CHAPTER XIIICAPTURING THE TAKU FORTSOne afternoon Rex went to see his friend the midshipman at the barricade.“I wish you would tell me,” Rex said, “all about the capture of the Taku Forts. Beyond the fact that they were captured I have heard next to nothing.”“Well, it is rather a long story,” the middy said, “but as everything is quiet, I donʼt mind telling you about it if you like.”“I should be very much obliged if you would,” Rex said.“Well, then, here goes. You have not seen the place, I suppose?”“No.”“Well, the mouth of the river is strongly fortified, especially on the north side, where there is a big casemated fort with earthworks, mounting altogether some fifty guns of different sizes. A third of a mile farther up the river is the inner fort, which is very strong, but smaller than the other, and mounts about thirty guns. An earthwork covered–way connects the two forts, and the parapet is pierced for many small guns. On the south side, extending a mile along the shore, are a number of casemated batteries, mounting about one hundred and twenty guns. These are good guns, and for the most part modern. There is also an inner fort a mile inland, built for the defence of the main magazines.“All these fortifications consist of earthworks with cementand concrete galleries. They are wonderfully well built; certainly as good as any I have ever seen. You see, mud is the usual substance with which they build houses in China, and they are wonderfully clever with it. At many points of the fortification there are high and very powerful redoubts, which carry at their angles very big modern guns, mostly Krupp quick–firers. All these forts seem to have been designed by foreigners; I donʼt think the Chinese would ever have been up to such work if they hadnʼt had foreign instructors. Apparently, however, they sacked these fellows when they had finished the batteries, and themselves carried out the rest of the work. There hasnʼt been any regular garrison in these forts for some years, but officials and hangers–on have resided there. When the row began, however, troops came marching in, and we calculated that at the time of the bombardment they were occupied by some eight thousand men. I fancy they were good soldiers, for they came from Hunan, which province is considered to turn out the best soldiers in China. Their general, Liu, came from the same place.“Unfortunately the water near the forts is very shoal, and war–vessels that drew twenty feet of water were obliged to heave–to five miles off the bar; that is to say, ten miles off the forts. By the fifteenth there were twenty–five foreign men–of–war here—British, French, German, Austrian, Russian, Italian, and Japanese. An American ship came up a day or two before the battle. It was difficult getting news so far out, so the admiralʼs light–draught yacht anchored close outside the bar, and they ran a wire into the destroyer Fame, which was anchored just outside the fort. By this means despatches were wired out to the yacht, and either flashed or semaphored to the fleet. A mile above the fort was the Imperial naval yard and docks, and lying moored to thewharves were four very fine thirty–two–knot German–built destroyers, with full Chinese crews on board.“During the day before the battle everyone was on the qui vive, for it was known that a summons to surrender next day had been sent in to the forts. Only two trains were despatched for Tientsin, and both these had to be worked by engineers from the fleet, for all the Chinese had disappeared. A large Japanese force was landed from their ship, and encamped by the side of the railway at Tongku, two miles from the forts. Later in the day they shifted camp to the other side of the railway, to make room for a large Russian infantry force that had just come in from Port Arthur. Two hundred blue–jackets from our ships encamped near them in the evening, at the head of the road to the forts. A train came down from Tientsin in the afternoon containing a number of foreigners, principally women and children, who at once took shelter on some merchant steamers lying off the wharves.“During the day theFamedropped her end of the wire, and, steaming up the river, took up her station by the four Chinese destroyers in the middle yard. TheAlgerine, which had been lying between the north and south forts, also moved up the river to a berth about a third of a mile off the inner north fort. A quarter of a mile higher three Russian gun–boats were moored in line; higher still lay the German gun–boats, moored to one of the wharves; and a little lower down was the FrenchLion. At another wharf higher up lay the JapaneseAtago, and higher up the United States paddle–wheel steamerMonocacy. I hope I am not boring you with too many particulars?”“Not at all, I am much obliged to you for giving me such a good account; I seem to be able to see the whole thing.”“Well, I must tell you that theMonocacyhad beenordered to take no share in the business, but she did useful work in giving shelter to a number of women and children. Although we knew that an ultimatum had been sent in, nobody dreamed that the rumpus was going to begin so soon. We thought that, as usual, messages would be exchanged, and that the thing would drag on a little before anything serious came of it. TheAlgerinehad her ventilators up, masts all standing, and yards crossed. The Germans on theIltishad landed their boats and ventilators some days before; theLionhad housed her ventilators but still had her yards crossed. At nine oʼclock a long searchlight train went out under the command of Lieutenants Kirkpatrick and Riley, with the twelve–pounder Hotchkiss, two Maxims, and a hundred men—German, British, and French. It was stoked by British blue–jackets, and was driven by a German engineer from theIltis.“All watched the glare of the searchlight for about three hours, till it disappeared across the plain in the direction of Tientsin. Then all who were on the port watch turned in. We had scarcely got into our hammocks when there was the boom of a heavy gun, and you can imagine how quickly we all jumped into our clothes again and ran on deck. We could see that the inner north fort was firing, and guessed that theAlgerine, which was lying nearest to her, was the target. No return shot came from her, and it was evident that she was taken as much by surprise as we were. Bom, bom, bom went the big guns. It was about five minutes before theAlgerinereplied, and shortly afterwards the three Russian gun–boats returned the fire, and theIltisand theLionalso joined in.“Of course, all this part of the business I am telling you from hearsay, for we were necessarily only spectators of the affray; and you can imagine, Bateman, that we were hopping mad with being altogether out of it. It was enough tomake one tear oneʼs hair. However, the great part of the blue–jackets and marines were ashore, and would soon be having a look–in; but there were we, as much out of it as if we were off Spithead. Well, of course, now that I have had my turn ashore here I am satisfied, but at the time it was maddening.“Nevertheless it was a splendid sight, I can tell you. All the forts had now joined in, and the flashes that burst from them and from the gun–boats were almost incessant. In a few minutes theIltissteamed down at full speed from her wharf and joined the three Russians and theAlgerine, the crews of which cheered her enthusiastically as she went into action. Shortly afterwards the FrenchLionalso came down. She had been lying with her head up the river, and so had taken longer than theIltis. She, too, was warmly welcomed. The whole of the forts were now pouring in a heavy cannonade, and every gun that could be brought to bear from the six gun–boats replied at a range of hardly a mile. TheIltis, with her eight 3.4 quick–firers, and theAlgerine, with her 4–inch guns, engaged the north fort. TheLion, with her two 5.5–inch guns, joined them, while the three Russians directed their fire on the south forts. They were all heavily armed, theBobrhad a 9–inch gun in her bows, and a 6–inch in her stern. TheCorkoretchhad two 8–inch guns and one 6–inch, and theGilyakhad one 4–inch gun in her bows, two 2.6–inch guns and four 1.8–inch guns in her military top.“All the ships kept up a heavy and methodical fire from the machine–guns in their tops, and so searched out the bastions; while the heavy guns made it impossible for the gunners to stick to their work. It was, however, difficult to keep up an accurate fire against a gun in the shade of the forts. Many of the Chinese soldiers left the fort, and, taking cover among the mud–houses, maintained a heavy fire on themen on deck and in the tops, and theGilyak, which was closest to the village, suffered heavily.“Meanwhile theFameand theWhitinghad been ordered to attack the four Chinese destroyers lying in dock. As they approached, however, the Chinese crews jumped ashore and bolted. TheFamegrappled one, and towed it down the river to Tongku, two tow–boats belonging to a mercantile company took the two others in charge, and theWhitingbrought out the fourth. These four splendid destroyers, if they had been manned with resolute crews, could have sunk six gun–boats without difficulty.“The battle raged till morning. The gun–boats were doing their utmost to keep down the fire of the forts; but although the practice was excellent, they quite failed to do so owing to the fact that it was impossible to get the exact range. Fortunately the fire of the Chinese was extremely inaccurate. The gunners were evidently unaccustomed to work heavy guns, such as they were now handling, and although they stuck gallantly to their work in spite of the large number of casualties, they did little damage. Sometimes the powder charges were altogether too heavy, sometimes so light that the shot never reached the ships. Their shells almost all failed to burst. Sometimes a shot would fall close alongside, and the next would go clean overhead.“As daylight approached, the boats got up anchor, with the exception of theGilyak, which had received a heavy projectile on her water–line. She made water fast, but still maintained a heavy fire, and remained at her moorings while the damage was being temporarily repaired, though she suffered severely in consequence. You may imagine what a state of mind we were all in on board the larger ships. There were those six little boats fighting against a whole chain of huge forts that ought to have sunk them at the first round.“Meanwhile, of course, our fellows, the Russians, and Japs, who had landed the day before, were not idle. Naturally they got under arms as soon as the first gun was fired, but they could really do nothing until daylight, for they were ignorant of the country, which was all cut up with dykes and ditches.“If the force had tried to cross there in the dark they would speedily have been broken up and half of them would have been mired. They chafed very much, however, at the delay, though they recognized the necessity of it, and they set out eagerly at the first gleam of daylight.“When they got up anchor, the gun–boats moved backwards and forwards, engaging a fort here, plumping shell into another somewhere else, and seeming to care nothing at all for the rain of shot and shell to which they were exposed. It was difficult for us to keep count of them, moving about as they did, and more than once a good many of us thought that one of them was gone.“Presently we were all in the boats and making for the shore. Day began to break just as we approached the forts. At this moment the Chinese gunners doubled their fire, and now we thought the gun–boats could never live under such a storm of shot and shell. But their fire was as regular as ever, and the fact that they were all in motion seemed to bother the Chinese gunners as much as the darkness had done. A 10–inch gun isnʼt easily managed by men who have never used such a toy before, so that although the fire from the smaller guns was more accurate than it had been, it seemed to us that the big ones fired less frequently. TheIltiswas hit by a heavy shot, and at the same moment a magazine at the northern end of the south fort blew up. The Chinese fire slackened a little, but in a short time the action was as hot as ever.“We and the Japs were making for the north forts, and the Russians for the other side. I tell you, Bateman, things looked nasty. By six oʼclock the storming parties were near the north forts, and a heavy fire was already opened upon them; but they pushed steadily forward until at eighteen minutes past six the main magazine of the south forts blew up. The concussion was terrible, and a dense black column of smoke and fragments of all sorts rose a thousand feet in the air.“Firing stopped instantly, and for half a minute a dead silence reigned. Then a tremendous cheer rose from the gun–boats and storming parties, and the latter raced forward to the assault. Firing was renewed more briskly than ever on both sides, but at half–past six the resistance had almost ceased, and the British flag was hoisted on the north fort, followed a minute later by that of the Japanese. The garrison of the southern fort, appalled by the destruction that had been made by the explosion, were already in full flight across the plain, and now those on the north side were endeavouring to follow their example.“The number of casualties among the storming party had not been large, that of the British and Japanese amounting to only twenty–six killed and wounded. The casualties in the gun–boats were remarkably few, almost miraculously so considering the fire to which they had been exposed. The Russians had suffered most, having sixteen men killed and three officers and fifty–two men wounded; the Germans had six killed and fifteen wounded; the French one officer killed and one man wounded; and the British three men killed and one officer wounded. The Chinese actually in the forts consisted of three thousand men. The rest were in support behind and near the line of railway, and took no part in the affair. Nearly one thousand killed were found in theforts, and the prisoners, who were nearly as many, were set to throw the bodies into the river.“All communications ceased with Tientsin from the time of the capture of the forts, and it was not till some days afterwards that we learned from a man who rode through the Chinese lines that the place was besieged and that the garrison were hardly able to hold their own.“There is no doubt that it was a fine action, and we, who had been left on board the ship, were very sore at being out of it; but, of course, even if we had been ashore, we should only have been with the assaulting column, and their share in the business was a very small one. The gun–boats had all the fighting and all the glory. I dare say, however, that we shall get our share presently. I donʼt think the Chinese are much good in the open, but I fancy they can stick to their walls, and in the narrow streets we may have very sharp work.”“It must have been a grand affair,” Rex said. “Fancy six little gun–boats fighting for so many hours against forts mounting nearly three hundred guns! Of course some of these couldnʼt be brought to bear upon them, but there must have been enough to blow them out of the water in a quarter of an hour.”“One would certainly think so, but we must remember that the guns had to be very much depressed, and the gunners could not very well make out the boats in the dark. Of course the flashes of their guns showed their position, but I expect the Chinese, who were new hands at the work, did not understand how to sling those heavy pieces about or give them the right elevation. There is no doubt that they stick to their guns manfully. I was talking to some of theAlgerinefellows and they told me that several times when they had managed to send shell after shell close to a gun that hadbeen annoying them, it was silent for a half a minute or so and then, when they thought that they had finished with it, the beggars began to fire again as regularly as before, though it is probable that three–fourths of the detachment before working it had been blown into smithereens.”“Listen! Do you hear the shouting? The relief party must be coming in.”“Oh, bother!” the middy said; “I canʼt be there to see it.”“Well, I can,” Rex said, “I will come back and tell you all about it; but I donʼt suppose I shall hear much till evening. You will be off duty then, wonʼt you?”“Yes.”“Well, then, come and dine at our place. I shall get hold of two or three of the men I went up with if I can.”He went off at a run and soon joined a number of residents and men off duty who were awaiting the arrival of the force. The head of the column was just coming in. A portion of the relief force led, and then Admiral Seymourʼs men, many of them carrying the sick and wounded on stretchers, doors, and other make–shifts. The rest of the force brought up the rear. Seeing Major Johnston coming along with his marines, Rex pressed forward to shake hands with him.“Ah, you got through then, Bateman! I am glad to see you; I have wondered many times whether you got safely into Pekin. I certainly did not expect to see you here, though I thought we might meet when we marched into Pekin.”“Yes, I got in all right. I stopped there till about a week ago, and then came back here. If you have nothing better to do, will you dine with us this evening, and bring Trimmer and Lawson with you?”“With pleasure. We shall scarcely have time to make any mess arrangements for ourselves.”“Have you had heavy fighting?”“We have, indeed, and we have lost a good many men. I began to think at one time that we should not get back, and I believe if we had not taken the arsenal very few of us would have survived to tell the tale. However, I will tell you about that this evening.”“Thank you! I will run home at once and tell my people that you are coming.”Rex hurried home and told his mother that four officers were coming to dinner.“I did not say anything about sleeping here, Mother, but if you can manage it I am sure it would be a blessing to them, for they have only just got in, and will certainly not be able to make other arrangements.”“They will have to be content with very simple fare,” Mrs. Bateman said. “Of course, no fresh meat can be had, so we shall have to manage on tinned meat and vegetables, of which, fortunately, we have an abundant and varied supply.”“You may be sure that they will not be particular, Mother, for I expect they have been on very short rations for some time. You give us a capital dinner every day, and I am sure you can turn out as good a one for them.”Mrs. Bateman smiled.“Well, I dare say we shall manage something that will be good enough for hungry men.”Rex then went down to his friend the middy.“I have nothing to tell you, Robinson,” he said, “but Johnston and two of his chums are going to dine with us, so you will hear it all then, and my mother says she can give you a bed for the night.”“Thanks! that is a luxury indeed, Bateman, only it will be awful getting up so as to be here on duty again at six in the morning.”“Oh, nonsense! no one wants to sleep after five in this weather. I am generally up soon after four.”“Yes, but you must remember that I have had no sleep to speak of for the past three days, and the chances are that we shanʼt turn in until midnight, as we shall have to hear all about the expedition. However, I will put in as much sleep as I can between that hour and five. I had a good four hours this morning.”At half–past seven the three marines and the middy arrived at Mr. Batemanʼs. Rex had, an hour before, gone to Major Johnston, and told him that it had been arranged that he and his friends were to sleep in the house.