 
 A diagram of the ground held will be found 
 on another page. June 19, yesterday, the tsung- 
 li-yamen ministers (four of them) visited the
 
 FAIR WORDS, BUT FALSE! 73 
 
 English, Russian, and American legations, and 
 begged the foreign ministers to persuade the 
 relief guards that we hope are coming to our 
 aid, to return, assuring them that from this time 
 on the Chinese would prevent any further Boxer 
 outrages on foreigners, and that legation prem- 
 ises should be safe. They also said the Empress 
 was now sure that the Boxer movement was a 
 menace to the government as well as the for- 
 eigners, and that the imperial troops would be 
 ordered to shoot every Boxer on sight. As all 
 the afternoon our sentinels on the city wall saw 
 Boxers in full regalia going at pleasure among 
 the native troops stationed about the ruined 
 Chien Men, we know that the tsung-li-yamen's 
 words were, as usual, a pack of lies. 
 
 A messenger arrived yesterday from Tientsin 
 from Mr. E. B. Drew, commissioner of customs, 
 to Dr. Morrison, of the London Times, stating 
 that the railroad had been destroyed in the rear 
 of the relief column, and they were being driven 
 back on Tientsin and away from us. 
 
 Surely our condition is desperate. Food is 
 getting scarce. Boxers are mixing openly with 
 the Chinese soldiers, our own soldier boys are 
 getting worn out by constant watching, and no 
 help is nigh. 
 
 July 18. On June 19, nearly a month ago 
 to-day, the tsung-li-yamen sent the foreign min-
 
 74 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 isters word that, as the admirals at Taku had 
 notified the viceroy of Chihli through the French 
 consul if he opposed troops landing in any re- 
 quired numbers they would take the Taku forts, 
 and as this was really a declaration of war, the 
 foreign ministers were hereby requested to leave 
 Peking, one and all, within twenty-four hours, 
 and proceed to Tientsin en route to their re- 
 spective countries, a Chinese escort for which 
 was to be provided by the Chinese government. 
 
 As the railroad had already been destroyed 
 all the way to Tientsin, and the intended relief 
 corps under Admiral Seymour and Captain 
 McCalla had been driven back without being 
 able to reach us, and as we knew the country 
 between Peking and Tientsin was filled with 
 thousands of Boxers and hostile soldiers, it 
 seemed patent to the most simple intellect that 
 to leave the protection of our legation walls was 
 to invite massacre. 
 
 But the intensely dense ministers, Sir Claude 
 MacDonald, E. H. Conger, M. de Giers, M. 
 Pichon, and others, all excepting Baron von 
 Ketteler, the German minister, actually agreed 
 to proceed to Tientsin on the morrow with all 
 their nationals, providing only that the Chinese 
 government would furnish transportation. The 
 military officers all declared this would mean 
 the massacre of the entire community.
 
 VON KETTELER'S DEATH 75 
 
 The ministers, however, would certainly have 
 had us all thus massacred had not the unfor- 
 tunate Baron von Ketteler been murdered the 
 next morning by the Chinese troops while pro- 
 ceeding to the tsung-li-yamen to consult about 
 details. He rode, as is customary, to the tsung- 
 li-yamen from his legation in a sedan chair. 
 When passing -the entrance of Tsung Pu street, 
 just below the yamen, he was fired upon by a 
 troop of Manchu troops of Yung Lu upon the 
 command of a lieutenant with a white button, 
 and was mortally wounded. His secretary inter- 
 preter, Mr. Corder, who accompanied him, was 
 also badly wounded by the volley, but, aided by 
 some friendly natives, managed to escape to the 
 Methodist mission near Legation street, where, 
 after having his wounds dressed, he was sent on 
 to his legation. The horse coolie had already 
 quickly galloped back to the legation and given 
 the alarm. 
 
 The folly of trusting our lives to the Chinese 
 escort was thus made clear, and the foreign 
 ministers, dense as they were, could not but 
 realize that to trust themselves and their families 
 to the tender mercies of the ruffians who would 
 be appointed to escort and murder them and 
 us, would be lunacy to a degree at which even 
 they were not yet arrived. 
 
 I had, in company with the correspondent of
 
 76 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 the London "Times," early in the morning of 
 the 20th of June, in the most emphatic language, 
 represented the true state of the case to Min- 
 ister Conger, only to be met with the cold 
 reply, as he turned away after listening to us, 
 "I don't agree with you." 
 
 But on receipt of the news of Ketteler's 
 death, a few moments later, the United States 
 minister "changed his mind," and reluctantly 
 admitted it would be impossible to go to Tien- 
 tsin, and that we must try and defend ourselves 
 in Peking until a large relief force could arrive 
 to rescue us. 
 
 Hasty preparations were then made to send 
 all the women and children into the English 
 legation, which was the largest of all the lega- 
 tions, as well as the strongest, from which to 
 make a final stand. 
 
 In a few hours after the news of Von Kette- 
 ler's murder a steady stream of men, women, 
 and children, carrying bundles, buckets, and 
 trunks, could have been seen pouring into the 
 main gate of the British legation, all with anxious 
 faces. Carts, too, loaded with provisions from 
 the three foreign stores, were making the best 
 use of the time in transferring all the available 
 eatables and drinkables within the protection of 
 the legation walls. 
 
 As the twenty-four hours granted us in which
 
 BESIEGED 77 
 
 to hasten from the city expired at 4 P. M., all 
 used their entire energy as well as that of the 
 coolies and servants at their disposal, so that at 
 the time specified, when the Chinese opened a 
 terrifying fire upon us from all sides, provisions 
 enough to last us several months were safely 
 under shelter.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 DIARIES OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS SON FROM JUNE 20 
 TO END OF SIEGE 
 
 A 
 
 HSII YUNG I 
 
 Beheaded for favoring moderation. 
 Member of Tsung-li-yamen 
 
 T four o'clock on 
 the afternoon of 
 June 20, 1900, all 
 the foreign women and 
 children, and nearly all 
 of the civilians of Peking 
 and vicinity, including 
 the customs staff and the 
 missionary body, had 
 taken refuge in the Brit- 
 ish legation. It was sur- 
 prising to every one to 
 find that, in the time that had elapsed since the 
 arrival of the British marines. May 31, no barri- 
 cades had been erected, no trenches dug, nor any 
 attention paid whatever to rendering the place 
 better able to stand a siege. 
 
 In talking with one of the British sergeants, 
 and commenting upon this utter neglect, he in- 
 formed me that Captain Halliday had, a few 
 days before, attempted to improvise some bar- 
 riers by means of dry -goods boxes filled with 
 earth, but had been so laughed at and snubbed 
 
 (78)
 
 AMERICANS FOREMOST IN DEFENSE 79 
 
 by Captains Strouts and Wray, British officers, 
 that he had given up the attempt. 
 
 Sir Claude MacDonald, the British minister, 
 who is an ex-major in the army, and should 
 have instructed in this very important duty, was, 
 equally with marine officers, culpably silent. 
 
 The American missionaries, however, no 
 sooner arrived than they formed committees on 
 fortification, sanitation, food, etc., and set ac- 
 tively to work; and to them belongs, as every 
 one agrees, the credit of placing the legation 
 in a defensible condition. 
 
 To Mr. F. D. Gamewell, of the American 
 Methodist mission, more than to any other one 
 man, is due the success which has attended our 
 defense. His energy was simply extraordinary. 
 From morning until night he was to be seen 
 superintending the filling of sand-bags, the tear- 
 ing down of houses adjoining our walls that 
 might serve as cover to the enemy, the building 
 of barricades and strengthening of walls from 
 the timbers and brick so obtained, making loop- 
 holes at the proper places for firing through and 
 doing, in fact, everything that could have been 
 done by an arrrfy engineer of experience; all 
 the time, too, under a galling rifle fire from the 
 outside Chinese army, under the command of 
 the Kansu ruffian, General Tung Fu Hsiang. 
 
 All the Chinese coolies, servants, cooks, and
 
 8o BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 retainers of the foreigners, to the number of 
 over 1,000, were enrolled, given a badge sewed 
 to their sleeves, declaring their identity, and 
 hours fixed for their employment on public works 
 for general defense. 
 
 Latrines and garbage tanks were arranged, and 
 the place put under proper sanitary regulation, 
 supervised by Drs. Coltman, Lowry, and Inglis. 
 
 A hospital was equipped under Doctors Velde 
 and Poole, and a trained nurse corps installed, 
 consisting of several lady physicians and three 
 trained nurses. 
 
 The Holland and Belgian legations, being 
 outside of the line of defense adopted by con- 
 sultation of the military captains, were aban- 
 doned, but it was decided by the military to hold 
 the French, German, American, Italian, and Rus- 
 sian legations, until absolutely untenable. 
 
 With the exception of the Italian legation, 
 these premises are still in our possession, al- 
 though the French and German legations are 
 but shattered wrecks, every building being full 
 of holes from shells and round-shot of the Chi- 
 nese cannon, often fired at only two hundred 
 yards' distance. 
 
 On the afternoon of that first day of the siege, 
 F. Huberty James, professor of English in the 
 Imperial University, noticed several Chinese sol- 
 diers upon the bridge, a few hundred yards north
 
 PROFESSOR JAMES ENTRAPPED 
 
 81 
 
 of the legation gate. Without stating his motive 
 to any one, although it is supposed he intended 
 to converse with them, and, if possible, find out 
 their orders in regard to us, he walked from the 
 gate up the street along the canal to the bridge. 
 
 BUILDING BARRICADES IN GERMAN LEGATION 
 Without the barricades the defense would never have been suc- 
 cessful. Some very hard fighting was done in the vicinity of this 
 barricade. The lower portion was built of brick, with sand-bags 
 on top and loop-holes left for the purpose of rifle firing. 
 
 He had no sooner arrived there than several 
 Chinese soldiers, concealed behind the wall of 
 Prince Su's palace, fired upon him. The sentry 
 at the legation gate saw him hold up his hands, 
 then heard a report and saw him fall. He was
 
 82 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 seen to partly raise himself, when several of the 
 ruffian soldiers hurriedly ran out, picked him up, 
 and carried him behind the corner of the wall 
 and beyond, the reach of rescue. His fate was 
 probably a hasty death at their hands, if, indeed, 
 he was not already mortally wounded. 
 
 When I heard of this sad affair, an hour after 
 its occurrence, I could scarcely believe that my 
 friend who had welcomed me to China in 1885 
 had come to such a cruel end. He had not an 
 enemy in the world, and was uniformly gentle 
 and considerate. His fate, following so closely 
 upon Baron von Ketteler's, the first day of our 
 siege, cast a deep gloom over the entire com- 
 munity. 
 
 Promptly at 4 P. M. the Chinese soldiers opened 
 fire upon all the legations from behind the sur- 
 rounding houses; but, very fortunately for us, 
 most of their bullets flew high and went entirely 
 over the legation district and must have injured 
 Chinese residents in Peking at a distance. 
 
 The British legation inside presented a scene 
 of greatest confusion. Eatables and tinned stores 
 of every description had been hastily dumped by 
 coolies into all parts of the compound. Men, 
 women, and children were busy for some hours 
 trying to identify and collect the little stores they 
 had brought or sent in, with the idea that a few 
 days' provision would be all that would be neces-
 
 PROBLEM OF FOOD AND CLOTHING 83 
 
 sary, as no one believed that- Admiral Seymour, 
 Colonel Wogack, and Captain McCalla would be 
 longer than a week at most in relieving us. 
 
 Little did we imagine that many weeks of 
 siege under shot, shell, and rifle-fire must be 
 endured, with absolutely no word from the out- 
 side world, before we, or at least such of us as 
 survived, would again come forth. 
 
 Many had left their homes hurriedly, taking 
 with them nothing but the clothes they wore. 
 Having left my own house one week previous, 
 and gone to the United States legation as a 
 guest with my family, I had been requested 
 not to bring in any supply of provisions, as it 
 would alarm people, and it was hoped quiet 
 would be restored in a few days. 
 
 When obliged by the Chinese ultimatum to 
 leave Peking or, as we decided after Baron von 
 Ketteler's murder, to take refuge in the British 
 legation and await reinforcements, it was too 
 late to visit my home outside of the foreign 
 lines and remove anything from my storeroom. 
 
 Fortunately for my little family, Mr. H. G. 
 Squiers, as I have mentioned, had laid in an 
 abundant supply of rice, flour, and other stores, 
 and he offered, if I would undertake to move 
 all his stores safely to the British legation, to 
 contribute to my needs. This I was only too 
 glad to do; so, taking two of his servants and
 
 
 VIEW FROM THE WALL OF PEKING SHOWING SCENE OF 
 
 i. The prominent building at this point is the British Legation, prac- 
 tically the headquarters of the defense. 2. This high wall, extending the 
 entire length of the picture, marks the boundary of the "Forbidden City"; 
 at the point indicated, the Krupp guns, mentioned in the narrative, were 
 mounted, giving them a sweeping range of Legation street. 3. The 
 residence of the author after the siege, his own property having been so 
 badly damaged by the mob as to make it untenantable. 4. The roof of 
 the American Legation (in another picture is shown a view of the Lega- 
 tion itself). 5. The Russian Legation, another of the most important 
 points in the foreign field of defense. 6. Bridge over the canal at Lega- 
 tion street. The foul and stagnant water in the canal and the filth in 
 its bed are plainly shown. 7. The roofs of the Emperor's palace and 
 "Forbidden City" and other portions of some of the buildings appear 
 
 (84)
 
 THE BLOCKADE AND OTHER POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST 
 
 above the wall that surrounds it. It will be noticed that, while strictly 
 barred out from the "Forbidden City" and the palace of the Emperor, the 
 foreign legations were nevertheless within a comparatively short distance. 
 8. The top of what is known as the "Coal Hill," in the Imperial grounds 
 of the "Forbidden City," shows over the top of the wall. This hill is a 
 vast supply of coal, which has been accumulating for hundreds of years. 
 It is entirely without shelter, and there seems to be no authentic history to 
 account for its inception, nor any special reason for its continuance; but 
 here, in the most sacred place in the Chinese kingdom, right in the magnifi- 
 cent palace grounds of the Emperor, this ugly, unsightly pile of coal, covering 
 several acres in extent and rising, as can be seen by the picture, to a very 
 considerable height, washed by the rains and seamed by the upheavals of 
 the frosts of winter, continues to exist, as it has done from time immemorial. 
 
 (85)
 
 86 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 the only two of mine who, out of nine, had 
 remained faithful, I worked from 9 A. M. until 
 4 P. M. removing Squiers' stores to the British 
 legation. 
 
 I purchased, also, from one of the foreign 
 stores within the lines of defense two dozen tins 
 of condensed milk and four tins of baked beans, 
 a very inadequate provision to feed six children 
 and two adults for two months. 
 
 Many others were as poorly provided for as 
 myself ; but, providentially, within the region 
 we had adopted as our lines of defense, were 
 several large grain shops full of rice, wheat, and 
 millet. Our carts were kept busy for several 
 days hauling these supplies into the English 
 legation, where they were placed in charge of 
 a commissary officer and issued out as needed. 
 
 We thus had sufficient grain, not only for all 
 the foreigners, but also for the two thousand 
 odd refugees, coolies, and servants, who had, 
 from one motive or another, cast their lot with 
 us. From the grain shops, too, we brought in 
 their millstones, and, as we had altogether over 
 one hundred and fifty mules and horses, we 
 started up a ten-mule-power mill, which ground 
 out flour all day for the needs of the besieged. 
 
 Being occupied daily with the sanitary work 
 and attendance on the sick, I was unable to 
 keep much of a diary, so I instructed my son
 
 FLAMES ADD TO TERROR 87 
 
 Robert, aged sixteen, to do so for me, and the 
 following transcription of his diary gives the events 
 of our daily life until the end of the siege. 
 
 June 21. Most of the Chinese coolies and 
 many foreigners were set right at work filling 
 sand -bags for fortifying all the weak places in 
 the legation, while the women, with needle and 
 thread and the few sewing machines inside the 
 compound, manufactured the bags by the thou- 
 sand. This was kept up until 20,000 to 25,000 
 sand-bags were made,, 
 
 The Belgian legation and the Methodist mis- 
 sion were set fire to and completely burned. 
 Tung Lu's troops kept up a desultory fusillade 
 upon us all day, but scarcely any of the bullets 
 took effect. 
 
 It was reported that Prince Ching's troops 
 were firing on the Boxers, who were attacking 
 the customs compound and Austrian legation. 
 This report was afterward proved false. The 
 French were driven from their barricade in the 
 customs lane into the French legation compound. 
 
 The Chinese set fire to a native house just 
 in the rear of Mr. Cockburn's house, hoping it 
 would catch to the latter place. It was very 
 near, and, as the wind was strong, was only pre- 
 vented with the greatest difficulty from spreading 
 into the legation. It was put out at last, after 
 two hours' hard fighting.
 
 88 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Some of the marines stationed as watchmen 
 on the roof of the Cockburn house had seen 
 Chinamen sneaking around with rags soaked in 
 kerosene and had fired on them, but had not 
 succeeded in preventing the fire being set. 
 
 The Austrians, Italians, Germans, and Japan- 
 ese were forced by the heavy firing to leave 
 their legations and come here. The Americans 
 also started, but were sent back. The Austrians 
 and Italians were never able to retake their lega- 
 tions, but the Germans and Japanese returned 
 very shortly to theirs. The Germans found a 
 Boxer prisoner missing on their return on the 
 23d of June. 
 
 A fire was started just outside the north wall 
 of the compound at 10 A. M., which was put out, 
 or thought to have been put out; but it broke 
 out again in the afternoon, this time burning a 
 part of the Hanlin Library, adjoining the legation 
 on the north. The conflagration was separated 
 from the legation by only one narrow court, so 
 one of the buildings in the court was pulled 
 down to prevent its spreading. Thousands of 
 wooden printing blocks were thrown into the 
 fire to get rid of all combustible material in the 
 immediate neighborhood. These blocks repre- 
 sent days of labor each, and were used in print- 
 ing valuable (to the Chinese) books. Many 
 valuable books also perished in the flames. At
 
 RAIN OF SHOT AND SHELL 89 
 
 night a guard was placed in the Hanlin yuan, or 
 garden, to watch the smoking remains, and, as 
 this point is of greatest strategic importance, 
 barricades will be erected here and the position 
 maintained. 
 
 June 22. The customs compound and Aus- 
 trian legation were burned, the Austrians remain- 
 ing in the French legation to help them there. 
 The back part of the Russo-Chinese bank com- 
 pound was burned, also a house in the Japanese 
 legation, which latter fire was soon subdued. A 
 discharge of shrapnel from a gun on the city wall 
 struck the gate house of the United States lega- 
 tion, and cut down the flag-pole, tearing a large 
 hole in the roof, but hurting no one. 
 
 At 7 P. M. a house near the Hotel de Pein was 
 burned. In this house two Boxers were captured. 
 When seen, they threw down their swords and 
 attempted to escape, but were caught and brought 
 into the British legation to be locked up. 
 
 The fortifying operations are being pushed 
 forward vigorously under the excellent manage- 
 ment of Mr. F. D. Gamewell. He is the one 
 man competent to take charge of affairs here, as 
 the British, although in their own legation, and 
 knowing that the place was to be the last place 
 of refuge, had not done a stroke of work toward 
 fortifying it, and seemed to be as helpless as 
 children.
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 June 24. At ten minutes past midnight the 
 Chinese began a furious fusillade from all quar- 
 ters, and an alarm 
 was rung from the 
 bell-tower, notifying 
 all of a general at- 
 tack. But after about 
 twenty minutes of 
 prodigious noise, 
 with almost no dam- 
 age done, the firing 
 ceased as suddenly as 
 it had commenced, 
 and the rest of the 
 night was compara- 
 tively quiet. About 
 10 A. M. a fire was 
 started outside and 
 adjoining the south 
 stables, which, after 
 heroic exertions 
 upon the part of 
 nearly the entire 
 garrison of men, 
 women, and coolies, 
 all of whom formed into line and passed hun- 
 dreds of buckets of water from the two nearest 
 wells to the scene of the fire, was subdued with- 
 out our stables catching fire. With every one 
 
 PORTION OF CHINA'S GREAT WALL 
 
 Showing one of the towers or forts, 
 which are built at intervals throughout 
 its entire length.
 
 91 
 
 of these fires that was successfully put out, the 
 danger from that source was lessened. 
 
 The German and American marines took pos- 
 session of the city wait south of their respective 
 legations, to prevent the Chinese from bringing 
 their heavy guns too near and too directly able 
 to bear upon the legations. Thrice they were 
 driven back by the heavy fire, but they stuck to 
 their task, and eventually obtained each a posi- 
 tion on the wall the Germans to the east, the 
 Americans to the west, the two positions being 
 about six hundred yards apart. 
 
 The second time they advanced, the Americans 
 took the Colt machine gun with them, and, ad- 
 vancing almost to the Chinese barricade, killed 
 several hundred Chinese. The third time, the 
 Americans advanced several hundred yards and 
 then retreated suddenly, as though panic-stricken. 
 This brought the Chinese out from behind their 
 barricades with a rush, when the Colt gun was 
 again turned loose on them and killed sixty 
 more. 
 
 After this the shelling got so hot that the po- 
 sition became absolutely untenable. A piece of 
 shell struck the shoulder-piece of the Colt gun, 
 and another shell, striking the wall, knocked 
 down the bricks so thickly around the gun that 
 Mitchell, the gunner, thought he might have to 
 abandon it; but, hastily taking it apart, he man-
 
 92 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 aged to get it down the ramp, and brought it 
 safely into the British legation. 
 
 The German officers claimed to have seen 
 rockets to the southwest, which they thought to 
 be signals from the relief force. Heavy cannon- 
 ading was also heard, about 4 P. M., outside the 
 city, which was thought to come from the troops, 
 but both proved false hopes. 
 
 Corporal King, United States Marine Corps, 
 was killed by a Chinese sniper in the Russo- 
 Chinese bank. The United States barracks were 
 set on fire, but fortunately the fire did not spread 
 to the legation. Captain Halliday, Royal Navy 
 Marine Corps, was severely wounded by a stray 
 bullet. Thirteen men are in the hospital. 
 
 June 25. During the night one of the cap- 
 tured Boxers tried to escape, so in the morning 
 they were both shot. There was about twenty 
 minutes of hot firing about the same time as 
 last night. 
 
 At 5 P. M. the Chinese put up a poster on 
 the north bridge ordering the firing to stop, and 
 to protect the ministers, stating also that they 
 would send us a message. This message was 
 never sent, however, and though the firing was 
 stopped for a few hours, it soon started up again, 
 and the whole thing was believed to be a fraud 
 by which the Chinese wished to get some of the 
 foreigners outside the legation to be killed.
 
 OUR FIRST HORSE-STEAK 
 
 93 
 
 The Americans 
 and Germans again ' 
 took their positions 
 on the wall, and be- 
 gan building barri- 
 cades in the face of 
 the Chinese gun. As 
 the mutton began to 
 get scarce, the first 
 horse was killed. It 
 was very good eating, 
 and I doubt not that 
 we have had some of 
 that kind of beef be- 
 fore, in substitution 
 for the genuine arti- 
 cle. Three rockets, 
 probably Chinese, 
 were seen during the 
 night. 
 
 June 26. The night 
 entertainment "fire- 
 works" came at 3 
 A. M., instead of mid- 
 night, as usual. Chi- 
 nese troops were seen 
 marching northwest, 
 supposedly to convey 
 mer palace. By this 
 
 ENTRANCE THROUGH GREAT WALL 
 INTO MONGOLIA ROTATING GATE 
 
 This great wall extends in massive 
 proportions over more than a thousand 
 miles of plain and mountain. It was 
 built ages ago as a bar against the in- 
 cursions of the barbaric and warlike 
 tribes, who were destined in time, de- 
 spite this tremendous obstacle, to over- 
 run and acquire the kingdom and place 
 their own rulers upon its throne. 
 
 the Empress to the sum- 
 time the shells from the
 
 94 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 various guns close by us began to come nearer, 
 several exploding in the compound. " Bomb- 
 proof" cellars were therefore started in different 
 parts of the compound, in which we might take 
 refuge if the shells actually began to do dam- 
 age. These "bomb-proofs" were trenches about 
 six feet deep, covered with a roof of timbers, 
 boards, and from two to four feet of earth or 
 sand- bags. These it was thought would furnish 
 efficient protection against fragments of shell. 
 Sergeant Fanning, United States Marine Corps, 
 was killed by a sniper on the city wall. 
 
