Chapter V: Diaries of the Author and His Son From June 20 to End of Siege (1)

Beheaded for favoring moderation. Member of Tsung-li-yamen]

AT 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 British legation. It was surprising to every one to find that, in the time that had elapsed since the arrival of the British marines, May 31, no barricades 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 informed me that Captain Halliday had, a few days before, attempted to improvise some barriers by means of dry-goods boxes filled with earth, but had been so laughed at and snubbed 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 actively 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 tearing 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 loopholes at the proper places for firing through and doing, in fact, everything that could have been done by an army 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 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 consultation of the military captains, were abandoned, but it was decided by the military to hold the French, German, American, Italian, and Russian legations, until absolutely untenable.

With the exception of the Italian legation, these premises are still in our possession, although the French and German legations are but shattered wrecks, every building being full of holes from shells and round-shot of the Chinese cannon, often fired at only two hundred yards’ distance.

Without the barricades the defense would never have been successful. 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 loopholes left for the purpose of rifle firing.]

On the afternoon of that first day of the siege, F. Huberty James, professor of English in the Imperial University, noticed several Chinese soldiers upon the bridge, a few hundred yards north 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. 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 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 community.

Promptly at 4 P.M. the Chinese soldiers opened fire upon all the legations from behind the surrounding 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 necessary, 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 outside 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 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.

1.—The prominent building at this point is the British Legation, practically 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 Legation itself). 5.—The Russian Legation, another of the most important points in the foreign field of defense. 6.—Bridge over the canal at Legation 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 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 magnificent 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.]

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 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 thousand. This was kept up until 20,000 to 25,000 sand-bags were made.

The Belgian legation and the Methodist mission 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 prevented with the greatest difficulty from spreading into the legation. It was put out at last, after two hours’ hard fighting.

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 Japanese 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 legations, 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 represent days of labor each, and were used in printing valuable (to the Chinese) books. Many valuable books also perished in the flames. At 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 Austrian legation were burned, the Austrians remaining in the French legation to help them there. The back part of the Russo-Chinese bank compound 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 legation, 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 management 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.

Showing one of the towers or forts, which are built at intervals throughout its entire length.]

June 24. At ten minutes past midnight the Chinese began a furious fusillade from all quarters, and an alarm was rung from the bell-tower, notifying all of a general attack. But after about twenty minutes of prodigious noise, with almost no damage done, the firing ceased as suddenly as it had commenced, and the rest of the night was comparatively 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 hundreds of buckets of water from the two nearest wells to the scene of the fire, was subdued without our stables catching fire. With every one of these fires that was successfully put out, the danger from that source was lessened.

The German and American marines took possession of the city wall 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 position 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, advancing 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 position 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 managed 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 cannonading 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 captured 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.

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 incursions of the barbaric and warlike tribes, who were destined in time, despite this tremendous obstacle, to overrun and acquire the kingdom and place their own rulers upon its throne.]

The Americans and Germans again took their positions on the wall, and began building barricades 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 before, in substitution for the genuine article. Three rockets, probably Chinese, were seen during the night.

June 26. The night entertainment—“fireworks”—came at 3 A.M., instead of midnight, as usual. Chinese troops were seen marching northwest, supposedly to convey the Empress to the summer palace. By this time the shells from the 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 damage. 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 Boxers 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 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 legation. 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, however, 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 Legation street.

June 30. At night there was a very heavy thunderstorm, the first of the rainy season. Simultaneously 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 1. The Americans and Germans were forced by heavy shell-fire to leave the wall. Later in the day the Americans returned, but the Germans did not. The Chinese were quiet at night, 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 question of rushing the Chinese barricade or of leaving 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 battlements, advanced rapidly right up to the face of 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 addressed 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 succeeds him. Now, when I give command, spring over the barricade, and follow me.” He immediately gave the command: “Come on!” The sortie was most successful, the barricade was gained and held, but we lost two brave American boys, Privates Turner and Thomas. Captain Myers was badly wounded by a spear-thrust in 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 butchers 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 English 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 whereabouts of the gun, and after having three men wounded they were obliged to return unsuccessful. A shell fell in one of the rooms of Mr. Conger’s house, doing considerable damage. Mrs. Conger had been in the room only a short time before.

A messenger was let down from the wall with ropes, to try and communicate our desperate situation 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 several over the wall, but none have ever returned. Doubtless they have been captured and killed.

During the day a number of three- and 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 buildings, 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 commander, Captain von Thorneburg, was killed in one of these attacks, being shot through the heart.