“That will be a great comfort, Bateman,” he said; “we have not had our clothes off for three weeks, and it will be delicious to lie down between sheets and to have a bath in the morning. I warn you, though, that we shall want a bath before dinner, for we canʼt sit down to a table as we are.”“All right, Major! if you come round in half an hour you will find one ready for you.”Accordingly, on their arrival they were shown at once to their rooms.“I cannot tell you, Bateman,” the major said as they came downstairs again, “how much we are obliged to you. A good dinner is not a thing to be despised, but a bath is even a greater luxury. I am sure I could not have enjoyed dinner unless I had had the bath, for we have had few opportunities for washing since we left here.”An excellent dinner was served, and was greatly enjoyed by the four guests.“I can assure you, Mr. Bateman,” the major said, “that while eating your good fare it is difficult to believe that the past three weeks have not been a very uncomfortable dream.”“How have you been getting on, Mr. Robinson, since you came here?” Mr. Bateman asked.“Nothing to grumble at, sir. We had pretty hard work the first two days, but, thanks to your son, we now have a quiet day of it.”Rex uttered a sharp warning ejaculation as Robinson spoke, but he had not thought of telling him that he and his companions wished nothing to be said about the adventure.“Thanks to my son!” Mr. Bateman repeated in surprise; “what can Rex have had to do with it?”The midshipman, who had too late heard Rexʼs ejaculation, hesitated.“I did not know that he had not told you, sir,” he said, “or else you may be sure I should have said nothing about it.”“Well, but what was it?” he asked.The midshipman looked appealingly at Rex, and the latter said: “Well, Father, it was a little enterprise that Watson and Laurence and I carried out on our own account; nothing worth talking about.”“Well, but what was it, Rex?” his father persisted. “Mr. Robinson says that it has given him better times.”“Well, Father, the fact is, we three and Ah Lo went out and silenced those two guns that were so annoying for some days.”“Well, but how did you do it, Rex? Now we know so much, of course we want to know the rest. What do you know about it, Mr. Robinson?”“Well, sir, all I really know about it is that your son came to me and asked me to allow a lantern to stand on the barricade. Of course I said that there was no objection to that. Then we went back fifty or sixty yards and placed another lantern on a window, so that the two lanterns together werein the exact line with those guns. At midnight Rex and his two friends, with the Chinaman, went out, and that is practically all I know about the matter. I certainly had no idea that Rex had kept the affair a secret. It is certainly a thing of which he had a right to feel very proud, for it was a plucky business, and one which I was very much tempted to take part in.”“Now then, Bateman,” Major Johnston said, “you see your light cannot be hid under a bushel, so you had better make a clean breast of the affair.”Rex saw that it was of no use making any further mystery of it, so he briefly explained how the idea had come into his mind, and how Watson and Laurence had agreed to join him, the steps they had taken for placing the lantern to enable them to find the guns in the dark, how Robinson had explained the working of the various parts of the guns to them, and how they had carried their plan into successful execution.“You ought not have done it,” his father said, when he had finished.“But,” Major Johnston said, “I donʼt think, Mr. Bateman, that your son is to be blamed. It was a splendidly plucky action for which everyone in the settlement should thank him, for it appears that these guns were doing an immense amount of damage. It was an act which I or any other officer in Her Majestyʼs service would have been proud to perform.”“I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “but Rex is always running into danger. I grant that so far he has got through safely, but you know the result of taking a pitcher to a well too often.”“I donʼt think he is likely to come to harm,” the major said, “for it is not as if he undertook these things without thoroughly working his plans out, so that failure is almost animpossibility. On our way up he gave me a brief account of how he had got his cousins out of that rascally governorʼs yamen. I could not get the full details out of him, but judging from what he told me it was certainly an admirably–managed affair. I think, Mr. Bateman, that you have a right to be very proud of him. If he had been in the army he would certainly have earned a V. C. for the way in which he silenced those guns.”“Yes, I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “and wonʼt scold, but all this keeps his mother and myself in a state of great anxiety.”“I donʼt think, Father,” Rex said, “that in an affair of this sort the risk is anything compared with that which one runs in a regular fight. These little excursions I have made have had very little risk in them—practically none. When you come to think of it, I can pass anywhere as a Chinaman, and as I have always travelled at night I have been exposed to practically no danger whatever.”“And so you had sharp fighting here, Mr. Bateman?” the major said, changing the subject.“Not actually severe fighting; that is, the Chinese have never got up really close to us, although they have made a good many rushes, but the bombardment has been very heavy. The French settlement is practically destroyed, and a large number of our houses will have to be rebuilt. But worse than the artillery fire has been the sniping, which has been continuous all round, but more especially on the other side of the river, where it has been absolutely incessant, and where it has been dangerous in the extreme to show oneʼs nose outside oneʼs door. We have done our best to keep it down, but I cannot say that success has attended our efforts, for the Chinese have lain hid among the houses and ruins, and never show themselves except to fire.”“Have the casualties been heavy?”“No; very slight indeed, which,” he added with a smile, “speaks well either for our prudence or for the bad marksmanship of the enemy. We have brought cannon to bear upon them, but they stick there with great tenacity, and I fancy we shall find it very hard work to drive them out from Tientsin. There is the fort, and the yamen, and several other strong buildings; the wall, too, and its defences are strong, and if they stick there as stubbornly as they have done across the river, the city will certainly not be taken without considerable loss of life.”“Do you know when we are going to begin, Mr. Bateman?”“I believe the Russians are going to turn out to–morrow morning; they have only been waiting for your return. Now, I fancy, they will consider that we have strength enough for anything.”“I should think we have,” the major said. “I am sorry to say that you must not put Seymourʼs force above half the strength at which it started. There has been a lot of illness, we have suffered much from hunger and privation, we lost a good many men in the attack on the forts, and many of those still in the ranks will not be fit for service until they have had a few daysʼ rest. If we put a thousand in line to–morrow it would be as much as could be fairly calculated upon. Still, many of those who would not be fit to take part in the attack would be useful for the defence of the town if the Chinese should make a counter attack while the best part of the force is away.”“Now, Major, we are all burning with curiosity to know what has happened to you while you have been away. We have heard a score of rumours, but not one authentic fact. We heard that you had entered Pekin, that you had beenmassacred, that you had disappeared as effectually off the face of the earth as if it had opened and swallowed you up. The very first news we got of your existence was from my son, who reported that on his way down from Pekin he heard heavy and continuous firing in the arsenal of Hsi–Ku, and he concluded that your force must be engaged. Some thought that you must be attacking the place, others that you had taken it and were now besieged. The latter certainly seemed the most reasonable, unless indeed, it was fight between the Boxers and the regular Chinese troops; for if you had not got possession of the arsenal, it was impossible to imagine how you had obtained sufficient provisions to keep you alive so long.”“Yes, that supposition was the correct one, and we were quite on our last legs before we took the place.”“Well, will you please tell us the whole story; it is not nine oʼclock yet, so that, unless you are so dead tired that you cannot go through with it, you will get it done in reasonable time.”“I shall be very happy to do so,” the major said. “If you had asked me this afternoon when we came in, I should have said frankly that I did not feel equal to it; but the bath and the excellent dinner you have given us, have quite set me on my legs again.“You will already have heard from your son what happened on our way up from Lang Fang, and of the little fight we had on the 14th of June. Well, the next day the outposts ran in and reported that the Boxers were at hand in great numbers. The enemy arrived close on their heels and made a determined rush at the fore part of the leading train, which was drawn up beside a well, where the men were engaged in watering. They were met by a withering fire, but pushed on with extreme bravery and did not fall back until some ofthem actually reached the train. Then they could do no more, and retreated, leaving about a hundred dead. This certainly gave us a better idea of their courage, and the difficulties we should be likely to encounter, than anything that had yet happened.“At half–past five in the afternoon a messenger arrived on a trolley from the rear, to say that Lofa station was attacked by a very strong force of the enemy. Number two train had steam up, and the admiral at once took a strong force down in it. On their arrival at the station they found that the fight was over, and the enemy having fallen back discomfited, the reinforcements started in pursuit, and harried their retreat for some distance, accounting for about a hundred of them and capturing a few small cannon.“The next day we remained at Lang Fang, a strong body being employed in repairing the line. Under the protection of a guard a train went back to Lofa, and on its return we learned that the repairs we had affected on the line beyond that place had been a good deal broken up. Later, the officer of the guard at Lofa came in, and reported that three large bodies of Boxers were moving about in the distance, and that he expected an attack would be made on the station. However, they moved off quietly. They were probably on their way to destroy the line, for a train that left at four the next morning for Tientsin came back in the afternoon, with the news that the line was so completely broken up round Lofa that it could not be repaired with the materials and men on board.“The admiral left an hour later to see for himself the state of the line. He pushed on for some distance, his men repairing the line as they went, till he reached Yangstun, but only to find that beyond that point the line was entirely destroyed. It was now evident to the admiral, and to all of us, that if wecontinued to stop at Lang Fang we should ere long have to stop there permanently, for our provisions were almost entirely exhausted. The admiral had seen this some days before, and had sent off several messengers to Tientsin to ask that junks should be sent up the river, and ammunition and provisions forwarded by train to Yangtsun, his intention being to establish a base there. But we never heard any more of these messengers, and the fact stared us in the face that we were absolutely cut off from Tientsin.”CHAPTER XIVSURROUNDEDOn the seventeenth messages were sent to Lofa and Lang Fang to recall the three trains there, but it was evident that it would be impossible to utilize them for our retreat, as they might be suddenly cut off by the Boxers. One came in on the afternoon of the next day, and the others arrived in the evening. They had had some very sharp fighting. The German naval officer, who was in charge of the two trains, reported that he had been attacked early that afternoon by a force of fully five thousand men, including cavalry, a great proportion of whom were armed with magazine rifles of the latest pattern. The attack was made both in front and on the flanks. The troops marched out against them, and although exposed to a heavy fire, forced them to retreat. Nevertheless, when our men retired towards the train, the enemy rallied and advanced again with the evident determination to gain their object; but being beaten off with more loss than before, they finally retreated. Their loss was over four hundred killed, while we had six killed and forty–eight wounded. In the course of the fight a banner was captured which belonged to the army of Tung–Fu–Hsiang. This was the first indication we had that the Imperial Chinese troops had taken the field against us.“A conference of the commanding officers of the various nationalities was held the next day, and it was decided that,as the railway was completely destroyed on both sides of them, and they could not use it either for advance or retreat, it would be better to endeavour to withdraw to Tientsin. Preparations were at once made. The wounded and the few remaining stores were carried down and placed on board some junks that had been captured on the previous day, and at three oʼclock in the afternoon a start was made. Progress, however, was not destined to be rapid, for the junks had not gone far before they grounded in a shallow reach of the river. Three of them were got off pretty easily; but a six–pounder quick–firing gun of theCenturionhad to be thrown overboard to lighten the fourth before she would float. In consequence of this delay, we had only made two and a half miles when night fell. We started early the next morning and were fighting all day, but progress was very much retarded by the necessity for keeping abreast of the junks. The management of these lubberly craft was beyond the European sailors, and as no Chinaman could be got to navigate them they were continually running across the river and getting stuck, so that from four oʼclock in the morning till six in the evening the force only advanced eight miles.“The fighting began at a quarter–past nine. The Chinese occupied a village near the bank, and when they were driven out they fell back to the next village. Here they were reinforced, and village after village had to be carried either by rifle fire, or, in some cases, where the resistance was too obstinate, by a bayonet charge. The Chinese stood splendidly against our rifle fire, but they could not bring themselves to face the bayonet; the cheers of our men seemed to take all the spirit out of them. In the afternoon the Chinese opened fire with a one–pounder quick–firing gun. It did not do any great damage, but it harassed the troops in their advance,especially when they had to cross open ground. The enemy were using smokeless powder, and consequently, as the gun was frequently shifted, we found it impossible to locate its position and so to keep down its fire with musketry.“It was a very trying day. The heat was great, the water in the water–bottles was soon exhausted, and the men were too busily engaged to go down to the river to refill them. The next day was even worse. A start was made at half–past seven, and we had not gone far when we saw some two hundred cavalry on the left flank of the advance guard. All hoped at first that this was a detachment of Cossacks who had come to our aid, but this hope was doomed to disappointment, for as they drew nearer their dress showed that they were Chinese troops. For the rest of the day they hovered about on our left flank, firing when they saw an opportunity; but a few well–directed shrapnel–shell from the nine–pounder sufficed to keep them at a distance. As soon as they had retired, after reconnoitring our position, they opened fire with a field–gun and a one–pounder quick–firing gun. We replied with our nine–pounder and machine–guns, and as the enemy were using ordinary powder, the smoke of which showed their position, they were soon obliged to shift. They were quiet for a time, but they began again in the course of the day, always, however, with the same result. Fighting went on continuously, as village after village, and the town of Peitsang, which is the chief place between Yangtsun and Tientsin, had to be carried.“At six oʼclock in the evening we halted, having arrived opposite a very strong position held by the enemy, from which we were unable to dislodge them. The commanding officers held a council of war, and decided that, after we had had some refreshment and a few hoursʼ rest, we should make a night march as the best chance of getting through. We hadmade only six miles during the day, owing to the stubborn resistance of the enemy and their increased gun power.“In the course of the evening the field and machine–guns were placed on board a junk that had been taken on the previous day, and at one oʼclock in the morning the march recommenced. Fires were soon seen at a little distance from the river bank, and it was obvious that the enemy were by this means signalling our approach. A heavy fire opened on the force from a village some hundred yards ahead, and a shell from a field–piece struck the junk that was carrying the guns, and she filled and had to be abandoned. The guns unfortunately, could not be got off, but the Maxims were saved. The village was carried by the marines with fixed bayonets.“At four oʼclock we arrived opposite a great building, which turned out to be the Imperial arsenal of Hsi Ku. Two unarmed soldiers came out from a house a hundred yards from the bank with the evident intention of communicating with us. Our advance halted, and the men, when they came up, made some simple enquiries as to who we were and where we were going. Having got what information they wanted they sauntered back to the houses, from which, as soon as they reached them a heavy fire was opened with rifles and guns. Fortunately there was good cover close at hand. Some of our fellows occupied a neighbouring village, and others took shelter behind the river embankment.“It was then decided to take the arsenal. The resistance was becoming more severe with every yard the force advanced, the provisions were almost exhausted, and the troops, who had been for some time on half–rations, were exhausted with the heat and their continual exertions. The attack was begun with a heavy rifle fire against a Hotchkiss gun in the north corner of the arsenal and two guns on the river front,which were soon silenced. A body of marines and seamen was then directed to cross the river higher up, and, if possible, to rush the enemyʼs position at the north corner. Fortunately there was a village only a hundred and fifty yards from this point, and the sailors, having crawled up there unobserved, dashed out of cover at the double with a cheer, in which the troops on the other side of the river joined, and the Chinese at the corner they were making for bolted at once. Lower down the river a German detachment had crossed and captured the guns in their front, and subsequently several others. Between them the two bodies cleared out the armoury.“In the afternoon the Chinese made a most determined attempt to retake the arsenal, advancing boldly under a very heavy shell fire. As, however, we had the captured guns, we drove the enemy back with heavy losses, but not before we had suffered considerably ourselves. The main body of the troops and the wounded were in the meantime crossing, and late in the afternoon the whole force was safe in the arsenal.