 June 27. Very heavy firing, mostly from the 
 imperial city wall. A crowd of greenhorn Box- 
 ers started to attack the Americans on the wall 
 from below. The Americans turned the Colt on 
 them, killing about fifty, and the rest got away. 
 
 A Chinaman who arrived from near Tientsin 
 reported Boxers very thick around there, and 
 that three divisions of troops had left Tientsin 
 June 24 to come to Peking, one coming north, 
 one west, and one east. 
 
 June 28. No news of importance. 
 
 June 29. In the morning there was an attack 
 made by the Chinese on the south stables, the 
 weakest part of the whole legation compound. 
 This was repulsed after a short fight, and about 
 twenty British marines under Captain Strouts went 
 out after the Chinese, killing a large number of
 
 PERILS OF THE NIGHT 95 
 
 them, and capturing their rifles with about six 
 hundred rounds of ammunition. The guns were 
 mostly Mauser rifles and carbines. They were 
 distributed among the unarmed men of the lega- 
 tion. Captain Strouts was grazed in the neck by 
 a bullet. Later fifty volunteers, under Captain 
 Wray, went out to capture a gun near the Su 
 Wang Fu that was making things unpleasant for 
 the people there. They could not find it, how- 
 ever, and had to return. 
 
 By this time nearly all the Chinese houses near 
 the United States legation had been burned in 
 the various attempts to fire the legation, and in 
 the ruins of these houses a number of Chinese 
 snipers installed themselves, making it extremely 
 dangerous for any one attempting to cross Lega- 
 tion street. 
 
 June 30. At night there was a very heavy thun- 
 derstorm, the first of the rainy season. Simul- 
 taneously with the thunder, the Chinese started a 
 terrific fusillade from all quarters. The hideous 
 noise, with the vivid flashes of lightning and the 
 torrents of rain, produced an effect on the minds 
 of all who witnessed it that they will probably 
 never forget. 
 
 July i. The Americans and Germans were 
 forced by heavy shell-fire to leave the wall. Later 
 in the day the Americans returned, but the Ger- 
 mans did not. The Chinese were quiet at night,
 
 96 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 there being hardly any firing at all. The reason 
 for this was supposed to be temporary shortness 
 of ammunition. At night a good many people 
 believed they saw flashes from an electric search- 
 light, which was supposed to be with the troops 
 at Tungchow. They claimed to have seen at first 
 forty flashes, then an interval, followed by eight 
 more. This they supposed to be some kind of a 
 signal to us, but since it has all turned out to be 
 heat lightning. Ed. Wagner, one of the customs 
 men, was struck and killed in the French legation 
 by a shell. 
 
 July 2. It rained at night, and no flashlights (?) 
 were seen. 
 
 July 3. The Chinese on the wall had built 
 up their barricade so high during the night that 
 it almost overlooked our own (the two were only 
 forty yards apart), and had they been able to 
 build a little higher they might easily have fired 
 right down on our men, so that it became a ques- 
 tion of rushing the Chinese barricade or of leav- 
 ing the wall. The former course was adopted. 
 At 3 A. M., fifteen United States marines, fifteen 
 Russian sailors, and twenty-five British marines, 
 led by Captain John Myers, in the blackest part 
 of the night, crept silently over the American 
 barricade, and, dividing into two parties, each 
 keeping close to either side of the wall battle- 
 ments, advanced rapidly right up to the face of
 
 RUSHING THE BARRICADE 97 
 
 the Chinese barricade undiscovered. Arrived 
 here, as agreed, they gave a tremendous yell, and 
 swarmed over and around the barricade, yelling 
 and firing volleys into the astonished Celestials, 
 who, taken entirely by surprise by the yelling 
 foreign devils, made very little resistance, and 
 speedily fled to their second line of defense, 
 some distance westward toward the Chien Men. 
 Before starting, Captain Myers had briefly ad- 
 dressed his men, telling them the vital necessity 
 of capturing the barricade. "Men," he said, "we 
 must take that place at all costs or be driven off 
 the wall! Once off the wall, the legations will 
 lie at the mercy of the Chinese, and we, with 
 all the women and children, will be butchered. 
 This is our opportunity. I expect every man to 
 do his duty. We cannot stop to pick up any 
 who may be wounded, but must press on and 
 accomplish the work, leaving the wounded until 
 we return. If I fall, Sergeant Murphy of the 
 British marines succeeds to command ; if he falls 
 Corporal Hunt of the American marines suc- 
 ceeds him. Now, when I give command, spring 
 over the barricade, and follow me." He imme- 
 diately gave the command: "Come on!" The 
 sortie was most successful, the barricade was 
 gained and held, but we lost two brave Amer- 
 ican boys, Privates Turner and Thomas. Captain 
 Myers was badly wounded by a spear-thnast in
 
 98 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 his knee, and Corporal Gregory of the British 
 marines was shot in the foot. 
 
 July 4. Independence day in America, but a 
 day of red-hot fireworks for us. Chinese butch- 
 ers on the outside trying hard to get in and 
 murder us. Only celebration by Americans was 
 a party given to the smaller children by Mrs. 
 Squiers. 
 
 July 5. Mr. David Oliphant, one of the Eng- 
 lish legation students, was shot and mortally 
 wounded, in the Hanlin Yuan. He died at 3, 
 and was buried in our little graveyard at 7 P. M. 
 His death threw a deep gloom over the whole 
 legation, as he was a general favorite. Three 
 attacks were made on us last night at 10 and 12, 
 and 2.30 this morning. Cartridge ammunition 
 of the enemy seems to be running low, as they 
 are firing now more of the old muzzle-loading 
 Yingalls, and fewer of the Mauser cartridges. 
 
 July 6. A sortie was made by the Japanese to 
 try and capture a gun that was making havoc on 
 their barricades in the Su Wang Fu. Too many 
 Chinese houses, however, concealed the where- 
 abouts of the gun, and after having three men 
 wounded they were obliged to return unsuccess- 
 ful. A shell fell in one of the rooms of Mr. Con- 
 ger's house, doing considerable damage. Mrs. 
 Conger had been in the room only a short time 
 before.
 
 RUNNERS TO TIENTSIN 
 
 99 
 
 A messenger was let down from the wall with 
 ropes, to try and communicate our desperate sit- 
 uation to Tientsin. He was offered one thousand 
 taels if he got safely through the enemy's lines 
 with his dispatches. We have sent numerous 
 runners out by the 
 water-gate, and sev- 
 eral over the wall, 
 but none have ever 
 returned. Doubtless 
 they have been cap- 
 tured and killed. 
 
 During the day a 
 number of three- and 
 
 On the great wall, Kim Ming Hu 
 
 seven - pound solid 
 iron shot have been 
 thrown into our midst by guns located on the wall 
 of the imperial, or yellow city, to the north of us. 
 So far, beyond knocking a few holes in the build- 
 ings, they have done no harm. The powder 
 they are using must be very inferior. One of 
 the missiles passed through Lady MacDonald's 
 dining room. 
 
 July 7. Two attacks were made on the French 
 legation and were repulsed, the Chinese loss being 
 small, as they retired rapidly. The Austrian com- 
 mander, Captain von Thorneburg, was killed in 
 one of these attacks, being shot through the heart. 
 
 We are now really eating the horse-meat. A
 
 ioo BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 number of people who were using it assured us it 
 was very good, but our prejudices prevailed some 
 time. First we tried the liver, fried with a small 
 scrap of bacon, and were pleased to find it tasted 
 just like beef-liver. Then we tried some of the 
 meat curried, and now we are having excellent 
 sausages of the meat, which helps the rice to be 
 more palatable. We are allowed one pound of 
 horse-meat per adult individual each day. 
 
 When the Russians came up the first time, 
 they brought along with them sixty shells, leav- 
 ing the gun in Tientsin to be brought up by 
 the next force that came. As no other could 
 get in, the ammunition was of no use. It was 
 thought that if some kind of a cannon could be 
 made, many of our shells might be utilized in 
 destroying the Chinese barricades. So Mitchell, 
 the United States gunner, started to work on two 
 sections of a fire-engine pump. Meanwhile, two 
 Chinese coolies found an old cannon, a muzzle- 
 loader of about 1860, in a junkshop, and dragged 
 it in. As this cannon fitted the shells it was 
 used instead of the pump. It was mounted on 
 a pair of wheels taken from the Italian ammuni- 
 tion truck. It has been nicknamed the " Inter- 
 national." The gun itself was an old British 
 one, mounted on an Italian carriage, and fired 
 with Russian ammunition by an American gun- 
 ner. Hence the nickname.
 
 STILL NO RELIEF 101 
 
 The ammunition for the Italian one-pound 
 gun having run short, pewter vessels from the 
 Chinese houses around were brought in, melted, 
 and run into molds to make the shot for the 
 gun. With these the used cartridges were re- 
 loaded, and, there being no primers for them, 
 revolver cartridges were readily used instead. 
 When tried in the bore they worked very well, 
 though it was feared that the harder metal of 
 which they were made would be ruinous to the 
 rifling of the gun. 
 
 The Chinese broke two holes in the top of 
 the imperial city wall and built a platform just 
 over the water-gate, where it was expected they 
 would mount guns the next night. At 10 P. M. 
 they started a fusillade, which lasted for a few 
 minutes, but the rest of the night was fairly quiet. 
 
 The French and Austrians claimed to have 
 heard cannonading about ten kilometers (six 
 miles) to the southeast. But this has also proved 
 a false hope, and the general opinion is now 
 that the relief has not started from Tientsin at 
 all, though Why, no one can say. 
 
 July 8. Sunday. The Chinese on the wall 
 moved up their arms and opened fire on our 
 barricade. The third shot they fired was badly 
 aimed and struck their own barricade, carrying 
 most of it away, when they were forced to re- 
 treat in a hurry. There was a fire at the Su
 
 102 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Wang Fu of the main pavilion buildings, but it 
 was not very serious. Two shells from a gun 
 to the west struck the wall, and one the top of 
 Mr. Coburn's house, showing that the Chinese 
 are getting the range. The evening fusillade 
 started at 9:45 and lasted about twenty minutes. 
 
 July 9. In the morning Mr. Squiers sent 
 out a man into the city to see what was going 
 on there. He returned in the afternoon report- 
 ing, first, that Hatamen has been closed for 
 many days; second, that there are no Chinese 
 troops in the southern city; third, that Rung 
 Lu's troops are guarding the Chihaumen, but 
 there are many Kansu men on the Hatamen 
 streets and in the imperial city; fourth, that at 
 the ssupailou (four arches) the shops are open 
 and doing business as usual ; fifth, that the Em- 
 peror and Empress Dowager are still in the 
 city; sixth, that the Peking "Gazette" is pub- 
 lished daily. The day was quiet except for 
 occasional firing. 
 
 July 10. In the morning several of the 
 Chinese shells came very close, breaking right 
 over the tennis court, and making it unsafe for 
 any one to cross. 
 
 July ii. A messenger sent out with a letter 
 tried to get through the water-gate, but was im- 
 mediately fired on by the Chinese sentries and 
 forced to fly. He got in without being hurt.
 
 A SEIZURE OF THEIR FLAG 103 
 
 The Chinese were extremely quiet all night, 
 but the cause was not known until the next 
 morning, when it was discovered that they had 
 built two new big walls, one in the Hanlin 
 Yuan, and another in the imperial carriage park. 
 
 1900 f7tkMonth-SlD.nl July [H-15] (ChliwM ri MoonJ 
 
 Full .Moon. 9.28 p.ra. 12 THURSDAY- [I9S-17J. [vi Moon. lOch Day] 
 
 13 FRIDAY [104-171] {VI Moon, Kth D'jr] 
 
 v / s 
 
 -. ^-^ 
 
 IB 
 
 Part of Author's Diary 
 
 July 12. The Chinese kept up a heavy can- 
 nonade all day, mostly from the guns on the 
 imperial city wall, but did very little damage to 
 us. A flag, white ground and black characters, 
 was captured by the French in the morning, 
 and in the afternoon Mitchell captured a big
 
 104 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 black one in the Hanlin Yuan. He got up on 
 a Chinese barrier and wrested the flag from a 
 Chinese soldier by pounding him with sand- 
 bags until he let go, while five or six volleys 
 were fired at him. He secured the flag and 
 got down without a scratch. 
 
 July 13. A Chinese prisoner taken by the French 
 marines this morning states that the Emperor 
 and Empress Dowager are still in the palace here. 
 Prince Tuan, Jung Lee and General Tung are in 
 control of public affairs. Prince Ching takes no 
 part in them. Many Boxers are still in the city. 
 Their principal patron is Prince Tuan. In his 
 palace they are registered, fed, and paid. 
 
 These Boxers are ridiculed by the soldiers be- 
 cause they dare not go under fire at the front, in 
 spite of their pretensions to be bullet-proof. 
 
 General Tung's troops are facing us on the 
 wall and along our lines on the south. Jung Lu's 
 troops are behind the French legation. Several 
 of them are killed or wounded every day. The 
 prisoner declares that he was one of several coolies 
 (hired at twenty-five cents a body) to carry off 
 and bury the dead. There are about three thou- 
 sand of Tung Fu Hsinang's troops in the city. 
 
 The Empress has forbidden the use of guns 
 of large caliber against us, because of the harm 
 they might do to her loyal people and their 
 houses.
 
 BELEAGUERMENT TO STARVATION ! 105 
 
 Direct attack having failed, and our rifles being 
 better than theirs, it has been decided to starve us 
 out. Two weeks ago news came that foreign 
 troops from one hundred warships at Taku had 
 captured the Taku forts, and occupied "East 
 Taku," opposite Tangku railway station. Tien- 
 tsin city was in a panic on this account. 
 
 Ammunition is being brought here from the 
 Hunting park. Imperial edicts are issued as usual. 
 Business is going on in the north part of the city, 
 and market supplies are coming in. The four 
 "chief banks" are closed. The soldiers believe 
 that we have several thousand troops under arms 
 here. The prisoner thought we had at least two 
 thousand. 
 
 Of course, this information is not official, and 
 there may be much that is not strictly accurate. 
 It simply represents the gossip of the tea-shops 
 and restaurants. 
 
 One reason the Chinese have for thinking we 
 have so many men here is that a number of them 
 are killed by their own bullets, which are aimed 
 high and pass over our heads and drop among 
 their own people. This shooting they attribute 
 to our men, and so think we have a large force 
 here. 
 
 Same date, 6.30 P. M. The Chinese exploded 
 a mine under the French legation wall, destroy- 
 ing part of the wall and also part of their own
 
 io6 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 fortifications. Four men were buried by the first 
 explosion, one of whom was dug out, and another 
 blown up again by a second explosion. Having 
 done this, the Chinese made a desperate assault, 
 
 VIEW IN LEGATION STREET 
 
 The entrance to French legation is on the left. The lions 
 shown on either side of the entrance are such as can be found 
 nowhere outside of China. The street is in somewhat better con- 
 dition, since it is presumably under foreign control, or at least is 
 modified by foreign influences. 
 
 but were beaten off after having killed three and 
 wounded three French marines and lost about 
 twenty of their number. 
 
 The minister's and first secretary's houses were 
 fired, the minister destroying all his official papers
 
 CHINESE ALMOST UPON US 107 
 
 himself, to prevent their falling into the hands of 
 the Chinese. 
 
 Simultaneously with this attack came a tre- 
 mendous fusillade from all sides, which lasted 
 forty-five minutes, by far the longest we have 
 had yet. 
 
 The Su Wang Fu was the scene of the hottest 
 firing, and once it was thought it would have to 
 be given up. 
 
 At the same time a body of Chinese, number- 
 ing about two hundred, charged down the wall 
 street and got past the German legation without 
 being stopped. When they got to the bridge, 
 one of the United States marines was just com- 
 ing down from the wall and saw them as they 
 were coming up over the bridge. He gave the 
 alarm to four men stationed in the barricade on 
 the street, who fired about a dozen volleys on 
 them, killing thirty of them. The natives then 
 turned and fled ; on the way back the Germans 
 fired on them, driving them into the club tennis 
 courts, where they killed eighteen more. The 
 officer in command of the Chinese was shot by 
 E. von Strauch, captain of the customs volun- 
 teers. In the fray two Germans were seriously, 
 and two slightly, wounded. The Chinese kept 
 up a desultory firing all night. 
 
 July 14. A large supply of wheat was brought 
 over to the British legation from a grain store
 
 io8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 near the south bridge, and distributed in several 
 storerooms throughout the compound. This was 
 done as there had been some burning near there, 
 and it was feared it would be destroyed. A mes- 
 senger sent out by Mr. Tewksbury on the loth 
 instant returned, bringing a message supposed 
 to have been written by Prince Ching. It was 
 soon known to be an invitation to leave the 
 legations and go to the tsung-li-yamen for pro- 
 tection, though the full translation was not put 
 upon the bulletin board till the next day. 
 
 July 15. The following bulletin was posted 
 at i P. M. : 
 
 A messenger sent out on July 10 by Mr. Tewksbury, 
 with a letter for the troops, returned yesterday. He is the 
 gate-keeper at the Nan Vang (south cathedral) and a Roman 
 Catholic. He says he was arrested outside the Hatamen and 
 taken to the Wofursu (temple?), his letter was taken from 
 him, and he was beaten with eighty blows. He was then 
 taken to Jung Lu's headquarters in the imperial city. Here 
 he found a man named Yu who formerly knew him as gate- 
 keeper. He was there given a letter, purporting to be written 
 by Prince Ching and others, addressed to the British minister, 
 and told that men would wait at the water-gate to-night for 
 an answer. A translation of the letter is annexed: 
 
 "For the last ten days the soldiers and militia have been 
 fighting, and there has been no communication between us, 
 to our great anxiety. Some time ago we hung up a board 
 (referring to June 25) expressing our intentions, but no
 
 INVITATION TO TSUNG - LI - YAMEN ,109 
 
 answer has been received, and, contrary to expectation, the 
 foreign soldiers made renewed attacks, causing alarm and 
 suspicion among people and soldiers. 
 
 "Yesterday the troops captured a convert named Chin 
 Ssu Hai, and learned from him that the foreign ministers 
 were all well, which caused us great satisfaction. But it is 
 the unexpected that happens the reinforcements of foreign 
 troops were ever so long ago stopped and turned back by 
 the Boxers, and if, in accordance with the previous agree- 
 ment, we were to guard your excellencies out of the city, 
 there are so many Boxers on the Tientsin -Taku road that 
 we should be very apprehensive of misadventure. 
 
 "We now request your excellencies to first take your families 
 and the various members of your staff, and leave your legations 
 in detachments. You should select trustworthy officers to give 
 close and strict protection, and you should temporarily reside 
 in the. tsung-li-yamen, pending future arrangements for your 
 return home in order to preserve friendly relations intact from 
 beginning to end. But at the time of leaving the legations 
 there must on no account whatever be any single armed foreign 
 soldier, in order to prevent doubt and fear on the part of the 
 troops and people, leading to untoward incidents. 
 
 "If your excellency is willing to show this confidence, we beg 
 you to communicate with all the foreign ministers in Peking, 
 to-morrow at noon being the limit of time, and to let the origi- 
 nal messenger deliver your reply, in order that we may settle in 
 advance the day for leaving the legations. This is the single 
 way of preserving relations that we have been able to devise in 
 the face of innumerable difficulties. If no reply is received by 
 the hour fixed, even our affection will not enable us to help you. 
 Compliments. 
 
 PRINCE CHING AND OTHERS." 
 
 "6th moon, i8th day [July 13, 1900]."
 
 no BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 A reply has been sent to-day declining, on the part of the 
 foreign representatives, the invitation to proceed to the tsung- 
 li-yamen, and pointing out that no attacks have been made by 
 our troops, who are only defending the lives and property of 
 foreigners against the attacks of Chinese government troops. 
 The reply concludes with a statement that if the Chinese gov- 
 ernment wishes to negotiate, they should send a responsible 
 official with a white flag. 
 
 CLAUDE M. MAcDONALD. 
 
 This message is thought by every one to be a 
 rank fraud. It is supposed to come not from 
 Prince Ching, but from the leader of the Kansu 
 troops, and is probably intended to lure some of 
 the foreigners outside the legation and then to 
 shoot them. 
 
 Same date, 3 P. M. Twenty Russians and 
 four Americans made an attack on a house to 
 the west of the Russian legation, where there 
 were about sixty Chinese snipers. On arriving 
 at the wall they found there was no way to get 
 into the yard. So each man took a brick, and, 
 at a given signal, heaved them all together into 
 the yard, shouting and reviling the Chinamen. 
 
 Alarmed by this they fled, and the men took 
 the building without a shot being fired on either 
 side. At this time the Chinese at other points 
 started up a brisk fire, lasting about ten minutes. 
 
 July 16, 7 A. M/ While on a tour of inspec- 
 tion in the Su Wang Fu, in company with Dr.
 
 MORE LOSSES in 
 
 Morrison and Colonel Shiba, Captain B. M. 
 Strouts, R. M. L. I., was shot and mortally 
 wounded by a sniper. Dr. Morrison was shot 
 in the leg, though not seriously. Captain Strouts 
 died at n A. M. and was buried at 6 P. M. yes- 
 terday. One of the United States marines, 
 Private Fisher, was killed the same day. 
 
 It is indeed a pitiable plight that we are in 
 now. Neither the Americans nor the British 
 have any leader. Captain Meyers is disabled by 
 the spear wound he received in the sortie of 
 July 3. Captain Strouts is dead; Captain Halli- 
 day, the only other able British captain, is crip- 
 pled by a wound received three weeks ago. Sir 
 Claude MacDonald, though he assumes charge, 
 is no man for the situation, and the French and 
 Germans deny his authority. 
 
 Same date, 5 P. M. The messenger sent yes- 
 terday returned with four others, who waited 
 for him at the bridge. He brought a letter 
 from Jung Lu to Sir Claude MacDonald, and a 
 telegram from Washington to Mr. Conger. The 
 letter to Sir Claude contained nothing of any 
 importance. The telegram, Mr. Conger recog- 
 nized as being in the State Department cipher, 
 but could not determine its meaning, as it had 
 evidently been tampered with in some way by the 
 Chinese. So the messenger was sent back with 
 a request that the full original telegram be sent.
 
 112 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 July 17. The mes- 
 senger returned again 
 bringing a telegram 
 from Wu Ting Fang, 
 the Chinese minister at 
 Washington, enclosing 
 one from the Secretary 
 of State. This read: 
 w Communicate tidings 
 to bearer." To this the 
 minister sent in reply: 
 "One month in the Brit- 
 ish legation under shot 
 and shell. Will all be 
 massacred unless help 
 comes soon." 
 
 One of Jung Lu 's 
 soldiers came in the 
 morning and gave him- 
 self up at the German 
 legation, and asked for 
 some medicine for a 
 wound in the ear. He 
 said that Jung Lu had 
 ordered the soldiers to 
 stop firing, but to hold their positions, and that 
 he was very desirous that the foreigners should 
 be protected. 
 
 Not a shot has been fired since early morning. 
 
 GENERAL SUNG CHING 
 Commander-in-Chief, who fought 
 the battle of Tientsin against the 
 allied international armies.
 
 GIFTS OF FRUIT 
 
 113 
 
 This is probably due 
 to a fear that the 
 foreign troops are 
 near, and the gov- 
 ernment wishes to 
 protect itself by say- 
 ing they were un- 
 able to control the 
 Boxers and the 
 Kansu soldiers. Sev- 
 eral other Chinese 
 soldiers gave them- 
 selves up as prison- 
 ers at the different 
 legations, though 
 with what purpose 
 no one can say. 
 
 July 18. As Jung 
 Lu had expressed a 
 willingness to assist 
 the foreigners, a 
 messenger was sent 
 to him requesting 
 that supplies of fresh 
 vegetables, eggs, 
 meat, etc., might be sent to the legation for the 
 women and children. This was promised, and 
 watermelons and peaches have already been sent 
 to the Japanese in the Su Wang Fu and to the 
 
 GENERAL MA YU KUN 
 Major-General under Sung Ching; also 
 engaged in the battle of Tientsin with 
 the allied international armies.
 
 ii4 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Americans on the wall. The soldiers on the 
 wall go on each other's barriers and chat in the 
 most friendly manner. There are great num- 
 bers of Boxers in the city, especially in the 
 south city, but the troops are no longer in 
 league with these. 
 
