November 24, 1900.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRÅDE REPORT.
THE FUSILIERS AT THE SEAT one, on which the gun was borne, being totally
OF WAR.
[BY THE "BANK AND FILE."]
I.
On the return of the Royal Welch Fusiliers from the North the other day it was suggested to us that inasmuch as the regiment had been somewhat overlooked in the many and varied accounts of the war which had appeared in the public press, a short story of their doings while away from Hongkong would not only be interesting to the Battalion them. selves, but prove acceptable reading to the general public. Acting upon the sugges- tion we instructed a representative to wait upon Lieut. Colonel the
Hon. R. Henry Bertie aud solicit an interview, more pecially as it was well known that the Colonel had kept a somewhat lengthy diary of the events which led up to the entry of the allied forces into Peking. The Colonel ex- plained that he was unable to furnish us with any details, and our representative was there fore left to seek other channels of information, which, although they might not be of such "official" import, might nevertheless bear the stamp of truth so far as it is possible to get it from a series of conversations with the rank and
es.
file.
Barrack-room whisperings are sometimes audible beyond the haversack's ken, and the gossip of the mess-table will often re-echo when the last strains of the regimental music which prompted it have died away. And 80 it came about that from Colonel to drummer-boy the Welch Fusiliers one bright June morning knew that something unusual was in the air, and that the regi- ment might be called out for active service at any moment. It was welcome news, for. perhaps, within the ranks of the British Army, none could be keener on serving their country than the gallants of Hongkong whose comrades had fought with so much distinction in South Africa When. therefore, the call came to prepare for the North everyone was found ready, and the necessary work of packing the personal luggage of the officers, and storing the entire equipment of the whole force on board H.M.S. Terrible, which had been ordered to take the major portion of the contingent (ie., A, C and E Companies) was but the work of a few hours. There were 360 men in all under Major Morris, Capts. Gynne, Rotherham, Richards, and Wal- wyn, and Lieuts. Owen and Flower, who embarked on board the battleship on the morning of 16th June, and when the huge leviathan left the harbour a few hours later it seemed as if a fine passage northward was in store for them. Not 80; almost from the outset a strong head sea set in, and throughout the journey the elements made matters on board pretty uncomfortable. The steamer Tai Sang started shortly afterwards, with Colonel Bertie and H Company under Lieuts. Vyryan, Hay, Johnson, and Clieve. The passage north by this vessel is reported as having been all that was desired, fine weather marking it the whole way up.
In due time both vessels arrived on the Peiho, the Terrible in consequence of her draught having to anchor several miles below the Taku forts (which by that time had been captured, and were in the hands of the Allied Forces) and below the Centurion, the Admiral's Flagship. The disembarkation of the Fusiliers was carried out with commendable celerity, and by the aid of small craft the Terrible's contingent were soon landed at Sinho, at that time the British base of operations. The journey up the river is described as an exceedingly cheery one. The sky, which in the early morning had been thickly clouded over, and the sandy atmosphere peculiar to North China having rendered the night a rather dark and dismal one, brightened as the day wore on, and materially added to the general pleasure, ease, and contentment everywhere noticeable among the troops. As each foreign warship was passed cheer after cheer went up from soldiers and sailors alike, a passing recep. tion which met with a hearty response from the Fusiliers. Two hours after disembarkation the forca entrained for their first camp. The journey was not without its incidents, for be- foré a dozen miles had been passed the train ran off the line, damaging several carriages, the first
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Allied Forces along the route from Taku to Peking, there must necessarily appear the stamp of patriotic egoism and uncontrolled! fervour, but the ordinary reader will pass over with an excusing glance any ap parent tendency of the writer to regard the doings of the Fusiliers shoulders high above their fellows, or give them greater credit than that justly due to them. That they took a leading part in the capturo of Tientsin ad- mits of no doubt, and it can truly bɔ said of them that right through the cam- dash, organisation and superior strategy. was reached.paign they distinguished themselves by their The valor of the rank and file` avails but little if the man at the head is not stannch and strong. That Colonel Bertie and his officers proved their strength and military skill all those as- sociated with them have abundantly testified, and once more the Fusiliers as a body have shown to the world that they are fully trained soldiers, quick in action, valorous in battle, and able to grasp and execute the emergencies of the conflict.