“Things looked better now than they had done since we had left Tientsin. Of course we had no knowledge at all of what was going on there, and thought that we should only have to maintain ourselves till a force was sent out to our assistance.“Several messengers had been sent on during the march, and during the night three officers with a hundred marines set out to try to make their way down to Tientsin. They had scarcely started, however, when they encountered a determined resistance. Bugles sounded in all directions, and finding that the whole force of the enemy was upon them, and having lost four of their number, they had no option but to fall back. At daylight the Chinese made another desperateattempt to retake the armoury, and maintained this until eight oʼclock, when they were beaten off.“We had now time to make a thorough investigation of the contents of the various buildings, and to our delight we found a store of some fifteen tons of rice. This placed us for some time beyond the risk of starvation. We discovered, too, an immense supply of guns, arms, and ammunition, and war material of the latest pattern, so that we felt capable of holding out for a long time. At a council of war it was considered to be impossible to force a way down, for we had now no fewer than two hundred and thirty wounded to carry. Our first move was to mount a number of guns on the various fronts of the arsenal, and with these we opened fire upon a Boxer stronghold situated near the arsenal and the Chinese fort lower down the river. The effect was excellent; the Chinese retired, and made no fresh attempt to retake the place.“On the twenty–fifth European troops were reported in sight, and at seven oʼclock the relief column under Colonel Shirinsky arrived at the fort. Preparations were at once made for the evacuation of the armoury and for the destruction of the arsenal. The wounded were transported across the river in the afternoon, and the whole force followed later. At three oʼclock on the following morning we started, two officers remaining behind to set fire to the ammunition and store–houses. Fires were lit in five separate places, and from the volumes of smoke that rose from the building, and the explosions which we heard from that direction, the destruction seemed fairly complete. The officers crossed the river after lighting the fires, mounted ponies that were waiting for them, and then rejoined the main body, which met with no further resistance.“The country through which we passed was flat, and alongthe river banks villages of mud–huts, generally surrounded with enclosures of dried reeds, were scattered at frequent intervals. Near the villages high reeds grew plentifully in patches, and trees were numerous. These, with the entrenchments for irrigation and against flood, and the graves everywhere scattered about, afforded excellent cover to the enemy; they seldom exposed themselves, always withdrawing as we advanced. Their fire was generally very high; had it been otherwise we should have suffered very severely. Altogether, I think that, although we failed in our object, the affair has been very creditable, and, considering the difficulties to which we were exposed, none of those who took part in it have any reason to be ashamed of what they have done. At the beginning our opponents were largely armed only with swords and spears, but in the latter part we had to encounter trained troops excellently armed and provided with guns, and there can be no doubt that all these belonged to the regular army.”“Thank you very much, Major Johnston, for your interesting account!” Mr. Bateman said. “We have been fighting nearly as hard here for the past ten days, and I hope now that in a short time we shall begin to turn the tables upon them. I expect you will have hard work before you to take Tientsin, for there you will probably be opposed by all the troops with whom you have hitherto been engaged. I have no doubt that they have followed you down to–day, anticipating that we shall now take the offensive.”“Yes, I expect we shall have some stiff fighting,” Major Johnston said, “but you may be sure that we shaʼnʼt shirk it. Well, I think now, with your permission, that we will turn in. We had no sleep to speak of last night, and may be wanted again early in the morning.”The three officers were up early and went down to see afterthe marines, and Rex went out with them to hear what was going to be done. The town presented a very different appearance from that which it had shown for the past ten days. The streets were no longer deserted, but swarmed everywhere with troops; bugles were blowing, and all was life and bustle. The houses that had been closed were open again, and men congratulated each other that the strain was over. Rex went down to the shed which was the head–quarters of the volunteers. Here some twenty or thirty had already assembled. Rex was, of course, in the simple uniform of the corps, and had brought his rifle with him.“What is going to be done?” he asked.“We donʼt know yet,” said one of his friends. “The Russians are certainly going to march out, and I suppose a mixed column will also go, in which case we shall accompany it. I expect we shall get orders before long.”Tientsin is one of the most important towns in China. Standing as it does at the junction of the Peiho, the Grand Canal, the Lupi Canal, and five smaller streams and canals, it is not only the port of Pekin, but practically the sole outlet of the trade of the whole of the north–western provinces of China. Its population amounts to nearly a million, and its trade is considerably better than that of Canton, and is exceeded only by that of Shanghai. The native city is enclosed in sombre walls, and lies some two miles farther up the river than the foreign settlements. The imports of Tientsin include not only European manufactures, but also sugar, salt, and the tribute rice of the southern provinces. From the interior there is a vast export trade in the wood and furs of Manchuria and Mongolia, the teas of Hang–Chow, and the ground–nuts and bristles of Chih–li.The foreign trade was growing rapidly, and would haveincreased still more but for the want of water in the Peiho. This river is about the size of the Thames at Richmond, but it used to be deep, with rapid currents, and large ocean–going steamers were able to come up to the settlements to unload. The extensive canal and irrigation works, however, have of late years greatly diminished the flow of water, so that now vessels of any considerable draught have to remain outside the bar, thirteen miles out at sea, and even small vessels can only come as far as Tonku, three miles up the river mouth.As soon as it was known that the allied generals had decided upon the bombardment of the city, earnest protestations were made by the leading merchants of all nationalities, but the military necessities overruled their wishes. Until the town was captured the settlements would be practically beleaguered, and it would be impossible to make an advance to Pekin and leave the large Chinese force in the city behind. Moreover, if the advance did not take place, not only would the Legations at Pekin inevitably fall, but the life of every European in China would be in jeopardy. Consequently the allied generals arrived unanimously at the conclusion that the bombardment and assault of Tientsin was an absolute and vital necessity. Already there had been an enormous loss of life there. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of the Chinese suspected of being favourable to the allies had been sacrificed, and in the perpetration of these outrages whole streets had been destroyed by fire. It was therefore necessary, if for no other reason, to inflict a terrible lesson upon the Chinese troops who occupied the city.The Chinese were convinced that it would be impossible for the Europeans to capture their city, held as it was by a greatly superior force of regular Chinese troops, and protected by a very large number of guns.The bombardment was to be greatly deplored, for the enormous injury inflicted upon Tientsin could not but cripple the trade there for many years, and probably divert it to other channels. Still, the necessity could not be denied, grievous though its effects might be.The Russians had already started from their camp, which was on the opposite side of the river, in the foreign settlements, and marched against the Peiyang arsenal, which is on the same side, about a mile and a half up. It was defended by several thousand Chinese, with six nine–pounder Krupps. The attack had to be made across an open plain, and this was swept by an incessant rifle fire, while the Chinese artillery made excellent practice. The casualties mounted up quickly, and before long a halt was called, and messengers were sent to Tientsin to ask for reinforcements.When the messengers arrived, the bugle sounded and the troops hastily assembled. The whole of the Naval Brigade, under Captain Bourke of theOrlando, was called out, including a battalion of marines under Major Johnston, and with them went a twelve–pounder gun from theTerrible. The American Marine Artillery also went out, together with a detachment of Tientsin volunteers. When they got to the scene of action, they found the Russians shelling the arsenal under cover of the railway embankment.No movement was made till eleven oʼclock, when a Russian shell exploded in the principal Chinese magazine, which contained no less than eighty tons of powder. The explosion was terrific, and for some minutes a great cloud of smoke hung over the arsenal. The shock was so severe that soldiers who were standing up at the time were thrown off their feet by it, and the sound was heard distinctly at Taku, thirty miles away. The British had increased their fire, and shortly afterwards aTerribletwelve–pounder put a shell into thesmaller magazine, which also blew up. Each explosion was hailed by the troops with tremendous cheers, which a few minutes later were redoubled when the Chinese were seen leaving the fort. The British and Americans, who were nearer than the Russians, at once advanced at the double. Some Chinese, composed of sterner stuff than their comrades, still kept up their fire, causing some casualties, but they also retreated in good time to secure their own safety.When the storming party was close to the arsenal, what seemed to be a tremendous musketry fire broke out from the building, and, supposing that there was still a very large force there, the troops halted. Presently, however, the fire ceased altogether, and they again advanced. When they entered the place they discovered that the fire that had checked them was not musketry, but long strings of crackers which the Chinese had prepared to check any storming party, and thus secure their own retreat. Angry as the troops were at being deceived, they laughed heartily at the trick that had been played upon them.After the arsenal was occupied, a large mixed force of Chinese regulars and Boxers came out from Tientsin city, at the back of the railway–station, and placed themselves between the arsenal and the river, on the very ground the British and Americans had occupied, and their first act was to massacre all the wounded who had been left there. One poor fellow alone was saved, for although he had been very seriously wounded in both legs he managed to run, and the British–Chinese regiment coming up at the moment, he was able to reach the arsenal in safety.The murder of the wounded exasperated the troops to the last degree, and palliated, if it did not excuse, the general refusal of quarter to the Chinese during the campaign. In Tientsin a document was found showing that rewards hadbeen paid to several Chinese who had brought in the heads of British and American soldiers.The capture of the arsenal enabled all the women and children to be sent away within the next few days, which was a fortunate occurrence, for large reinforcements of Chinese troops entered the city the day after, and the settlements were again exposed to a vigorous fire.Reinforcements were coming up, but even yet the force was not considered sufficiently strong to attack Tientsin. The destruction caused by the Chinese fire was very great; numbers of houses were burnt, many containing stores of great value. In one of these alone, twenty thousand pounds worth of furs and other Chinese produce was consumed.Rex was maddened by the delay which occurred after the arsenal had been taken. It was a fixed idea among the military men that Pekin had fallen, and its occupants had been massacred. Many rumours to this effect had indeed been received, and Rex found his assertions that the Legations were well able to hold out received with absolute incredulity. He repeatedly urged his opinion on Major Johnston, but that officer said that all the officers in command were so firmly convinced that it was quite useless for him to bring the matter before them.“You see,” he said, “it is now a fortnight since you left the place, and it may very well have fallen by this time. You yourself reported the state of things on your arrival, but so much has occurred since then, and the Chinese have fought so pluckily, that one cannot imagine it possible that the mere handful of men in the Legations can have resisted any determined attack. At the time you left, the news of the fighting here could not have arrived, but I fear that when the fierce fighting here became known, the anger of the Chinese would be raised to such a point that they wouldmake a general and furious attack on the Legations, in which case you acknowledge yourself that they must have fallen. Besides, however anxious everyone may be for our advance, nothing can be done until Tientsin is taken.”Rex could not but acknowledge the justice of this reasoning. He was strongly tempted to make another journey to Pekin, but so many of Admiral Seymourʼs messengers had failed that he felt that he could not ask his fatherʼs permission to undertake it. He spent his days, whether on or off duty, at the barricades, keeping up a vengeful fire on the Chinese. His love of fun had entirely left him, and his face was as stern as that of the oldest soldier.“It is horrible, Father,” he said, “to think that the girls and all others in the Legation may be massacred before we get there. I wonʼt believe that it has been captured yet, in spite of the numerous reports that reach us; but if we keep on delaying as we are doing now, the Legations may very well have fallen before we get there. I bitterly regret that I came down, for I might, had I remained at Pekin, have succeeded somehow in saving the girls.”“I donʼt think you could have done so, and you would only have thrown away your own life. You must remember that, dear as the girls are to us, you are naturally far dearer. It is a very serious business attacking Tientsin, and a repulse would be telegraphed all over China and turn all the waverers against us. It would be an awful affair, and eagerly as I long for a relieving force to set out, I feel that it cannot be attempted until we have a force sufficient to ensure the capture of Tientsin, and to be able to fight its way up against the opposition which it will certainly meet with.”“Possibly that opposition will not be serious, Father, when we have once turned them out of Tientsin.”“That is possible, Rex; but I fear that even then therewill be delays. It is a great pity that this force is not under one head, and composed of men of one nation. As it is, every step to be taken has to be discussed and decided upon by the officers in command of the various nationalities. There are, it is well known, all sorts of bickerings and jealousies between them. The Russians want to have everything their own way, and the general opinion is that they are fighting only for their own advantage, and that they are bent upon the destruction of Tientsin and the practical annihilation of the trade of the place, in order to divert the whole of the trade of the north–west to Port Arthur.“The Japanese interest lies exactly the other way. Here Japan is acquiring a good share of the trade, but if it were turned to the Manchurian port she would lose it altogether. Naturally, therefore, as her force here is about as strong as that of Russia, her generals are not disposed to let the latter entirely have their own way. As for ourselves, our interests are as large as all the others put together, and we have had more than our share of fighting, but unfortunately we have no officer of sufficient rank and command to hold the Russians in check.“However, at present no preparations whatever have been made for an advance upon Pekin. Nothing is thought or talked of but Tientsin, and yet, after the city is taken, there will be a great deal to arrange before we can move forward. It is certain that the advancing force must move by the river; in no other way could the army be provisioned, for the railway is wrecked from end to end, and I should say that, even with hard work and without opposition, it would take at least a month to restore it to order. Well, it will be necessary to collect a great number of junks—river junks, for the sea–going craft would draw far too much water. Then a great quantity of stores must be got together. Itseems to me that while the troops are waiting here for reinforcements they ought to be making preparations for the advance.“Of course I am no judge whatever of military matters, but it does seem to me, as it seems to every civilian here, that at least something ought to be done, and that with the force we have here it is disgraceful that we should be doing nothing while our countrymen are fighting for their lives at Pekin. However, I suppose the present state of things cannot last indefinitely. I have no doubt that telegrams have been sent by all the nations in Europe to their military representatives here urging them to make an effort to relieve the Legations, though unfortunately, as we learn from Shanghai, it appears to be almost a settled conviction in Europe, as it is among the military men here, that the Legations have already fallen and all within them perished.“The Empress of China is the one person responsible for all this mischief. If she had set her face firmly against the Boxers from the first, and issued stringent instructions to her generals to stamp them out, they would never have been formidable. The encouragement that she gave them, and the punishment she inflicted upon the few generals who did their duty and attacked them, has caused this. It was because they were allowed to attack the Legations and destroy the railway that the allies were forced to capture the Taku Forts, and the capture of the Taku Forts at once caused the Chinese army to make common cause with the Boxers. One step has been necessitated by another, and were it not that the viceroys of the Yangtse Valley have declined to obey her commands, and have maintained order in the districts under them, the whole of China would be in a blaze, and every European outside the treaty ports would have been massacred.“As soon as the affair is over I shall return to Europe, andremain there for at least a couple of years, for certainly there will be no renewal of trade within that time. You may be sure that every merchant in the Chinese city who carried on dealings with us, and was therefore suspected of being well–disposed towards us, is among the vast number who have been massacred. We know that the quarter inhabited by them has been almost destroyed, and before this can be rebuilt, and a fresh body of men take their places, a very considerable time must elapse.”