 A messenger sent out by the Japanese minister 
 on the 30th ult. returned to-day from Tientsin, 
 bringing word that a mixed force of 33,300 would 
 start from there for the relief of Peking about 
 the aoth inst. The force is to consist of 24,000 
 Japanese, 4,000 Russian, 2,000 British, 1,500 Amer- 
 ican, 1,500 French, and 300 German troops. 
 
 He reports that he left by the Ch'ihuamen 
 (east gate) on June 30, proceeding to Tientsin by 
 boat. He arrived at Tientsin on July 5, but was 
 unable to enter the city, as it was surrounded by 
 Chinese troops. He walked round the city gates, 
 and found a force of Chinese, under General 
 Chang, posted north of the railway station, can- 
 nonading a force of Japanese holding the ground 
 south of the station. 
 
 On July 9 General Chang was defeated, and he 
 (the messenger) managed to get through the 
 Japanese lines on July 12, and delivered the Japa- 
 nese minister's letter to the Japanese consul. 
 
 While in Tientsin he gleaned the following 
 news : That General Nieh was dead, that all the 
 missionaries in Tientsin and outlying stations had
 
 NEWS FROM THE OUTER WORLD 115 
 
 left for home, and that the Taku forts were taken 
 without difficulty by the foreigners on June 17. 
 On July 14 the foreign troops took the native city 
 of Tientsin, after a two days' attack. On July 15 
 
 GORDON HALL 
 
 In the cellar of this building all the women and children re- 
 mained during the shelling of Tientsin by the Chinese troops. It 
 is one of the most beautiful and attractive buildings in Tientsin, 
 and in strange contrast with its Chinese surroundings. 
 
 the messenger left Tientsin for Peking, being 
 escorted by the Japanese to the "second bridge." 
 He returned to Peking by road. 
 
 Among other things he mentioned was that the 
 Tunchou taotai had been lodged in the board of 
 punishments, and that prior to his own arrival in
 
 n6 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Tientsin. No news of Peking had reached that 
 place since about the end of June. 
 
 We look for the troops about the 3oth inst., if 
 they have no fighting to do on the way. This ex- 
 plains why the government is so anxious to have 
 peace in the capital at present. They are awaiting 
 the issue of a contest between the relief force and 
 the Chinese troops between here and Tientsin. 
 
 If our troops are victorious, as of course they 
 will be, unless outnumbered overwhelmingly, the 
 government will say they have done all in their 
 power to stop the fighting, but have not been able 
 to control their troops until now. If our troops 
 are defeated they will turn on us and slaughter us. 
 In the meantime we have a resting spell of a few 
 days. 
 
 Bulletin : Precis of further correspondence 
 between the British minister and "Prince Ching 
 and others." 
 
 On July 16 the Chinese sent a reply to Sir 
 Claude's letter of the i5th, in which they explain 
 that the reason for suggesting the removal of the 
 legation staffs to the tsung-li-yamen was that the 
 Chinese government could afford more efficient 
 protection to them if concentrated there than if 
 scattered, as at present. As the foreign minis- 
 ters, however, do not agree, the Chinese will, as 
 in duty bound, do their utmost to protect the
 
 EFFORTS TO LURE US OUT 117 
 
 legations where they are. They will bring re- 
 inforcements, and continue their efforts to pre- 
 vent the Boxers from firing, and they trust the 
 foreign ministers on their part will restrain their 
 troops also from firing. 
 
 July 17, A. M. Sir Claude replied to the effect 
 that the foreign troops had all along acted en- 
 tirely in self-defense and would continue to do 
 so. But the Chinese must understand that pre- 
 vious events had led to a want of confidence, 
 and that if barricades were erected or troops 
 moved in the vicinity of the legations, the 
 foreign guards would be obliged to fire on 
 them. 
 
 July 17 P. M. The Chinese replied, reviewing 
 the situation and ascribing the present hostilities 
 to the attacks previously made by the legation 
 guards. They noted with satisfaction that a ces- 
 sation of firing is agreed to on both sides, but 
 suggest that as foreign soldiers here have been 
 firing from the city wall east of the Chien Men, 
 they should be removed from that position. 
 
 July 18 (noon). Sir Claude replied with a 
 review of the situation from the foreign point 
 of view. On June 19 the yamen had given the 
 legations notice to quit Peking, and the foreign 
 representatives had replied, pointing out that 
 there were no facilities of transportation. The 
 yamen had then replied, extending the time ;
 
 n8 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 but, in spite of this, fire was opened on the 
 legations on the following day, and they had been 
 under constant fire 
 from Chinese gov- 
 ernment troops ever 
 since, a condition of 
 things unparalleled in 
 the world's history. 
 He alluded to the in- 
 cident of the board 
 displayed on June 25, 
 the free moving of 
 troops during the ces- 
 s at ion of hostilities 
 thus caused, and the 
 renewed attacks made 
 after the completion 
 of the preparations 
 thus facilitated. He 
 hoped that mutual 
 confidence would 
 gradually be restored, 
 but meanwhile he 
 again pointed out that 
 cessation of hostile 
 
 STREET VENDERS OF TIENTSIN 
 A vast amount of business is trans- 
 acted by these merchants, whose stock 
 in trade is of the smallest, and whose 
 transactions are so insignificant as to be 
 incredible according to western ideas. 
 
 preparations, as well 
 as of actual firing, was necessary on the part 
 of the Chinese forces to secure that the foreign 
 troops should cease shooting. As for the sugges-
 
 A YAMEN SECRETARY COMES IN 
 
 119 
 
 tion that the foreign troops should leave the city 
 wall, it was impossible to accede to it, because 
 
 a great part of the 
 attacks on the lega- 
 tion had been made 
 from the wall. He 
 concluded by sug- 
 gesting that sellers of 
 fruit or ice should be 
 allowed to come in. 
 
 In a letter ad- 
 dressed the same day 
 to Jung Lu, the sub- 
 stance of Sir Claude's 
 previous letters was 
 repeated, and a sug- 
 gestion was made 
 that communications 
 would be facilitated 
 if a responsible offi- 
 cial were sent to the 
 legation. In response 
 
 Scene at a street corner in Tientsin 
 
 to this suggestion, a 
 
 yamen secretary arrived this afternoon with a card 
 from Jung Lu. He had no special message, but 
 promised to see whether Peking "Gazettes" could 
 be procured and a market established for ice, 
 fruit, eggs, etc., and also to ascertain whether 
 telegrams could be transmitted on behalf of the
 
 120 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 foreign ministers to their governments. He 
 mentioned that telegraphic communication was 
 interrupted. He expressed the concern of the 
 Chinese government at the deeds of the Boxers, 
 who had caused the whole difficulty between 
 China and the foreign powers. 
 
 July 19. A very quiet day. No firing on 
 either side. About two hundred and fifty eggs 
 and a few vegetables were brought in by Chinese 
 soldiers for sale. The yamen sent another mes- 
 sage asking that the ministers leave here for 
 Tientsin. 
 
 July 20. Several copies of the Peking "Ga- 
 zette" of the past month were procured from 
 the Chinese. Translations of a number of edicts 
 contained therein are given in another chapter. 
 The ministers replied to the yamen's request of 
 yesterday, saying that, as the Boxers were so 
 numerous outside the city, they would not dare 
 to trust themselves on the road. Four cart-loads 
 of watermelons and vegetables were sent to the 
 ministers by the yamen as a sign of good feel- 
 ing (?). No firing all day, except for a few 
 shots fired by Boxers in the south city against 
 our men on the wall. 
 
 July 24. Mr. Narahara, second secretary of 
 the Japanese legation, died in the early morn- 
 ing, of lockjaw from a wound.
 
 ALLIES REPORTED HALF-WAY TO US 121 
 
 Same date, 7 P. M. The following was re- 
 ceived from Colonel Shiba: W A Chinaman who 
 came to our barricade this afternoon says that 
 on the iyth of this month Yangtsun was occu- 
 pied by the foreign troops, and on the i9th a 
 battle took place around the same place. About 
 one hundred and fifty wounded cff Tung Fu 
 Hsiang's troops have just been brought to 
 Peking; the foreign troops were about forty li 
 this side of Yangtsun when the wounded men 
 started." 
 
 July 26. Colonel Shiba reports: "A China- 
 man states that about 11 o'clock on the 24th 
 instant the Chinese troops under General Chang 
 were attacked by foreign troops thirty li south 
 of Hoshiwu (half-way between Tientsin and here 
 by road) and driven back at midnight to the 
 latter place. At 10 A. M. yesterday Hoshiwu 
 was attacked, and the Chinese troops driven 
 back with heavy loss to ten li north of the latter 
 place. The force of 4,800 men who came from 
 the west with nine guns left Peking at 6 o'clock 
 yesterday morning for Hoshiwu." 
 
 Since the beginning of the truce, on July 
 18, the soldiers of Jung Lu have observed the 
 truce and refrained from firing ; but those front- 
 ing us on the north wall and on the west of the 
 legation have started sniping again. The latter 
 are Tung Fu Hsiang's troops.
 
 122 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 July 25. Chin Tsu-hsi, a messenger who left 
 our lines eight days ago carrying an official 
 letter to Jung Lu, returned to-day. He says 
 that he delivered the letter at Jung Lu's head- 
 quarters, and was locked up there seven days. 
 Jung Lu goes to court every day. The Emperor 
 and Empress Dowager are still in the city. 
 Boxers patrol the streets in small bands. 
 
 Four days ago a ragged, dirty foreigner, hat- 
 less and coatless, of general disreputable appear- 
 ance, was captured by Tung Fu Hsiang's men 
 and brought to Jung Lu. He was of medium 
 height, blonde mustache and beard, and spoke 
 Chinese. (This referred to a Swede named 
 Nestergaard, who, on some slight offense, left 
 the legation and went over to the Chinese.) 
 He said he went out to find food. Meanwhile 
 Boxers assembled around Jung Lu's house, and 
 demanded the foreigner, but Jung Lu sent him 
 off under guard to the yamen of the Shun Tien 
 Fu for safe keeping. 
 
 A messenger sent out on July 4 to go to 
 Tientsin with our letter returned to-day, bring- 
 ing the following note from the British consul 
 at Tientsin : 
 
 Your letter of July 4 received. There are now 24,000 
 troops landed and 10,000 here. General Gaselee expected at 
 Taku to-morrow. Russian troops are at Peitsang. Tientsin 
 city is under foreign government, and Boxer power here is
 
 A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT 123 
 
 exploded. There are plenty of troops on the way if you 
 can keep yourselves in food. Almost all ladies have left 
 Tientsin. 
 
 (Signed) W. R. CARLES. 
 
 Dated July 22. 
 
 (The letter of July 4 gave details of the siege 
 up to that date, numbers of killed and wounded, 
 and stated that Chinese troops had fired into the 
 legation quarter continuously since June 20, and 
 that we were hard pressed.) 
 
 This answer of the British consul aroused great 
 indignation among all the besieged. It had been 
 impossible up to that time to get any word from 
 the outside world, though many messengers were 
 sent out, and then when one did succeed in get- 
 ting through the Chinese lines, to receive a letter 
 (and that from an official, too) which gave no 
 information of any attempt to relieve us ! 
 
 Following is the story of the runner's trip 
 to Tientsin and back: Lin Wu Yuan, sixteen 
 years old, a messenger, native of Shantung, liv- 
 ing in Peking, arrived this morning, from Tien- 
 tsin. He left Peking with letters on the night of 
 July 4, disguised as a beggar. He was let down 
 over the wall by a rope, crept along the moat to 
 the Chien Men, slept under the gate, and in the 
 morning walked to the Yungting Men, passed 
 through, and went to Machiapu station without 
 being molested.
 
 124 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Hearing nothing there, he went to Tungchow 
 and worked his way along the main road to 
 Tientsin. At a village near Hoshiwu he was 
 stopped by the villagers and made to work eight 
 days. He reached Tientsin July 18, first met 
 Russian, then Japanese, and on July 21 met 
 the British troops at Peiving Men, the entrance 
 through the defense wall, half a mile from 
 Tientsin city, on the Peking road. 
 
 He delivered his letter? to a foreigner in citi- 
 zen, dress, who spoke Chinese. On July 22 he 
 was taken to the British consulate; there the 
 consul gave him a letter. He was then sent to 
 the foreign outpost at Hungchian (Red Bridge 
 over the Paotingfu river, a half mile west of 
 Tientsin city) . 
 
 On July 23 he left Hungch'iao, and soon met 
 the Chinese troops. That night he slept at 
 Yangtsun in a locomotive boiler near the bridge. 
 The bridge there was not destroyed. That day 
 he saw only Chinese infantry, the main body of 
 which was at Peitsang; he saw no Boxers. The 
 night of July 24 he slept near Hoshiwu; saw 
 few soldiers and no Boxers. The night of July 
 25 he slept at Mat'ou. That day he saw a few 
 parties of Boxers in villages, but none on the 
 road. 
 
 At Mat'ou and elsewhere he saw that the river 
 was in high flood ; few boats moving, but many
 
 HATAMEN GATE 
 
 125 
 
 APPROACH TO HATAMEN GATE IN WALL DESTROYED 
 
 BY THE RUSSIANS 
 
 Elsewhere in this work is presented a view of the top of this 
 wall, indicating its great width. The view above shows its height 
 and form. To the left is the encircling canal, with its stagnant 
 water and accumulations of filth; under a corner of the wall near 
 the bend of the canal may be seen a caravan. A block house or 
 fortification is shown on top of the wall. At the right the larger 
 building upon the top of the wall indicates where one of the city 
 gates is placed. The foundation of the wall is of great blocks of 
 hewn stone, above which are tiers of sun-dried brick. 
 
 moored to the banks. On July 26 had no ad- 
 ventures ; he spent the night at Yuchiawei, 
 twenty li from Peking. 
 
 On July 27 he reached the Sha Kuo gate, the 
 east gate of the south city, at 10 A. M. He found
 
 126 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 the roads good; telegraph poles and wire along 
 the river all gone ; railway torn up everywhere, 
 rails buried, or used for making Boxer swords. 
 
 He was not stopped at the gate, though there 
 were many Boxers and Tung Fu Hsiang's men 
 there. He made his way without trouble to the 
 Hatamen, which he found closed, and to the 
 water-gate, which was too closely guarded to pass 
 by day. The man slept last night near the Chien 
 Men, crawled along the moat, and entered the 
 water-gate without challenge before daylight this 
 morning. 
 
 He said the high road to Tientsin is in good 
 condition. Crops everywhere look well. Vil- 
 lagers are attending to their farms, but there is 
 a Boxer organization in every village. When he 
 left Tientsin, the foreign troops had not advanced 
 beyond the defense wall, San Ko Hin Sin's 
 "Folly," built by that general against the British 
 and French in 1860 but never defended (hence 
 the name "folly") surrounding Tientsin city at 
 a distance of one-half to one mile. All the yamens 
 in Tientsin are occupied by foreign troops, chiefly 
 Japanese. All Boxers have left the front at Tien- 
 tsin because badly punished in the battle, so the 
 Chinese soldiers despise them. Chinese army was 
 concentrating on Peitsang, eight miles northwest 
 of Tientsin. The messenger had a dollar in his 
 pocket when he met the foreign pickets at Tien-
 
 WAR AND RUMOR OF WAR 127 
 
 tsin, and they relieved him of it, "lest he might 
 lose it"! 
 
 Colonel Shiba's informant gives the following 
 dates of battles : 
 
 Battle at Tsaitsun, July 24, i to 12 P. M. 
 
 Battle at Hoshiwu, July 25, 10 A. M. to 3 P. M. 
 
 Battle at Auping, July 26, 6 to 9 P. M. 
 
 Chinese troops retired to Mat'ou on the 27th 
 inst. 
 
 July 29. Reports from various sources, etc.: 
 Foreign troops advance on the 26th from Auping 
 toward Mat'ou, from 3 A. M. to 12 M., and were 
 driven back to Auping by the Chinese at daylight 
 on the 27th. 
 
 Foreign troops of three nationalities at Auping. 
 Chinese ammunition short; southern rice boats in 
 the hand of the foreign army. Russian troops are 
 advancing toward Kalgan ( from a man from 
 Changpingchou, eighteen miles south of the 
 Great Wall) . 
 
 July 29 P. M. Reported Yangtsun completely 
 destroyed by foreign troops two or three days 
 ago, and foreign army in steady advance. The 
 Empress Dowager desires Tung Fu Hsiang 
 and Jung Lu to send her with an army to 
 Hsianfu, the capital of Shansi. They do not 
 consent, and suggest Li Ping Heng to help con- 
 quer us. He is ordered up, has arrived, and 
 is now attacking the Peit'ang. During the night
 
 128 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 a strong barricade was built on the north bridge ; 
 two hundred Boxers took up a position on it 
 and commenced firing. 
 
 July 30, 10 A. M. The Chinese army messen- 
 ger left Changchiawan at 8 o'clock yesterday 
 evening. He reports desultory fighting from 
 3 A. M. to 8 P. M. yesterday. Many Chinese 
 were killed. The foreign army advanced to 
 Mat'ou yesterday at 8 A. M. Chinese retreated 
 on Changchiawan. They have about 10,000 men. 
 Three cannon have been taken from the Chien 
 Men to the front. Fighting at Peit'ang is con- 
 tinued by Boxers. The firing from the north 
 bridge is by a company of two hundred Boxers 
 having only thirteen rifles. The Empress has 
 three hundred carts and Tung Fu Hsiang one 
 hundred, ready to start west; the date is a secret. 
 Tung's fourth son, with five hundred men, has 
 reached Lianghsiang on the way west. (This 
 news was brought in by a soldier of Tung Fu 
 Hsiang's body-guard, who brings us regularly the 
 report of the army messenger.) 
 
 Same date, 7:30 P. M. Yesterday morning 
 Mr. Sugi sent two outside coolies to Tungchow 
 to inquire in regard to the foreign army, etc. 
 They returned this evening. They report that 
 men in Tungchow affirm that the foreign army 
 had fought the Chinese yesterday just south of 
 Mat'ou. They also report having seen a man
 
 ACTIVITY OF THE CHINESE 129 
 
 from Chiachiatuan (eight miles east of Tung- 
 chow) who says foreign troops have come to 
 relieve the Catholics there, and are distant but 
 a mile or so from the intrenchments, letters 
 having already been exchanged. 
 
 The Peking gates, except the Chihua Men 
 and the Pingtzu Men, are ready to be closed, 
 with stone and sand-bags at their sides. Many 
 Boxers have been killed at the Peit'ang; twelve 
 regiments of General Ma's troops are to go to 
 Changchiawan. 
 
 We have given each of these coolies a small 
 letter to the commander of the troops and 
 offered a reward for a return to-morrow night 
 with an answer. The troops must be pretty near 
 us, and we may hope to see them in two days. 
 
 July 31, ii A. M. The regular Chinese army 
 courier arrived from the field of battle this 
 morning at 4:30. He reports, in the hearing of 
 one of Tung Fu Hsiang's body-guard, the same 
 man who has brought us the reports of the 
 movements of the foreign army from Yangtsun, 
 the foreign army advanced from Mat'ou, fight- 
 ing from 8 P. M. on the 29th, and arrived at 
 Changchiawan at 5 P. M. yesterday. The Chinese 
 army is five miles south of Tungchow. 
 
 August i. The following letter received to-day 
 by Colonel Shiba, dated Tientsin, the 26th ult. : 
 
 "Your letter of the 22d received. Departure
 
 130 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 TEA CARAVAN RESTING OUTSIDE OF CITY WALL 
 
 One might imagine this picture to illustrate a scene in Bible 
 times, in Palestine or Egypt; but time does not make any changes 
 in China; nothing changes there, save through the influence of out- 
 side aggression. Here is a caravan from the interior of Asia, halted 
 outside the city wall for entrance in the morning. The burdens 
 have been taken from the camels and the beasts have settled for rest. 
 
 of troops from Tientsin delayed by difficulties of 
 transportation, but advance will be made in two 
 or three days. Will write again as soon as esti- 
 mated date of arrival at Peking is fixed."
 
 CHINESE LIES 131 
 
 A somewhat mangled but authentic telegram 
 has been received from London. The telegram 
 is undated, but was sent off probably between 
 the 2ist and 24th ult. It refers to a letter written 
 by the Japanese minister about June 29, and to a 
 telegram from the United States minister, dated 
 July 1 8, from which it may be inferred that the 
 state of affairs here on the latter date was every- 
 where known. It also says that the Chinese 
 troops, after severe fighting, were finally routed 
 from Tientsin on the I5th ult., and that arrange- 
 ments for our relief were being hastened. It 
 further asks if the Chinese government is pro- 
 tecting us and supplying provisions, etc.! 
 
 Very few provisions have been sent in to-day. 
 A desultory firing has been kept up all the time 
 from the north bridge and the Mongol market. 
 The messenger, who has been bringing in the 
 previous rumors of the progress of the troops, 
 said that they had been driven back from Chang- 
 chiawan to Auping. As the letter from Tientsin 
 has proved him an arrant liar, in future no more 
 attention will be paid to his stories. It is a great 
 disappointment, after being told that the relief 
 were within two days of us, to hear that they 
 have not yet started and have not yet fixed a 
 date for starting. 
 
 The messenger's story has been well arranged 
 all along, and has agreed very well with the let-
 
 132 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ter received by the Japanese minister on July 18. 
 As we have had no later information (the British 
 consul's letter gave none) as to the movements 
 of the army, we have believed just what the 
 Chinaman told us, and as long as he was get- 
 ting paid for it he would give us any kind of 
 rumors. 
 
 August 2. Extracts from various letters re- 
 ceived from Tientsin: Mr. E. B. Drew to Sir 
 Robert Hart, July 28. "Yours of 2ist wired 
 home. Keep heart; aid coming early. Troops 
 pouring in. Enemy is at Peits'ang. Japs and 
 Russians in his front. Very little rain. Yangtzu 
 valley agitated. Lu and Chang trying to keep 
 order. Li Hung Chang at Shanghai; doubtful 
 if he is coming to Chihli. Tientsin is governed 
 by a joint foreign commission. Manchuria ris- 
 ing against foreigners. Russians, hands full there. 
 Newchwang much disturbed. Germany and 
 America each sending 15,000 men, Italy 5,000 
 Canton, west river. Ichang threatening. Ear- 
 nestly hope rescue of you all." 
 
 Mr. E. K. Lowry to Mrs. Lowry, July 30. 
 "Bearer arrived last Friday evening, with news 
 from Peking. . . . The Qth and i4th regiments, 
 United States, already at Tientsin ; 6th cavalry at 
 Taku on its way up. There was fighting at Piet- 
 s'ang this morning. Everything quiet here now. 
 Word came to-day that the Boxers are killing
 
 RUSSIANS FIGHTING 
 
 133 
 
 Christians at Tsunhua, Shanhaikuan, and many 
 other places. Russians and imperial troops have 
 fought at Chinhau. Tientsin is full of foreign 
 soldiers and more are coming all the time. Rail- 
 
 BALED TEA READY FOR SHIPMENT TO RUSSIA 
 
 Some idea of the great quantities of tea produced, and of the method of 
 
 packing, may be gathered from this picture. 
 
 road open between here and Tangku. Many ladies 
 and children were taken to the United States by 
 the transport Logan. All property at Peitaiho 
 has been destroyed "
 
 i 3 4 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Consul Ragsdale to Mr. Conger, July 28. "Had 
 lost all hope of ever seeing you again. Prospect 
 now brighter. We had thirty days' shelling here, 
 nine days' siege thought that bad enough. 
 Scarcely a house escaped damage. Excitement 
 at home intense, of course. Our prayers and 
 hope are for your speedy rescue. Advance of 
 troops to-morrow probable." 
 
 From J. S. Mallory, Lieutenant-colonel 4ist 
 U. S. Infantry. "A relief column of 10,000 is on 
 the point of starting for Peking; more to follow. 
 God grant they may be in time." 
 
 Colonel Warren to Captain Myers. "Have 
 been trying to reach you ever since June 21. 
 Relieved the foreign settlement June 23. Sey- 
 mour, June 24. Captured east arsenal June 26; 
 captured west arsenal July 10; captured Tientsin 
 city July 14. Will advance in two days. Col- 
 umn 10,000 strong, English, American and 
 Japanese ; 40,000 more following in a few days. 
 Hold on by all means. First column will sup- 
 port you and divert enemy from you. There 
 will be eight regiments of United States infantry, 
 three of cavalry and two batteries of artillery; 
 also five hundred marines. Infantry will be in 
 the first column. Enemy strongly intrenched 
 seventeen miles north of here (Yangtsun), and 
 at two points farther on." 
 
