Beleaguered in Pekin 1

Beleaguered in Pekin 1

Beleaguered in Pekin

The Boxer's War Against the Foreigner

 

Author: Robert Coltman

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

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 BY GENERALS OF TUNG FU’S

ARMY—A BARGAIN WITH PRINCE TUAN._

 

 

[Illustration: The author in Chinese dress]

 

IN THE autumn of 1898, in the month of October, very shortly after

the famous _coup d’état_ 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 explosion of

a mine being prepared 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. 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 concession

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 knowledge and

accuracy.

 

[Illustration: 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 compared with our

own.]

 

 

On October 23 I was called to Fengtai to amputate the leg of a poor

coolie, who had been run over by the express train from Tientsin; and

after the operation partook of tiffin at the residence of A. G. Cox,

resident engineer of the Peking section of the Peking-Tientsin railway.

His other guests were Major Radcliffe, of the Indian army service, on

what is known as 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 telegram, which should have

been delivered the night before; but owing to the closing of the city

gates no attempt was made to deliver it:

 

“COLTMAN, Peking:—Come to Fengtai at once. Cox and Norregaard both

seriously wounded in riot at Lukouch’iao.

 

“KNOWLES.”

 

I immediately rode in my cart to Machiapu, the Peking terminus of the

Peking-Tientsin railway, 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

engineer 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 Fengtai, the day before.

 

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

having 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, remonstrated 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.