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PAS
seeing a Chinese foreign goods-store just near the Legation, ordered all groceries to be confis cated. Several grain-shops were found within easy reach of our lines. By six o'clock on the evening of the 20th enough rice and wheat had been found to feed 3,000 native converts and the entire foreign population for at least eight weeks. That such an amount of food was `able to be found in so small a space seems miraculous. As soon as the food supply was found sufficient—although no one dreamed that we would have a siege of more than two weeks men turned to other things and committees were soon perfected for carrying out a siege plan. It was organised on much the same plan
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[September 20, 1900,
August the Chinese again opened fire, making their principal attacks at night. This continued for four nights, until on the night of the 13th they made a most terrific attack. For one hour nothing could be heard but the noise of explosive bullets and the patter of Maurer bullets on the tile roofs. This attack was so severe that almost every one felt that the relief party was nearing the city and the Chinese were making one last effort to capture the imprisoned foreigners.
time this gun went off so surprised the Chinese soldiers that they jumped up and looked over their barricades to see what it was, when they were picked off by our riflemen. This gun was nicknamed the "Betsy"; it perhaps gave the Chinese one of the greatest surprises of the siege. Almost all the legations had one rapid-fire gun. but we found only a limited use for these, as the Chinese made few rushes in the open. Night seemed to be the most favourable time of attack with the Chinese, although they always used their artillery in daylight, seldom firing
The surmise proved to be correct Early the the latter after nightfall. Their rifle-firing next morning we heard the welcome sound of was deafening, and as the bullets flattened Foreign Artillery knocking at the gates of Pek- against the walls or upon the tiles the echoing We knew that relief had arrived. That
added to the din.
THE CHINESE GUN-PRACTICE.
as that found to work so well at the mission | compound. Sir Claude McDonald acting as General-in-Chief appointed Mr. Gamewell to All day long, even when no general attack take charge of fortifications, and found his was being made, sharpshooters kept landing Chairman for the Committee of Public Comfort bullets in the Legation grounds. It seems al- in the same gentleman who had served in that most incredible that with the number of child capacity for two weeks at the American Com-ren who played in the open air not one was munity fort. Captain Strouts was placed in hurt by these stray bullets. The most disheart charge of military defence, the French, Ger-ening attacks after their attempts to fire us were For almost a man, Japanese, American, and Russian marines when they opened the artillery. remaining in their respective Légations, the month without missing a day shells flew over Austrian and Italian soldiers assisting the others. our heads--or bursting high in air spent them
selves by the time they reached ground. And yet, notwithstanding the fact that the Chinese used their big guns very poorly, many a brave soldier was carried in dead or wounded by these poorly aimed shells.
COMMITTEES IN ACTION.
Other committees were:- Food Supply-to dis- tribute rations; Committee on confiscated goods to distribute to those needing them; Com mittee cn Chinese labour-to find and apportion workers among thenative Christians; Committee on Registration and Time-keeping-to keep a register of time and work done by the above and to call men on their turn. A committee of two physicians was appointed in charge of sanitary work. The physician to the British Legation and the physician to the German Legation were placed in charge of the Hospital for the wounded. There a number of trained nurses who, with the female missionary physicians, were ap- pointed as
Other committees grew up as the siege progressed. A Kitchen in the open air was opened for the feeding of the Chinese who were labouring on the grounds. This was placed in the hands of some of the older men who were not able to do heavy manual labour.
were
nurses.
FIGHTING FIRES.
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Mr. Tours, of the British Legation, had charge of the Fire Department. Every one who could was expected to lend a hand in case of fire, and more than once every available man and woman was called out to assist in putting out a fire. An outbreak formed one of our greatest dangers for the first week. One day alone the Chinese started seven different fires with the idea of burning us out. Provid- ence seemed to favour us, for when the most terrible of those fires were raging and had already caught the stables at the south end of the Legation grounds, the wind changed and swept the flames in the opposite direction, and for 24 hours that fire burned out the Chinese houses surrounding us, making our position very much safer. No harder work was done during the siege than fighting the fires during these first few days. By the end of the first week committees were completed, and from that time on every one knew his duty and did it, and with few exceptions the work went on smoothly. Great credit is due to the students of the British Legation and to the Imperial Customs young men, who formed a volunteer guard and did most excellent work as soldiers. A number of them were among the wounded and killed.
OUR DIETARY.
There are eight wells inside the Legation grounds, and after the fires ceased to use 80 much water there was по scarcity. of defence The grounds inside the line contained about 90 ponies and mules. These
very "stable animals formed a
article of diet. Mr. Allardyce of the Imperial University was the distributor of this dainty. A physician examined the meat after the animal was killed. About 85 or 86 were eaten and three condemned. Horse-meat, rice and
coarse brown bread formed the chief articles of diet. else may be said about them, they are nutri- tious.
THE ENEMY'S TREACHERY.