 The Customs volunteers took up a new posi-
 
 NOTES FROM TSUNG-LI-YAMEN 135 
 
 tion on the Mongol market, on the southwest 
 of the British legation. 
 
 August 3. Another message was received 
 from the yamen requesting us to leave the 
 legation and go to Tientsin. The Chinese are 
 extremely anxious to get us out of Peking, as 
 they think that with us out of the way the 
 armies will have no particular reason to come 
 to Peking and will be content to settle up mat- 
 ters at Tientsin. 
 
 August 4. A great deal of firing all night. 
 Two Russians were wounded while building a 
 barricade, one of whom died during the night. 
 
 August 6. A sharp fusillade at i A.M., other- 
 wise a quiet day. The firing, which throughout 
 the first few days after the truce amounted only 
 to a few scattering shots, has come to be nearly 
 as hot as before the truce, and attacks are being 
 made again every night. 
 
 August 8. The ministers received an official 
 message from the tsung-li-yamen saying: "By an 
 imperial edict dated August 7, full power has 
 been granted to Li Hung Chang to discuss and 
 arrange all matters by telegraph with the foreign 
 offices of all the powers." 
 
 Colonel Shiba reported that a Chinese outside 
 coolie came in to say that all the troops in 
 Peking, with the exception of five battalions of 
 Jung Lu's, have been, or are going to be, dis-
 
 136 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 patched in great haste to meet the foreign 
 troops ; he does not know where the latter are. 
 He adds that another 50,000 foreign troops have 
 been landed at Taku. 
 
 August 9. Sniper firing all day from Tung 
 Fu Hsiang's troops, especially at the customs 
 
 LI HUNG CHANG 
 China's greatest Viceroy 
 
 position in the Mongol market. The latter were 
 several times silenced by volleys from the Nor- 
 denfeldt machine gun mounted on a parapet 
 built against the west wall of the legation. No 
 firing from Jung Lu's troops at all. 
 
 August 10. Very heavy rifle -fire from all 
 sides about 3 A. M. A messenger sent out to 
 meet the troops returned, bringing a letter from
 
 CHEERING DISPATCH FROM GASELEE 137 
 
 General Gaselee, the British general in command, 
 also one from General Fukushima. General 
 Gaselee's letter is dated south of Tsaitsun, 
 August 8: "Strong forces of allies advancing. 
 Twice defeated enemy. Keep up your spirits." 
 
 The following letter from General Fukushima 
 to Colonel Shiba was received : "Camp at Chang- 
 chiang, two kilometers north of Nantsaitsun, 
 August 8, 1900 Japanese and American troops 
 defeated the enemy on the 5th instant near 
 Pietsang, and occupied Yangtsun on the 6th. 
 The allied forces, consisting of American, British, 
 Russian, and Japanese, left Yangtsun this morn- 
 ing, and while marching north I received your 
 letter at 8 A. M. at a village called Nantsaitsun. 
 It is very gratifying to learn from you that the 
 foreign community at Peking are holding on, 
 and believe me it is the earnest and unanimous 
 desire of the lieutenant-general and all of us to 
 arrive at Peking as soon as possible, and deliver 
 you from your perilous position. Unless some 
 unforeseen event takes place, the allied forces 
 will be at Hoshiwu on the 9th, Mat'ou on the 
 loth, Changchiawan on the nth, Tungchow on 
 the 1 2th and Peking on the i3th or i4th." 
 
 The messenger who brought in the letter told 
 the following story: On August 6 he went by 
 way of Tungchow, finding there that his family 
 had been murdered by the Boxers. On the yth,
 
 i 3 8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 he met boat-loads of wounded and defeated Chi- 
 nese. At Tsaitsun he met the advance guard of 
 the allies. The evening of the 8th he marched 
 with the middle division to Chuanchang, six miles 
 south of Hoshiwu. On the morning of Thurs- 
 day, the 9th, he started with this division, which 
 expected to reach Hoshiwu that evening, but left 
 them and returned to Peking by the road to the 
 west. The troops have but few Chinese servants. 
 They have many pack animals, led mostly by 
 Japs. He saw a small number of Russians and 
 a body of several hundred mounted black (prob- 
 ably Bengal) lancers, who made fun and charged 
 at him with their spears. He asked how long 
 they would be before reaching Peking, and was 
 told five or six days, as the Chinese were not 
 stubbornly resisting, the allies merely having to 
 drive them on ahead of them. 
 
 The following is an extract from a telegram 
 received by Mr. Conger from the United States 
 consul at Chefoo : "All communications north of 
 this pass through this office. So far as known, 
 excluding army and navy, no Americans have 
 been killed, and there has been but little loss of 
 property south of Tientsin. All trouble confined 
 to Peking and Taku. The high officials are do- 
 ing their best to keep order. Very large force 
 of all nations at Taku." 
 
 August 12. Heavy firing all day.
 
 HARDEST FIGHT OF ALL 139 
 
 August 13. The whole force of the artillery 
 possessed by us was brought to bear on the 
 Chinese position in the Mongol market, as the 
 Chinese seem to be making a last desperate at- 
 tempt to kill us all before the arrival of the 
 relief force, and it is expected that from that 
 quarter will come the fiercest attack. 
 
 Same date, 4 P. M. The yamen sent word 
 that if we would refrain from firing they would 
 positively stop all volleys on their side. This was 
 agreed to, and five hours later, though they had 
 been shooting all day, they made the most terrific 
 attack of the siege. This was kept up all night, 
 the very violent attacks being renewed at inter- 
 vals of about two hours. 
 
 At 4.30 in the morning, having been up all 
 night under the hottest fire mortals ever endured, 
 I had just dropped asleep, which even the heavy 
 shots did not prevent, when I was awakened by 
 the pop, pop, pop, at regular intervals of only 
 the fraction of a second, of an automatic gun. 
 As I knew the Chinese had no such gun in their 
 forces, and as our own Colt's gun was just out- 
 side the British legation gate to prevent a rush 
 down the moat between the British legation and 
 Lu Wang Fu, I instantly came to the conclusion 
 that the final rush, which would end the drama 
 and our lives, was being made.
 
 i 4 o BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Grasping my double-barreled shotgun, I rose 
 from the floor, where I had just thrown myself 
 down, and stepped outside in front of the lega- 
 tion chapel. As I did so I heard the thunder 
 of heavy guns in the direction of the Tungchow 
 gate. Then the situation was clear. The relief 
 were outside the city engaging the Chinese troops, 
 and the automatic gun was not ours, but theirs. 
 
 I dropped on my knees in the roadway and 
 put up a few words of thanksgiving to Almighty 
 God, and then, rising, called out the good news 
 to those inside the houses, in excited tones. Oh, 
 the sweetness of those sounds! Shall I ever for- 
 get how delightful to our ears? How anxious 
 I felt when they ceased for a few moments, and 
 how happy when they were resumed ! 
 
 The Chinese attacking us heard them too, and 
 for a while somewhat slackened their fire to lis- 
 ten; but only for a while, for they kept up a hot 
 fire all day. 
 
 Poor Mitchell, the brave American gunner, 
 was wounded in the night, having his arm broken 
 by a bullet from the Mongol market attack, but 
 he smiled a grim smile when the guns were heard 
 outside, and remarked: "Oh, you can keep up 
 your devilish racket now, but in a little while 
 longer you will be silent enough!" 
 
 At about four o'clock the Americans on the 
 wall saw men in foreign uniforms directly oppo-
 
 ALLIES AT THE GATES! 
 
 141 
 
 site them. While the Americans and Japanese 
 had attacked the Tungchow stone road gate and 
 the Pieu gate, the English had found the Shah- 
 kuo gate entirely open and unguarded, and had 
 
 SIKH POLICEMAN 
 
 The two Oriental types, East Indian and the Chinese, are 
 plainly shown in this picture. The policeman looms up almost 
 like a giant in the midst of his Celestial neighbors. 
 
 hastened, as directed by our notes of advice, to 
 the water-gate, directly under the eastern ex- 
 tremity of the American position on the wall. 
 The Sikhs came pouring up to the gate, which 
 they soon smashed in, and then the hurrahs that
 
 142 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 rent the skies told those in the houses and in 
 the hospital that the siege was over. 
 
 Just as the relief forces were pouring into the 
 British legation, the first woman to be wounded 
 during the siege, Mme. Cuillier, a French woman, 
 was struck by a Mauser rifle bullet in the thigh 
 and seriously, but not dangerously, wounded. 
 
 The following table shows the number of 
 officers and men who were killed or wounded, 
 and those who died of disease during the siege : 
 
 Nationality 
 
 Number 
 of 
 
 Killed or 
 died of 
 wounds 
 
 Wounded 
 
 Casualties in 
 per cent 
 
 Died of 
 disease 
 
 Volunt'rs 
 and inde- 
 pendents 
 
 Total 
 
 E 
 E 
 
 
 O 
 
 c 
 
 S 
 
 E 
 
 m 
 
 o 
 
 B 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 S 
 
 o 
 
 u 
 
 ra 
 
 "c 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 o 
 
 c 
 u 
 
 s 
 
 o 
 
 JL 
 
 12 
 
 -o 
 "c 
 
 1 
 
 -e 
 
 Q 
 
 V 
 
 "c 
 
 1 
 
 Am'can 
 Aust'an 
 British . 
 French . 
 German 
 Jap'nese 
 Russian 
 Italian.. 
 
 3 
 5 
 3 
 3 
 
 i 
 i 
 
 2 
 I 
 
 53 
 30 
 
 79 
 45 
 So 
 24 
 79 
 28 
 
 I 
 I 
 2 
 
 7 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 5 
 4 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 8 
 18 
 37 
 15 
 
 21 
 
 18 
 ii 
 
 12.5 
 11.4 
 
 3-7 
 22.9 
 
 23-5 
 20. o 
 
 4-9 
 24.1 
 
 I 7 .8 
 
 37-4 
 24.4 
 
 77.1 
 
 31-4 
 84.0 
 23.9 
 41.4 
 
 30.3 
 42.8 
 28.1 
 
 IOO.O 
 
 54-9 
 104.0 
 28.3 
 65.5 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 7 
 4 
 6 
 
 13 
 '3 
 10 
 
 7 
 7 
 
 ii 
 ii 
 26 
 
 43 
 16 
 
 29 
 
 20 
 12 
 
 
 v 
 
 3 
 2 
 
 I* 
 
 5t 
 
 i 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 it 
 8 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 9 
 
 388 
 
 4 
 
 49 
 
 9 
 
 126 
 
 13.1 
 
 35-6 
 
 48.7 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 12 
 
 23 
 
 67 
 
 1 68 
 
 * Baron Von Ketteler. 
 tMr. Cordes. 
 
 t Includes Captain Anlo. 
 Cossacks of the Legation.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 REFLECTIONS, INCIDENTS, AND MEMORANDA WRITTEN 
 DURING SIEGE 
 
 ONE of the most no- 
 ticeable effects of 
 siege-life has been 
 to bring out into promi- 
 nence all the mean and 
 selfish characteristics of 
 the individual, as well as 
 the heroic and self-sacri- 
 ficing. People who in 
 times of peace pass for 
 very nice, sociable indi- 
 viduals, with no particu- 
 larly mean tendencies, 
 when subjected to depri- 
 vation in the food-supply, 
 and their nerves become 
 a bit shattered with the 
 sound of whistling bul- 
 lets, the shrieking of fly- 
 ing shells, or the dull 
 thud followed by the 
 crashing and grinding of solid shot, show up in 
 their true bedrock character, and are meanness 
 
 to the core. 
 
 (143) 
 
 WANG 
 
 Minister Conger's head servant
 
 144 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 It has been most interesting to observe the 
 dissolution of previous friendships, often of years' 
 standing, and the making of new ones between 
 individuals formerly more or less at variance. 
 This has come about sometimes from a man or 
 woman with a sick child, or sick member of his 
 or her family having no supplies of their own, 
 begging a tin of milk or a can of soup or some 
 little delicacy or necessity from a friend having 
 abundance of stores. Upon a flat refusal on the 
 ground that he has none he can spare, the afore- 
 time friend realizes the depth of the former 
 friendship and has no wish to continue it. 
 
 Again, another instance : A gentleman has 
 gone to inquire of a person in authority in a cer- 
 tain establishment, where he is to move another 
 gentleman, a mutual friend, ill and unable to 
 take care of himself, to a place of safety, from 
 quarters no longer tenable, and is told: "If you 
 have been near the sick man, keep away from 
 me. Do what you please with him, only keep 
 away from me and mine, as we are fearful of 
 contagion." "But what do you advise?" persists 
 the inquirer of his quondam friend and superior. 
 "I don't advise anything," is the reply. "Is he to 
 be left alone to die or be captured, where he is?" 
 still persists the anxious friend. "That is none 
 of my business," is the heartless answer, destroying 
 a friendship which had existed for twenty years.
 
 "A FRIEND IN NEED" 145 
 
 Then, too, it has been an interesting study 
 to watch the effects on the optimistic man and 
 the pessimistic man of the various rumors 
 that have drifted in through occasional reports 
 from captives or deserters from the enemy's 
 troops. 
 
 The optimist believes that our enemies are 
 discouraged, are short of ammunition, are right- 
 ing among themselves, are firing high purposely 
 not to injure us ; that the relief force is very 
 near, that flashes of heat lightning are search- 
 lights of our friends, etc. 
 
 The pessimist believes the powers are righting 
 among themselves to prevent relief until no one 
 power has more troops in the relief than any 
 other; scouts the idea of search-lights; says that 
 the provisions are nearly exhausted ; sees new 
 barricades erected by the enemy every night ; 
 recounts the fatal casualties, increasing each day, 
 and notes the diminishing strength of the re- 
 mainder, and, moreover, fully believes and con- 
 stantly asserts that we are only staving off for a 
 little while an inevitable general massacre. 
 
 One must admit that to know that eleven of 
 the powers of the world are kept away, or are 
 staying away, from relieving their ministers, with 
 their families and nationals, for two months, at 
 a distance of only eighty miles from navigation 
 by large vessels, is a circumstance rather calcu-
 
 146 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 A WOMAN OF NORTH CHINA 
 
 It is not easy to obtain pictures of the 
 women of the upper classes of China. 
 The beautiful cape with the elaborate 
 embroidery, the little feet mounted upon 
 pedestals, and that sign of high no- 
 bility, the long finger nails, shown by 
 nail protectors on the third and fourth 
 fingers of the left hand, are evidences that 
 this woman is of China's "four hundred." 
 
 lated to increase 
 pessimism. 
 
 Before the siege 
 began I heard the 
 United States min- 
 ister say that if the 
 Boxers destroyed a 
 single station on the 
 Peking-Hankow rail- 
 road, known popu- 
 larly as the Lu Han 
 road, they would 
 have a horde of Cos- 
 sacks protecting the 
 line within a fort- 
 night. Yet of the 
 15,000 Russians re- 
 ported to have been 
 in Port Arthur, when 
 the entire Lu Han 
 line and the Peking- 
 Tientsin railroad was 
 destroyed, not a man 
 has as yet (August 
 i3th) reached Pe- 
 king. The Boxers 
 are still seen from 
 our loopholes, and 
 make our nights
 
 PROPHETS WITHOUT HONOR 147 
 
 hideous with their horn-blowing and incessant 
 rifle-fire. 
 
 We were also told by those wiseacres, the 
 foreign ministers, that Japan could and would 
 have 50,000 men in Peking if one member of 
 their legation was injured. Their second and 
 third secretaries have been killed, their legation 
 guard has been almost annihilated, and we see, 
 as yet, no new Japanese faces. 
 
 Again, Captain Myers assured us the Ameri- 
 cans could easily spare 10,000 men from the 
 Philippines, who could reach Peking in, at 
 longest, two weeks; but two months have now 
 gone by, and they have not materialized. 
 
 The people who have, on the whole, stood 
 the 'siege best are the missionaries. They have 
 been more crowded than any others, all the 
 Americans being compelled to occupy the Brit- 
 ish legation chapel, where they are, indeed, 
 closely packed, while the English missionaries 
 occupy part of the first secretary's house. 
 
 The Americans have formed into two messes, 
 the Presbyterians and Methodists eating at one 
 time, the Congregationalists, who are in the 
 majority, at another. They brought in with 
 them considerable provisions in the way of 
 tinned stores, but have been compelled to draw 
 from their commissariat their supply of rice and 
 cracked wheat every day.
 
 U8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 The foreign ministers guaranteed the three 
 shopkeepers of Peking, Messrs. Krueger, of 
 Kierullf & Co., Imbeck, and Chamot, the 
 amount of their stock if they would turn it 
 into a commissary's hands for distribution to 
 the entire community as needed. This was at 
 once done, and a commissary department ap- 
 pointed to take charge. 
 
 Many of the besieged owned ponies or mules, 
 which were also placed under a committee, 
 consisting of Messrs. Dering, Allardyce, and 
 Brazier. One or two of these animals have been 
 killed each day, and each person (foreigner) has 
 been allowed to draw half a pound of meat. 
 Many at first could not be persuaded to even 
 taste horse-meat or mule-meat ; but after several 
 weeks of siege-life there were very few who did 
 not daily go to the butchery for their supply. 
 
 The meat has been inspected every day by a 
 physician, and a certificate of healthy flesh given 
 to the butcher before the meat was allowed to 
 be dispensed. One of the British marines, Wil- 
 liam Betts, of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, 
 had been a butcher previous to enlistment, and 
 his services have been most valuable to the 
 entire community. 
 
 The Chinese coolies are fed with soup made 
 from the bones, the head, and cleaned entrails. 
 Not an ounce of the flesh has been wasted.
 
 A PEKING BELLE 
 
 Perhaps, after looking at this picture, there will not be so much 
 wonder that occasionally a Caucasian selects a Chinese girl for a 
 wife. That there are very attractive Chinese girls this picture evi- 
 dences. The clothing, the ornaments, and the surroundings are 
 all typical.
 
 i 5 o BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Many of the ponies that took part in the 
 Peking spring meeting as racers, last May, have 
 since served us with juicy steaks or toothsome 
 sausages. The mule-meat is considered to be 
 better, on the whole, than horse-meat, and in 
 this opinion I fully concur. As we have only 
 one donkey in the compound, none of us has 
 as yet tried donkey-flesh ; but the Chinese assure 
 us it is even better than the larger animals. 
 
 Several days since one of the two cows in 
 the compound, having gone dry, was killed for 
 food, and a notice was placed on the bulletin 
 board at the bell-tower that applications for 
 portions of the meat would be received from all 
 women and children, but that only such men as 
 were wounded or ill could, upon a physician's 
 certificate, receive a portion. 
 
 Every one wanted some, expecting to highly 
 enjoy a taste of fresh beef and a change from 
 horse. The result was most disappointing. 
 The cow was old and tough, and her flesh in- 
 finitely inferior to the regular ration of horse or 
 mule. 
 
 The Chinese Christians, supported by us in the 
 Su Wang Fu, having been for weeks upon noth- 
 ing but cracked wheat or "hao Hang" gruel, were 
 longing for some animal food, and begged they 
 might be given some of the dogs that continued 
 to come from all over the city to feed each
 
 CANINE FOOD PARTAKEN OF 151 
 
 night upon the refuse in the moat between the 
 Su Wang Fu and the British legation. 
 
 A few foreigners with shotguns, therefore, sal- 
 lied forth yesterday and killed eight good-sized 
 specimens of the canine race, that were forthwith 
 handed over to the hungry converts for their 
 consumption. Dog-hunting as a food supply 
 will not be neglected in the future. 
 
 As after July i8th the shelling ceased, and 
 some of the enemies' soldiers, with an eye to 
 business, brought a few eggs to the Japanese 
 barricade for sale, a market department was es- 
 tablished and placed under the care of Messrs. 
 A. D. Brent and J. M. Allardyce, where eggs 
 could be obtained pro rata for numbers of 
 women and children in a household, compared 
 with the supply on hand. These eggs were sold 
 at four cents each. But often the supply only 
 admitted of one egg being sold to a household 
 of women or children. At other times an egg 
 each could be obtained daily. But alas ! the 
 Chinese soldiers soon found out what their sol- 
 diers were doing, and promptly stopped it, so 
 that after August 6th the market was obliged to 
 close from lack of eggs. 
 
 On July 2Oth, two days after the shelling 
 ceased, the tsung-li-yamen sent a present to the 
 ministers of one hundred watermelons, seventy 
 eggplants, sixty vegetable squashes, and one
 
 i 5 2 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 hundred cucumbers. Some few of the besieged, 
 besides the diplomats, thus obtained the first 
 taste of fresh vegetables they had enjoyed for a 
 month. 
 
 The ministers' request to the yamen that 
 vegetable-venders be allowed to come to the 
 barricades or the great gate, however, was de- 
 nied, and we have since had no further supply. 
 It is hard to know that within half a mile of us 
 in any direction there is an abundance of fresh 
 fruits and vegetables, and yet, owing to the 
 closeness of our investment by the hostile 
 troops, we cannot obtain a cent's worth. 
 
 On August 5th, while I was standing talking 
 with a Japanese sentry, on an outpost barricade 
 of the Su Wang Fu, a Chinese soldier in full uni- 
 form walked quickly up the narrow lane our 
 barricade commanded toward us. I called on 
 the Japanese to fire on him, but he remarked : 
 "Let him come on ; he has no gun, and may 
 want to sell something." 
 
 True enough, just before reaching us he held 
 up his hand in front of his face to indicate that 
 he wished to speak, and so was allowed to come 
 around the corner of the barricade. He was a 
 young man of not over twenty-five, but showed 
 the marks of being a confirmed opium-eater. 
 
 "I have brought you some eggs," he re- 
 marked, hastily exposing ten of the precious
 
 EGGS EAGERLY SOUGHT 153 
 
 ovules to view. The Jap counted out forty cents 
 and gave him, and advised him to clear out, 
 which he speedily did, remarking as he left: "I 
 will lose my head if I am caught at this." As he 
 
 Chinese gentleman entertaining a friend with an opium pipe 
 
 could buy the eggs in the market for five cents, 
 his percentage of profit was very handsome. 
 
 After the so-called truce of July i8th, the na- 
 tive soldiers occupying the wall to the east of 
 the American marines' barricade strictly observed 
 the terms of the truce, and never either enlarged 
 their barricade nor fired another shot.
 
 i 5 4 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 These were the only ones, however, who did 
 so. From all the other barricades we were fre- 
 quently fired on, and every night or two a vig- 
 orous attack would be made upon us, during 
 which the Chinese would expend many hundred 
 rounds of ammunition, firing their rifles into our 
 barricades or the roofs of our houses, and scarcely 
 doing any damage, as we would all seek shelter 
 until the enemy were tired out. 
 
 Only once or twice did they actually come out 
 from behind their barricades with the intention 
 apparently of rushing us; but upon receiving a 
 volley, and having several killed or wounded, 
 they would hastily bolt back again to cover. 
 
 One night the author was selected by Adjutant 
 Squiers to lead a company of ten coolies in an 
 attempt to remove the stinking carcasses of two 
 mules that had been lying festering in the rays of 
 the summer sun for several days, directly under 
 the noses of the American marines entrenched 
 at foot of the city wall. The stench they emit- 
 ted was overpowering, but there seemed to be 
 no way to remove them, as to show a head, even, 
 at the barricade was certain to bring a volley from 
 the Chinese on the wall to the east, just beyond 
 the moat. The situation having grown unen- 
 durable, it was necessary to risk life even to re- 
 move them, and had to be attempted. 
 
 Mr. Squiers formed the plan to have ten
 
 A TRYING TASK 
 
 155 
 
 coolies, under a foreigner, go quietly at night 
 through the alley-ways and court-yards that had 
 been cut through to communicate with the 
 American legation, 
 to the moat directly 
 under the Chinese 
 on the wall. From 
 thence we were to 
 crawl forward to- 
 ward the barricade, 
 where our men were 
 warned not to fire 
 upon us, tie a rope 
 around a mule, slip 
 back toward the 
 moat, and drag the 
 mule after us, and 
 down into the moat, 
 where it could sub- 
 sequently be covered 
 with kerosene oil 
 and burned. 
 
 With ten volunteer 
 
 A corner in the reception room of a wealthy 
 Chinese gentleman, in Peking 
 
 coolies, all dressed in 
 dark clothes, and 
 warned not to speak or even whisper, I under- 
 took the task. 
 