wrecked. It was here, unfortunately, that the first personal injury to the Fusiliers had to be reported, Major Morris, who was in the carriage, being badly bruised and shaken by the derailment. Capt. Craddock, R.N., was also a sufferer, he faring perhaps the worse of the two. However, both officers received prompt surgical aid, and were soon in the throes of the work repairing the line and getting ready for another start. In dus course the breaches in the line were repaired, and the Force sped onward without any farther ir.terruption till "Rail-head * Here were seen the steps which had been taken by the Boxers to tear up the line, and generally to render the further progress of the Force impossible. A short survey soon made it apparent that an advanced march must be made, and it was decided that the "Fall in " should sound at about three the next morning. It was a dark night, and over the plain a solemn silence reigned which gave a welcome rest to the troops, so much needed after the arduous labours of the past few hours. They had no tent equip- ment, but each found for himself a bivonac on the ground, wrapped round, as it were, by the long blades of corn. With the early morn they rose at the bugle call to continne the march on Tientsin with Major Morris in command Commander Craddock,R.N., with the Naval Bri- gade, and a 3-inch Howitzer, proceeded to the right of the line, bombarding the villages on the way. The Fusiliers opened out on the left to two paces apart, and advanced in skirmishing order, reconnoitring the country for a distanco of about 7 miles. This was with the view, among other things, of allowing the train couveying the Russians with 4 guns to pass through. About eleven o'clock in the morning the Fusiliers came across a number of Boxers about two hundred yards from the villages, They were quickly dispersed, many being left on the field, and the work of razing the villages proceeded till well on in the afternoon. The roturn to camp was uneventful, and another night's rest was taken ere the final advance was made on Tientsin City. It was at about four in the morning when the full in "sound- ed, and although the Allied forces numbered some 1,500 Russians, 200 Germans, 100 Ameri- cans, and 300 Fusiliers, with the same number of blue-jackets, some doubts were expressed as to whether Tientsin would be reached or not. News from the Capital had been full of surprises. International susceptibilities being considered, coupled with the not over sanguine view taken by com manders of troops generally, the outlook was not at all reassuring as morning the march onward to Tientsin was on that clear July undertaken. The Americans had done good work away on the right of the Fusiliers, and the Russians on the left had cleared the way for a few miles, but it was evident after a few hours march that a terrible fusilade must follow. And it did. The Russians received a check, and a strongly held village brought about what seemed at first a reverse. However, it was arranged that the Russians should take the station, and the Fusiliers should stand in for the village and a school close by. After marching in quarter column some distance and coming within 1,000 yards the Fusiliers opened out, and under a heavy fire both points were gained. It was about half-past eleven when Tientsin was seen in the distance, and under a heavy rifle fire the Fusiliers laid down behind an embankment to take breath from the blinding sandstorm. Then came the order to fix bayonets and with a charge the river was crossed, and Tientsin was taken. the enemy retiring to the native city.
II.
Our lot is in it again. We've come out on top, Bill, and taken Tientsin at the point of the bayonet. Our Captain's a brick. There's no smash about him. He draws his sword. and wares it over his head, saying, 'Come on! follow me, men,' and at the chargo we take the city." This is an extract from a letter written by a Welsh Fusilier to his brother in England, and it conveys, in a few words, a trathful" sum- mary of that eventful fourteenth of June, when the city of Tientsin, with all its historic associa tions, fell to the destructive force of modern warfare. Of course, in an independent account of the part played by any one section of the
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44
TWO BROTHERS SIDE BY SIDE IN DEATH. Starting therefore from the point where we left the Fusiliers in the tooth of a blind- ing sandstorm, rising from their temporary resting place along the embankment, and, at the call of thing in front of them over the bridge into the the charge," sweeping every. doomed city, we follow them to a quiet little spot which is to be, their barrack-home for a time while preparations are being made to advance to the relief of the Legations at Peking. Private Power had been shot but a couple of minutes before the last charge was made into the city, and Privates Martin and Jones wore lying wounded in their hospital at Coffin Hall not far from the cometery off the Victoria Road. bivouaced in a
The main body of the corps was large godown which had been used as a fur store, and which at that time contained several tons of furs, some of raró value. It was a spacious place, and did very well for the use to which it was put, more especially as there were several open spaces between Meadows Road on the right, and Club Road on the left, which were capital recreative spots for the men. The stay of the Fusiliers in Tientsin was marred by two deaths-strange to say, two brothers named Porter - one within-a few hours of the other. The first one met his death by a shell piercing the wall of the store. Some Chinese youths were throwing stones at the windows, and Porter looked out to tell the boys to cease their play. A shell burst right in front of him and blew his head off. Some mistake subsequently arose in entering upon the necessary documents the regimental number of the deceased, and his brother's number 4,014 was inserted instead of 3 644-a mistake unfortunately, very often made in time. of war by the roughly improvised clerical staff. The brother that evening wrot› a long letter home to his mother informing her that a mistake had been made, and that he himself was alive and well. The letter was posted in the ordinary way, and on the follow- ing day Porter was picked out to form part of a reconnoitring party. He went out and was shot almost at the outset. Both brothers were buried in the same grave in the little cemetery at Tientsin, and a cross has been erected over the spot by a few of their comrades.
Before leaving Tientsin and proceeding well on the road with the Fusiliers it may ba to notice the unbounded enthusiasm which met the arrival of the troops at the hands of the besieged populacs. Men, women and children alike joined in the general thanksgiving. Colonel Bertie showed much consideration for his men, for, as soon as it was possible he dismissed them, in order that they should be able to partake of the abundant supply of refreshments furnished them by the demonstrative crowds who gathered about them. Beer was handed round að libitum, and viands of every sort and description doled out with grateful hands.
THE ADVANCE ON PHITSANG, It was Friday, August 3rd, before any practi- cal step was taken towards the advance on Peking. Reconnoitring parties had brought in the news that the enemy were strongly post- ed at Peitsang about five or six miles dis- tant, and a council was hold among those in command of the different allied troops. Dur.