CHAPTER XIIICAPTURING THE TAKU FORTSOne afternoon Rex went to see his friend the midshipman at the barricade.“I wish you would tell me,” Rex said, “all about the capture of the Taku Forts. Beyond the fact that they were captured I have heard next to nothing.”“Well, it is rather a long story,” the middy said, “but as everything is quiet, I donʼt mind telling you about it if you like.”“I should be very much obliged if you would,” Rex said.“Well, then, here goes. You have not seen the place, I suppose?”“No.”“Well, the mouth of the river is strongly fortified, especially on the north side, where there is a big casemated fort with earthworks, mounting altogether some fifty guns of different sizes. A third of a mile farther up the river is the inner fort, which is very strong, but smaller than the other, and mounts about thirty guns. An earthwork covered–way connects the two forts, and the parapet is pierced for many small guns. On the south side, extending a mile along the shore, are a number of casemated batteries, mounting about one hundred and twenty guns. These are good guns, and for the most part modern. There is also an inner fort a mile inland, built for the defence of the main magazines.“All these fortifications consist of earthworks with cementand concrete galleries. They are wonderfully well built; certainly as good as any I have ever seen. You see, mud is the usual substance with which they build houses in China, and they are wonderfully clever with it. At many points of the fortification there are high and very powerful redoubts, which carry at their angles very big modern guns, mostly Krupp quick–firers. All these forts seem to have been designed by foreigners; I donʼt think the Chinese would ever have been up to such work if they hadnʼt had foreign instructors. Apparently, however, they sacked these fellows when they had finished the batteries, and themselves carried out the rest of the work. There hasnʼt been any regular garrison in these forts for some years, but officials and hangers–on have resided there. When the row began, however, troops came marching in, and we calculated that at the time of the bombardment they were occupied by some eight thousand men. I fancy they were good soldiers, for they came from Hunan, which province is considered to turn out the best soldiers in China. Their general, Liu, came from the same place.“Unfortunately the water near the forts is very shoal, and war–vessels that drew twenty feet of water were obliged to heave–to five miles off the bar; that is to say, ten miles off the forts. By the fifteenth there were twenty–five foreign men–of–war here—British, French, German, Austrian, Russian, Italian, and Japanese. An American ship came up a day or two before the battle. It was difficult getting news so far out, so the admiralʼs light–draught yacht anchored close outside the bar, and they ran a wire into the destroyer Fame, which was anchored just outside the fort. By this means despatches were wired out to the yacht, and either flashed or semaphored to the fleet. A mile above the fort was the Imperial naval yard and docks, and lying moored to thewharves were four very fine thirty–two–knot German–built destroyers, with full Chinese crews on board.“During the day before the battle everyone was on the qui vive, for it was known that a summons to surrender next day had been sent in to the forts. Only two trains were despatched for Tientsin, and both these had to be worked by engineers from the fleet, for all the Chinese had disappeared. A large Japanese force was landed from their ship, and encamped by the side of the railway at Tongku, two miles from the forts. Later in the day they shifted camp to the other side of the railway, to make room for a large Russian infantry force that had just come in from Port Arthur. Two hundred blue–jackets from our ships encamped near them in the evening, at the head of the road to the forts. A train came down from Tientsin in the afternoon containing a number of foreigners, principally women and children, who at once took shelter on some merchant steamers lying off the wharves.“During the day theFamedropped her end of the wire, and, steaming up the river, took up her station by the four Chinese destroyers in the middle yard. TheAlgerine, which had been lying between the north and south forts, also moved up the river to a berth about a third of a mile off the inner north fort. A quarter of a mile higher three Russian gun–boats were moored in line; higher still lay the German gun–boats, moored to one of the wharves; and a little lower down was the FrenchLion. At another wharf higher up lay the JapaneseAtago, and higher up the United States paddle–wheel steamerMonocacy. I hope I am not boring you with too many particulars?”“Not at all, I am much obliged to you for giving me such a good account; I seem to be able to see the whole thing.”“Well, I must tell you that theMonocacyhad beenordered to take no share in the business, but she did useful work in giving shelter to a number of women and children. Although we knew that an ultimatum had been sent in, nobody dreamed that the rumpus was going to begin so soon. We thought that, as usual, messages would be exchanged, and that the thing would drag on a little before anything serious came of it. TheAlgerinehad her ventilators up, masts all standing, and yards crossed. The Germans on theIltishad landed their boats and ventilators some days before; theLionhad housed her ventilators but still had her yards crossed. At nine oʼclock a long searchlight train went out under the command of Lieutenants Kirkpatrick and Riley, with the twelve–pounder Hotchkiss, two Maxims, and a hundred men—German, British, and French. It was stoked by British blue–jackets, and was driven by a German engineer from theIltis.“All watched the glare of the searchlight for about three hours, till it disappeared across the plain in the direction of Tientsin. Then all who were on the port watch turned in. We had scarcely got into our hammocks when there was the boom of a heavy gun, and you can imagine how quickly we all jumped into our clothes again and ran on deck. We could see that the inner north fort was firing, and guessed that theAlgerine, which was lying nearest to her, was the target. No return shot came from her, and it was evident that she was taken as much by surprise as we were. Bom, bom, bom went the big guns. It was about five minutes before theAlgerinereplied, and shortly afterwards the three Russian gun–boats returned the fire, and theIltisand theLionalso joined in.“Of course, all this part of the business I am telling you from hearsay, for we were necessarily only spectators of the affray; and you can imagine, Bateman, that we were hopping mad with being altogether out of it. It was enough tomake one tear oneʼs hair. However, the great part of the blue–jackets and marines were ashore, and would soon be having a look–in; but there were we, as much out of it as if we were off Spithead. Well, of course, now that I have had my turn ashore here I am satisfied, but at the time it was maddening.“Nevertheless it was a splendid sight, I can tell you. All the forts had now joined in, and the flashes that burst from them and from the gun–boats were almost incessant. In a few minutes theIltissteamed down at full speed from her wharf and joined the three Russians and theAlgerine, the crews of which cheered her enthusiastically as she went into action. Shortly afterwards the FrenchLionalso came down. She had been lying with her head up the river, and so had taken longer than theIltis. She, too, was warmly welcomed. The whole of the forts were now pouring in a heavy cannonade, and every gun that could be brought to bear from the six gun–boats replied at a range of hardly a mile. TheIltis, with her eight 3.4 quick–firers, and theAlgerine, with her 4–inch guns, engaged the north fort. TheLion, with her two 5.5–inch guns, joined them, while the three Russians directed their fire on the south forts. They were all heavily armed, theBobrhad a 9–inch gun in her bows, and a 6–inch in her stern. TheCorkoretchhad two 8–inch guns and one 6–inch, and theGilyakhad one 4–inch gun in her bows, two 2.6–inch guns and four 1.8–inch guns in her military top.“All the ships kept up a heavy and methodical fire from the machine–guns in their tops, and so searched out the bastions; while the heavy guns made it impossible for the gunners to stick to their work. It was, however, difficult to keep up an accurate fire against a gun in the shade of the forts. Many of the Chinese soldiers left the fort, and, taking cover among the mud–houses, maintained a heavy fire on themen on deck and in the tops, and theGilyak, which was closest to the village, suffered heavily.“Meanwhile theFameand theWhitinghad been ordered to attack the four Chinese destroyers lying in dock. As they approached, however, the Chinese crews jumped ashore and bolted. TheFamegrappled one, and towed it down the river to Tongku, two tow–boats belonging to a mercantile company took the two others in charge, and theWhitingbrought out the fourth. These four splendid destroyers, if they had been manned with resolute crews, could have sunk six gun–boats without difficulty.“The battle raged till morning. The gun–boats were doing their utmost to keep down the fire of the forts; but although the practice was excellent, they quite failed to do so owing to the fact that it was impossible to get the exact range. Fortunately the fire of the Chinese was extremely inaccurate. The gunners were evidently unaccustomed to work heavy guns, such as they were now handling, and although they stuck gallantly to their work in spite of the large number of casualties, they did little damage. Sometimes the powder charges were altogether too heavy, sometimes so light that the shot never reached the ships. Their shells almost all failed to burst. Sometimes a shot would fall close alongside, and the next would go clean overhead.“As daylight approached, the boats got up anchor, with the exception of theGilyak, which had received a heavy projectile on her water–line. She made water fast, but still maintained a heavy fire, and remained at her moorings while the damage was being temporarily repaired, though she suffered severely in consequence. You may imagine what a state of mind we were all in on board the larger ships. There were those six little boats fighting against a whole chain of huge forts that ought to have sunk them at the first round.“Meanwhile, of course, our fellows, the Russians, and Japs, who had landed the day before, were not idle. Naturally they got under arms as soon as the first gun was fired, but they could really do nothing until daylight, for they were ignorant of the country, which was all cut up with dykes and ditches.“If the force had tried to cross there in the dark they would speedily have been broken up and half of them would have been mired. They chafed very much, however, at the delay, though they recognized the necessity of it, and they set out eagerly at the first gleam of daylight.“When they got up anchor, the gun–boats moved backwards and forwards, engaging a fort here, plumping shell into another somewhere else, and seeming to care nothing at all for the rain of shot and shell to which they were exposed. It was difficult for us to keep count of them, moving about as they did, and more than once a good many of us thought that one of them was gone.“Presently we were all in the boats and making for the shore. Day began to break just as we approached the forts. At this moment the Chinese gunners doubled their fire, and now we thought the gun–boats could never live under such a storm of shot and shell. But their fire was as regular as ever, and the fact that they were all in motion seemed to bother the Chinese gunners as much as the darkness had done. A 10–inch gun isnʼt easily managed by men who have never used such a toy before, so that although the fire from the smaller guns was more accurate than it had been, it seemed to us that the big ones fired less frequently. TheIltiswas hit by a heavy shot, and at the same moment a magazine at the northern end of the south fort blew up. The Chinese fire slackened a little, but in a short time the action was as hot as ever.“We and the Japs were making for the north forts, and the Russians for the other side. I tell you, Bateman, things looked nasty. By six oʼclock the storming parties were near the north forts, and a heavy fire was already opened upon them; but they pushed steadily forward until at eighteen minutes past six the main magazine of the south forts blew up. The concussion was terrible, and a dense black column of smoke and fragments of all sorts rose a thousand feet in the air.“Firing stopped instantly, and for half a minute a dead silence reigned. Then a tremendous cheer rose from the gun–boats and storming parties, and the latter raced forward to the assault. Firing was renewed more briskly than ever on both sides, but at half–past six the resistance had almost ceased, and the British flag was hoisted on the north fort, followed a minute later by that of the Japanese. The garrison of the southern fort, appalled by the destruction that had been made by the explosion, were already in full flight across the plain, and now those on the north side were endeavouring to follow their example.“The number of casualties among the storming party had not been large, that of the British and Japanese amounting to only twenty–six killed and wounded. The casualties in the gun–boats were remarkably few, almost miraculously so considering the fire to which they had been exposed. The Russians had suffered most, having sixteen men killed and three officers and fifty–two men wounded; the Germans had six killed and fifteen wounded; the French one officer killed and one man wounded; and the British three men killed and one officer wounded. The Chinese actually in the forts consisted of three thousand men. The rest were in support behind and near the line of railway, and took no part in the affair. Nearly one thousand killed were found in theforts, and the prisoners, who were nearly as many, were set to throw the bodies into the river.“All communications ceased with Tientsin from the time of the capture of the forts, and it was not till some days afterwards that we learned from a man who rode through the Chinese lines that the place was besieged and that the garrison were hardly able to hold their own.“There is no doubt that it was a fine action, and we, who had been left on board the ship, were very sore at being out of it; but, of course, even if we had been ashore, we should only have been with the assaulting column, and their share in the business was a very small one. The gun–boats had all the fighting and all the glory. I dare say, however, that we shall get our share presently. I donʼt think the Chinese are much good in the open, but I fancy they can stick to their walls, and in the narrow streets we may have very sharp work.”“It must have been a grand affair,” Rex said. “Fancy six little gun–boats fighting for so many hours against forts mounting nearly three hundred guns! Of course some of these couldnʼt be brought to bear upon them, but there must have been enough to blow them out of the water in a quarter of an hour.”“One would certainly think so, but we must remember that the guns had to be very much depressed, and the gunners could not very well make out the boats in the dark. Of course the flashes of their guns showed their position, but I expect the Chinese, who were new hands at the work, did not understand how to sling those heavy pieces about or give them the right elevation. There is no doubt that they stick to their guns manfully. I was talking to some of theAlgerinefellows and they told me that several times when they had managed to send shell after shell close to a gun that hadbeen annoying them, it was silent for a half a minute or so and then, when they thought that they had finished with it, the beggars began to fire again as regularly as before, though it is probable that three–fourths of the detachment before working it had been blown into smithereens.”“Listen! Do you hear the shouting? The relief party must be coming in.”“Oh, bother!” the middy said; “I canʼt be there to see it.”“Well, I can,” Rex said, “I will come back and tell you all about it; but I donʼt suppose I shall hear much till evening. You will be off duty then, wonʼt you?”“Yes.”“Well, then, come and dine at our place. I shall get hold of two or three of the men I went up with if I can.”He went off at a run and soon joined a number of residents and men off duty who were awaiting the arrival of the force. The head of the column was just coming in. A portion of the relief force led, and then Admiral Seymourʼs men, many of them carrying the sick and wounded on stretchers, doors, and other make–shifts. The rest of the force brought up the rear. Seeing Major Johnston coming along with his marines, Rex pressed forward to shake hands with him.“Ah, you got through then, Bateman! I am glad to see you; I have wondered many times whether you got safely into Pekin. I certainly did not expect to see you here, though I thought we might meet when we marched into Pekin.”“Yes, I got in all right. I stopped there till about a week ago, and then came back here. If you have nothing better to do, will you dine with us this evening, and bring Trimmer and Lawson with you?”“With pleasure. We shall scarcely have time to make any mess arrangements for ourselves.”“Have you had heavy fighting?”“We have, indeed, and we have lost a good many men. I began to think at one time that we should not get back, and I believe if we had not taken the arsenal very few of us would have survived to tell the tale. However, I will tell you about that this evening.”“Thank you! I will run home at once and tell my people that you are coming.”Rex hurried home and told his mother that four officers were coming to dinner.“I did not say anything about sleeping here, Mother, but if you can manage it I am sure it would be a blessing to them, for they have only just got in, and will certainly not be able to make other arrangements.”“They will have to be content with very simple fare,” Mrs. Bateman said. “Of course, no fresh meat can be had, so we shall have to manage on tinned meat and vegetables, of which, fortunately, we have an abundant and varied supply.”“You may be sure that they will not be particular, Mother, for I expect they have been on very short rations for some time. You give us a capital dinner every day, and I am sure you can turn out as good a one for them.”Mrs. Bateman smiled.“Well, I dare say we shall manage something that will be good enough for hungry men.”Rex then went down to his friend the middy.“I have nothing to tell you, Robinson,” he said, “but Johnston and two of his chums are going to dine with us, so you will hear it all then, and my mother says she can give you a bed for the night.”“Thanks! that is a luxury indeed, Bateman, only it will be awful getting up so as to be here on duty again at six in the morning.”“Oh, nonsense! no one wants to sleep after five in this weather. I am generally up soon after four.”“Yes, but you must remember that I have had no sleep to speak of for the past three days, and the chances are that we shanʼt turn in until midnight, as we shall have to hear all about the expedition. However, I will put in as much sleep as I can between that hour and five. I had a good four hours this morning.”At half–past seven the three marines and the middy arrived at Mr. Batemanʼs. Rex had, an hour before, gone to Major Johnston, and told him that it had been arranged that he and his friends were to sleep in the house.“That will be a great comfort, Bateman,” he said; “we have not had our clothes off for three weeks, and it will be delicious to lie down between sheets and to have a bath in the morning. I warn you, though, that we shall want a bath before dinner, for we canʼt sit down to a table as we are.”“All right, Major! if you come round in half an hour you will find one ready for you.”Accordingly, on their arrival they were shown at once to their rooms.“I cannot tell you, Bateman,” the major said as they came downstairs again, “how much we are obliged to you. A good dinner is not a thing to be despised, but a bath is even a greater luxury. I am sure I could not have enjoyed dinner unless I had had the bath, for we have had few opportunities for washing since we left here.”An excellent dinner was served, and was greatly enjoyed by the four guests.“I can assure you, Mr. Bateman,” the major said, “that while eating your good fare it is difficult to believe that the past three weeks have not been a very uncomfortable dream.”“How have you been getting on, Mr. Robinson, since you came here?” Mr. Bateman asked.“Nothing to grumble at, sir. We had pretty hard work the first two days, but, thanks to your son, we now have a quiet day of it.”Rex uttered a sharp warning ejaculation as Robinson spoke, but he had not thought of telling him that he and his companions wished nothing to be said about the adventure.