Chapter I: 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 civilians, 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 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 soldier 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 represented 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 1

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 Movement
from January to June, 1900 46

IV. Diary of the Author from June 1 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 Americans 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

Beleaguered in Peking