 We reached the position on the wall street 
 without incident, and I was congratulating myself
 
 i 5 6 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 we would succeed without the Chinese discovering 
 us, when one of the coolies unfortunately struck 
 his foot against a tin can and sent it rattling across 
 the road. Instantly a volley was fired upon us 
 from the Chinese barricade, only some fifty yards 
 distant, and a perfect hail of bullets struck all 
 about us. 
 
 "Drop on your faces and lie still," I com- 
 manded in a hoarse whisper, which was promptly 
 obeyed. 
 
 We lay still for about fifteen minutes. Then 
 I sent one coolie crawling'on toward the nearest 
 mule, only ten yards away, and he soon had the 
 noose slipped over his head and returned. 
 
 We dragged the animal quietly enough, until 
 just at the corner of the bridge, where a lot of 
 tins, bottles, and refuse had been dumped in the 
 early days of the siege, and before the Chinese 
 had obtained their present position by driving 
 the Germans from the wall in the rear of their 
 legation. 
 
 When the animal passed over these obstacles 
 a loud grating, rattling noise was made, and a 
 second volley poured down from the wall. But 
 this time the corners of the stone bridge pro- 
 tected us and we were in no danger. 
 
 After another wait of fifteen minutes, during 
 which time all became quiet again, we returned 
 and repeated the operation on the second mule,
 
 FILTH REMOVED 
 
 157 
 
 dragging his fragran,t (?) carcass alongside the 
 first, and completing our work under a third 
 volley, equally harmless. 
 
 I received the thanks of Mr. Squiers and the 
 entire marine guard for this service, as it ren- 
 
 SOUTHERN WALL OF TARTAR CITY 
 
 This picture gives an idea of the vastness of the ancient defenses 
 of Peking and of the unhygienic character of its surroundings. 
 Across the canal are to be seen the straggling buildings of a Tartar 
 village. Immediately in the foreground lie the stagnant waters of 
 the canal and piles of reeking filth. 
 
 dered their position much more bearable there- 
 after, and their gratitude fully repaid me for the 
 danger incurred. 
 
 Directly across a moat leading from the Im- 
 perial city wall to the southern wall of the Tartar 
 city of Peking, opposite to the British legation, 
 is a large square compound, known in the local
 
 i 5 8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 mandarin tongue as Su Wang Fu, or in plain 
 English as the palace of Prince Su. 
 
 This prince inherited the title from his father 
 only two years ago. He is a young man of 
 rather pleasant appearance, about thirty years of 
 age. I have dined with him twice at the resi- 
 dence of his next younger brother, who was a 
 patient of mine last winter. 
 
 This compound is surrounded by a stout brick 
 wall from twelve to fifteen feet high. Lying, as 
 the place does, in between the British and Aus- 
 trian legations, it was decided to take possession 
 of it for the thousand -odd Christian refugees, 
 mostly Catholics, who had claimed the protec- 
 tion of their teachers, the missionaries, when the 
 cathedrals and mission premises were burned. 
 
 The idea of doing this originated with Mr. 
 F. H. James, who was killed on the bridge by 
 Kansu soldiers a few days after the occupation. 
 Dr. G. E. Morrison warmly seconded it, and 
 the plan was carried out without opposition from 
 Prince Su or his retainers, as actual warfare had 
 not yet broken out. 
 
 This palace consists of a lot of rather fine 
 (for Chinese buildings) edifices, all of one story, 
 arranged in a series of courts, with a considerable 
 park on the west side facing on the moat dividing 
 the palace from the British legation. 
 
 As less than a hundred yards' space is taken
 
 SHIBA HOLDS THE COMPOUND 159 
 
 up by the width of the moat and the roadway 
 on either side, it will be readily seen that to 
 hold this compound was to protect the entire 
 east side of the British legation from the Chinese 
 fire. 
 
 Colonel Shiba, the Japanese commandant, with 
 his twenty-five soldiers, was first placed in charge, 
 but later on he was reinforced from time to 
 time by detachments from the Austrians, Italians, 
 British, and French marines, and by the young 
 men of the customs service, known as the Cus- 
 toms volunteers. 
 
 The most determined efforts of the siege have 
 been made by the Chinese troops and Boxers to 
 obtain possession of the palace first, doubtless, 
 because it commanded the entire east wall of 
 the British legation at short range, and secondly, 
 because they desired to exterminate the thousand- 
 odd refugees men, women, and children har- 
 bored there. Consequently, the loss of life of 
 our defenders and the number of wounded 
 brought from the Su Wang Fu into the hos- 
 pital has greatly exceeded that of any other one 
 place. 
 
 To Colonel Shiba, its heroic defender, is due 
 the greatest credit, inasmuch as he has held the 
 place for weeks, after the other commanders 
 had prophesied it would have to be given i>p in 
 twenty-four hours.
 
 160 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 This he has been enabled to do by building 
 barricade after barricade in the rear of his first 
 line of defense, at often less than fifty yards' dis- 
 tance, and when one barricade was shelled until 
 absolutely untenable, retreating to the next strong 
 position in his rear. 
 
 Colonel Shiba also enlisted all the Japanese 
 civilians in the city, and even trained twenty- 
 five of the native Catholic converts into very 
 steady soldiers, arming them with rifles taken 
 from the bodies of dead soldiers of the enemy. 
 
 In addition to the military officers who arrived 
 with the legation guards, there happened to be 
 in Peking at the commencement of the siege 
 two English captains, one to study Chinese, the 
 other representing a concession syndicate Cap- 
 tains Poole and Percy Smith. Both of the gen- 
 tlemen have rendered efficient and valuable ser- 
 vice, and, since the death of Captain Strouts, 
 have been on regular duty. 
 
 A curious fact, interesting alike to English 
 and Americans, is that on the Fourth of July, 
 after Captain Myers had been wounded in the 
 sortie on the city wall the previous night, Captain 
 Percy Smith commanded the American marines 
 in the trench on the wall all day, under hot fire 
 from cannon and rifles, and the marines speak 
 in the highest terms of his bravery and coolness, 
 and his care for their comfort and safety.
 
 OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS HELP 161 
 
 Mr. E. von Strauch, formerly first lieutenant 
 in the German army, but now a member of the 
 customs service, has also rendered valuable ser- 
 vice in relieving the officer in charge at all the 
 various posts, such as the city wall, held by the 
 Americans ; the Su Wang Fu, held by Colonel 
 Shiba; the Hanlin Yuan, held by the British, and 
 other points outside the legation. The men also 
 express the highest regard for him. 
 
 So much for the outside officers. Among 
 civilians deserving credit are many who have 
 daily and faithfully done the work apportioned 
 to them in capacities where they have been un.- 
 noticed, but where their work has contributed 
 much to the general comfort, and some of them 
 at least should be mentioned. 
 
 Messrs. Allardyce and Brazier in the meat 
 supply department, Mr. S. M. Russell in the 
 commissary department, Mr. Stell in the coolie 
 supply department, Dr. Chauncey Goodrich and 
 Messrs. Walker and Whiting in the coolies' food 
 supply, together with Messrs. Tewkesbury, Ho- 
 bart, and Norris, all have steadily worked for the 
 common good, often both day and night. 
 
 It has been noticed bya great many English- 
 men and others that the Russians besieged with 
 us have been of uniformly gentlemanly and cour- 
 teous bearing. They have won golden opinions 
 from all, with the exception, perhaps, of one 
 
 K
 
 162 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 intensely biased newspaper correspondent, who 
 reads in the most commonplace saying some 
 deeply-concealed meaning, and some unkind in- 
 tention toward the British interests. A Russian 
 gentleman is a perfect gentleman, and uniformly 
 a marvelous linguist. 
 
 I have several times been present in a room 
 with a Frenchman, a German, and an Italian, 
 with whom several Russians carried on animated 
 conversations, addressing each man in his own 
 language, and apparently with equal fluency. 
 
 From M. de Giers, down through his whole 
 legation, the professors of Russian in the Im- 
 perial University and Tung Wen Kuan, the offi- 
 cers and clerks of the Russo-Chinese bank, one 
 can find none who are not perfect gentlemen 
 and most agreeable companions. 
 
 Baron von Radew, the captain in charge of the 
 Russian marines, has been a most devoted officer, 
 and every point of his defenses has had his con- 
 stant personal supervision. He has never un- 
 dressed to sleep in the last two months, but has 
 taken the broken rest he has obtained lying in a 
 steamer chair in one of his barricades. He has 
 lost greatly in flesh, and is but a skeleton of his 
 former self, but remains the same courteous 
 officer and gentleman under circumstances that 
 have altered the dispositions of not a few. 
 
 If the diplomatic corps in Peking could only
 
 HOUSE BOATS 
 
 Used for interior travel on Chinese rivers. Families pass their entire 
 existence on these boats. Some are fitted very comfortably.
 
 164 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 have heard the many and varied contemptuous 
 remarks made about them by their own nationals, 
 both before and during the siege, they would 
 perhaps have a new idea of what their titles of 
 "envoys extraordinary" meant. As I heard one 
 gentleman remark: "After this lot are disposed 
 of, I hope they will send us a set of ' envoys 
 ordinary' common - sense kind of men, who 
 have eyes and ears." 
 
 It is certainly marvelous that with the infor- 
 mation so readily obtainable as to the Boxer 
 movement, its aims and intentions, and after hav- 
 ing it forced almost upon them, as the British, 
 American and French ministers certainly have 
 had by their missionaries and others, the diplo- 
 matic corps should have blindly allowed them- 
 selves to be penned up in Peking with only a 
 handful of guards, to endure treatment as dis- 
 graceful as it has been unpleasant. 
 
 True, M. Pichon urged his colleagues early 
 to send for legation guards, and wanted them in 
 larger numbers, but even he, after constant as- 
 surances from Bishop Faner (who was perfectly 
 informed as to the gravity of the movement and 
 the Imperial sanction), declined to act indepen- 
 dently and allowed the situation to proceed to 
 the utmost extremity before he believed the priest 
 true and the tsung-li-yamen false. 
 
 A very blue lot they have been during the
 
 LOW ESTIMATE OF ENVOYS 165 
 
 siege. Although better fed than the unfortunates 
 the results of their credulity compelled to 
 suffer with them, the.y have not been pleasant 
 company, and have been allowed to flock together 
 as birds of a feather, and discuss at length the 
 utter neglect of their home governments in not 
 speedily rescuing them. 
 
 The rest of us poor mortals have long since 
 come to the conclusion that our governments 
 have found out their true value, and have decided 
 they are not worth a rescue. 
 
 The Belgian minister having arrived only a few 
 weeks before the siege began, is not to blame 
 for the position, and he wonders as much as the 
 ordinary mortal how his colleagues could have 
 allowed it to come to pass. 
 
 Is it possible that England and America, if they 
 had been informed of the true state of affairs by 
 their representatives, would not have requested 
 their ministers to notify all the foreign women 
 and children to leave the country? 
 
 When a foreign war is inevitable, even in a 
 civilized country, it is a necessity for non-com- 
 batants to leave. In a barbarous country it means 
 murder, often with torture, to remain; yet our 
 missionaries in Paotingfu and places inland were 
 not warned that their district troubles were not 
 local, but general, and that they should hasten 
 to the coast, to be nearer protection.
 
 166 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Some of the wiser English people among us 
 assert that " so far from being blamed by their 
 government for the siege, and loss of life ac- 
 companying it, their minister will be praised for 
 bringing us safely through it, and receive a higher 
 decoration if not a baronetcy; just as he was re- 
 warded before for failing to keep his govern- 
 ment informed of the Russians being the real 
 owners of the Fu Haw railroad, receiving at that 
 time some alphabetical additions to his signature." 
 
 John Brown is much improved by being called 
 Sir John Brown, P. I. G. which may mean "per- 
 fectly independent gentleman." 
 
 Posterity, however, will read of this siege with 
 amazement, and wonder how so many blind and 
 deaf men came to be appointed to the same post 
 at one time. Truly a remarkable coincidence.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 WORK DURING SIEGE DONE BY RUSSIANS WORK BY 
 AMERICANS 
 
 1 
 
 f | "A H E Russian lega- 
 tion is situated on 
 the north side of 
 Legation street, directly 
 opposite the United 
 States legation, one 
 hundred and fifty yards 
 west of the moat that 
 runs northward from 
 the city wall to the wall 
 of the Forbidden City; 
 between the British 
 legation and the Su 
 Wang Fu. Consequently, the Russian legation 
 is directly south of the British legation, and sepa- 
 rated from it only by a small street containing 
 shops of the humbler sort. 
 
 Immediately upon a state of siege being de- 
 clared, the foreign guards took possession of 
 this street, drove out the inhabitants, barricaded 
 both ends of the highway, and so made it possi- 
 ble to go with safety directly from the position 
 held by the American marines on the city wall, 
 
 (167) 
 
 YOUAN CHANG 
 
 Beheaded August 9, because he fa- 
 vored making peace with foreigners.
 
 168 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 through the American legation, across Legation 
 street, also barricaded, through the Russian lega- 
 tion, and on into the British legation one con- 
 tinuous foreign occupation. This was a necessity 
 for our protection, and to secure for the Ameri- 
 can and Russian marines a safe retreat into the 
 British legation in the event of their own loca- 
 tions being no longer tenable. 
 
 At the beginning of the siege the following 
 persons resided in the Russian legation : His 
 Eminence M. de Giers, envoy extraordinary and 
 minister plenipotentiary, his wife, daughter and 
 son, and Miss Edith Miller, a governess in his 
 family ; B. N. Kroupensky, first secretary ; B. N. 
 Evreinow, second secretary; P. S. Popoff, inter- 
 preter; Mme. Popoff and five daughters; N. F. 
 Kolessoff, second interpreter; A. T. Beltchenko 
 and H. P. Wulff, student interpreters; V. V. 
 Korsakoff, M.D., surgeon, wife and daughter; 
 N. T. Gomloyeff, postmaster; A. Polyanoff, clerk 
 in post office ; the Rt.-Rev. Father Archimandrite 
 Innocent Figuroffsky; the Rev. Father Abraham, 
 Deacon Basile, Messrs. Osipoff and Piskimoff, 
 ecclesiastical students. This comprised the lega- 
 tion personnel. 
 
 There was also the staff of the Russo-Chinese 
 bank, consisting of the following persons : D. D. 
 Pokotiloff, company manager for China and 
 Japan, and his wife; D. M. Pozdneeff, his wife
 
 OUR RUSSIAN FRIENDS 
 
 169 
 
 and child ; R. T. Barbier, wife and child ; Mile. 
 C. Titoff ; E. Wihlfahrt, cashier; F. Vavier, book- 
 keeper; Messrs. Brackmann, Mirny, Alexandroff, 
 Wasilieff, Brauns, and Kehler; and Mr. A. W. 
 
 Russian Minister and Staff of Legation and their families 
 
 Borodavkine, professor of Russian in the Im- 
 perial University. 
 
 The Russian guards were sailors from the 
 battleships Navarine and Sissoi Veliku, to the 
 number of seventy-two men, under Naval Lieu- 
 tenant Baron von Rahden and Sub-Lieuftenant
 
 i 7 o BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Carl von Dehn, with seven trans-Baikalian Cos- 
 sacks. 
 
 Captain Jean Wroublevsky, who was on lan- 
 guage-leave, also resided in the legation, and 
 acted with Baron von Rahden alternately as 
 commander of the forces. Captain Wroublevsky 
 belongs to the Ninth Rifle Corps, stationed at 
 Port Arthur. 
 
 Some of the staff of the Russo-Chinese bank 
 served in the British legation under the orders 
 of Captain Strouts until his death, and thereafter 
 under Sir Claude MacDonald, who assumed 
 command, but Messrs. Kroupensky, Evreinow, 
 Kolessoff, Beltchenko, Dr. Korsakoff, and Pro- 
 fessor Borodavkine constituted themselves Rus- 
 sian volunteers, and remained by their legation 
 throughout the siege, never becoming a part of 
 the so-called international volunteers serving in 
 the British legation. 
 
 These Russian volunteers did splendid service 
 in the defense of the Legation street west en- 
 trance, in the Mongol market to the northwest, 
 and in the various posts and barricades on the 
 city wall, in conjunction with the American 
 marines. 
 
 The Russian sailors and the American marines 
 fraternized at once ; but the sailors were quite 
 pleased to find their duties did not often bring 
 them into contact with the British marines, for
 
 A GROUP OF DEFENDERS 
 
 171 
 
 VOLUNTEERS OF THE RUSSO-CHINESE BANK 
 
 This picture was not taken during the Siege, as these gentle- 
 men had something else to do during that time. It was not even 
 taken after the Siege, and it is a question whether they will ever 
 be as happy and free from care again. One has passed away for- 
 ever, the gentleman in the chair to the right, who was killed in 
 an engagement with the Boxers. After hard fighting, in which a 
 number were killed, the Boxers carried away his body. 
 
 whom they felt a natural antipathy. Not that 
 there has been the slightest disagreement or 
 open bad blood between those two nationalities, 
 but they seem to have been mutually pleased to 
 remain apart. 
 
 The Russian sailors did much more manual 
 labor than any others of the besieged. The
 
 172 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Americans, English, French, Italians, etc., were 
 quite satisfied to have all their barricades built 
 for them by the Chinese Christians, working 
 under their missionary teachers or a foreign 
 interpreter; but the Russian sailors pitched in 
 and built, as well as manned, all their own 
 barricades. 
 
 Their commander, Baron von Rahden, stated 
 that upon his arrival his men were mostly green 
 farmers, recently enlisted as sailors, and very few 
 of them had had any military experience or even 
 knew the proper handling of a rifle ; but after 
 association for a few weeks with the well-trained 
 American marines under constant fire, they had 
 developed wonderfully fast, and he felt, at the 
 end of the siege, that he had a body of men 
 under him well trained, steady, and cool. 
 
 A detachment of these sailors accompanied 
 the American marines in the expedition to the 
 south cathedral, and assisted in the rescue of 
 three hundred native Catholic Christians. At this 
 place they killed seventy Boxers and took ten 
 prisoners that they afterward handed over to the 
 Chinese authorities for punishment; but, doubt- 
 less, instead of being punished they were well 
 rewarded. 
 
 While these ten ruffians were confined in the 
 legation jail, one man succeeded in getting his 
 hands free and loosing one other. Being dis-
 
 NERVE OF THE SAILORS * 173 
 
 covered, they assaulted their sentry with a brick 
 and attempted to make their escape ; but one 
 being promptly shot and killed, the other sur- 
 rendered and was again bound. 
 
 During the many heavy attacks by Tung Fu 
 Hsiang's soldiers at the west end of Legation 
 street, these sailors behaved with great courage, 
 and with their American marine companions 
 never failed to drive the Kansu ruffians back, 
 until finally the Chinese became discouraged at 
 their lack of success in rushes, and settled down 
 to a policy of sniping from behind their heavy 
 barricades. 
 
 They were such poor marksmen, however, 
 that not one in a thousand of their rifle shots 
 took effect, and the Russian losses all told 
 amounted only to four killed and eighteen 
 wounded. 
 
 Their outposts commanded the entire Mongol 
 market, overlooking the southwestern wall of 
 the British legation, and they alone commanded 
 this district until August 5, some weeks after 
 the active shelling had ceased, when Lieutenant 
 Von Strauch took up a new position in the 
 extreme north of the Mongol market, and drew 
 some of the snipers' fire in another direction. 
 
 The Chinese, early in the siege, planted a 
 Krupp gun on the Chien Men or main gate of 
 the city, and from this position of vantage
 
 174 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 shelled the minister's house and other buildings 
 of the legations very severely ; but their aim 
 was so bad that many of their shells passed not 
 only over the Russian legation, but over the 
 British legation and Su Wang Fu as well, finally 
 falling or exploding among their own people 
 more than a mile away from their intended 
 target. 
 
 Doubtless more Chinese have been killed by 
 their own shells and rifles than we have killed. 
 As they always fired high, and completely sur- 
 rounded us, the balls that have constantly 
 whistled over our heads for two months must 
 have fallen among themselves. 
 
 They attribute to our good shooting a large 
 mortality that we know is a result, certainly in 
 part, of their bad shooting. In the sortie made 
 on the city wall the night of July 3d under 
 Captain Myers, which resulted in capturing the 
 Chinese barricades, several banners, and some 
 ammunition, the Russian sailors ably seconded 
 the United States marines. 
 
 Captain Wroublevsky on one side found it 
 impossible to pass in, and joined the marines in 
 forcing entrance into the other side. In this 
 sortie Baron von Rahden was struck on the 
 head with a brick and two sailors were wounded. 
 Of the Americans, Captain Myers was severely 
 wounded and two marines killed.
 
 DOWN WITH THE WALLS ! 
 
 175 
 
 Some of the best work of the Russians was 
 that done in burning many native houses and 
 then pulling down the walls in the Mongol 
 market that concealed sharpshooters of the enemy. 
 
 ON THE TOP OF CHINA'S GREAT WALL 
 
 Wall destroyed by the Russians after the Boxers got it. This 
 picture gives a good idea of the width of the Great Wall, and 
 looks almost like a field with vegetation growing, and the block- 
 house or fort erected upon it. The method of reaching the top of 
 the wall is shown by the driveway up the side, which it will be 
 observed, is completely commanded by the block-house. This wall 
 extends several thousand miles, and is said to represent the sacri- 
 fice of millions of lives, and labor beyond comprehension. 
 
 Had this not been done, the entire southwestern 
 part of the British legation would have been 
 under a constant sniping fire, such as they really
 
 i 7 6 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 were exposed to during the first few days of 
 the siege, and until the Russians made a dash 
 into the Mongol market, drove out the Chinese, 
 and burned down their cover. 
 
 The Russians also joined in an unsuccessful 
 sortie, during which an attempt was made to 
 capture a cannon in the Su Wang Fu, but 
 owing to incorrect information as to its where- 
 abouts, the Italian officer commanding led his 
 men in the wrong direction, and after having 
 several men wounded, the party returned with- 
 out having accomplished anything. 
 
 In the fortification of their own legation they 
 have been untiring, and besides loop-holing and 
 building barricades, have dug a very deep trench 
 all along inside their west wall, or only exposed 
 side, which effectually prevented underground 
 mines from being undetected. 
 
 Russian sentries have, all through the siege, 
 been posted on the moat bridge at Legation 
 street, commanding the water-gate under the city 
 wall. Curiously enough, no attack has ever been 
 made from this quarter, yet to a foreigner it 
 appears a most advantageous opening for attack. 
 
 The Russo-Chinese bank was held by the vol- 
 unteers as long as it was possible to hold it, but 
 after the Chinese built a high barricade on the 
 wall just over the bank, it grew too hot to hold 
 and had to be evacuated.
 
 RUSSIAN HEROISM 177 
 
 Mr. Wihlfahrt's house, directly under the wall, 
 was made a Chinese fort for a while, and the 
 Americans lost several men from snipers posted 
 there, until, finally, a rush was made and the 
 place destroyed. 
 
 The Russians have several times gone to other 
 places to assist in repelling serious attacks, on one 
 occasion to help Colonel Shiba in holding back 
 the Boxer forces at the Su Wang Fu. On this 
 occasion one man was seriously wounded. An- 
 other time they were called to help the German 
 legation. They have always cheerfully rendered 
 any assistance when called upon, and Baron von 
 Rahden, his fellow officers, and all the volun- 
 teers are highly thought of by the besieged. 
 
 Few people are aware that when all the troops 
 had left their outposts and retired into the Brit- 
 ish legation, owing to a mistaken order, four 
 Russian sailors still remained alone at a barri- 
 cade commanding the Mongol market, and by 
 keeping the Chinese soldiers from being aware 
 of the general retreat into the legation, made it 
 possible for the guards to return to the Amer- 
 ican, French, and German legations and the wall, 
 which otherwise could only have been done at 
 a frightful cost of lives. 
 
 The United States legation, usually spoken of 
 as the American legation, is pleasantly situated
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 UNITED STATES LEGATION 
 
 Dr. Coltman's rooms were at the left, Minister Conger's to the 
 right. The yard or "compound" is paved, with openings for the 
 trees and vegetation. The most attractive part of the house, as is 
 the case with nearly all Chinese houses, is that which looks upon 
 the compound instead of the street. 
 
 on the south side of Legation street. It is, how- 
 ever, a very small compound. There is only one 
 building in it of foreign style of architecture, 
 utilized as a business office. The second secre- 
 tary had his residence in the upper portion of 
 this building.
 