“Thanks to my son!” Mr. Bateman repeated in surprise; “what can Rex have had to do with it?”The midshipman, who had too late heard Rexʼs ejaculation, hesitated.“I did not know that he had not told you, sir,” he said, “or else you may be sure I should have said nothing about it.”“Well, but what was it?” he asked.The midshipman looked appealingly at Rex, and the latter said: “Well, Father, it was a little enterprise that Watson and Laurence and I carried out on our own account; nothing worth talking about.”“Well, but what was it, Rex?” his father persisted. “Mr. Robinson says that it has given him better times.”“Well, Father, the fact is, we three and Ah Lo went out and silenced those two guns that were so annoying for some days.”“Well, but how did you do it, Rex? Now we know so much, of course we want to know the rest. What do you know about it, Mr. Robinson?”“Well, sir, all I really know about it is that your son came to me and asked me to allow a lantern to stand on the barricade. Of course I said that there was no objection to that. Then we went back fifty or sixty yards and placed another lantern on a window, so that the two lanterns together werein the exact line with those guns. At midnight Rex and his two friends, with the Chinaman, went out, and that is practically all I know about the matter. I certainly had no idea that Rex had kept the affair a secret. It is certainly a thing of which he had a right to feel very proud, for it was a plucky business, and one which I was very much tempted to take part in.”“Now then, Bateman,” Major Johnston said, “you see your light cannot be hid under a bushel, so you had better make a clean breast of the affair.”Rex saw that it was of no use making any further mystery of it, so he briefly explained how the idea had come into his mind, and how Watson and Laurence had agreed to join him, the steps they had taken for placing the lantern to enable them to find the guns in the dark, how Robinson had explained the working of the various parts of the guns to them, and how they had carried their plan into successful execution.“You ought not have done it,” his father said, when he had finished.“But,” Major Johnston said, “I donʼt think, Mr. Bateman, that your son is to be blamed. It was a splendidly plucky action for which everyone in the settlement should thank him, for it appears that these guns were doing an immense amount of damage. It was an act which I or any other officer in Her Majestyʼs service would have been proud to perform.”“I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “but Rex is always running into danger. I grant that so far he has got through safely, but you know the result of taking a pitcher to a well too often.”“I donʼt think he is likely to come to harm,” the major said, “for it is not as if he undertook these things without thoroughly working his plans out, so that failure is almost animpossibility. On our way up he gave me a brief account of how he had got his cousins out of that rascally governorʼs yamen. I could not get the full details out of him, but judging from what he told me it was certainly an admirably–managed affair. I think, Mr. Bateman, that you have a right to be very proud of him. If he had been in the army he would certainly have earned a V. C. for the way in which he silenced those guns.”“Yes, I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “and wonʼt scold, but all this keeps his mother and myself in a state of great anxiety.”“I donʼt think, Father,” Rex said, “that in an affair of this sort the risk is anything compared with that which one runs in a regular fight. These little excursions I have made have had very little risk in them—practically none. When you come to think of it, I can pass anywhere as a Chinaman, and as I have always travelled at night I have been exposed to practically no danger whatever.”“And so you had sharp fighting here, Mr. Bateman?” the major said, changing the subject.“Not actually severe fighting; that is, the Chinese have never got up really close to us, although they have made a good many rushes, but the bombardment has been very heavy. The French settlement is practically destroyed, and a large number of our houses will have to be rebuilt. But worse than the artillery fire has been the sniping, which has been continuous all round, but more especially on the other side of the river, where it has been absolutely incessant, and where it has been dangerous in the extreme to show oneʼs nose outside oneʼs door. We have done our best to keep it down, but I cannot say that success has attended our efforts, for the Chinese have lain hid among the houses and ruins, and never show themselves except to fire.”“Have the casualties been heavy?”“No; very slight indeed, which,” he added with a smile, “speaks well either for our prudence or for the bad marksmanship of the enemy. We have brought cannon to bear upon them, but they stick there with great tenacity, and I fancy we shall find it very hard work to drive them out from Tientsin. There is the fort, and the yamen, and several other strong buildings; the wall, too, and its defences are strong, and if they stick there as stubbornly as they have done across the river, the city will certainly not be taken without considerable loss of life.”“Do you know when we are going to begin, Mr. Bateman?”“I believe the Russians are going to turn out to–morrow morning; they have only been waiting for your return. Now, I fancy, they will consider that we have strength enough for anything.”“I should think we have,” the major said. “I am sorry to say that you must not put Seymourʼs force above half the strength at which it started. There has been a lot of illness, we have suffered much from hunger and privation, we lost a good many men in the attack on the forts, and many of those still in the ranks will not be fit for service until they have had a few daysʼ rest. If we put a thousand in line to–morrow it would be as much as could be fairly calculated upon. Still, many of those who would not be fit to take part in the attack would be useful for the defence of the town if the Chinese should make a counter attack while the best part of the force is away.”“Now, Major, we are all burning with curiosity to know what has happened to you while you have been away. We have heard a score of rumours, but not one authentic fact. We heard that you had entered Pekin, that you had beenmassacred, that you had disappeared as effectually off the face of the earth as if it had opened and swallowed you up. The very first news we got of your existence was from my son, who reported that on his way down from Pekin he heard heavy and continuous firing in the arsenal of Hsi–Ku, and he concluded that your force must be engaged. Some thought that you must be attacking the place, others that you had taken it and were now besieged. The latter certainly seemed the most reasonable, unless indeed, it was fight between the Boxers and the regular Chinese troops; for if you had not got possession of the arsenal, it was impossible to imagine how you had obtained sufficient provisions to keep you alive so long.”“Yes, that supposition was the correct one, and we were quite on our last legs before we took the place.”“Well, will you please tell us the whole story; it is not nine oʼclock yet, so that, unless you are so dead tired that you cannot go through with it, you will get it done in reasonable time.”“I shall be very happy to do so,” the major said. “If you had asked me this afternoon when we came in, I should have said frankly that I did not feel equal to it; but the bath and the excellent dinner you have given us, have quite set me on my legs again.“You will already have heard from your son what happened on our way up from Lang Fang, and of the little fight we had on the 14th of June. Well, the next day the outposts ran in and reported that the Boxers were at hand in great numbers. The enemy arrived close on their heels and made a determined rush at the fore part of the leading train, which was drawn up beside a well, where the men were engaged in watering. They were met by a withering fire, but pushed on with extreme bravery and did not fall back until some ofthem actually reached the train. Then they could do no more, and retreated, leaving about a hundred dead. This certainly gave us a better idea of their courage, and the difficulties we should be likely to encounter, than anything that had yet happened.“At half–past five in the afternoon a messenger arrived on a trolley from the rear, to say that Lofa station was attacked by a very strong force of the enemy. Number two train had steam up, and the admiral at once took a strong force down in it. On their arrival at the station they found that the fight was over, and the enemy having fallen back discomfited, the reinforcements started in pursuit, and harried their retreat for some distance, accounting for about a hundred of them and capturing a few small cannon.“The next day we remained at Lang Fang, a strong body being employed in repairing the line. Under the protection of a guard a train went back to Lofa, and on its return we learned that the repairs we had affected on the line beyond that place had been a good deal broken up. Later, the officer of the guard at Lofa came in, and reported that three large bodies of Boxers were moving about in the distance, and that he expected an attack would be made on the station. However, they moved off quietly. They were probably on their way to destroy the line, for a train that left at four the next morning for Tientsin came back in the afternoon, with the news that the line was so completely broken up round Lofa that it could not be repaired with the materials and men on board.“The admiral left an hour later to see for himself the state of the line. He pushed on for some distance, his men repairing the line as they went, till he reached Yangstun, but only to find that beyond that point the line was entirely destroyed. It was now evident to the admiral, and to all of us, that if wecontinued to stop at Lang Fang we should ere long have to stop there permanently, for our provisions were almost entirely exhausted. The admiral had seen this some days before, and had sent off several messengers to Tientsin to ask that junks should be sent up the river, and ammunition and provisions forwarded by train to Yangtsun, his intention being to establish a base there. But we never heard any more of these messengers, and the fact stared us in the face that we were absolutely cut off from Tientsin.”
CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS
One afternoon Rex went to see his friend the midshipman at the barricade.
“I wish you would tell me,” Rex said, “all about the capture of the Taku Forts. Beyond the fact that they were captured I have heard next to nothing.”
“Well, it is rather a long story,” the middy said, “but as everything is quiet, I donʼt mind telling you about it if you like.”
“I should be very much obliged if you would,” Rex said.
“Well, then, here goes. You have not seen the place, I suppose?”
“No.”
“Well, the mouth of the river is strongly fortified, especially on the north side, where there is a big casemated fort with earthworks, mounting altogether some fifty guns of different sizes. A third of a mile farther up the river is the inner fort, which is very strong, but smaller than the other, and mounts about thirty guns. An earthwork covered–way connects the two forts, and the parapet is pierced for many small guns. On the south side, extending a mile along the shore, are a number of casemated batteries, mounting about one hundred and twenty guns. These are good guns, and for the most part modern. There is also an inner fort a mile inland, built for the defence of the main magazines.
“All these fortifications consist of earthworks with cementand concrete galleries. They are wonderfully well built; certainly as good as any I have ever seen. You see, mud is the usual substance with which they build houses in China, and they are wonderfully clever with it. At many points of the fortification there are high and very powerful redoubts, which carry at their angles very big modern guns, mostly Krupp quick–firers. All these forts seem to have been designed by foreigners; I donʼt think the Chinese would ever have been up to such work if they hadnʼt had foreign instructors. Apparently, however, they sacked these fellows when they had finished the batteries, and themselves carried out the rest of the work. There hasnʼt been any regular garrison in these forts for some years, but officials and hangers–on have resided there. When the row began, however, troops came marching in, and we calculated that at the time of the bombardment they were occupied by some eight thousand men. I fancy they were good soldiers, for they came from Hunan, which province is considered to turn out the best soldiers in China. Their general, Liu, came from the same place.
“Unfortunately the water near the forts is very shoal, and war–vessels that drew twenty feet of water were obliged to heave–to five miles off the bar; that is to say, ten miles off the forts. By the fifteenth there were twenty–five foreign men–of–war here—British, French, German, Austrian, Russian, Italian, and Japanese. An American ship came up a day or two before the battle. It was difficult getting news so far out, so the admiralʼs light–draught yacht anchored close outside the bar, and they ran a wire into the destroyer Fame, which was anchored just outside the fort. By this means despatches were wired out to the yacht, and either flashed or semaphored to the fleet. A mile above the fort was the Imperial naval yard and docks, and lying moored to thewharves were four very fine thirty–two–knot German–built destroyers, with full Chinese crews on board.
“During the day before the battle everyone was on the qui vive, for it was known that a summons to surrender next day had been sent in to the forts. Only two trains were despatched for Tientsin, and both these had to be worked by engineers from the fleet, for all the Chinese had disappeared. A large Japanese force was landed from their ship, and encamped by the side of the railway at Tongku, two miles from the forts. Later in the day they shifted camp to the other side of the railway, to make room for a large Russian infantry force that had just come in from Port Arthur. Two hundred blue–jackets from our ships encamped near them in the evening, at the head of the road to the forts. A train came down from Tientsin in the afternoon containing a number of foreigners, principally women and children, who at once took shelter on some merchant steamers lying off the wharves.
“During the day theFamedropped her end of the wire, and, steaming up the river, took up her station by the four Chinese destroyers in the middle yard. TheAlgerine, which had been lying between the north and south forts, also moved up the river to a berth about a third of a mile off the inner north fort. A quarter of a mile higher three Russian gun–boats were moored in line; higher still lay the German gun–boats, moored to one of the wharves; and a little lower down was the FrenchLion. At another wharf higher up lay the JapaneseAtago, and higher up the United States paddle–wheel steamerMonocacy. I hope I am not boring you with too many particulars?”
“Not at all, I am much obliged to you for giving me such a good account; I seem to be able to see the whole thing.”
“Well, I must tell you that theMonocacyhad beenordered to take no share in the business, but she did useful work in giving shelter to a number of women and children. Although we knew that an ultimatum had been sent in, nobody dreamed that the rumpus was going to begin so soon. We thought that, as usual, messages would be exchanged, and that the thing would drag on a little before anything serious came of it. TheAlgerinehad her ventilators up, masts all standing, and yards crossed. The Germans on theIltishad landed their boats and ventilators some days before; theLionhad housed her ventilators but still had her yards crossed. At nine oʼclock a long searchlight train went out under the command of Lieutenants Kirkpatrick and Riley, with the twelve–pounder Hotchkiss, two Maxims, and a hundred men—German, British, and French. It was stoked by British blue–jackets, and was driven by a German engineer from theIltis.
“All watched the glare of the searchlight for about three hours, till it disappeared across the plain in the direction of Tientsin. Then all who were on the port watch turned in. We had scarcely got into our hammocks when there was the boom of a heavy gun, and you can imagine how quickly we all jumped into our clothes again and ran on deck. We could see that the inner north fort was firing, and guessed that theAlgerine, which was lying nearest to her, was the target. No return shot came from her, and it was evident that she was taken as much by surprise as we were. Bom, bom, bom went the big guns. It was about five minutes before theAlgerinereplied, and shortly afterwards the three Russian gun–boats returned the fire, and theIltisand theLionalso joined in.
“Of course, all this part of the business I am telling you from hearsay, for we were necessarily only spectators of the affray; and you can imagine, Bateman, that we were hopping mad with being altogether out of it. It was enough tomake one tear oneʼs hair. However, the great part of the blue–jackets and marines were ashore, and would soon be having a look–in; but there were we, as much out of it as if we were off Spithead. Well, of course, now that I have had my turn ashore here I am satisfied, but at the time it was maddening.
“Nevertheless it was a splendid sight, I can tell you. All the forts had now joined in, and the flashes that burst from them and from the gun–boats were almost incessant. In a few minutes theIltissteamed down at full speed from her wharf and joined the three Russians and theAlgerine, the crews of which cheered her enthusiastically as she went into action. Shortly afterwards the FrenchLionalso came down. She had been lying with her head up the river, and so had taken longer than theIltis. She, too, was warmly welcomed. The whole of the forts were now pouring in a heavy cannonade, and every gun that could be brought to bear from the six gun–boats replied at a range of hardly a mile. TheIltis, with her eight 3.4 quick–firers, and theAlgerine, with her 4–inch guns, engaged the north fort. TheLion, with her two 5.5–inch guns, joined them, while the three Russians directed their fire on the south forts. They were all heavily armed, theBobrhad a 9–inch gun in her bows, and a 6–inch in her stern. TheCorkoretchhad two 8–inch guns and one 6–inch, and theGilyakhad one 4–inch gun in her bows, two 2.6–inch guns and four 1.8–inch guns in her military top.
“All the ships kept up a heavy and methodical fire from the machine–guns in their tops, and so searched out the bastions; while the heavy guns made it impossible for the gunners to stick to their work. It was, however, difficult to keep up an accurate fire against a gun in the shade of the forts. Many of the Chinese soldiers left the fort, and, taking cover among the mud–houses, maintained a heavy fire on themen on deck and in the tops, and theGilyak, which was closest to the village, suffered heavily.
“Meanwhile theFameand theWhitinghad been ordered to attack the four Chinese destroyers lying in dock. As they approached, however, the Chinese crews jumped ashore and bolted. TheFamegrappled one, and towed it down the river to Tongku, two tow–boats belonging to a mercantile company took the two others in charge, and theWhitingbrought out the fourth. These four splendid destroyers, if they had been manned with resolute crews, could have sunk six gun–boats without difficulty.
“The battle raged till morning. The gun–boats were doing their utmost to keep down the fire of the forts; but although the practice was excellent, they quite failed to do so owing to the fact that it was impossible to get the exact range. Fortunately the fire of the Chinese was extremely inaccurate. The gunners were evidently unaccustomed to work heavy guns, such as they were now handling, and although they stuck gallantly to their work in spite of the large number of casualties, they did little damage. Sometimes the powder charges were altogether too heavy, sometimes so light that the shot never reached the ships. Their shells almost all failed to burst. Sometimes a shot would fall close alongside, and the next would go clean overhead.
“As daylight approached, the boats got up anchor, with the exception of theGilyak, which had received a heavy projectile on her water–line. She made water fast, but still maintained a heavy fire, and remained at her moorings while the damage was being temporarily repaired, though she suffered severely in consequence. You may imagine what a state of mind we were all in on board the larger ships. There were those six little boats fighting against a whole chain of huge forts that ought to have sunk them at the first round.