We are now really eating the horse-meat. A 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, leaving 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 ammunition truck. It has been nicknamed the “International.” The gun itself was an old British one, mounted on an Italian carriage, and fired with Russian ammunition by an American gunner. Hence the nickname.

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 reloaded, 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 retreat in a hurry. There was a fire at the Su 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 reporting, 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 Emperor and Empress Dowager are still in the city; sixth, that the Peking “Gazette” is published 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 11. A messenger sent out with a letter tried to get through the water-gate, but was immediately fired on by the Chinese sentries and forced to fly. He got in without being hurt.

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.

July 12. The Chinese kept up a heavy cannonade 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 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 because 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 thousand 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.

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. Tientsin 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, destroying part of the wall and also part of their own 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, but were beaten off after having killed three and wounded three French marines and lost about twenty of their number.

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 condition, since it is presumably under foreign control, or at least is modified by foreign influences.]

The minister’s and first secretary’s houses were fired, the minister destroying all his official papers himself, to prevent their falling into the hands of the Chinese.

Simultaneously with this attack came a tremendous 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, numbering 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 coming 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 volunteers. 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 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 messenger sent out by Mr. Tewksbury on the 10th 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 protection, though the full translation was not put upon the bulletin board till the next day.

July 15. The following bulletin was posted at 1 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 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 agreement, 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 original 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, 18th day [July 13, 1900].”

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 government 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 inspection in the Su Wang Fu, in company with Dr. 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 11 A.M. and was buried at 6 P.M. yesterday. 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 Halliday, the only other able British captain, is crippled 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.

Commander-in-Chief, who fought the battle of Tientsin against the allied international armies.]

Same date, 5 P.M. The messenger sent yesterday 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 recognized 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.

July 17. The messenger returned again bringing a telegram from Wu Ting Fang, the Chinese minister at Washington, enclosing one from the Secretary of State. This read: “Communicate tidings to bearer.” To this the minister sent in reply: “One month in the British 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 himself 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. This is probably due to a fear that the foreign troops are near, and the government wishes to protect itself by saying they were unable to control the Boxers and the Kansu soldiers. Several other Chinese soldiers gave themselves up as prisoners at the different legations, though with what purpose no one can say.

Major-General under Sung Ching; also engaged in the battle of Tientsin with the allied international armies.]

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 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 numbers 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 20th inst. The force is to consist of 24,000 Japanese, 4,000 Russian, 2,000 British, 1,500 American, 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, cannonading 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 Japanese 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 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 the messenger left Tientsin for Peking, being escorted by the Japanese to the “second bridge.” He returned to Peking by road.

In the cellar of this building all the women and children remained 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.]

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 Tientsin. No news of Peking had reached that place since about the end of June.

We look for the troops about the 30th inst., if they have no fighting to do on the way. This explains 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.

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Bulletin: Précis of further correspondence between the British minister and “Prince Ching and others.”

A vast amount of business is transacted 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.]

On July 16 the Chinese sent a reply to Sir Claude’s letter of the 15th, 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 ministers, however, do not agree, the Chinese will, as in duty bound, do their utmost to protect the legations where they are. They will bring reinforcements, and continue their efforts to prevent 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 entirely in self-defense and would continue to do so. But the Chinese must understand that previous 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 cessation 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; but, in spite of this, fire was opened on the legations on the following day, and they had been under constant fire from Chinese government troops ever since, a condition of things unparalleled in the world’s history. He alluded to the incident of the board displayed on June 25, the free moving of troops during the cessation 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 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 suggestion 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 legation had been made from the wall. He concluded by suggesting that sellers of fruit or ice should be allowed to come in.

In a letter addressed the same day to Jung Lu, the substance of Sir Claude’s previous letters was repeated, and a suggestion was made that communications would be facilitated if a responsible official were sent to the legation. In response 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 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.

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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 message asking that the ministers leave here for Tientsin.

July 20. Several copies of the Peking “Gazette” 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 feeling (?). 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 morning, of lockjaw from a wound.

Same date, 7 P.M. The following was received from Colonel Shiba: “A Chinaman who came to our barricade this afternoon says that on the 17th of this month Yangtsun was occupied by the foreign troops, and on the 19th a battle took place around the same place. About one hundred and fifty wounded of 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 Chinaman 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 fronting us on the north wall and on the west of the legation have started sniping again. The latter are Tung Fu Hsiang’s troops.

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 headquarters, 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.