Whatever
Capt. Strouts was killed about the 16th of July and Sir Claude McDonald assumed command, with Lieut. Squires of the American Legation as head of his staff. On the 18th of July the Chinese asked for a flag of truce to be raised on both sides. As our ammunition was low, it was very gladly granted. But we
soon found that a Chinese truce meant only what any faith that has ever been placed in the Chinese has always meant-treachery. More than one brave soldier was picked off during that trucs. This truce lasted with sporadic attacks of firing un- til the 8th or 9th of August. It gave our hard overworked men a little chance to rest, although no work stopped and no vigilance was relaxed. heathen We had learned by this time that the Chinee was not a man who warred by the laws of civilized warfare. The summer of 1900 was unusually cool for Peking and the health of adults was exceptionally good. The infants suffered greatly and about seven of them had died by the end of the siege. Among the native converts infants died by the dozens.
??
THE FIRST MESSAGE.
+4
RELIEF AT LAST.
afternoon about 2 o'clock the Indian Regiment under Gen. Gaselee entered the Legation grounds. And what a welcome awaited them! Men were overcome with emotion, women wept. We tried to tell the Sikhs how glad we were to see them, and although they did not understand the words, they know what we meant. The noise and cheering of the arriving troops brought on an attack of rifle-firing from the Chinese on our West, A Sikh was severely wounded, and a woman who had gone out to welcome them was shot through the leg. Thus ended a siege which had lasted for eight weeks, where a force of 500 armed men, all told, had held out against thousands of the best armed troops. The sicge of Peking is without a parallel in history.
(II.) AFTER THE CAPTURE.
[FROM OUR TIENTSIN CORRESPONDENT.]
Tientsin, 26th August. The following interesting facts that succeeded the capture of Peking on August 14th have been forwarded to me by a careful observer who was present. Although somewhat late in the day, they will, I think, greatly interest your readers.
AMERICAN GALLANTRY AND MISFORTUNES.
On the morning of August 15th the Ameri. can brigade under General Chaffee in person pushed due north from the great Central Gate or Chien-Men, towards the Imperial and For- bidden Cities, and drove the Chinese back, point by point, through that impressive mass of ma- sonry and brick-work which figures so largely in Manchu official ceremonial. It was here that our gallant cousins lost one-of the very finest officers in their army, Captain Reilly. His battery was reputed to be the smartest in the United States Army and had done grand work in Cuba. Reilly was the idol of his men, and the beau ideal of a gunner. While pounding fiercely at the retreating Chinese, he was struck | full in the forehead by a ballet and killed on the spot. Just as General Chaffee had finished his shelling, and was bringing up his infantry for the final assault, the French arrived on scene of fighting for the first time, the and with their usual martial ardour wanted Their zeal, however, outdid to be in it. their discretion, for, mounting their mountain battery on the City Wall near the Legations, they began a hot fire on the south part of the Imperial City, not knowing the position of the The issue was melancholy, and Americans. General Chaffee hurriedly dashed off himself* to stop the annoyance; at the bottom of the wall he shouted in extremely vigorous Anglo- Saxon to the French general on top to stop The linguistic ability of his beatified fire. the Frenchman, who was accompanied by: M. Pichon, the Minister, did not enable him During the siege we sent a number of to seize the meaning of the irate American; he messengers out. The first one to go and volubly explained in the blandest way that he return was a boy 15 years of age. He made was firing for the glory of French arms. The We soon found that one of our greatest needs a perilous trip to Tientsin. Once he was cap- few bi-linguists who happened to be present had was a carnon, as the Legation marines had no tured by the Boxers and made to work for seven a great treat; but at last the manner of the gun heavier than a 1 in. Italian. For the latter days. He arrived at Tientsin and found the gallant American brought some doubt into the there were only 50 rounds of ammunition. One shelling so severe he could not get into the city. minds of the French that their action was at of the gunners was one day trying to make a gun He hung around for some time until he manag- the moment inexpedient, so they ceased firing out of some brass tubing, when two natives ed to make his way through the lines dur- and hastened up with their infantry. The seeing his idea hurried off to an old junk ing the lull that followed. The boy re- Americans next suffered in their amour propre shop and soon brought back & muzzle-load-ceived 500 taels for his bravery and is pro- from the Russians, who came up when the ing barrel of an 1860 English cannon. This mised a good education. Another messen-fighting was done, and by apparent inad- rusted iron tube proved to be of the great-ger arrived the first week in August, bringing vertence took the first place before the est service. Some shells were found in the the glad news that the allied relief forces Palace gates. On being told they retired, Russian Legation, which, by taking them out were on the point of starting for Peking. leaving the Americans in possession of all of their cartridges and setting off by means of No one but those who have been besieged know the approaches to the Forbidden City and a fuse, did most excellent execution. The first what such news mean, About the 9th of Palace.
AND DISEASE.
Scarlet fever broke out among the native re- fugees, but its progress was soon stayed, and only one very light case occurred among any of the foreign children.
ARTILLERY WANTED.
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On the 25th of July we received our first message from the outside world. A messenger sent to Tientsin on July 11th returned with a message from the British Consul. This, the first word received, was very disheartening when we realized that there were no troops between Peking and Tientsin. Our only hope was that we might be able to hold out for two more weeks. We held out for almost three.
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