Beleaguered in Pekin 21

Beleaguered in Pekin 21

FAMILY OF THE AUTHOR

 

All of the persons in this group, with the exception of the author’s

father standing in the center, and his mother at the left, suffered in

the Siege.]

 

Many of the Chinese fled, but the remainder poured a hot fire into the

ranks of the invaders, Privates Turner and Thomas of the Americans

being instantly killed by bullets, as reported, and Captain Myers

severely wounded by a spear. Corporal Gregory of the British marines

was also shot, and two Russian soldiers were wounded by bullets; but

the position was captured, and the retention of the post on the wall

assured, as henceforth it would be possible to ascend the ramp without

being exposed to Chinese fire.

 

The Chinese fled to their second barricade, a few hundred yards nearer

the Chien Men, which they have held ever since, and, although they have

shelled the American position captured from them for days, they have

never been able to dislodge our men.

 

When the United States minister and his family left the legation and

sought refuge in the British legation, they were given the house of the

British legation physician, Dr. Poole, for a residence, and into this

six-roomed house were crowded four men, ten women and nine children.

 

Mr. Squiers, Mr. Cheshire, and Mr. Pethick continued to remain at the

United States legation. The legation building was peppered with bullets

the livelong day, and shelled at intervals with three-inch shells from

both city gates, east and west, until all the roofs were full of holes,

and the gate-house completely demolished, the flagstaff being cut

through and the flag falling to the ground. It was speedily picked up,

however, and nailed to a tall tree near the gate-house, from which it

still floats, though riddled with holes.

 

Dr. Lippett, the surgeon of the guard, received a bad wound of the

thigh, fracturing the bone and completely disabling him, on June 29,

and has been in the hospital ever since. Dr. G. D. Lowry, a medical

missionary of the Methodist mission, immediately took his place.

 

Sergeant Fanning, Corporal King, and Privates Kennedy, Tutcher, and

Fisher have been killed in the barricades, and Privates Silva, Shroder,

Mueller, and Hall were wounded early in the siege. The Americans killed

were all buried in the Russian legation compound just across Legation

street.

 

There were no American civilians serving as volunteers with the

American guard, but Dr. Coltman, his son, Robert Coltman, 3d, and Mr.

W. E. Bainbridge served guard-duty in the British legation among the

international volunteers.

 

Mr. H. G. Squiers, who was elected by Sir Claude MacDonald as his chief

of staff, and second in command after the death of Captain Strouts, has

been indefatigable in his service, not only at the American legation,

but in general oversight of the situation at all points. That the

United States government will recognize his unusual ability by a

promotion in the diplomatic service, for which he is so well fitted,

and to which he has devoted his talents, is sincerely hoped.

 

He it was who conceived the plan of occupying the city wall and

insisted on its being regained when abandoned. This, as a key to the

whole position, was recognized in its full importance by Mr. Squiers.

He, too, with Captain Wroublevsky, forced a way down the wall to the

Chien Men, and let in the first Sikhs that came through the gate.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER VIII

 

_WORK DONE BY STAFF OF IMPERIAL MARITIME, CUSTOMS, AND BRITISH

LEGATION STAFF_

 

 

[Illustration: TYPICAL CHINESE LION

 

As represented by them. One of a pair guarding a temple entrance.]

 

AT THE same time that the tsung-li-yamen sent dispatches to each

of the foreign ministers requesting them to leave Peking within

twenty-four hours, they sent a communication to Sir Robert Hart, Bart.,

inspector-general of customs, notifying him of their communication to

the ministers.

 

One would have supposed that the customs staff, being employed by

the government to collect their own revenues, would have either been

given a place of safety and separated from the foreigners who were to

be attacked and exterminated, or their safe escort out of the country

guaranteed.

 

This should also have applied to the staff of the Imperial University,

but beyond a simple notification to Sir Robert Hart, no further account

was taken of them, and they were left to seek either the protection

of their respective legations, or remain together in the offices of

the inspector-general, where all had gathered upon the entrance of the

Boxers into Peking, and attempt to defend their lives and those of

their families as best they might.

 

As the Austrians had been driven out of their legation before any of

the others had yielded, and as their compound overlooked and commanded

the inspectorate-general compound, however, that place had become

untenable by June 20, and Sir Robert Hart reluctantly retired with all

his staff and their families to a building allotted to them in the

British legation.

 

This building is situated just within the main gate of the legation,

north of and adjoining the gate-house, and consists of three fair-sized

and three small rooms, with an out-house kitchen.