“Meanwhile, of course, our fellows, the Russians, and Japs, who had landed the day before, were not idle. Naturally they got under arms as soon as the first gun was fired, but they could really do nothing until daylight, for they were ignorant of the country, which was all cut up with dykes and ditches.
“If the force had tried to cross there in the dark they would speedily have been broken up and half of them would have been mired. They chafed very much, however, at the delay, though they recognized the necessity of it, and they set out eagerly at the first gleam of daylight.
“When they got up anchor, the gun–boats moved backwards and forwards, engaging a fort here, plumping shell into another somewhere else, and seeming to care nothing at all for the rain of shot and shell to which they were exposed. It was difficult for us to keep count of them, moving about as they did, and more than once a good many of us thought that one of them was gone.
“Presently we were all in the boats and making for the shore. Day began to break just as we approached the forts. At this moment the Chinese gunners doubled their fire, and now we thought the gun–boats could never live under such a storm of shot and shell. But their fire was as regular as ever, and the fact that they were all in motion seemed to bother the Chinese gunners as much as the darkness had done. A 10–inch gun isnʼt easily managed by men who have never used such a toy before, so that although the fire from the smaller guns was more accurate than it had been, it seemed to us that the big ones fired less frequently. TheIltiswas hit by a heavy shot, and at the same moment a magazine at the northern end of the south fort blew up. The Chinese fire slackened a little, but in a short time the action was as hot as ever.
“We and the Japs were making for the north forts, and the Russians for the other side. I tell you, Bateman, things looked nasty. By six oʼclock the storming parties were near the north forts, and a heavy fire was already opened upon them; but they pushed steadily forward until at eighteen minutes past six the main magazine of the south forts blew up. The concussion was terrible, and a dense black column of smoke and fragments of all sorts rose a thousand feet in the air.
“Firing stopped instantly, and for half a minute a dead silence reigned. Then a tremendous cheer rose from the gun–boats and storming parties, and the latter raced forward to the assault. Firing was renewed more briskly than ever on both sides, but at half–past six the resistance had almost ceased, and the British flag was hoisted on the north fort, followed a minute later by that of the Japanese. The garrison of the southern fort, appalled by the destruction that had been made by the explosion, were already in full flight across the plain, and now those on the north side were endeavouring to follow their example.
“The number of casualties among the storming party had not been large, that of the British and Japanese amounting to only twenty–six killed and wounded. The casualties in the gun–boats were remarkably few, almost miraculously so considering the fire to which they had been exposed. The Russians had suffered most, having sixteen men killed and three officers and fifty–two men wounded; the Germans had six killed and fifteen wounded; the French one officer killed and one man wounded; and the British three men killed and one officer wounded. The Chinese actually in the forts consisted of three thousand men. The rest were in support behind and near the line of railway, and took no part in the affair. Nearly one thousand killed were found in theforts, and the prisoners, who were nearly as many, were set to throw the bodies into the river.
“All communications ceased with Tientsin from the time of the capture of the forts, and it was not till some days afterwards that we learned from a man who rode through the Chinese lines that the place was besieged and that the garrison were hardly able to hold their own.
“There is no doubt that it was a fine action, and we, who had been left on board the ship, were very sore at being out of it; but, of course, even if we had been ashore, we should only have been with the assaulting column, and their share in the business was a very small one. The gun–boats had all the fighting and all the glory. I dare say, however, that we shall get our share presently. I donʼt think the Chinese are much good in the open, but I fancy they can stick to their walls, and in the narrow streets we may have very sharp work.”
“It must have been a grand affair,” Rex said. “Fancy six little gun–boats fighting for so many hours against forts mounting nearly three hundred guns! Of course some of these couldnʼt be brought to bear upon them, but there must have been enough to blow them out of the water in a quarter of an hour.”
“One would certainly think so, but we must remember that the guns had to be very much depressed, and the gunners could not very well make out the boats in the dark. Of course the flashes of their guns showed their position, but I expect the Chinese, who were new hands at the work, did not understand how to sling those heavy pieces about or give them the right elevation. There is no doubt that they stick to their guns manfully. I was talking to some of theAlgerinefellows and they told me that several times when they had managed to send shell after shell close to a gun that hadbeen annoying them, it was silent for a half a minute or so and then, when they thought that they had finished with it, the beggars began to fire again as regularly as before, though it is probable that three–fourths of the detachment before working it had been blown into smithereens.”
“Listen! Do you hear the shouting? The relief party must be coming in.”
“Oh, bother!” the middy said; “I canʼt be there to see it.”
“Well, I can,” Rex said, “I will come back and tell you all about it; but I donʼt suppose I shall hear much till evening. You will be off duty then, wonʼt you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then, come and dine at our place. I shall get hold of two or three of the men I went up with if I can.”
He went off at a run and soon joined a number of residents and men off duty who were awaiting the arrival of the force. The head of the column was just coming in. A portion of the relief force led, and then Admiral Seymourʼs men, many of them carrying the sick and wounded on stretchers, doors, and other make–shifts. The rest of the force brought up the rear. Seeing Major Johnston coming along with his marines, Rex pressed forward to shake hands with him.
“Ah, you got through then, Bateman! I am glad to see you; I have wondered many times whether you got safely into Pekin. I certainly did not expect to see you here, though I thought we might meet when we marched into Pekin.”
“Yes, I got in all right. I stopped there till about a week ago, and then came back here. If you have nothing better to do, will you dine with us this evening, and bring Trimmer and Lawson with you?”
“With pleasure. We shall scarcely have time to make any mess arrangements for ourselves.”
“Have you had heavy fighting?”
“We have, indeed, and we have lost a good many men. I began to think at one time that we should not get back, and I believe if we had not taken the arsenal very few of us would have survived to tell the tale. However, I will tell you about that this evening.”
“Thank you! I will run home at once and tell my people that you are coming.”
Rex hurried home and told his mother that four officers were coming to dinner.
“I did not say anything about sleeping here, Mother, but if you can manage it I am sure it would be a blessing to them, for they have only just got in, and will certainly not be able to make other arrangements.”
“They will have to be content with very simple fare,” Mrs. Bateman said. “Of course, no fresh meat can be had, so we shall have to manage on tinned meat and vegetables, of which, fortunately, we have an abundant and varied supply.”
“You may be sure that they will not be particular, Mother, for I expect they have been on very short rations for some time. You give us a capital dinner every day, and I am sure you can turn out as good a one for them.”
Mrs. Bateman smiled.
“Well, I dare say we shall manage something that will be good enough for hungry men.”
Rex then went down to his friend the middy.
“I have nothing to tell you, Robinson,” he said, “but Johnston and two of his chums are going to dine with us, so you will hear it all then, and my mother says she can give you a bed for the night.”
“Thanks! that is a luxury indeed, Bateman, only it will be awful getting up so as to be here on duty again at six in the morning.”
“Oh, nonsense! no one wants to sleep after five in this weather. I am generally up soon after four.”
“Yes, but you must remember that I have had no sleep to speak of for the past three days, and the chances are that we shanʼt turn in until midnight, as we shall have to hear all about the expedition. However, I will put in as much sleep as I can between that hour and five. I had a good four hours this morning.”
At half–past seven the three marines and the middy arrived at Mr. Batemanʼs. Rex had, an hour before, gone to Major Johnston, and told him that it had been arranged that he and his friends were to sleep in the house.
“That will be a great comfort, Bateman,” he said; “we have not had our clothes off for three weeks, and it will be delicious to lie down between sheets and to have a bath in the morning. I warn you, though, that we shall want a bath before dinner, for we canʼt sit down to a table as we are.”
“All right, Major! if you come round in half an hour you will find one ready for you.”
Accordingly, on their arrival they were shown at once to their rooms.
“I cannot tell you, Bateman,” the major said as they came downstairs again, “how much we are obliged to you. A good dinner is not a thing to be despised, but a bath is even a greater luxury. I am sure I could not have enjoyed dinner unless I had had the bath, for we have had few opportunities for washing since we left here.”
An excellent dinner was served, and was greatly enjoyed by the four guests.
“I can assure you, Mr. Bateman,” the major said, “that while eating your good fare it is difficult to believe that the past three weeks have not been a very uncomfortable dream.”
“How have you been getting on, Mr. Robinson, since you came here?” Mr. Bateman asked.
“Nothing to grumble at, sir. We had pretty hard work the first two days, but, thanks to your son, we now have a quiet day of it.”
Rex uttered a sharp warning ejaculation as Robinson spoke, but he had not thought of telling him that he and his companions wished nothing to be said about the adventure.
“Thanks to my son!” Mr. Bateman repeated in surprise; “what can Rex have had to do with it?”
The midshipman, who had too late heard Rexʼs ejaculation, hesitated.
“I did not know that he had not told you, sir,” he said, “or else you may be sure I should have said nothing about it.”
“Well, but what was it?” he asked.
The midshipman looked appealingly at Rex, and the latter said: “Well, Father, it was a little enterprise that Watson and Laurence and I carried out on our own account; nothing worth talking about.”
“Well, but what was it, Rex?” his father persisted. “Mr. Robinson says that it has given him better times.”
“Well, Father, the fact is, we three and Ah Lo went out and silenced those two guns that were so annoying for some days.”
“Well, but how did you do it, Rex? Now we know so much, of course we want to know the rest. What do you know about it, Mr. Robinson?”
“Well, sir, all I really know about it is that your son came to me and asked me to allow a lantern to stand on the barricade. Of course I said that there was no objection to that. Then we went back fifty or sixty yards and placed another lantern on a window, so that the two lanterns together werein the exact line with those guns. At midnight Rex and his two friends, with the Chinaman, went out, and that is practically all I know about the matter. I certainly had no idea that Rex had kept the affair a secret. It is certainly a thing of which he had a right to feel very proud, for it was a plucky business, and one which I was very much tempted to take part in.”
“Now then, Bateman,” Major Johnston said, “you see your light cannot be hid under a bushel, so you had better make a clean breast of the affair.”
Rex saw that it was of no use making any further mystery of it, so he briefly explained how the idea had come into his mind, and how Watson and Laurence had agreed to join him, the steps they had taken for placing the lantern to enable them to find the guns in the dark, how Robinson had explained the working of the various parts of the guns to them, and how they had carried their plan into successful execution.
“You ought not have done it,” his father said, when he had finished.
“But,” Major Johnston said, “I donʼt think, Mr. Bateman, that your son is to be blamed. It was a splendidly plucky action for which everyone in the settlement should thank him, for it appears that these guns were doing an immense amount of damage. It was an act which I or any other officer in Her Majestyʼs service would have been proud to perform.”
“I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “but Rex is always running into danger. I grant that so far he has got through safely, but you know the result of taking a pitcher to a well too often.”
“I donʼt think he is likely to come to harm,” the major said, “for it is not as if he undertook these things without thoroughly working his plans out, so that failure is almost animpossibility. On our way up he gave me a brief account of how he had got his cousins out of that rascally governorʼs yamen. I could not get the full details out of him, but judging from what he told me it was certainly an admirably–managed affair. I think, Mr. Bateman, that you have a right to be very proud of him. If he had been in the army he would certainly have earned a V. C. for the way in which he silenced those guns.”
“Yes, I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “and wonʼt scold, but all this keeps his mother and myself in a state of great anxiety.”
“I donʼt think, Father,” Rex said, “that in an affair of this sort the risk is anything compared with that which one runs in a regular fight. These little excursions I have made have had very little risk in them—practically none. When you come to think of it, I can pass anywhere as a Chinaman, and as I have always travelled at night I have been exposed to practically no danger whatever.”
“And so you had sharp fighting here, Mr. Bateman?” the major said, changing the subject.
“Not actually severe fighting; that is, the Chinese have never got up really close to us, although they have made a good many rushes, but the bombardment has been very heavy. The French settlement is practically destroyed, and a large number of our houses will have to be rebuilt. But worse than the artillery fire has been the sniping, which has been continuous all round, but more especially on the other side of the river, where it has been absolutely incessant, and where it has been dangerous in the extreme to show oneʼs nose outside oneʼs door. We have done our best to keep it down, but I cannot say that success has attended our efforts, for the Chinese have lain hid among the houses and ruins, and never show themselves except to fire.”
“Have the casualties been heavy?”
“No; very slight indeed, which,” he added with a smile, “speaks well either for our prudence or for the bad marksmanship of the enemy. We have brought cannon to bear upon them, but they stick there with great tenacity, and I fancy we shall find it very hard work to drive them out from Tientsin. There is the fort, and the yamen, and several other strong buildings; the wall, too, and its defences are strong, and if they stick there as stubbornly as they have done across the river, the city will certainly not be taken without considerable loss of life.”
“Do you know when we are going to begin, Mr. Bateman?”
“I believe the Russians are going to turn out to–morrow morning; they have only been waiting for your return. Now, I fancy, they will consider that we have strength enough for anything.”
“I should think we have,” the major said. “I am sorry to say that you must not put Seymourʼs force above half the strength at which it started. There has been a lot of illness, we have suffered much from hunger and privation, we lost a good many men in the attack on the forts, and many of those still in the ranks will not be fit for service until they have had a few daysʼ rest. If we put a thousand in line to–morrow it would be as much as could be fairly calculated upon. Still, many of those who would not be fit to take part in the attack would be useful for the defence of the town if the Chinese should make a counter attack while the best part of the force is away.”
“Now, Major, we are all burning with curiosity to know what has happened to you while you have been away. We have heard a score of rumours, but not one authentic fact. We heard that you had entered Pekin, that you had beenmassacred, that you had disappeared as effectually off the face of the earth as if it had opened and swallowed you up. The very first news we got of your existence was from my son, who reported that on his way down from Pekin he heard heavy and continuous firing in the arsenal of Hsi–Ku, and he concluded that your force must be engaged. Some thought that you must be attacking the place, others that you had taken it and were now besieged. The latter certainly seemed the most reasonable, unless indeed, it was fight between the Boxers and the regular Chinese troops; for if you had not got possession of the arsenal, it was impossible to imagine how you had obtained sufficient provisions to keep you alive so long.”
“Yes, that supposition was the correct one, and we were quite on our last legs before we took the place.”
“Well, will you please tell us the whole story; it is not nine oʼclock yet, so that, unless you are so dead tired that you cannot go through with it, you will get it done in reasonable time.”
“I shall be very happy to do so,” the major said. “If you had asked me this afternoon when we came in, I should have said frankly that I did not feel equal to it; but the bath and the excellent dinner you have given us, have quite set me on my legs again.
“You will already have heard from your son what happened on our way up from Lang Fang, and of the little fight we had on the 14th of June. Well, the next day the outposts ran in and reported that the Boxers were at hand in great numbers. The enemy arrived close on their heels and made a determined rush at the fore part of the leading train, which was drawn up beside a well, where the men were engaged in watering. They were met by a withering fire, but pushed on with extreme bravery and did not fall back until some ofthem actually reached the train. Then they could do no more, and retreated, leaving about a hundred dead. This certainly gave us a better idea of their courage, and the difficulties we should be likely to encounter, than anything that had yet happened.
“At half–past five in the afternoon a messenger arrived on a trolley from the rear, to say that Lofa station was attacked by a very strong force of the enemy. Number two train had steam up, and the admiral at once took a strong force down in it. On their arrival at the station they found that the fight was over, and the enemy having fallen back discomfited, the reinforcements started in pursuit, and harried their retreat for some distance, accounting for about a hundred of them and capturing a few small cannon.
“The next day we remained at Lang Fang, a strong body being employed in repairing the line. Under the protection of a guard a train went back to Lofa, and on its return we learned that the repairs we had affected on the line beyond that place had been a good deal broken up. Later, the officer of the guard at Lofa came in, and reported that three large bodies of Boxers were moving about in the distance, and that he expected an attack would be made on the station. However, they moved off quietly. They were probably on their way to destroy the line, for a train that left at four the next morning for Tientsin came back in the afternoon, with the news that the line was so completely broken up round Lofa that it could not be repaired with the materials and men on board.
