Beleaguered in Pekin 24

Beleaguered in Pekin 24

At first this entire new line of defense was very weak, but it was

rapidly strengthened by adding bricks and sand-bags. Yet even to the

end all visitors considered it a very precarious defense. One American

marine remarked, “Our place is bad enough, but this is worse.”

 

As the Chinese barricaded themselves in the western part of the

legation captured by them, they also made use of the shrubbery and

trees to shield their force, and these the Austrians had to clear away

under hot fire. Until July 17, day and night, the enemy in the opposite

barriers poured in a steady fire, which the Austrians only returned by

an occasional shot, as their ammunition had to be husbanded.

 

The so-called truce did not last very long, for on the 23d the firing

was nearly as bad as before, and at night often worse. To cut off any

further mines, a trench sixty yards long and ten feet deep was dug

in front of the _Pavilion des Etrangers_. As was afterward seen, the

Chinese had really attempted two further mines, but for some unknown

reason had given up before they were completed.

 

On the last night of the siege the firing in the French legation, as

everywhere else, was exceedingly hot, and, although two shells burst in

the chapel, no one was injured.

 

The Austrians lost: killed, one officer, three bluejackets; wounded,

three officers, eight bluejackets. Of the 10,000 rounds of ammunition

brought to Peking 2,000 were used by the men, and 2,000 by the

machine-gun. The shield of the machine-gun shows the marks of having

been struck by rifle-balls some fifty-odd times.

 

* * * * *

 

No story of the siege in Peking would be complete without mention of

the work of August Chamot and his heroic wife. He is a Swiss, and in

Peking has charge of the Hotel de Peking for Messrs. Tallieu & Co. His

wife is a San Francisco girl.

 

When every other woman in Peking left her home and repaired to the

British legation, Mrs. Chamot remained by her husband, with a rifle

in her hand, and took her regular hours of watching at the loopholes

of the barricade erected across Legation street, between the Hotel

de Peking and the German legation. Mr. Chamot started a bakery in

his hotel, and daily had the Chinese bake hundreds of loaves of good

brown bread, with which he supplied many hungry mouths at the English,

French, and German legations.

 

There is no building left standing in Peking that has as many

shell-holes in it as the northern two-story building of this hotel. Any

one visiting the structure immediately after the relief, and before the

débris had been at all cleared, would scarcely believe that a brave

American woman had lived there for sixty days unharmed. Her hairbreadth

escapes were every-day occurrences. When the Belgian party were

surrounded in Chang Hsin Tien, before the close siege commenced, Mr.

and Mrs. Chamot, with a small party armed with rifles, went out from

Peking and rescued them.

 

They were in several sorties to the north cathedral before the close

siege, and in many more after the close siege had begun. Every day they

were under fire in crossing the bridge between their hotel and the

British legation, as they brought over the bread that was so eagerly

looked for.

 

[Illustration: Madame Chamot, the heroine of the siege]

 

After some shells had burst in the baking-room, and killed one and

severely wounded others of the Chinese bakers, Mrs. Chamot, rifle in

hand, held the coolies to their work while her husband served with the

guards.

 

Mr. Chamot was wounded in the hand by a Boxer spear, but never lost ten

minutes’ work on that account, going around with his hand tied up, and

yet using it whenever occasion required. His bravery was to the point

of recklessness, and the wonder is he was not killed. That his country

and other nations, especially the French, will substantially recognize

his services is surely to be expected.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER X

 

_EDICTS ISSUED BY THE EMPRESS DURING SIEGE, WITH A FEW COMMENTS THEREON_

 

 

[Illustration: An attendant to a Confucian priest]

 

WHILE we were besieged in the legations we were quite unaware of

anything going on in the city outside of us until July 18, after the

so-called truce, when we paid a native a large sum to smuggle into

the compound copies of the Peking “Gazette,” the government organ,

of the dates of June 13 to July 19, inclusive. The translations of

such parts as relate to the Boxers or foreigners that follow show:

first, the duplicity of the Empress in apparently trying to suppress

the Boxers prior to the declaration of war, June 19; second, her open

encouragement in edicts from that date until the defeat of her armies

at Tientsin under Generals Sung Ching, Ma Yu Kun and Nieh Shih Cheng,

July 17; and third, her immediate turning around and attempting to

curry favor by denouncing the Boxers in the edicts of July 18 and 19.