 

Into this narrow accommodation the following staff were obliged to

crowd themselves: Sir Robert Hart, inspector-general; Mr. Robert E.

Bredon, deputy inspector-general, his wife and daughter, Miss Juliet

Bredon; Mr. A. T. Piry, commissioner, his wife, governess, and four

children; Mr. J. R. Brazier, his wife and two children; Mr. C. H.

Brewit-Taylor and wife; Mr. C. H. Oliver, sister, and two children;

Mr. S. M. Russell and wife, and Mr. C. B. Mears and wife, besides the

following single gentlemen: Messrs. P. von Rautenfeld, J. H. Macoun, J.

W. Richardson, E. Wagner, E. von Strauch, N. Konoraloff, B. L. Simpson,

H. P. Destelan, H. Bismarck, U. F. Wintour, J. H. Smyth, J. W. H.

Ferguson, L. Sandercock, A. G. Bethell, L. de Luca, C. L. Lauru, R. B.

de Courcy, C. O. M. Diehr, W. S. Dupree, E. E. Encamacao, J. de Pinna,

P. J. Oreglia, and S. Sugi.

 

As it was simply impossible for all these people to sleep within such

narrow quarters, Messrs. Brazier and Brewit-Taylor and their families

secured rooms with some friends at other houses. The remainder all

messed together, excepting Mr. Bredon’s family, in which were included

Messrs. B. L. Simpson and C. L. Lauru. The single men slept in blankets

on the narrow brick veranda when not on duty at one of the many posts.

 

With the exception of Sir Robert Hart, whose advanced age prevented his

doing military duty, and Mr. R. E. Bredon and Mr. C. H. Oliver, all the

others regularly enrolled themselves as a volunteer corps known as the

customs volunteers, and did most excellent, arduous, and effective work.

 

Mr. E. von Strauch, having served as first lieutenant in the German

army for some years, was given command, and Mr. Macoun was made second

officer. After Macoun was wounded, and until again able to go on duty,

Mr. B. L. Simpson acted as second officer.

 

[Illustration: SIR ROBERT HART

 

And members of the Customs Staff and their families, with one or two

others, who lived together in the house immediately behind the group

during the siege.]

 

Adjoining the British legation on the north lies the Hanlin Yuan, a

large yard full of many buildings, containing one of the most famous

libraries extant, the Hanlin library. By the Chinese this library

has always been regarded as one of their most valuable possessions.

Here were stored thousands of volumes of Chinese history, essays,

and records of the various government boards that had collected for

centuries. North of this Hanlin Yuan, separated only by a wide street

known as the Chang An Chieh, is the wall of the Forbidden City.

 

[Illustration: CUSTOMS VOLUNTEERS

 

Who, throughout the siege, fought in defense of the legations. This

little band did excellent service. Brave, cool and deliberate, they

made themselves felt wherever their services were called for.]

 

The Boxers and Imperial troops early took possession of the northern

end of this compound, and in their efforts to dislodge us from the

British legation, ruthlessly set fire to their sacred library and

destroyed the priceless collections of ages.

 

A large part of the defense of the southern half of the Hanlin Yuan has

been performed by the customs volunteers, and there has been no more

trying military service in the siege than at that place. We early took

possession of the southern end, and built a barricade of bricks and

sand-bags running completely across the compound.

 

Our barricade and the Chinese barricades are so close that often the

Chinese have thrown half bricks over at us, as their rifle-bullets

cannot penetrate the barricade. Several of our men have been injured by

stones and bricks in this way.

 

In addition to the members of the customs staff given above as enrolled

members of the customs volunteers, there have been attached to the

corps for duty at various times Messrs. Barbier, Flicke, and Hagermann.

 

Messrs. E. Wagner and H. P. Destelan were soon called to serve at the

French legation, as the fighting had been very hot there, and men were

needed to take the places of those who had fallen. They barely joined

their fellow-nationals at their perilous post, and there on July 1

Wagner was struck by a shell in the head and instantly killed. A few

days later Destelan had a miraculous escape. The Chinese across the

narrow lane, known as Customs lane, had undermined the street, and

placed a mine under the wall and eastern buildings of the legation.

When they exploded it, Destelan and several others were buried in

the ruins; but a second explosion almost immediately blew several of

them out again, among them Destelan and Von Rosthorn, the Austrian

_chargé d’affaires_, who was on duty in the French legation after the

surrender of his own legation to the Chinese troops. Only two Frenchmen

lost their lives by this mine, while the Chinese acknowledge they lost

twenty of their own men by the explosion.