 PERSONNEL OF THE LEGATIONS 179 
 
 At the commencement of the siege the fol- 
 lowing persons were residing in the compound: 
 His Eminence E. H. Conger, minister, his wife, 
 daughter, niece, governess, and two lady guests 
 from Chicago, Mrs. and Miss Woodward; Mr. 
 H. G. Squiers, first secretary, his wife and four 
 sons; Mr. W. E. Bainbridge, second secretary, 
 and his wife; Mr. F. D. Cheshire, interpreter. 
 These comprised the legation staff. 
 
 There were also the following refugees, who 
 had been obliged to abandon their residences 
 and seek legation asylum: Dr. W. A. P. Martin, 
 president of the Imperial University and author 
 of the "Cycle of Cathay," "Hanlin Papers," and 
 other works, both in English and Chinese; Dr. 
 Robert Coltman, Jr., professor of surgery in the 
 Imperial University, author of "The Chinese 
 Medical, Political and Social," with his wife arid 
 six children; Mr. William N. Pethick, secretary 
 to Li Hung Chang, and three American mis- 
 sionary ladies, Mrs. Mateer, Miss Douw, and 
 Miss Brown. 
 
 In Mr. Squiers' family there was also a visi- 
 tor of distinction Miss Condit-Smith, a niece 
 of Chief Justice Field, of the United States Su- 
 preme Court as well as a French and a German 
 nursery governess. 
 
 The marine guard of fifty men was under the 
 command of Captains Myers and Hall, who, with
 
 i8o 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Surgeon Lippett, consti- 
 tuted the officers of the 
 detachment. Captain 
 Hall, with twenty ma- 
 rines, had been for sev- 
 eral days at the Metho- 
 dist mission compound, 
 east of the Hatamen or 
 extreme southeast gate of 
 the city, but on June 20, 
 when it was decided to 
 abandon that compound, 
 and have the American 
 missionaries all move into 
 the British legation, Hall 
 and his men returned to 
 the American legation and 
 thereafter served there. 
 The fatigue endured by the United States ma- 
 rines in their constant service on the city wall 
 and in their barricade under the wall, as well as 
 the barricade at the western end of the com- 
 pound in Legation street, was simply killing. 
 That the men did not succumb is a marvel. 
 
 To Mrs. H. G. Squiers, more than any one 
 else, is due the credit of sustaining them with 
 coffee and biscuits sent out hot and refreshing 
 at midnight and at various times throughout the 
 day. Indeed this lady has acquired, by her hos- 
 
 Inside one of the United States 
 Legation rooms
 
 GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY 
 
 181 
 
 pitality and unfailing kindness, the affection of 
 not only her own nationals, but the regard of 
 every one besieged within the city. Many poor 
 fellows wounded in the hospital have blessed her 
 with their fevered lips for a cooling drink or a 
 nourishing broth prepared by her own hands. 
 Her well-furnished storeroom was placed at the 
 disposal of every one who was in need of food, 
 either as a necessity for the healthy or a deli- 
 cacy for the sick. The author has to express 
 his own unbounded gratitude for many a tin of 
 peas, tomatoes, or oatmeal that has helped to 
 render palatable the daily ration of horse-flesh 
 and rice that has 
 been his own and 
 his family's susten- 
 ance throughout our 
 imprisonment. 
 
 Under the most 
 trying circumstances 
 Mrs. Squiers has pre- 
 served a cheerful de- 
 meanor, and, assisted 
 by the ever calm and 
 always sociable Miss 
 Polly Condit- Smith, 
 has daily entertained 
 at her hospitable 
 board the officers, 
 
 A corner in the United States Legation
 
 182 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 civilians, diplomats, and missionaries with the 
 same cordiality. 
 
 When Dr. Velde, the able German surgeon 
 in charge of the hospital, was worn out with 
 fatigue and unable to find a quiet place for a 
 night's rest, he was provided by Mrs. Squiers 
 with a comfortable pallet, covered with a mos- 
 quito curtain, in a little closet room, usually 
 occupied by the German nurse, and so enabled 
 to obtain a rest that was an absolute necessity 
 to his continuing in service. 
 
 All of the American ladies have worked with 
 patience and perseverance, constantly making 
 the sand-bags which have so efficiently protected 
 the soldiers and the entire community from the 
 unceasing fire of bullets from the enemy. Every- 
 thing in the line of cloth has been used for this 
 purpose. Handsome linen table-cloths, rich silk 
 draperies, towels, gowns and dress materials 
 have been freely sacrificed to provide for the 
 defense. 
 
 When the wounded became numerous in our 
 quarters, and were nightly worried by those in- 
 fernal pests, the mosquitoes, the ladies cheer- 
 fully sent all their mosquito curtains to the 
 hospital to be used by their brave defenders to 
 alleviate their discomfort. 
 
 Every one realized when we became besieged 
 that we were in a position that only divine help
 
 Mr. F. D. Cheshire 
 Interpreter 
 
 Mr. H. G. Squiers 
 First Secretary 
 
 Mr. E. H. Conger 
 Minister 
 
 Mr. W. E. Bainbridge 
 Second Secretary 
 
 The United States Legation Staff
 
 184 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 and a speedy rescue could avail us. Surrender 
 under any circumstances now could only mean 
 butchery. We had seen the survivors of the 
 massacre at the south cathedral come among 
 us with little children almost hacked to pieces 
 by the cruel knives of the fanatical Boxers, and, 
 knowing their hatred for us, we well knew that 
 if the men were overcome, the women and 
 children must suffer a horrible death or worse. 
 
 Many of the men had resolved that at the 
 last fight they would themselves kill their wives 
 and daughters to prevent their suffering at the 
 hands of the incarnate devils that surrounded us. 
 My own wife never allowed me to leave her 
 upon a night-attack without first giving her my 
 revolver for the purpose of using it as a safe- 
 guard to herself and daughters in the event of my 
 non-return, and the overpowering of our forces. 
 
 The American marines led in the expedition 
 to the south cathedral to rescue the Catholic 
 Christians being killed there, and were accom- 
 panied by a Russian detachment and by civilians 
 W. N. Pethick and W. J. Duysberg. Here they 
 rescued over three hundred Christians, and 
 brought them safely to the American legation, 
 where their wounds were dressed by Drs. Lip- 
 pett, Korsakoff, and Coltman, and they were then 
 sent into the Su Wang Fu to be fed and cared 
 for until the end of the siege.
 
 THREE NATIONS JOIN IN DEFENSE 185 
 
 The American marines also took part in the 
 expedition to the Boxer rendezvous temple, north 
 of the Austrian legation, in which fifty-six Boxers 
 were cornered and killed. Their bravery and 
 endurance has been noted by all. Their main 
 task that of holding the city wall should ren- 
 der their fame immortal. True, they have been 
 ably helped in this task from time to time by 
 both Russian and British marines, but the post 
 was theirs, and to them belongs preeminently 
 the glory of holding the position that, like the 
 Su Wang Fu, was a key to the place of last 
 stand the British legation. 
 
 In the brilliant sortie on the night of July 3, 
 led by Captain Myers, both Russian and British 
 marines took part, and, although the credit has 
 usually been attributed to the Americans, Eng- 
 lish and Russians are equally deserving. When 
 on the point of springing over our barricade to 
 attack the Chinese position, Captain Myers ad- 
 dressed his men with ringing words of encour- 
 agement. 
 
 The Chinese had their first intimation of his 
 movement when they were saluted with a deaf- 
 ening yell directly under their barricade, for our 
 little force gave a tremendous shout, as instructed, 
 as they rushed around the one open side and 
 clambered over the breastwork. 
 
 Many of the Chinese fled, but the remainder
 
 186 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 poured a hot fire into the ranks of the invaders, 
 Privates Turner and Thomas of the Americans 
 being instantly killed by bullets, as reported, and 
 
 Robert Coltman, jrd, i6%yrs. Rev. R. Coltman Dr. R. Coltman, Jr. 
 
 Eva D. Coltman. n yrs. Chas. L. Coltman, 9 yrs. Alice C. Coltman, 13 yrs. 
 
 Mrs. R. Coltman Mrs. Dr. R. Coltman. Jr. 
 
 Wm. P. Coltman, \% yrs. Mary O. Coltman, 4 yrs. 
 
 FAMILY OF THE AUTHOR 
 
 All of the persons in this group, with the exception of the au- 
 thor's father standing in the center, and his mother at the left, 
 suffered in the Siege. 
 
 Captain Myers severely wounded by a spear. 
 Corporal Gregory of the British marines was 
 also shot, and two Russian soldiers were wounded
 
 WE HOLD THE WALL 187 
 
 by bullets; but the position was captured, and 
 the retention of the post on the wall assured, as 
 henceforth it would be possible to ascend the 
 ramp without being exposed to Chinese fire. 
 
 The Chinese fled to their second barricade, 
 a few hundred yards nearer the Chien Men, 
 which they have held ever since, and, although 
 they have shelled the American position captured 
 from them for days, they have never been able 
 to dislodge our men. 
 
 When the United States minister and his 
 family left the legation and sought refuge in the 
 British legation, they were given the house of 
 the British legation physician, Dr. Poole, for a 
 residence, and into this six-roomed house were 
 crowded four men, ten women and nine children. 
 
 Mr. Squiers, Mr. Cheshire, and Mr. Pethick 
 continued to remain at the United States lega- 
 tion. The legation building was peppered with 
 bullets the livelong day, and shelled at intervals 
 with three-inch shells from both city gates, east 
 and west, until all the roofs were full of holes, 
 and the gatehouse completely demolished, the 
 flagstaff being cut through and the flag falling 
 to the ground. It was speedily picked up, how- 
 ever, and nailed to a tall tree near the gate- 
 house, from which it still floats, though riddled 
 with holes. 
 
 Dr. Lippett, the surgeon of the guard, re-
 
 i88 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ceived a bad wound of the thigh, fracturing the 
 bone and completely disabling him, on June 
 29, and has been in the hospital ever since. 
 Dr. G. D. Lowry, a medical missionary of the 
 Methodist mission, immediately took his place. 
 
 Sergeant Fanning, Corporal King, and Privates 
 Kennedy, Tutcher, and Fisher have been killed 
 in the barricades, and Privates Silva, Shroder, 
 Mueller, and Hall were wounded early in the 
 siege. The Americans killed were all buried in 
 the Russian legation compound just across Le- 
 gation street. 
 
 There were no American civilians serving as 
 volunteers with the American guard, but Dr. 
 Coltman, his son, Robert Coltman, 3d, and Mr. 
 W. E. Bainbridge served guard-duty in the 
 British legation among the international vol- 
 unteers. 
 
 Mr. H. G. Squiers, who was elected by Sir 
 Claude MacDonald as his chief of staff, and sec- 
 ond in command after the death of Captain 
 Strouts, has been indefatigable in his service, not 
 only at the American legation, but in general 
 oversight of the situation at all points. That 
 the United States government will recognize his 
 unusual ability by a promotion in the diplomatic 
 service, for which he is so well fitted, and to 
 which he has devoted his talents, is sincerely 
 hoped.
 
 OUR LEADER'S VIGILANCE 189 
 
 He it was who conceived the plan of occupy- 
 ing the city wall and insisted on its being re- 
 gained when abandoned. This, as a key to the 
 whole position, was recognized in its full impor- 
 tance by Mr. Squiers. He, too, with Captain 
 Wroublevsky, forced a way down the wall to 
 the Chien Men, and let in the first Sikhs that 
 came through the gate.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 WORK DONE BY STAFF OF IMPERIAL MARITIME, CUSTOMS, 
 AND BRITISH LEGATION STAFF 
 
 AT the same time 
 that the tsung- 
 li-yamen sent 
 dispatches to each of 
 the foreign ministers 
 requesting them to 
 leave Peking within 
 twenty -four hours, 
 they sent a commu- 
 nication to Sir Robert 
 Hart, Bart., inspec- 
 tor-general of cus- 
 toms, notifying him 
 of their communica- 
 tion to the ministers. 
 One would have supposed that the customs 
 staff, being employed by the government to col- 
 lect their own revenues, would have either been 
 given a place of safety and separated from the 
 foreigners who were to be attacked and extermi- 
 nated, or their safe escort out of the country 
 guaranteed. 
 
 This should also have applied to the staff of 
 
 (190) 
 
 TYPICAL CHINESE LION 
 
 As represented by them. One of a pair 
 
 guarding a temple entrance.
 
 SCANT ACCOMMODATIONS 191 
 
 the Imperial University, but beyond a simple 
 notification to Sir Robert Hart, no further ac- 
 count was taken of them, and they were left to 
 seek either the protection of their respective 
 legations, or remain together in the offices of the 
 inspector-general, where all had gathered upon 
 the entrance of the Boxers into Peking, and at- 
 tempt to defend their lives and those of their 
 families as best they might. 
 
 As the Austrians had been driven out of their 
 legation before any of the others had yielded, and 
 as their compound overlooked and commanded 
 the inspectorate-general compound, however, that 
 place had become untenable by June 20, and 
 Sir Robert Hart reluctantly retired with all his 
 staff and their families to a building allotted to 
 them in the British legation. 
 
 This building is situated just within the main 
 gate of the legation, north of and adjoining the 
 gate-house, and consists of three fair-sized and 
 three small rooms, with an out-house kitchen. 
 
 Into this narrow accommodation the following 
 staff were obliged to crowd themselves: Sir 
 Robert Hart, inspector-general; Mr. Robert E. 
 Bredon, deputy inspector-general, his wife and 
 daughter, Miss Juliet Bredon ; Mr. A. T. Piry, 
 commissioner, his wife, governess, and four chil- 
 dren; Mr. J. R. Brazier, his wife and two children; 
 Mr. G. H. Brewit-Taylor and wife; Mr. C. H.
 
 i 9 2 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Oliver, sister, and two children; Mr. S. M. Russell 
 and wife, and Mr. C. B. Mears and wife, besides 
 the following single gentlemen : Messrs. P. von 
 Rautenfeld, J. H. Macoun, J. W. Richardson, E. 
 Wagner, E. von Strauch, N. Konoraloff, B. L, 
 Simpson, H. P. Destelan, H. Bismarck, U. F. Win- 
 tour, J. H. Smyth, J. W. H. Ferguson, L. Sander- 
 cock, A. G. Bethell, L. de Luca, C. L. Lauru, R. 
 B. de Courcy, C. O. M. Diehr, W. S. Dupree, 
 E. E. Encamacao, J. de Pinna, P. J. Oreglia, and 
 S. Sugi. 
 
 As it was simply impossible for all these people 
 to sleep within such narrow quarters, Messrs. 
 Brazier and Brewit-Taylor and their families se- 
 cured rooms with some friends at other houses. 
 The remainder all messed together, excepting Mr. 
 Bredon's family, in which were included Messrs. 
 B. L. Simpson and C. L. Lauru. The single men 
 slept in blankets on the narrow brick veranda 
 when not on duty at one of the many posts. 
 
 With the exception of Sir Robert Hart, whose 
 advanced age prevented his doing military duty, 
 and Mr. R. E. Bredon and Mr. C. H. Oliver, all 
 the others regularly enrolled themselves as a volun- 
 teer corps known as the customs volunteers, and 
 did most excellent, arduous, and effective work. 
 
 Mr. E. von Strauch, having served as first 
 lieutenant in the German army for some years, 
 was given command, and Mr. Macoun was made
 
 OUR ENGLISH NEIGHBORS 
 
 193 
 
 second officer. After Macoun was wounded, and 
 until again able to go on duty, Mr. B. L. Simpson 
 acted as second officer. 
 
 Adjoining the British legation on the north lies 
 the Hanlin Yuan, a large yard full of many build- 
 ings, containing one of the most famous libraries 
 
 SIR ROBERT HART 
 
 And members of the Customs Staff and their families, with one 
 or two others, who lived together in the house immediately behind 
 the group during the siege. 
 
 extant, the Hanlin library. By the Chinese this 
 library has always been regarded as one of their 
 most valuable possessions. Here were stored 
 thousands of volumes of Chinese history, essays, 
 and records of the various government boards 
 
 M
 
 194 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKIN 7 G 
 
 that had collected for centuries. North of this 
 Hanlin Yuan, separated only by a wide street 
 known as the Chang An Chieh, is the wall of the 
 Forbidden City. 
 
 The Boxers and Imperial troops early took pos- 
 session of the northern end of this compound, 
 
 CUSTOMS VOLUNTEERS 
 
 Who, throughout the siege, fought in defense of the legations. 
 This little band did excellent service. Brave, cool and deliberate, 
 they made themselves felt wherever their services were called for. 
 
 and in their efforts to dislodge us from the British 
 legation, ruthlessly set fire to their sacred library 
 and destroyed the priceless collections of ages.
 
 CHINESE THROW BRICKS 195 
 
 A large part of the defense of the southern half 
 of the Hanlin Yuan* has been performed by the 
 customs volunteers, and there has been no more 
 trying military service in the siege than at that 
 place. We early took possession of the southern 
 end, and built a barricade of bricks and sand-bags 
 running completely across the compound. 
 
 Our barricade and the Chinese barricades are 
 so close that often the Chinese have thrown half 
 bricks over at us, as their rifle-bullets cannot pene- 
 trate the barricade. Several of our men have 
 been injured by stones and bricks in this way. 
 
 In addition to the members of the customs staff 
 given above as enrolled members of the customs 
 volunteers, there have been attached to the corps 
 for duty at various times Messrs. Barbier, Flicke, 
 and Hagermann. 
 
 Messrs. E. Wagner and H. P. Destelan were 
 soon called to serve at the French legation, as the 
 fighting had been very hot there, and men were 
 needed to take the places of those who had fallen. 
 They barely joined their fellow-nationals at their 
 perilous post, and there on July i Wagner was 
 struck by a shell in the head and instantly killed. 
 A few days later Destelan had a miraculous escape. 
 The Chinese across the narrow lane, known as 
 Customs lane, had undermined the street, and 
 placed a mine under the wall and eastern buildings 
 of the legation. When they exploded it, Destelan
 
 i 9 6 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 and several others were buried in the ruins ; but a 
 second explosion almost immediately blew several 
 of them out again, among them Destelan and Von 
 Rosthorn, the Austrian charge d'affaires, who was 
 on duty in the French legation after the surrender 
 of his own legation to the Chinese troops. Only 
 two Frenchmen lost their lives by this mine, while 
 the Chinese acknowledge they lost twenty of their 
 own men by the explosion. 
 
 The sad death of Wagner threw a deep gloom 
 for many days over his young comrades in arms. 
 He was so intelligent, bright and cheerful, always 
 willing to undertake any service, and always in 
 the front, that he has been sorely missed. Mr. 
 H. Bismarck was obliged by the necessities of 
 the German legation to join his nationals there, 
 as was also Mr. Diehr. 
 
 Bismarck has had his hat shot off and his 
 clothes perforated several times, has been in 
 several sorties and all sorts of dangers, but has 
 wonderfully escaped. 
 
 Mr. L. de Luca received a painful, but not 
 serious, wound of the forearm, which partially 
 disabled him for a time ; but, as soon as possi- 
 ble, he was again serving at the various posts. 
 For a time he was on Captain Wray's staff as 
 aid in the commissary department, but in this 
 place there was no danger to be incurred, and 
 he joyfully relinquished it to Mr. C. H. Oliver.
 
 197 
 
 Mr. J. W. Richardson was the first of the 
 customs volunteers to be disabled, having re- 
 ceived, early in the siege, a flesh-wound of the 
 shoulder. He, too, made a rapid recovery, and 
 was soon acting as assistant steward in the hos- 
 pital, but when entirely in health returned again 
 to guard duty. 
 
 Mr. A. G. Bethell became ill from overwork 
 and fatigue, and was obliged to go into the hos- 
 pital for several days, but recovered under rest 
 and appropriate treatment and returned to duty. 
 Mr. U. F. Wintour, while excavating a deep 
 trench in the Hanlin Yuan as a countermine to 
 the Chinese mining attempts, badly sprained his 
 knee-joint, which has since resulted in a severe 
 synovitis, compelling him to remain with his leg 
 fixed in a plaster-of-paris cast for some weeks. 
 
 Messrs. Sandercock, Bethell, and Ferguson, 
 although barely nineteen years of age, have en- 
 dured the fatigue and hardship of the watches, 
 and have been as cool under fire as old veterans. 
 
 Especial mention should be made of the con- 
 spicuous bravery and gallantry of Mr. W. S. 
 Dupree, or, as he is familiarly and affectionately 
 called by his comrades, "Little Willie." This 
 young man, in times of peace, is a postal clerk 
 of very affable manners, but in the siege he has 
 been a doughty warrior. Although only eigh- 
 teen years of age, he has taken his full share of
 
 i 9 8 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 the work. He accompanied the first expedition 
 of the American, British, and Austrian soldiers 
 in the attack upon a Boxer rendezvous in a 
 temple north of the Austrian legation, in which 
 fifty-six Boxers were killed. He has also served 
 in the Hanlin Yuan, in the Su Wang Fu, and in 
 
 Chinese barber and his outfit 
 
 the latest achievement of the customs volunteers, 
 -the capture and holding of a new and val- 
 uable strategical position northward of the Rus- 
 sian position in the Mongol market. 
 
 On the night of August 10 this intrepid 
 youngster crept out from behind the fortification 
 in the Mongol market, and crawled across the
 
 A LAD'S ADVENTURE 
 
 199 
 
 moonlit common, directly in front of and up 
 to the Chinese barricade. Here he heard one 
 of the soldiers exhorting his comrades to follow 
 him and make an attack upon the foreigners. 
 "Why should we hesitate?" he urged. "We 
 have so many and they so few success is sure 
 
 
 Chinese barber at work 
 
 and failure impossible." Dupree hurried back 
 and warned his companions in time to prevent 
 a serious rush, for a few moments later the 
 Chinese actually left their barricade and at- 
 tempted a rush upon our works ; but on a volley 
 into them, which killed one and wounded sev- 
 eral others, their short-lived courage left them,
 
 200 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 and they precipitately bolted back again behind 
 shelter, from which they peppered our barricade 
 vigorously for the next half hour without doing 
 any damage. 
 
 The customs mess, in spite of their exceedingly 
 narrow accommodations, was eminently a hospita- 
 ble group, and cheerfully allowed Messrs. E. 
 Backhouse, G. P. Peachey, Dr. J. Dudgeon, and 
 J. M. Allardyce to eat with them, they turning the 
 stores they possessed on entrance into the com- 
 mon storeroom. The meals were well managed 
 under the efficient care of Mrs. Russell and Mrs. 
 Mears, whom all of the customs volunteers will 
 ever remember for their constant, untiring efforts 
 to render palatable the daily ration of horse-meat 
 and rice which has constituted their principal food. 
 
 Sir Robert Hart, the I. G., as he is generally 
 spoken of by his staff, as well as many outsiders, 
 has endeared himself to all his young soldiers by 
 his sharing with them without complaint and 
 unvarying cheerfulness the meager diet of the 
 mess. He has never allowed any delicacy sup- 
 plied to him that the others did not partake of, 
 but has acted on the principle of share and 
 share alike throughout. He may in time have 
 a successor in the service, but he can never 
 be supplanted in the affections of those mem- 
 bers of his staff who have endured with him 
 the trials of the siege in Peking.
 
 BRITISH LEGATION HOUSEHOLD 201 
 
 Mr. J. H. Smyth entered the British legation 
 when he was convalescing from scarlet fever, and 
 was placed in quarantine for some weeks. Conse- 
 quently he was prevented from taking any part in 
 the early proceedings of the siege, but as soon as 
 allowed out he at once went on duty. Mr. Origlia 
 came down with scarlet fever also on July 10, and 
 thereafter could render no military service. 
 
 The staff of the British legation who were actu- 
 ally in the siege consisted of the following per- 
 sons: Sir Claude M. MacDonald, G. C. M. G., 
 K. C. B., envoy extraordinary, etc., his wife, two 
 children, and sister-in-law; Herbert G. Dering, 
 secretary; Henry Cockburn, Chinese secretary, 
 and wife ; W. P. Ker, assistant Chinese secretary, 
 wife, and child; Wordsworth Poole, M.D., sur- 
 geon ; B. G. Tours, accountant, wife, and child; 
 D. Oliphant, consular assistant; W. Russell, con- 
 sular assistant; Rev. W. Norris, acting chaplain; 
 Rev. R. Allen, curate, and the following student 
 interpreters. Messrs. T. G. Hancock, A. T. Fla- 
 herty, H. Bristow, T. C. C. Kirke, H. Porter, 
 W. M Hewlett, A. Rose, R. Drury, L. R. Barr, 
 H. Warren, L. Giles, W. E. Townsend. Captain 
 F. G. Poole, who was living with his brother, the 
 doctor, while on language-leave, was also consid- 
 ered of the legation household, as well as several 
 guests, Mr. Clarke-Thornhill and the legation 
 keeper, Sergeant R. Herring.
 