“The admiral left an hour later to see for himself the state of the line. He pushed on for some distance, his men repairing the line as they went, till he reached Yangstun, but only to find that beyond that point the line was entirely destroyed. It was now evident to the admiral, and to all of us, that if wecontinued to stop at Lang Fang we should ere long have to stop there permanently, for our provisions were almost entirely exhausted. The admiral had seen this some days before, and had sent off several messengers to Tientsin to ask that junks should be sent up the river, and ammunition and provisions forwarded by train to Yangtsun, his intention being to establish a base there. But we never heard any more of these messengers, and the fact stared us in the face that we were absolutely cut off from Tientsin.”
CHAPTER XIVSURROUNDEDOn the seventeenth messages were sent to Lofa and Lang Fang to recall the three trains there, but it was evident that it would be impossible to utilize them for our retreat, as they might be suddenly cut off by the Boxers. One came in on the afternoon of the next day, and the others arrived in the evening. They had had some very sharp fighting. The German naval officer, who was in charge of the two trains, reported that he had been attacked early that afternoon by a force of fully five thousand men, including cavalry, a great proportion of whom were armed with magazine rifles of the latest pattern. The attack was made both in front and on the flanks. The troops marched out against them, and although exposed to a heavy fire, forced them to retreat. Nevertheless, when our men retired towards the train, the enemy rallied and advanced again with the evident determination to gain their object; but being beaten off with more loss than before, they finally retreated. Their loss was over four hundred killed, while we had six killed and forty–eight wounded. In the course of the fight a banner was captured which belonged to the army of Tung–Fu–Hsiang. This was the first indication we had that the Imperial Chinese troops had taken the field against us.“A conference of the commanding officers of the various nationalities was held the next day, and it was decided that,as the railway was completely destroyed on both sides of them, and they could not use it either for advance or retreat, it would be better to endeavour to withdraw to Tientsin. Preparations were at once made. The wounded and the few remaining stores were carried down and placed on board some junks that had been captured on the previous day, and at three oʼclock in the afternoon a start was made. Progress, however, was not destined to be rapid, for the junks had not gone far before they grounded in a shallow reach of the river. Three of them were got off pretty easily; but a six–pounder quick–firing gun of theCenturionhad to be thrown overboard to lighten the fourth before she would float. In consequence of this delay, we had only made two and a half miles when night fell. We started early the next morning and were fighting all day, but progress was very much retarded by the necessity for keeping abreast of the junks. The management of these lubberly craft was beyond the European sailors, and as no Chinaman could be got to navigate them they were continually running across the river and getting stuck, so that from four oʼclock in the morning till six in the evening the force only advanced eight miles.“The fighting began at a quarter–past nine. The Chinese occupied a village near the bank, and when they were driven out they fell back to the next village. Here they were reinforced, and village after village had to be carried either by rifle fire, or, in some cases, where the resistance was too obstinate, by a bayonet charge. The Chinese stood splendidly against our rifle fire, but they could not bring themselves to face the bayonet; the cheers of our men seemed to take all the spirit out of them. In the afternoon the Chinese opened fire with a one–pounder quick–firing gun. It did not do any great damage, but it harassed the troops in their advance,especially when they had to cross open ground. The enemy were using smokeless powder, and consequently, as the gun was frequently shifted, we found it impossible to locate its position and so to keep down its fire with musketry.“It was a very trying day. The heat was great, the water in the water–bottles was soon exhausted, and the men were too busily engaged to go down to the river to refill them. The next day was even worse. A start was made at half–past seven, and we had not gone far when we saw some two hundred cavalry on the left flank of the advance guard. All hoped at first that this was a detachment of Cossacks who had come to our aid, but this hope was doomed to disappointment, for as they drew nearer their dress showed that they were Chinese troops. For the rest of the day they hovered about on our left flank, firing when they saw an opportunity; but a few well–directed shrapnel–shell from the nine–pounder sufficed to keep them at a distance. As soon as they had retired, after reconnoitring our position, they opened fire with a field–gun and a one–pounder quick–firing gun. We replied with our nine–pounder and machine–guns, and as the enemy were using ordinary powder, the smoke of which showed their position, they were soon obliged to shift. They were quiet for a time, but they began again in the course of the day, always, however, with the same result. Fighting went on continuously, as village after village, and the town of Peitsang, which is the chief place between Yangtsun and Tientsin, had to be carried.“At six oʼclock in the evening we halted, having arrived opposite a very strong position held by the enemy, from which we were unable to dislodge them. The commanding officers held a council of war, and decided that, after we had had some refreshment and a few hoursʼ rest, we should make a night march as the best chance of getting through. We hadmade only six miles during the day, owing to the stubborn resistance of the enemy and their increased gun power.“In the course of the evening the field and machine–guns were placed on board a junk that had been taken on the previous day, and at one oʼclock in the morning the march recommenced. Fires were soon seen at a little distance from the river bank, and it was obvious that the enemy were by this means signalling our approach. A heavy fire opened on the force from a village some hundred yards ahead, and a shell from a field–piece struck the junk that was carrying the guns, and she filled and had to be abandoned. The guns unfortunately, could not be got off, but the Maxims were saved. The village was carried by the marines with fixed bayonets.“At four oʼclock we arrived opposite a great building, which turned out to be the Imperial arsenal of Hsi Ku. Two unarmed soldiers came out from a house a hundred yards from the bank with the evident intention of communicating with us. Our advance halted, and the men, when they came up, made some simple enquiries as to who we were and where we were going. Having got what information they wanted they sauntered back to the houses, from which, as soon as they reached them a heavy fire was opened with rifles and guns. Fortunately there was good cover close at hand. Some of our fellows occupied a neighbouring village, and others took shelter behind the river embankment.“It was then decided to take the arsenal. The resistance was becoming more severe with every yard the force advanced, the provisions were almost exhausted, and the troops, who had been for some time on half–rations, were exhausted with the heat and their continual exertions. The attack was begun with a heavy rifle fire against a Hotchkiss gun in the north corner of the arsenal and two guns on the river front,which were soon silenced. A body of marines and seamen was then directed to cross the river higher up, and, if possible, to rush the enemyʼs position at the north corner. Fortunately there was a village only a hundred and fifty yards from this point, and the sailors, having crawled up there unobserved, dashed out of cover at the double with a cheer, in which the troops on the other side of the river joined, and the Chinese at the corner they were making for bolted at once. Lower down the river a German detachment had crossed and captured the guns in their front, and subsequently several others. Between them the two bodies cleared out the armoury.“In the afternoon the Chinese made a most determined attempt to retake the arsenal, advancing boldly under a very heavy shell fire. As, however, we had the captured guns, we drove the enemy back with heavy losses, but not before we had suffered considerably ourselves. The main body of the troops and the wounded were in the meantime crossing, and late in the afternoon the whole force was safe in the arsenal.“Things looked better now than they had done since we had left Tientsin. Of course we had no knowledge at all of what was going on there, and thought that we should only have to maintain ourselves till a force was sent out to our assistance.“Several messengers had been sent on during the march, and during the night three officers with a hundred marines set out to try to make their way down to Tientsin. They had scarcely started, however, when they encountered a determined resistance. Bugles sounded in all directions, and finding that the whole force of the enemy was upon them, and having lost four of their number, they had no option but to fall back. At daylight the Chinese made another desperateattempt to retake the armoury, and maintained this until eight oʼclock, when they were beaten off.“We had now time to make a thorough investigation of the contents of the various buildings, and to our delight we found a store of some fifteen tons of rice. This placed us for some time beyond the risk of starvation. We discovered, too, an immense supply of guns, arms, and ammunition, and war material of the latest pattern, so that we felt capable of holding out for a long time. At a council of war it was considered to be impossible to force a way down, for we had now no fewer than two hundred and thirty wounded to carry. Our first move was to mount a number of guns on the various fronts of the arsenal, and with these we opened fire upon a Boxer stronghold situated near the arsenal and the Chinese fort lower down the river. The effect was excellent; the Chinese retired, and made no fresh attempt to retake the place.“On the twenty–fifth European troops were reported in sight, and at seven oʼclock the relief column under Colonel Shirinsky arrived at the fort. Preparations were at once made for the evacuation of the armoury and for the destruction of the arsenal. The wounded were transported across the river in the afternoon, and the whole force followed later. At three oʼclock on the following morning we started, two officers remaining behind to set fire to the ammunition and store–houses. Fires were lit in five separate places, and from the volumes of smoke that rose from the building, and the explosions which we heard from that direction, the destruction seemed fairly complete. The officers crossed the river after lighting the fires, mounted ponies that were waiting for them, and then rejoined the main body, which met with no further resistance.“The country through which we passed was flat, and alongthe river banks villages of mud–huts, generally surrounded with enclosures of dried reeds, were scattered at frequent intervals. Near the villages high reeds grew plentifully in patches, and trees were numerous. These, with the entrenchments for irrigation and against flood, and the graves everywhere scattered about, afforded excellent cover to the enemy; they seldom exposed themselves, always withdrawing as we advanced. Their fire was generally very high; had it been otherwise we should have suffered very severely. Altogether, I think that, although we failed in our object, the affair has been very creditable, and, considering the difficulties to which we were exposed, none of those who took part in it have any reason to be ashamed of what they have done. At the beginning our opponents were largely armed only with swords and spears, but in the latter part we had to encounter trained troops excellently armed and provided with guns, and there can be no doubt that all these belonged to the regular army.”“Thank you very much, Major Johnston, for your interesting account!” Mr. Bateman said. “We have been fighting nearly as hard here for the past ten days, and I hope now that in a short time we shall begin to turn the tables upon them. I expect you will have hard work before you to take Tientsin, for there you will probably be opposed by all the troops with whom you have hitherto been engaged. I have no doubt that they have followed you down to–day, anticipating that we shall now take the offensive.”“Yes, I expect we shall have some stiff fighting,” Major Johnston said, “but you may be sure that we shaʼnʼt shirk it. Well, I think now, with your permission, that we will turn in. We had no sleep to speak of last night, and may be wanted again early in the morning.”The three officers were up early and went down to see afterthe marines, and Rex went out with them to hear what was going to be done. The town presented a very different appearance from that which it had shown for the past ten days. The streets were no longer deserted, but swarmed everywhere with troops; bugles were blowing, and all was life and bustle. The houses that had been closed were open again, and men congratulated each other that the strain was over. Rex went down to the shed which was the head–quarters of the volunteers. Here some twenty or thirty had already assembled. Rex was, of course, in the simple uniform of the corps, and had brought his rifle with him.“What is going to be done?” he asked.“We donʼt know yet,” said one of his friends. “The Russians are certainly going to march out, and I suppose a mixed column will also go, in which case we shall accompany it. I expect we shall get orders before long.”Tientsin is one of the most important towns in China. Standing as it does at the junction of the Peiho, the Grand Canal, the Lupi Canal, and five smaller streams and canals, it is not only the port of Pekin, but practically the sole outlet of the trade of the whole of the north–western provinces of China. Its population amounts to nearly a million, and its trade is considerably better than that of Canton, and is exceeded only by that of Shanghai. The native city is enclosed in sombre walls, and lies some two miles farther up the river than the foreign settlements. The imports of Tientsin include not only European manufactures, but also sugar, salt, and the tribute rice of the southern provinces. From the interior there is a vast export trade in the wood and furs of Manchuria and Mongolia, the teas of Hang–Chow, and the ground–nuts and bristles of Chih–li.The foreign trade was growing rapidly, and would haveincreased still more but for the want of water in the Peiho. This river is about the size of the Thames at Richmond, but it used to be deep, with rapid currents, and large ocean–going steamers were able to come up to the settlements to unload. The extensive canal and irrigation works, however, have of late years greatly diminished the flow of water, so that now vessels of any considerable draught have to remain outside the bar, thirteen miles out at sea, and even small vessels can only come as far as Tonku, three miles up the river mouth.As soon as it was known that the allied generals had decided upon the bombardment of the city, earnest protestations were made by the leading merchants of all nationalities, but the military necessities overruled their wishes. Until the town was captured the settlements would be practically beleaguered, and it would be impossible to make an advance to Pekin and leave the large Chinese force in the city behind. Moreover, if the advance did not take place, not only would the Legations at Pekin inevitably fall, but the life of every European in China would be in jeopardy. Consequently the allied generals arrived unanimously at the conclusion that the bombardment and assault of Tientsin was an absolute and vital necessity. Already there had been an enormous loss of life there. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of the Chinese suspected of being favourable to the allies had been sacrificed, and in the perpetration of these outrages whole streets had been destroyed by fire. It was therefore necessary, if for no other reason, to inflict a terrible lesson upon the Chinese troops who occupied the city.The Chinese were convinced that it would be impossible for the Europeans to capture their city, held as it was by a greatly superior force of regular Chinese troops, and protected by a very large number of guns.The bombardment was to be greatly deplored, for the enormous injury inflicted upon Tientsin could not but cripple the trade there for many years, and probably divert it to other channels. Still, the necessity could not be denied, grievous though its effects might be.The Russians had already started from their camp, which was on the opposite side of the river, in the foreign settlements, and marched against the Peiyang arsenal, which is on the same side, about a mile and a half up. It was defended by several thousand Chinese, with six nine–pounder Krupps. The attack had to be made across an open plain, and this was swept by an incessant rifle fire, while the Chinese artillery made excellent practice. The casualties mounted up quickly, and before long a halt was called, and messengers were sent to Tientsin to ask for reinforcements.When the messengers arrived, the bugle sounded and the troops hastily assembled. The whole of the Naval Brigade, under Captain Bourke of theOrlando, was called out, including a battalion of marines under Major Johnston, and with them went a twelve–pounder gun from theTerrible. The American Marine Artillery also went out, together with a detachment of Tientsin volunteers. When they got to the scene of action, they found the Russians shelling the arsenal under cover of the railway embankment.No movement was made till eleven oʼclock, when a Russian shell exploded in the principal Chinese magazine, which contained no less than eighty tons of powder. The explosion was terrific, and for some minutes a great cloud of smoke hung over the arsenal. The shock was so severe that soldiers who were standing up at the time were thrown off their feet by it, and the sound was heard distinctly at Taku, thirty miles away. The British had increased their fire, and shortly afterwards aTerribletwelve–pounder put a shell into thesmaller magazine, which also blew up. Each explosion was hailed by the troops with tremendous cheers, which a few minutes later were redoubled when the Chinese were seen leaving the fort. The British and Americans, who were nearer than the Russians, at once advanced at the double. Some Chinese, composed of sterner stuff than their comrades, still kept up their fire, causing some casualties, but they also retreated in good time to secure their own safety.When the storming party was close to the arsenal, what seemed to be a tremendous musketry fire broke out from the building, and, supposing that there was still a very large force there, the troops halted. Presently, however, the fire ceased altogether, and they again advanced. When they entered the place they discovered that the fire that had checked them was not musketry, but long strings of crackers which the Chinese had prepared to check any storming party, and thus secure their own retreat. Angry as the troops were at being deceived, they laughed heartily at the trick that had been played upon them.After the arsenal was occupied, a large mixed force of Chinese regulars and Boxers came out from Tientsin city, at the back of the railway–station, and placed themselves between the arsenal and the river, on the very ground the British and Americans had occupied, and their first act was to massacre all the wounded who had been left there. One poor fellow alone was saved, for although he had been very seriously wounded in both legs he managed to run, and the British–Chinese regiment coming up at the moment, he was able to reach the arsenal in safety.The murder of the wounded exasperated the troops to the last degree, and palliated, if it did not excuse, the general refusal of quarter to the Chinese during the campaign. In Tientsin a document was found showing that rewards hadbeen paid to several Chinese who had brought in the heads of British and American soldiers.The capture of the arsenal enabled all the women and children to be sent away within the next few days, which was a fortunate occurrence, for large reinforcements of Chinese troops entered the city the day after, and the settlements were again exposed to a vigorous fire.Reinforcements were coming up, but even yet the force was not considered sufficiently strong to attack Tientsin. The destruction caused by the Chinese fire was very great; numbers of houses were burnt, many containing stores of great value. In one of these alone, twenty thousand pounds worth of furs and other Chinese produce was consumed.Rex was maddened by the delay which occurred after the arsenal had been taken. It was a fixed idea among the military men that Pekin had fallen, and its occupants had been massacred. Many rumours to this effect had indeed been received, and Rex found his assertions that the Legations were well able to hold out received with absolute incredulity. He repeatedly urged his opinion on Major Johnston, but that officer said that all the officers in command were so firmly convinced that it was quite useless for him to bring the matter before them.