While trying her best to murder all the foreign ministers, she was

having her own ministers abroad inform the countries to whom they were

accredited that the foreign ministers were perfectly safe here.

 

The edicts speak for themselves, and are an eloquent appeal to the

foreign powers never to allow this most treacherous woman, or any other

Manchu for that matter, to occupy the throne of China.

 

“June 13—Edict: Two days since a member of the Japanese legation, the

clerk in chancery, was murdered by desperadoes [her own soldiers in

government uniform] outside the Yung Ting gate. We were exceedingly

grieved to learn of this.

 

“The officials of our neighboring nations on duty in Peking should

receive our protection in every possible way, particularly in such

times as the present [when we are planning to kill them all at once],

when every exertion must be used, because desperadoes are as thick as

bees.

 

“We have repeatedly commanded the various local officials to

secure the most perfect quiet in their districts, yet in spite of

these orders we have this case of murder of the Japanese chancellor

occurring in the very capital of the Empire.

 

“The civil and military officials have been too remiss in not clearing

their districts of bad characters, or arresting the proper persons,

so we hereby set a limit of time for the arrest and punishment of

such criminals [time not stated]. Should the time expire without a

successful search for the guilty, then the responsible official will

be given a penalty. [In other words, if the murderer of the Japanese

is not discovered before we drive all the foreigners out, and the plot

fails because of this premature murder giving it away, somebody will

have to pay for it.]”

 

“Edict No. 2: The Boxer desperadoes have recently been causing trouble

in the neighborhood of the capital, and finally Peking has become

involved.

 

“We have a number of times issued edicts in explicit terms ordering

the military commanders on duty near the capital to put an end to

these disturbances. Notwithstanding which, cases of murder and arson

are reported, and bad characters are circulating malicious rumors

under pretense that they are only revenging themselves on converts.

 

“The result is that our good soldiers have become involved, and do

not hesitate to disregard our commands; at the same time they believe

these men leagued together to commit arson and murder, and suffer

themselves to be misled by them.

 

[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO THE IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY OF PEKING

 

Among the notable buildings that were destroyed by the Boxers was the

Imperial University of Peking. To the noble work performed within its

walls can be attributed much of the rapid rise of the “progressive” or

“New China” party, with whom the Emperor seemed to be so thoroughly in

accord until his power was subordinated to that of the Empress.]

 

“Good citizens most of all desire to stimulate patriotism, and one

would like to know when in the history of the world has there ever

been a strong nation made so by condoning anarchy among the people.

We know, since investigating, that among the ranks of the Boxers there

are many bandits and desperadoes, who have vied with one another in

disgraceful acts of looting and robbery.

 

[Illustration: IMPERIAL PAVILION

 

The Hall of Classics, in the Forbidden City, Peking—a beautiful

building]

 

“We have already ordered Kang Yi and others to proceed to the various

country districts, and acquaint each and all with our virtuous

intentions, so that there may be tranquillity. Let Boxers who have

already entered into league disband and be quiet. It is obvious that

the various cases of robbery and murder which have occurred are the

work of traitors.

 

“We shall believe no man a bad citizen unless caught red-handed in

crime. But really bad characters must be rooted out, and from now on

no mercy will be shown such. We order General Sung Ching to command

General Ma Yu Kun to come with all speed to the capital, and make

strenuous efforts to arrest all desperadoes in the region about

Peking. It is important that only ringleaders be seized, but the

subordinates may be allowed to scatter.

 

“It is strictly forbidden that the military make use of this as a