 202 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 The military guard consisted of Senior Captain 
 B. M. Strouts, Captains Halliday and E. Wray, 
 Sergeants J. Murphy, A. E. Saunders and J. Pres- 
 ton ; four corporals, one bugler, one armorer, and 
 one hospital steward, with sixty-eight privates. 
 They had one Nordenfeldt quick-firing gun. The 
 greater part of the civilians serving as volunteers 
 also served under Captain Poole in the British 
 legation. 
 
 When the siege commenced, the western side 
 at the south end of the compound, which ad- 
 joined a lot of Chinese buildings, was a most 
 vulnerable point, which the natives readily dis- 
 covered, and a number of vigorous attempts to 
 set fire to the legation were made by firing these 
 buildings, so that a fire-brigade was organized 
 under B. G. Tours and Tweed, of the volunteers, 
 to fight this dangerous form of attack. 
 
 During one of these fires in the first few days 
 of the siege, Captain Halliday led a brilliant 
 rush through a hole knocked in the wall, and 
 drove off the attacking party, killing over twenty 
 of them. Unfortunately Captain Halliday was 
 severely wounded by a shot through the lungs, 
 which rendered him helpless, and lost to the be- 
 sieged the services of a brave and kindly officer. 
 
 The British marines took part in the expe- 
 dition to the Boxer rendezvous and the taking 
 of the city wall, where Sergeant Murphy distin-
 
 DEADLY CONFLICT 203 
 
 guished himself as the leader after the fall of 
 Captain Myers. Brave Captain Strouts, who was 
 much loved by his men, was shot and mortally 
 wounded in the Su Wang Fu on July 16, while 
 on a tour of inspection. Dr. G. E. Morrison 
 was injured by the same volley, and Colonel 
 Shiba, who was with them, narrowly escaped, 
 several bullets passing through his clothing. 
 
 The British legation compound being of such 
 dimensions, necessitated a larger guard for look- 
 outs than any other one place. Notwithstanding 
 this, men were daily detached for duty with the 
 Americans on the city wall, and to help Colonel 
 Shiba in the Su Wang Fu. A barricade was 
 built across the moat connecting the legation 
 with the Fu, and thus the men could cross with- 
 out being seen from the north bridge just under 
 the Forbidden City walls, where a strong force 
 of the enemy was posted. To replace these de- 
 tachments sent out, the civilian volunteers were 
 largely called upon, and rendered excellent ser- 
 vice. 
 
 Sir Claude MacDonald, after the death of 
 Captain Strouts, assumed command of the gar- 
 rison, and directed some of the outposts of other 
 nationals; but the French and Germans denied 
 his authority at their outposts, and controlled their 
 own movements. Captain Poole was in charge 
 of the international volunteers within the British
 
 2O4 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 legation and had command of the north stables, 
 north wall, Hanlin Yuan, and students' quarters. 
 He led one expedition into the carriage-park, a 
 large tract of land which came close to the 
 legation on the northwest side of our enclosure. 
 
 GROUND -PLAN OF THE FOREIGN LEGATIONS IN PEKING 
 This will serve to locate the various buildings pictured elsewhere. 
 
 As will be seen from the accompanying dia- 
 gram of the British legation, the eastern side 
 and the southern side required no watches kept 
 so long as the Japanese retained possession of 
 the Su Wang Fu and the Russians and Amer- 
 icans held the wall and Legation street. But 
 the Hanlin Yuan in the north and the entire
 
 SHORT RANGE SAVED US 205 
 
 western wall covered long stretches of space 
 that required a constant watch to be kept, as 
 the Chinese were intrenched in numerous and 
 heavy barricades in their front, from which they 
 maintained a constant fire from rifles, Krupp 
 guns and smooth-bore cannon. 
 
 Until the i8th of July the cannons boomed 
 from morning until night, sending their solid 
 shot and shrieking shells into our midst, tearing 
 the brick houses to pieces, and crushing the 
 tiles on the roof to fine powder, at the same 
 time sending their fragments in every direc- 
 tion. The very shortness of range prevented 
 their dropping with any force, and saved us 
 much damage ; and when the muzzles of their 
 pieces were raised to pass over the first row 
 of buildings, which they had failed to batter 
 down, the projectiles flew harmlessly over our 
 heads. 
 
 The building that has suffered most has been 
 the constable's house, in the south stables. This 
 place has borne the brunt of most of the attacks 
 made upon the British legation and is literally 
 converted into a sieve. 
 
 Under the direction of Mr. F. D. Gamewell 
 all the walls of the legation have been so 
 strengthened, often to a thickness of eight feet, 
 that one is perfectly safe behind them, except 
 at the loopholes, and in these large bricks are
 
 206 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 kept, except when the openings are being used 
 for observation or firing. 
 
 The Chinese have been remarkably bad marks- 
 men, and have usually fired by holding their 
 guns up so that the point barely projected above 
 their barricades, and then, pressing the trigger, 
 immediately withdrawing the gun, having never 
 
 ventured their lives 
 in the least. But this 
 method of firing does 
 no damage. Thousands 
 upon thousands of bul- 
 lets have been sent 
 whistling far over our 
 heads. Doubtless when 
 we hear the history of 
 the outside we will 
 learn of hundreds hav- 
 ing been killed and wounded a long way from 
 the legation district. 
 
 On July 5 Mr. David Oliphant, of the lega- 
 tion staff, while serving in the Hanlin Yuan, was 
 shot in the abdomen and died from shock and 
 internal hemorrhage in about an hour. Brief 
 mention of his death has previously been made. 
 He was born on July 12, 1876, and had been 
 three years in the consular service. Passing 
 first in his examination, he soon showed a special 
 aptitude for acquiring the Chinese language, so 
 
 A Chinese cart
 
 SKETCH OF DAVID OLIPHANT 207 
 
 much so that when he finished his term of 
 student interpreter he was retained to work as 
 consular assistant in the chancery of the British 
 legation. 
 
 Here his services have been appreciated most 
 highly by those under whom he worked, and 
 his loss is a most grievous blow to all those who 
 came officially in contact with him. 
 
 He was one of the most promising of the 
 younger members of the British consular ser- 
 vice, with which he was further connected in 
 the person of his uncle, Mr. R. M. Mansfield, 
 H. B. M. consul at Amdy. During his stay in 
 Peking, David Oliphant had endeared himself to 
 all who knew his exceptionally even temper, 
 readiness to oblige, and active mind. In sport 
 he was the leading spirit and manager, and he 
 will be practically impossible to replace in this 
 capacity. 
 
 When the siege began he was among the 
 first to go forward in the defense of the lega- 
 tions. Untiringly he worked at fortifications, 
 vigilantly he watched at night. When a portion 
 of the Hanlin Yuan was occupied he was spe- 
 cially detailed for service there, and took part 
 in several brilliant raids in connection with the 
 occupation. 
 
 It was while cutting down a tree here in an 
 advanced position that he was struck down by
 
 208 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 the enemy's bullet, and his promising career 
 cut short. He died in the arms of his elder 
 brother, Nigel Oliphant, of the Imperial Bank 
 of China. He is deeply and sincerely mourned 
 by all who knew him. 
 
 Another young man, Mr. H. Warren, stu- 
 dent-interpreter, while on duty in the Su Wang 
 Fu, on July 16, was struck by a shell in the 
 face ; he was very badly injured and died in a 
 few hours.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 WORK DONE BY AUSTRO-HUNGARIANS MR. AND MRS. 
 CHAMOT 
 
 HE Austro-Hungarian 
 detachment consisted of 
 thirty bluejackets from 
 the cruiser Zenta. They 
 arrived in Peking on June 3 
 by the last train, together 
 with the German detach- 
 ment. Lieutenant T. Kollar 
 was in command, with Mid- 
 shipman Baron R. Boyne- 
 
 August F. Chamot * u j T 
 
 burg von Lengsfeld and 1 . 
 
 Mayer. With the detachment arrived also Cap- 
 tain Thomann von Montalmar and Lieutenant 
 Ritter von Winterhalter, so that there were five 
 officers and thirty men at Peking. When com- 
 munication was cut Captain Montalmar took 
 command himself. 
 
 In the legation there were only Dr. A. von 
 Rosthorn and Mrs. von Rosthorn, the minister 
 having left on leave in April and Vice-consul 
 Natiesta being sick at Shanghai. His successor, 
 Mr. Gottwald, tried to come up in the relief 
 expedition under Admiral Seymour. The de- 
 
 N (209)
 
 210 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 tachment guarded also the Belgian legation until 
 the Belgian minister left there, and came to the 
 Austrian legation on June 16. 
 
 On June 13, a Boxer attack on the new mint 
 and the Imperial Bank of China was checked 
 by rifle-fire from the east corner of the lega- 
 tion. A second attack was made at night and 
 was also repulsed. During the search following 
 the unsuccessful attack, several Boxers were 
 killed a few hundred yards to the north on 
 Customs street. 
 
 The next day the traffic on the Chang An 
 street crossing Customs street was stopped by 
 an outpost, and later on by a wire fence, in 
 order to prevent the smuggling of disguised 
 Boxers into the legation quarter. 
 
 During the night the guard at the Belgian 
 legation was attacked, but beat off the Chi- 
 nese. A patrol caught some suspicious people, 
 who were handed over to the Chinese authori- 
 ties. A part of the French detachment assisted 
 them in their night watches at the barracks. 
 
 On June 20, the detachment was ready for 
 marching, to escort Dr. and Mrs. von Rosthorn, 
 as no notice had been given to Dr. von Ros- 
 thorn of the ministers' new decision not to 
 leave. On arriving, about 3 P. M., at the French 
 legation, Dr. von Rosthorn was shown by Mr. 
 Pichon a letter from the tsung-li-yamen to the
 
 AUSTRIANS IN GREAT DANGER 211 
 
 ministers, promising them protection. Upon this, 
 Dr. von Rosthorn returned with the detach- 
 ment to the Austrian legation. 
 
 While all the posts were being reoccupied, 
 and the bluejackets began to re-erect the fortifi- 
 cations, which had been pulled down before leav- 
 ing to prevent the Chinese from using them, 
 Tung Fu Hsiang's soldiers, who were well hid- 
 den in the neighboring houses, opened a fierce 
 firing from two sides at about 3.30 P. M. 
 
 The Austrian legation being entirely exposed, 
 and untenable against any serious attack, it had 
 been understood that the charge d'affaires and 
 the detachment were to retreat to the French 
 legation. This was done under a galling fire, 
 but there was only one man wounded. 
 
 The Austrians immediately hastened to a 
 position in the barrier erected by the French 
 some one hundred yards south of the customs 
 compound. From that day they defended with 
 the French the French legation. 
 
 The Austrian legation, after having been 
 looted, was burned by the Chinese on June 21. 
 On June 22, the fire extended to the houses on 
 both sides of the barricade, and the latter had 
 to be left. Another one was built near the 
 corner of Customs and Legation streets com- 
 manding Customs street. 
 
 On June 22, owing to a false alarm, the Ital-
 
 212 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 ian, French, and German legations were left, 
 but were almost immediately reinhabited, with 
 the exception of the Italian legation, which was 
 already burning, as was also their wall of defense 
 commanding the east end of Legation street. 
 
 From that date Captain von Montalman di- 
 rected the fighting of both the French and the 
 German legations, Sir Claude MacDonald hav- 
 ing at that time been elected by the ministers 
 as their commander-in-chief. 
 
 The attacks on the French legation were, 
 from the beginning, extremely vehement, as the 
 Chinese fully recognized the high importance 
 of its position. Had it been lost, the German 
 legation, the Hotel de Peking, and the Su 
 Wang Fu would have been no longer tenable. 
 The Austrians shared in all the various services 
 which the garrison of the French legation had 
 to perform. A strong barricade was built to 
 command East Legation street, and a sort of 
 blockhouse was erected at the main gate. 
 
 Together with the French and Germans 
 several successful dashes were made in the 
 neighborhood, killing and wounding a number 
 of Chinese each time. 
 
 On June 24 a detachment under Midshipman 
 William Boyneburg took part with the Germans 
 in storming the city wall, which enabled the 
 Americans to reoccupy their former position on
 
 CHINESE BREAK OUR DEFENSES 213 
 
 the top. The Austrians constantly reinforced 
 the Germans on the wall-front to the east, and 
 after the a6th of June constantly had five men 
 assisting Colonel Shiba at the Su Wang Fu. 
 Their machine-gun did excellent service as long 
 as the position behind the barricades could be 
 maintained, and after this was given up it was 
 sent from time to time to Russian, German, 
 and English legations as needed. 
 
 When the French legation was under the 
 hottest fires from north, east, and south, only 
 the western side being protected by the other 
 legations, the French took the northern and 
 the Austrians the southern line of defense, and 
 were each under constant rifle-shot at only 
 twenty-five yards' range. This they endured for 
 weeks. On June 29 the Chinese succeeded in 
 making a break in the eastern wall on Customs 
 street, and set fire to the French legation sta- 
 bles; but they had not sufficient courage to 
 follow up the advantage gained with a rush. 
 But this necessitated relinquishing the barrier 
 in the southern end of Customs street and east- 
 ernmost line of cover in Legation street, the 
 garrisons being under rear and flank fire. 
 
 The Chinese were gaining daily, or rather 
 nightly, in making the breaches in the eastern 
 wall larger and more numerous, until they had 
 nearly razed the entire structure. Yet they
 
 214 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 gained no great advantage, owing to the 
 breaches being so well covered from the win- 
 dows of buildings and temporary defenses in the 
 western part of the compound. 
 
 The fatigue endured by our people was most 
 extraordinary. From July i daily shelling was 
 endured, which riddled the roofs and walls of 
 every building in the compound, until the prin- 
 cipal building and main gateway, an imposing 
 structure, were utterly demolished and became 
 a pile of ruins. 
 
 On the 8th of July the Chinese brought into 
 position at about eighty yards' distance a three- 
 inch Krupp gun, from which they commenced 
 to pour in a destructive fire on the eastern wall. 
 Captain Von Thornburg, with Captain Labrousse 
 and Lieutenants Darcy and Kollar, all anxious to 
 locate this gun exactly, left their main barri- 
 cade and proceeded to a spot behind a low 
 loopholed wall in their front, but had scarcely 
 arrived when a shell burst in their midst, a frag- 
 ment of which pierced Von Thornburg through 
 the heart, causing him to fall dead into the 
 arms of his friends. He was sorrowfully car- 
 ried to the rear, and at 2 P. M. was buried with 
 military honors, although the bullets were falling 
 thick around those who were thus honoring 
 their comrade and leader. The tears of sym- 
 pathy on this occasion evidenced the sorrow of
 
 MINES BENEATH US 215 
 
 the men, and the general esteem in which the 
 fallen had been held. 
 
 After the death of Captain Von Thornburg, 
 the command of the Austrians devolved upon 
 Lieutenant Von Winterhalter. 
 
 On July 13, at 6:45 P. M., the Chinese made 
 a furious attack, commencing with rifle-fire and 
 shouts of "Kill! Kill!" This was intended to 
 draw all the defenders into their positions, and 
 nearly succeeded, for after a few moments the 
 rifle-fire suddenly ceased and two mines ex- 
 ploded with a great report, blowing up Mr. 
 Morisse's house, where Dr. Von Rosthorn, Lieu- 
 tenant Darcy, and Mr. Destelan, with four 
 French sailors, were stationed. Two of the 
 sailors were never recovered, but all the others 
 were able to extricate themselves from the ruins 
 with but slight injuries. 
 
 Earth, stones, and dust were thrown high 
 into the air, clouds of heavy, sulphurous smoke 
 rose from the hole in the ground, poisoning the 
 dust-laden air, and, at the same moment, to add 
 to the horror of the situation, two three-inch 
 guns opened up on the main gate house, send- 
 ing in their contingent of iron hail from a dis- 
 tance of only eighty yards. 
 
 This explosion compelled both the Austrians 
 and French to retire about thirty yards eastward 
 behind a cover they had already partly erected
 
 216 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 in preparation for a stubbornly contested retreat ; 
 but upon the shell-fire ceasing, the combined 
 forces made a rush later on, drove the Chinese 
 out of the main gateway, and reoccupied it. 
 
 Never in history has there been a more stub- 
 bornly contested few acres than those occupied 
 by the Austrians and French in the French lega- 
 tion compound. The buildings, however, taking 
 fire, the French were compelled to retire again 
 behind their intrenchment in the western part 
 of the garden, the Austrians retreating to the 
 chapel and earthworks connecting with the Pa- 
 vilion des Etrangers, a small building with very 
 thin walls. One small house was burned by the 
 Austrians to prevent the Chinese from using it 
 against them. 
 
 At first this entire new line of defense was 
 very weak, but it was rapidly strengthened by 
 adding bricks and sand-bags. Yet even to the 
 end all visitors considered it a very precarious 
 defense. One American marine remarked, "Our 
 place is bad enough, but this is worse." 
 
 As the Chinese barricaded themselves in the 
 western part of the legation captured by them, 
 they also made use of the shrubbery and trees 
 to shield their force, and these the Austrians had 
 to clear away under hot fire. Until July 17, day 
 and night, the enemy in the opposite barriers 
 poured in a steady fire, which the Austrians only
 
 UNSEEN PERILS 217 
 
 returned by an occasional shot, as their ammuni- 
 tion had to be husbanded. 
 
 The so-called truce did not last very long, for 
 on the 23d the firing was nearly as bad as be- 
 fore, and at night often worse. To cut off any 
 further mines, a trench sixty yards long and ten 
 feet deep was dug in front of the Pavilion des 
 Etrangers. As was afterward seen, the Chinese 
 had really attempted two further mines, but for 
 some unknown reason had given up before they 
 were completed. 
 
 On the last night of the siege the firing in 
 the French legation, as everywhere else, was 
 exceedingly hot, and, although two shells burst 
 in the chapel, no one was injured. 
 
 The Austrians lost: killed, one officer, three 
 bluejackets ; wounded, three officers, eight blue- 
 jackets. Of the 10,000 rounds of ammunition 
 brought to Peking 2,000 were used by the men, 
 and 2,000 by the machine-gun. The shield of 
 the machine-gun shows the marks of having 
 been struck by rifle-balls some fifty-odd times. 
 
 No story of the siege in Peking would be 
 complete without mention of the work of August 
 Chamot and his heroic wife. He is a Swiss, and 
 in Peking has charge of the Hotel de Peking 
 for Messrs. Tallieu & Co. -His wife is a San 
 Francisco girl.
 
 218 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 When every other woman in Peking left her 
 home and repaired to the British legation, Mrs. 
 Chamot remained by her husband, with a rifle 
 in her hand, and took her regular hours of watch- 
 ing at the loopholes of the barricade erected 
 across Legation street, between the Hotel de Pe- 
 king and the German legation. Mr. Chamot 
 started a bakery in his hotel, and daily had the 
 Chinese bake hundreds of loaves of good brown 
 bread, with which he supplied many hungry 
 mouths at the English, French, and German 
 legations. 
 
 There is no building left standing in Peking 
 that has as many shell-holes in it as the northern 
 two-story building of this hotel. Any one vis- 
 iting the structure immediately after the relief, 
 and before the debris had been at all cleared, 
 would scarcely believe that a brave American 
 woman had lived there for sixty days unharmed. 
 Her hairbreadth escapes were every-day occur- 
 rences. When the Belgian party were surrounded 
 in Chang Hsin Tien, before the close siege com- 
 menced, Mr. and Mrs. Chamot, with a small 
 party armed with rifles, went out from Peking 
 and rescued them. 
 
 They were in several sorties to the north 
 cathedral before the close siege, and in many 
 more after the close siege had begun. Every 
 day they were under fire in crossing the bridge
 
 Madame Chamot, the heroine of the siege
 
 220 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 between their hotel and the British legation, as 
 they brought over the bread that was so eagerly 
 looked for. 
 
 After some shells had burst in the baking- 
 room, and killed one and severely wounded 
 others of the Chinese bakers, Mrs. Chamot, rifle 
 in hand, held the coolies to their work while 
 her husband served with the guards. 
 
 Mr. Chamot was wounded in the hand by a 
 Boxer spear, but never lost ten minutes' work 
 on that account, going around with his hand 
 tied up, and yet using it whenever occasion re- 
 quired. His bravery was to the point of reck- 
 lessness, and the wonder is he was not killed. 
 That his country and other nations, especially 
 the French, will substantially recognize his ser- 
 vices is surely to be expected.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 EDICTS ISSUED BY THE EMPRESS DURING SIEGE, WITH A 
 FEW COMMENTS THEREON 
 
 W 
 
 An attendant to a Confucian priest 
 
 HILE we were 
 besieged in 
 the legations 
 we were quite un- 
 aware of anything 
 going on in the city 
 outside of us until 
 July 18, after the so- 
 called truce, when 
 we paid a native a 
 large sum to smuggle 
 into the compound 
 copies of the Peking 
 "Gazette," the gov- 
 ernment organ, of 
 the dates of June 13 
 to July 19, inclusive. 
 The translations of 
 
 such parts as relate to the Boxers or foreigners 
 that follow show: first, the duplicity of the Em- 
 press in apparently trying to suppress the Boxers 
 prior to the declaration of war, June 19; second, 
 her open encouragement in edicts from that date
 
 222 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 until the defeat of her armies at Tientsin under 
 Generals Sung Ching, Ma Yu Kun and Nieh 
 Shih Cheng, July 17; and third, her immediate 
 turning around and attempting to curry favor by 
 denouncing the Boxers in the edicts of July 18 
 and 19. While trying her best to murder all 
 the foreign ministers, she was having her own 
 ministers abroad inform the countries to whom 
 they were accredited that the foreign ministers 
 were perfectly safe here. 
 
 The edicts speak for themselves, and are an 
 eloquent appeal to the foreign powers never to 
 allow this most treacherous woman, or any other 
 Manchu for that matter, to occupy the throne 
 of China. 
 
 "June 13 Edict: Two days since a member 
 of the Japanese legation, the clerk in chancery, 
 was murdered by desperadoes [her own soldiers 
 in government uniform] outside the Yung Ting 
 gate. We were exceedingly grieved to learn of 
 this. 
 
 "The officials of our neighboring nations on 
 duty in Peking should receive our protection in 
 every possible way, particularly in such times as 
 the present [when we are planning to kill them 
 all at once], when every exertion must be used, 
 because desperadoes are as thick as bees. 
 
 "We have repeatedly commanded the various
 
 EVIL CHARACTERS TO BE ARRESTED 223 
 
 local officials to secure the most perfect quiet in 
 their districts, yet in spite of these orders we 
 have this case of murder of the Japanese chan- 
 cellor occurring in the very capital of the Empire. 
 
 "The civil and military officials have been too 
 remiss in not clearing their districts of bad char- 
 acters, or arresting the proper persons, so we 
 hereby set a limit of time for the arrest and 
 punishment of such criminals [time not stated]. 
 Should the time expire without a successful 
 search for the guilty, then the responsible offi- 
 cial will be given a penalty. [In other words, 
 if the murderer of the Japanese is not discovered 
 before we drive all the foreigners out, and the 
 plot fails because of this premature murder giv- 
 ing it away, somebody will have to pay for it.]" 
 
 "Edict No. 2: The Boxer desperadoes have 
 recently been causing trouble in the neighbor- 
 hood of the capital, and finally Peking has 
 become involved. 
 
 "We have a number of times issued edicts in 
 explicit terms ordering the military commanders 
 on duty near the capital to put an end to these 
 disturbances. Notwithstanding which, cases of 
 murder and arson are reported, and bad charac- 
 ters are circulating malicious rumors under pre- 
 tense that they are only revenging themselves on 
 converts. 
 
 "The result is that our good soldiers have
 
 224 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 become involved, and do not hesitate to disre- 
 gard our commands ; at the same time they be- 
 lieve these men leagued together to commit 
 
 ENTRANCE TO THE IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY OF PEKING 
 
 Among the notable buildings that were destroyed by the Box- 
 ers was the Imperial University of Peking. To the noble work 
 performed within its walls can be attributed much of the rapid rise 
 of the " progressive" or " New China" party, with whom the Em- 
 peror seemed to be so thoroughly in accord until his power was 
 subordinated to that of the Empress. 
 
 arson and murder, and suffer themselves to be 
 misled by them. 
 
 "Good citizens most of all desire to stimulate 
 patriotism, and one would like to know when 
 in the history of the world has there ever been 
 a strong nation made so by condoning anarchy
 
 BOXERS SHOULD DISBAND 
 
 225 
 
 among the people. We know, since investiga- 
 ting, that among the ranks of the Boxers there 
 are many bandits and desperadoes, who have vied 
 
 IMPERIAL PAVILION 
 
 The Hall of Classics, in the Forbidden City, Peking 
 a beautiful building 
 
 with one another in disgraceful acts of looting 
 and robbery. 
 
 "We have already ordered Kang Yi and others 
 to proceed to the various country districts, and 
 acquaint each and all with our virtuous inten- 
 tions, so that there may be tranquillity. Let 
 Boxers who have already entered into league 
 disband and be quiet. It is obvious that the
 
 226 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 various cases of robbery and murder which have 
 occurred are the work of traitors. 
 
 "We shall believe no man a bad citizen un- 
 less caught red-handed in crime. But really bad 
 characters must be rooted out, and from now 
 on no mercy will be shown such. We order 
 General Sung Ching to command General Ma 
 Yu Kun to come with all speed to the capital, 
 and make strenuous efforts to arrest all desper- 
 adoes in the region about Peking. It is impor- 
 tant that only ringleaders be seized, but the 
 subordinates may be allowed to scatter. 
 
 "It is strictly forbidden that the military make 
 use of this as a means of causing trouble. Our 
 hope is that the land may be cleared of traitors, 
 and the country be at peace." 
 
 This edict really means that Ma Yu Kun 
 was to come to Peking, to seize converts, and 
 his soldiers were to avoid any conflict with the 
 Boxers. 
 
 "June 19: Recently there has grown up much 
 dissension between the people generally and the 
 Christian converts. Rumors of all kinds have 
 been rife, and irresponsible people have seized 
 the opportunity to burn and rob. 
 
 "It is certain that the foreign ministers ought 
 to be protected. [Which means the rumors
 
 EMPRESS ORDERS PROTECTION 227 
 
 were that they were to be murdered with gov- 
 ernment sanction.] 
 
 "Yung Lu is ordered to detail his own sol- 
 diers and exert his authority in person in east 
 Legation street and vicinity to secure their pro- 
 tection. He must not be lax. 
 
 "Should the foreign ministers and their fam- 
 ilies prefer to temporarily retire to Tientsin, he 
 must see they are protected en route [when 
 Baron von Ketteler left the legation walls the 
 following day to visit the tsung-li-yamen he was 
 murdered by these 'protection guards']; but as 
 the railway is not now in working, and if they 
 go by cart-road it would be difficult to secure 
 their safety, they would do better perhaps to 
 abide here in peace as heretofore [we had been 
 under fire for six days at intervals] until the 
 railroad is repaired, and then act as they see fit. 
 Respect this." 
 
 "June 21. Edict : From the foundation of this 
 dynasty, foreigners in China have always been 
 kindly treated. [A tremendous lie.] 
 
 "In Tao Kuang and Hsien Feng's time they 
 were granted the privilege of trading, and they 
 then asked permission to propagate their relig- 
 ion, which request was reluctantly granted. At 
 first they were submissive to Chinese control, 
 but for the last thirty years they have taken 
 advantage of China's forbearance to encroach
 
 228 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 on our territory and trample our people under 
 foot while demanding our wealth. 
 
 "Every concession made by China only in- 
 creased their reliance upon force. They con- 
 stantly oppressed the people, insulted the gods 
 and sages, and so caused the most burning 
 indignation among the populace. Hence came 
 about the burning of the chapels and slaughter 
 of converts by the patriotic militia [the Boxers]. 
 
 "The throne was anxious to avoid conflict, 
 and issued edicts ordering the protection of the 
 legations and enjoining pity for the converts. 
 Boxers and converts were declared equally the 
 children of the empire in our decrees, in the hope 
 of obliterating the existing feud between them. 
 
 "Extreme kindness was shown to the foreign- 
 ers from a distance. But these foreigners knew 
 no gratitude, and increased their demands. 
 
 "A dispatch was yesterday received, sent by 
 the French consul, Du Chaylard, calling on us 
 to deliver into their care the Taku forts, other- 
 wise they would take them by force. This 
 threat showed their aggressive spirit. 
 
 "We have in all matters of international in- 
 tercourse always shown ourselves courteous in 
 the extreme. But they, calling themselves civil- 
 ized states, have disregarded right and are rely- 
 ing solely upon force. 
 
 "We have reigned now nearly thirty years,
 
 FAMOUS TEMPLE 
 
 229 
 
 treating our subjects as our children, and being 
 honored by them as a deity, and, too, we have 
 been the constant recipient of the gracious favor 
 of the Empress Dowager. [This edict pretends to 
 come from the Emperor alone, evidently.] 
 
 TEMPLE OF HEAVEN, WHERE THE EMPEROR PRAYED 
 
 One of the most imposing temples of China; perhaps the most 
 important, since it was the Emperor's place of worship before he 
 abandoned the capital. 
 
 "Moreover, our ancestors and the gods have 
 answered our prayer, so that there has never 
 been as at present such a universal manifestation 
 of loyalty and patriotism.
 
 230 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 "We have, with tears, announced a war in 
 our ancestral shrine, because we feel it is better 
 to commence a struggle than to seek further 
 means of self-protection, involving as it does 
 eternal disgrace. 
 
 "All our officials, high and low, are of the 
 same mind, and there have assembled without 
 
 Taouist Temple of ten thousand gods in Nanking 
 
 our call several hundred thousand patriotic mili- 
 tia [Boxers], with many who are yet but chil- 
 dren, glad to carry a spear in defense of their 
 country [young ruffians who looted and mur- 
 dered all the respectable native residents as well 
 as officials who did not fly from Peking before 
 the Boxers entered in any numbers]. 
 
 "The foreigners rely upon crafty schemes, but
 
 EDICT AGAINST LOOTING 231 
 
 our trust is in heaven's justice. They depend 
 on violence, we on humanity [such as killing 
 women and children by the hundreds at the 
 south cathedral], not to speak of the righteous- 
 ness of our cause. 
 
 "Our provinces are more than twenty in 
 number, our population over 400,000,000; so it 
 will not be difficult to vindicate our dignity." 
 
 The decree further requests people with money 
 to subscribe assistance, promising official recog- 
 nition for it, and also offers large rewards for 
 those who distinguish themselves in action, as 
 well as threats for those who are dilatory or 
 cowardly, urging all to exert themselves con- 
 tinually in the good work exterminating alike 
 foreigners and converts. 
 
 "June 24. Decree : Yesterday shops and resi- 
 dences in Tung Tan Pailou street and Ch'ang 
 Au street were looted by militia with arms 
 [Boxers]. This is a serious matter, so we or- 
 dered Yung Lu to depute officers to arrest the 
 offenders. Eleven from one division and twenty- 
 three from another division were arrested and 
 executed on the spot, the public witnessing the 
 executions. 
 
 "We now command the general officers of 
 the various divisions to give strict orders to
 
 232 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 their subordinates that the braves are to be kept 
 in order. Should these occurrences be repeated, 
 martial law will be declared. If the officers 
 commanding screen the offenders, instead of 
 rigorously enforcing the laws, they will be ex- 
 amined, and if found 
 guilty severely pun- 
 ished. 
 
 "The military gov- 
 ernor of the city is 
 hereby commanded 
 to arrest all despera- 
 does creating disturb- 
 ances and execute 
 them on the spot. 
 Show no mercy." 
 
 A second decree, 
 same date, says : 
 
 "The board of 
 revenue is hereby or- 
 dered to give Kang Yi two hundred bags of rice 
 as provisions for distribution among the Boxers." 
 A third decree : 
 
 "Members of our people comprised in the 
 Boxer organization are scattered in all parts of 
 the region around the metropolis and Tientsin, 
 and it is right they should have superintendents 
 over them. We appoint, therefore, Prince 
 Chuang and Assistant Grand Secretary Kung 
 
 Typical Peking beggars
 
 MONEY DIVIDED AMONG SOLDIERY 233 
 
 Yi to be in general command, and also order 
 Ying Nien brigade-general of the left wing, and 
 Tsai Lan, temporarily acting as a brigade com- 
 mander of the right wing, to act in cooperation 
 with them. 
 
 "We command Wen Yui, adjutant- general 
 of the Manchu army, to be a brigadier-general. 
 
 "All members of the Boxer society are ex- 
 erting their utmost energies for the imperial 
 family, so we must not be behind them in har- 
 boring hatred and revenge for our enemies. It 
 is our confident hope and desire that the wishes of 
 each and all may be successfully consummated, 
 and to this end it is important that every energy 
 be put forth, nothing lacking. Respect this." 
 
 "June 27. Edict: An edict appeared yester- 
 day directing, as a stimulus to exertion, discrim- 
 inating rewards to be given to the various army 
 corps that have distinguished themselves [by loot- 
 ing ?] in the metropolitan district. Now that the 
 left wing of the army, under command of Sung 
 Ching, have in sectional divisions marched to 
 the capital, let 100,000 taels be equally divided 
 among the men, and let the men be fully in- 
 structed that they are to keep good order in 
 the capital." 
 
 An edict was also issued commanding the 
 viceroy of Chihli to retake if possible the Taku
 
 234 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 forts, and to prevent the foreign troops (the 
 allied armies) from creeping northward. Also 
 another ordering the distribution of 100,000 taels 
 each to the Boxers and troops throughout the 
 Metropolitan district. 
 
 "June 28. Edict: A censor of the central 
 city memorializes the throne requesting the dis- 
 tribution of government rice. He observes that 
 the patriotic Boxers had recently been slaying 
 and burning the converts, and that the markets 
 are greatly disturbed, so that not only the lower 
 classes have lost their means of livelihood, but 
 some of the middle classes are also suffering 
 want. Rather than allow the ranks of the crim- 
 inal classes to be swollen, let a distribution of 
 food be made by imperial bounty. 
 
 "Referring to various precedents, he asks im- 
 perial authority for the issue of rice, and that 
 2,000 taels silver be allowed for expenses. 
 
 "He states that on the night of the i6th of 
 June there was a fire in the neighborhood of 
 the Chien Men, accompanied by pillage, and 
 much alarm created. Officials took to flight 
 and shops closed. On the 2ist of June an inn 
 in the native city was robbed, and nine persons 
 were caught and beheaded on the spot. On 
 the 25th (Sunday) , villains pretending to be 
 soldiers surrounded an official's residence in
 
 MURDER AND PILLAGE 
 
 235 
 
 MARQUIS TSENG'S DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND 
 
 In their wedding finery. The familiar geranium between shows that 
 the Chinese have our flowers. 
 
 Second street near the inspectorate-general o f 
 customs [probably Marquis Tseng's] and entirely 
 stripped it, shooting wantonly three servants. 
 
 "Memorialist and his colleagues will do their 
 best to keep order ; but he requests that the 
 throne direct the imperial princes and high 
 officers in command of the Boxers to order ar- 
 rested any brigands committing robberies. And 
 that the same princes and high officers who 
 command soldiers should see that amongst their
 
 236 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 corps also there are no false soldiers acting in 
 their true character as bandits, committing acts 
 of pillage." 
 
 "June 28. A censor having complained of 
 acts of brigandage in the capital, we hereby 
 command the princes and ministers in command 
 of the Boxers to instruct their subordinates to 
 arrest all guilty parties and execute them on 
 the spot." 
 
 "July i. Edict: General preparations are be- 
 ing made for war. Owing to telegraphic com- 
 munication being interrupted, the courier service, 
 which has fallen into disuse, must be revived. 
 Yu Lu, viceroy of Chihli, is directed to send 
 out courier spies in every direction to obtain 
 exact information of the movements of our 
 
 enemies." 
 
 On the same date a second edict says : 
 "The members of the Boxer society began 
 by taking as their motto, 'Loyalty and courage.' 
 We consequently expected they would do great 
 service in expelling the oppressors. But Peking 
 and vicinity has witnessed many acts of wanton 
 pillage and murder by bad characters pretend- 
 ing to be Boxers. If no strict distinction is 
 drawn, internal dissension will be added to for- 
 eign war, and the state of the country will be 
 unenviable. 
 
 "Tsai Hsun, in charge of the Boxers, is
 
 SCHEME TO ENTRAP CONVERTS 
 
 237 
 
 hereby ordered to keep the members of his 
 organization in strict subjection to discipline, 
 and to expel pretenders who are in the ranks 
 only to make trouble. Bodies of brigands, of 
 no matter what name, must be dealt with as 
 brigands and have no mercy shown them." 
 
 "July 27. Edict : From the time of the prop- 
 agation of foreign re- 
 ligions up to the pres- 
 ent, there has been 
 much ill-feeling be- 
 tween converts and 
 non-converts. This 
 is all the result of 
 faulty administration 
 on the part of the 
 local officials, which 
 has given rise to last- 
 ing feuds. 
 
 "The fact remains 
 that converts are still Tvvo singing girls of Peking 
 
 the children of the empire, and among them are 
 undoubtedly some good, worthy people, only 
 they have been led into error by false doctrines, 
 having been misled by the missionaries, and have 
 committed many misdeeds. They still hold to 
 their false beliefs, and an irreconcilable hatred 
 has sprung up between the people and the 
 converts.
 
 238 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 "The throne is now recommending every 
 Boxer to render loyal and patriotic service against 
 the enemies of his country, so that the whole 
 population may be of one mind. 
 
 "We now state that the converts are, equally 
 with Boxers, subjects, and must follow the rules 
 laid down for all or be destroyed. If they will 
 change their tenets and recant, we can see no 
 reason why they should not be allowed to escape 
 the net. The viceroys and governor-generals 
 are therefore enjoined to issue the following 
 proclamation : ' All converts who recant their 
 former errors, and give themselves up to the 
 authorities, shall be allowed to reform, and the 
 past shall be ignored. The public must be 
 notified of this and each case will be settled by 
 the local officials, according to regulations to be 
 promulgated later on.' 
 
 [A nice trap to find out all the converts and 
 exterminate them.] 
 
 "As hostilities have now commenced between 
 China and the foreign nations, the missionaries 
 must be driven away at once, so that they may 
 give no trouble. But it is necessary that they 
 be granted protection en route. The provincial 
 authorities must attend to all such within their 
 jurisdiction. Let this be done speedily and with 
 no carelessness." 
 
 "July 8. Edict: The posts about Tientsin
 
 LI HUNG CHANG IN POWER 239 
 
 are of extreme importance, and troops are being 
 massed there for their defense. The seventy-two 
 fire companies, aggregating over 10,000 men, all 
 animated by a spirit of patriotism, would, if 
 united to the Boxers, greatly swell the strength 
 of our opposition and surely turn the edge of 
 the enemy. Respect this." 
 
 "July. Edict : We appoint Li Hung Chang 
 viceroy of Chihli and superintendent of northern 
 trade [the G. O. M.'s old post]. As the guard- 
 ing of Tientsin is now of utmost importance, 
 we direct that until Li Hung Chang's arrival 
 Yu Lu, in concert with Prince Ching, consult 
 as to the best measures to be taken. Pending 
 the change of officials, there must be no slack- 
 ening of responsibility." 
 
 The edict of July 12 relates the conduct of 
 General Nieh Shih Cheng, commanding the 
 foreign-drilled troops from Lu Tai, and censures 
 him, but states he died bravely at the head of 
 his soldiers on July n. 
 
 On July 15 Tung Fang, acting governor of 
 Shansi, in a memorial, quotes the following de- 
 cree transmitted to him by the privy council on 
 June 20 : 
 
 "A quarrel has broken out between China 
 and foreign nations, and it is difficult to see
 
 240 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 how matters can be arranged. The viceroys 
 and governors have all been the recipients of 
 imperial favor, and it is now their manifest 
 
 PASSENGER WHEELBARROW 
 
 This picture shows the common method of transportation in 
 vogue in the Chinese cities of to-day; but with the opening of 
 China to western influences the modern electric car will doubtless 
 supersede this conveyance, and, like many other picturesque but 
 antiquated features of the country, it will be relegated to the past. 
 
 duty to use every effort to make return, and to 
 lay before us the detail according to the respec- 
 tive circumstances of their several provinces,
 
 EMPRESS UNWILLING TO WAGE WAR 241 
 
 schemes for the selection of generals, drilling of 
 soldiers, and plans for properly paying them. 
 They must also suggest plans for safeguarding 
 the borders of the country from the aggression 
 of foreigners, as well as see that reinforcements 
 be sent to the aid of the capital in order that 
 no harm befall the dynasty. It is very plain 
 that the situation hinges on the zealous united 
 cooperation of the viceroys and governors that 
 the situation be saved. It is our earnest expec- 
 tation that full assistance will be given, as is 
 needed in a crisis of this importance. This de- 
 cree must be published everywhere with the 
 speed its nature demands." 
 
 "July 18. Edict: [Commencing now to hedge, 
 and to negotiate with the foreign ministers still 
 penned up in the British legation. This is after 
 the defeat of the imperial armies at Tientsin]. 
 The reason for the fighting between China and 
 foreign nations sprung from a disagreement be- 
 tween the people and the Christian converts. 
 [That is, the Christian converts objected to 
 being murdered and pillaged wholesale by their 
 heathen neighbors.] 
 
 "We could but enter upon war when the 
 Taku forts were taken. Nevertheless, the gov- 
 ernment is not willing lightly to break off the 
 friendly relations which have existed. We have 
 repeatedly issued orders to protect the ministers
 
 242 
 
 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Native wheelbarrow Tientsin 
 
 of the various countries, and have also ordered 
 the protection of missionaries in the various 
 provinces. 
 
 "The fighting has not yet been very extensive, 
 and there are still many merchants of the various 
 
 countries within our 
 domains. All alike 
 should be protected. 
 "It is hereby or- 
 dered that the gen- 
 erals and governors 
 shall find out wher- 
 ever there still exist 
 merchants or mis- 
 sionaries, and still protect them according to 
 the provisions of the treaties without the least 
 carelessness. [For nearly a month after this the 
 Empress kept ministers, missionaries, and mer- 
 chants under the almost constant fire of her 
 troops within two miles of her residence, where 
 she could not but hear every gun fired at them.] 
 "Last month the chancellor of the Japanese 
 legation was killed. This was most unexpected. 
 Before the case was settled, the German minis- 
 ter was killed. Suddenly meeting this affair 
 caused us great grief. We ought rigorously to 
 seek the murderers and punish them. 
 
 "Excepting the fighting at Tientsin, the prefect 
 of Shun Tien Fu, with the governor-general of
 
 CONDEMNATION OF BOXERS 
 
 243 
 
 this province, must command the officers under 
 them to examine what foreigners have been 
 causelessly killed, and what property destroyed, 
 and report the same, that all may be settled 
 together. 
 
 "The vagabonds who have been burning 
 houses, robbing, and killing these many days 
 have produced a terrible state of chaos. We 
 order that the viceroy and military officials 
 clearly ascertain the circumstances and unite in 
 reducing confusion to order. Promulgate this 
 decree in such manner that all may know." 
 
 "July 19. Extract from a memorial by Chang 
 Shun: 'Your slave has examined into what has 
 happened recently in 
 the whole region 
 south of the imperial 
 domain in stirring 
 up trouble that has 
 resulted in the de- 
 struction of railways 
 and telegraphs, and a 
 morbid chaotic mad- Grou P of natives - Su Chan Gardens 
 ness seems to possess the masses. Lately a tele- 
 gram arrived saying warships of all nations had 
 arrived, opened war, captured the Taku forts, 
 and Tientsin was in extreme peril. The Boxers 
 are responsible for all this trouble. The whole 
 world has witnessed our sorrowful condition,
 
 244 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 troubles alike within and without. The hundreds 
 of millions of taels of silver gathered from three 
 provinces to erect the railroads have been wiped 
 out completely in the destruction of the road 
 by the Boxers in the twinkling of an eye. Who 
 is responsible for the Boxers?" [Answer The 
 Empress Dowager and Prince Tuan, both be- 
 fooled by General Tung Fu Hsiang.] 
 
 "July 28. Yung Lu is granted the privilege 
 of riding in a sedan chair with two bearers 
 within the walls of the imperial palace and in- 
 side of the Wan gate."
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 NOW WHAT? 
 
 A^D now what? 
 Peking has 
 been relieved, 
 the city is full of 
 soldiers of the allied 
 armies, the Empress 
 and her court have 
 fled westward, and 
 the capital has fallen. 
 Will China be 
 partitioned and di- 
 vided among her 
 conquerors, or will 
 she be allowed to 
 exist as China under 
 another monarch? 
 Russia undoubtedly wants immediate posses- 
 sion of Manchuria and Chihli, with, very likely, 
 Shansi and Shensi. Japan is quite amenable to 
 further additions to her own territory, and Eng- 
 land, although disclaiming any covetous feeling, 
 is believed by a great many of her friends, and 
 all of her enemies, to desire control of the 
 Yangtze valley. 
 
 (245) 
 
 One of the many famous temple gates 
 with which China abounds
 
 246 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 Germany, France, and Italy are all discussing 
 the slice that they desire, and only Uncle Sam 
 has finished his task and wants to go home. 
 
 But is his task finished? What about the 
 missionaries murdered in Paoting Fu ? Since 
 being relieved, we have heard of the murder, 
 with shocking mutilation, at Paoting Fu, of Mr. 
 and Mrs. Simcox and their three children, of 
 Dr. George Yardley Taylor, of Dr. and Mrs. 
 Hodge, of Mr. Bagnall and his family, of Mr. 
 Pitkin, Miss Morrill, and Miss Gould. Is Pao- 
 ting Fu to be allowed to remain on the face of 
 the earth ? 
 
 And what about Yu Hsien, governor now of 
 Shansi, who had all the foreigners in his prov- 
 ince brought into his yamen and murdered be- 
 fore his eyes ? Is he to live ? No, never. If 
 there exists in America to-day one individual who 
 counsels the return of the troops until the aton- 
 ing blood of all the leaders and instigators of 
 this awful crime has been poured out, may he 
 be cursed forever. 
 
 The work is not yet complete. The Empress 
 Dowager, Prince Tuan, Prince Chuang, Yu 
 Hsien, Tung Fu Hsiang, Chung Chi, Chung 
 Li, Hsu Tung, Kang Yi, Chi Hsiu, Duke Lan, 
 and Na Tung must each and all be brought to 
 the block, with as many of their followers as 
 possible, before the blood of innocent American
 
 THE TASK OF REFORM 247 
 
 women and children will cease to cry from the 
 ground for vengeance on their savage, bloody 
 murderers. 
 
 Then and only then let America claim in- 
 demnity for the property of her citizens that 
 has been destroyed, and retire from the carcass 
 that the other nations will undoubtedly fight over. 
 
 If China is to be partitioned, it may injure 
 our trade or it may increase it, but it is not worth 
 our fighting for, when we shall be sure to obtain 
 a great deal of it under any circumstances. It 
 may be best that our troops should remain here 
 during the discussion of the question, but they 
 should not be used in any event. 
 
 It is easier to say what should not be done 
 than what should. A few "should nots" like 
 the following will indicate perhaps what might 
 be done : 
 
 1. Boxer leaders should not be pardoned. 
 
 2. Indemnities should not remain unpaid for 
 years. 
 
 3. Manchu banner pensions should not con- 
 tinue. 
 
 4. Manchu sovereignty should not remain. 
 
 5. Manchu governors should not continue in 
 or hold office. 
 
 6. Tribute rice should not be received. 
 
 7. Imperial maritime customs should not at 
 present be changed.
 
 248 BELEAGUERED IN PEKING 
 
 8. An entirely native cabinet should not exist. 
 
 9. Women's feet should not be bound. 
 
 10. Cues should not be worn. 
 
 11. Christianity should not be forced on the 
 people. 
 
 12. Priests and pastors should not be allowed 
 in yamens. 
 
 13. Arms and weapons should not be im- 
 ported, manufactured, or allowed to be owned 
 by natives. 
 
 At the present moment Boxers are practicing 
 in all directions at a distance of from twenty- 
 five to thirty miles from Peking. All of the 
 leaders of the movement are at large, and Prince 
 Ching has returned to Peking to try and arrange 
 a peace. Now what?
 
 A 000 939 937 9