“You see,” he said, “it is now a fortnight since you left the place, and it may very well have fallen by this time. You yourself reported the state of things on your arrival, but so much has occurred since then, and the Chinese have fought so pluckily, that one cannot imagine it possible that the mere handful of men in the Legations can have resisted any determined attack. At the time you left, the news of the fighting here could not have arrived, but I fear that when the fierce fighting here became known, the anger of the Chinese would be raised to such a point that they wouldmake a general and furious attack on the Legations, in which case you acknowledge yourself that they must have fallen. Besides, however anxious everyone may be for our advance, nothing can be done until Tientsin is taken.”Rex could not but acknowledge the justice of this reasoning. He was strongly tempted to make another journey to Pekin, but so many of Admiral Seymourʼs messengers had failed that he felt that he could not ask his fatherʼs permission to undertake it. He spent his days, whether on or off duty, at the barricades, keeping up a vengeful fire on the Chinese. His love of fun had entirely left him, and his face was as stern as that of the oldest soldier.“It is horrible, Father,” he said, “to think that the girls and all others in the Legation may be massacred before we get there. I wonʼt believe that it has been captured yet, in spite of the numerous reports that reach us; but if we keep on delaying as we are doing now, the Legations may very well have fallen before we get there. I bitterly regret that I came down, for I might, had I remained at Pekin, have succeeded somehow in saving the girls.”“I donʼt think you could have done so, and you would only have thrown away your own life. You must remember that, dear as the girls are to us, you are naturally far dearer. It is a very serious business attacking Tientsin, and a repulse would be telegraphed all over China and turn all the waverers against us. It would be an awful affair, and eagerly as I long for a relieving force to set out, I feel that it cannot be attempted until we have a force sufficient to ensure the capture of Tientsin, and to be able to fight its way up against the opposition which it will certainly meet with.”“Possibly that opposition will not be serious, Father, when we have once turned them out of Tientsin.”“That is possible, Rex; but I fear that even then therewill be delays. It is a great pity that this force is not under one head, and composed of men of one nation. As it is, every step to be taken has to be discussed and decided upon by the officers in command of the various nationalities. There are, it is well known, all sorts of bickerings and jealousies between them. The Russians want to have everything their own way, and the general opinion is that they are fighting only for their own advantage, and that they are bent upon the destruction of Tientsin and the practical annihilation of the trade of the place, in order to divert the whole of the trade of the north–west to Port Arthur.“The Japanese interest lies exactly the other way. Here Japan is acquiring a good share of the trade, but if it were turned to the Manchurian port she would lose it altogether. Naturally, therefore, as her force here is about as strong as that of Russia, her generals are not disposed to let the latter entirely have their own way. As for ourselves, our interests are as large as all the others put together, and we have had more than our share of fighting, but unfortunately we have no officer of sufficient rank and command to hold the Russians in check.“However, at present no preparations whatever have been made for an advance upon Pekin. Nothing is thought or talked of but Tientsin, and yet, after the city is taken, there will be a great deal to arrange before we can move forward. It is certain that the advancing force must move by the river; in no other way could the army be provisioned, for the railway is wrecked from end to end, and I should say that, even with hard work and without opposition, it would take at least a month to restore it to order. Well, it will be necessary to collect a great number of junks—river junks, for the sea–going craft would draw far too much water. Then a great quantity of stores must be got together. Itseems to me that while the troops are waiting here for reinforcements they ought to be making preparations for the advance.“Of course I am no judge whatever of military matters, but it does seem to me, as it seems to every civilian here, that at least something ought to be done, and that with the force we have here it is disgraceful that we should be doing nothing while our countrymen are fighting for their lives at Pekin. However, I suppose the present state of things cannot last indefinitely. I have no doubt that telegrams have been sent by all the nations in Europe to their military representatives here urging them to make an effort to relieve the Legations, though unfortunately, as we learn from Shanghai, it appears to be almost a settled conviction in Europe, as it is among the military men here, that the Legations have already fallen and all within them perished.“The Empress of China is the one person responsible for all this mischief. If she had set her face firmly against the Boxers from the first, and issued stringent instructions to her generals to stamp them out, they would never have been formidable. The encouragement that she gave them, and the punishment she inflicted upon the few generals who did their duty and attacked them, has caused this. It was because they were allowed to attack the Legations and destroy the railway that the allies were forced to capture the Taku Forts, and the capture of the Taku Forts at once caused the Chinese army to make common cause with the Boxers. One step has been necessitated by another, and were it not that the viceroys of the Yangtse Valley have declined to obey her commands, and have maintained order in the districts under them, the whole of China would be in a blaze, and every European outside the treaty ports would have been massacred.“As soon as the affair is over I shall return to Europe, andremain there for at least a couple of years, for certainly there will be no renewal of trade within that time. You may be sure that every merchant in the Chinese city who carried on dealings with us, and was therefore suspected of being well–disposed towards us, is among the vast number who have been massacred. We know that the quarter inhabited by them has been almost destroyed, and before this can be rebuilt, and a fresh body of men take their places, a very considerable time must elapse.”
SURROUNDED
On the seventeenth messages were sent to Lofa and Lang Fang to recall the three trains there, but it was evident that it would be impossible to utilize them for our retreat, as they might be suddenly cut off by the Boxers. One came in on the afternoon of the next day, and the others arrived in the evening. They had had some very sharp fighting. The German naval officer, who was in charge of the two trains, reported that he had been attacked early that afternoon by a force of fully five thousand men, including cavalry, a great proportion of whom were armed with magazine rifles of the latest pattern. The attack was made both in front and on the flanks. The troops marched out against them, and although exposed to a heavy fire, forced them to retreat. Nevertheless, when our men retired towards the train, the enemy rallied and advanced again with the evident determination to gain their object; but being beaten off with more loss than before, they finally retreated. Their loss was over four hundred killed, while we had six killed and forty–eight wounded. In the course of the fight a banner was captured which belonged to the army of Tung–Fu–Hsiang. This was the first indication we had that the Imperial Chinese troops had taken the field against us.
“A conference of the commanding officers of the various nationalities was held the next day, and it was decided that,as the railway was completely destroyed on both sides of them, and they could not use it either for advance or retreat, it would be better to endeavour to withdraw to Tientsin. Preparations were at once made. The wounded and the few remaining stores were carried down and placed on board some junks that had been captured on the previous day, and at three oʼclock in the afternoon a start was made. Progress, however, was not destined to be rapid, for the junks had not gone far before they grounded in a shallow reach of the river. Three of them were got off pretty easily; but a six–pounder quick–firing gun of theCenturionhad to be thrown overboard to lighten the fourth before she would float. In consequence of this delay, we had only made two and a half miles when night fell. We started early the next morning and were fighting all day, but progress was very much retarded by the necessity for keeping abreast of the junks. The management of these lubberly craft was beyond the European sailors, and as no Chinaman could be got to navigate them they were continually running across the river and getting stuck, so that from four oʼclock in the morning till six in the evening the force only advanced eight miles.
“The fighting began at a quarter–past nine. The Chinese occupied a village near the bank, and when they were driven out they fell back to the next village. Here they were reinforced, and village after village had to be carried either by rifle fire, or, in some cases, where the resistance was too obstinate, by a bayonet charge. The Chinese stood splendidly against our rifle fire, but they could not bring themselves to face the bayonet; the cheers of our men seemed to take all the spirit out of them. In the afternoon the Chinese opened fire with a one–pounder quick–firing gun. It did not do any great damage, but it harassed the troops in their advance,especially when they had to cross open ground. The enemy were using smokeless powder, and consequently, as the gun was frequently shifted, we found it impossible to locate its position and so to keep down its fire with musketry.
“It was a very trying day. The heat was great, the water in the water–bottles was soon exhausted, and the men were too busily engaged to go down to the river to refill them. The next day was even worse. A start was made at half–past seven, and we had not gone far when we saw some two hundred cavalry on the left flank of the advance guard. All hoped at first that this was a detachment of Cossacks who had come to our aid, but this hope was doomed to disappointment, for as they drew nearer their dress showed that they were Chinese troops. For the rest of the day they hovered about on our left flank, firing when they saw an opportunity; but a few well–directed shrapnel–shell from the nine–pounder sufficed to keep them at a distance. As soon as they had retired, after reconnoitring our position, they opened fire with a field–gun and a one–pounder quick–firing gun. We replied with our nine–pounder and machine–guns, and as the enemy were using ordinary powder, the smoke of which showed their position, they were soon obliged to shift. They were quiet for a time, but they began again in the course of the day, always, however, with the same result. Fighting went on continuously, as village after village, and the town of Peitsang, which is the chief place between Yangtsun and Tientsin, had to be carried.
“At six oʼclock in the evening we halted, having arrived opposite a very strong position held by the enemy, from which we were unable to dislodge them. The commanding officers held a council of war, and decided that, after we had had some refreshment and a few hoursʼ rest, we should make a night march as the best chance of getting through. We hadmade only six miles during the day, owing to the stubborn resistance of the enemy and their increased gun power.
“In the course of the evening the field and machine–guns were placed on board a junk that had been taken on the previous day, and at one oʼclock in the morning the march recommenced. Fires were soon seen at a little distance from the river bank, and it was obvious that the enemy were by this means signalling our approach. A heavy fire opened on the force from a village some hundred yards ahead, and a shell from a field–piece struck the junk that was carrying the guns, and she filled and had to be abandoned. The guns unfortunately, could not be got off, but the Maxims were saved. The village was carried by the marines with fixed bayonets.
“At four oʼclock we arrived opposite a great building, which turned out to be the Imperial arsenal of Hsi Ku. Two unarmed soldiers came out from a house a hundred yards from the bank with the evident intention of communicating with us. Our advance halted, and the men, when they came up, made some simple enquiries as to who we were and where we were going. Having got what information they wanted they sauntered back to the houses, from which, as soon as they reached them a heavy fire was opened with rifles and guns. Fortunately there was good cover close at hand. Some of our fellows occupied a neighbouring village, and others took shelter behind the river embankment.
“It was then decided to take the arsenal. The resistance was becoming more severe with every yard the force advanced, the provisions were almost exhausted, and the troops, who had been for some time on half–rations, were exhausted with the heat and their continual exertions. The attack was begun with a heavy rifle fire against a Hotchkiss gun in the north corner of the arsenal and two guns on the river front,which were soon silenced. A body of marines and seamen was then directed to cross the river higher up, and, if possible, to rush the enemyʼs position at the north corner. Fortunately there was a village only a hundred and fifty yards from this point, and the sailors, having crawled up there unobserved, dashed out of cover at the double with a cheer, in which the troops on the other side of the river joined, and the Chinese at the corner they were making for bolted at once. Lower down the river a German detachment had crossed and captured the guns in their front, and subsequently several others. Between them the two bodies cleared out the armoury.
“In the afternoon the Chinese made a most determined attempt to retake the arsenal, advancing boldly under a very heavy shell fire. As, however, we had the captured guns, we drove the enemy back with heavy losses, but not before we had suffered considerably ourselves. The main body of the troops and the wounded were in the meantime crossing, and late in the afternoon the whole force was safe in the arsenal.
“Things looked better now than they had done since we had left Tientsin. Of course we had no knowledge at all of what was going on there, and thought that we should only have to maintain ourselves till a force was sent out to our assistance.
“Several messengers had been sent on during the march, and during the night three officers with a hundred marines set out to try to make their way down to Tientsin. They had scarcely started, however, when they encountered a determined resistance. Bugles sounded in all directions, and finding that the whole force of the enemy was upon them, and having lost four of their number, they had no option but to fall back. At daylight the Chinese made another desperateattempt to retake the armoury, and maintained this until eight oʼclock, when they were beaten off.
“We had now time to make a thorough investigation of the contents of the various buildings, and to our delight we found a store of some fifteen tons of rice. This placed us for some time beyond the risk of starvation. We discovered, too, an immense supply of guns, arms, and ammunition, and war material of the latest pattern, so that we felt capable of holding out for a long time. At a council of war it was considered to be impossible to force a way down, for we had now no fewer than two hundred and thirty wounded to carry. Our first move was to mount a number of guns on the various fronts of the arsenal, and with these we opened fire upon a Boxer stronghold situated near the arsenal and the Chinese fort lower down the river. The effect was excellent; the Chinese retired, and made no fresh attempt to retake the place.
“On the twenty–fifth European troops were reported in sight, and at seven oʼclock the relief column under Colonel Shirinsky arrived at the fort. Preparations were at once made for the evacuation of the armoury and for the destruction of the arsenal. The wounded were transported across the river in the afternoon, and the whole force followed later. At three oʼclock on the following morning we started, two officers remaining behind to set fire to the ammunition and store–houses. Fires were lit in five separate places, and from the volumes of smoke that rose from the building, and the explosions which we heard from that direction, the destruction seemed fairly complete. The officers crossed the river after lighting the fires, mounted ponies that were waiting for them, and then rejoined the main body, which met with no further resistance.
“The country through which we passed was flat, and alongthe river banks villages of mud–huts, generally surrounded with enclosures of dried reeds, were scattered at frequent intervals. Near the villages high reeds grew plentifully in patches, and trees were numerous. These, with the entrenchments for irrigation and against flood, and the graves everywhere scattered about, afforded excellent cover to the enemy; they seldom exposed themselves, always withdrawing as we advanced. Their fire was generally very high; had it been otherwise we should have suffered very severely. Altogether, I think that, although we failed in our object, the affair has been very creditable, and, considering the difficulties to which we were exposed, none of those who took part in it have any reason to be ashamed of what they have done. At the beginning our opponents were largely armed only with swords and spears, but in the latter part we had to encounter trained troops excellently armed and provided with guns, and there can be no doubt that all these belonged to the regular army.”
“Thank you very much, Major Johnston, for your interesting account!” Mr. Bateman said. “We have been fighting nearly as hard here for the past ten days, and I hope now that in a short time we shall begin to turn the tables upon them. I expect you will have hard work before you to take Tientsin, for there you will probably be opposed by all the troops with whom you have hitherto been engaged. I have no doubt that they have followed you down to–day, anticipating that we shall now take the offensive.”
“Yes, I expect we shall have some stiff fighting,” Major Johnston said, “but you may be sure that we shaʼnʼt shirk it. Well, I think now, with your permission, that we will turn in. We had no sleep to speak of last night, and may be wanted again early in the morning.”
The three officers were up early and went down to see afterthe marines, and Rex went out with them to hear what was going to be done. The town presented a very different appearance from that which it had shown for the past ten days. The streets were no longer deserted, but swarmed everywhere with troops; bugles were blowing, and all was life and bustle. The houses that had been closed were open again, and men congratulated each other that the strain was over. Rex went down to the shed which was the head–quarters of the volunteers. Here some twenty or thirty had already assembled. Rex was, of course, in the simple uniform of the corps, and had brought his rifle with him.
“What is going to be done?” he asked.
“We donʼt know yet,” said one of his friends. “The Russians are certainly going to march out, and I suppose a mixed column will also go, in which case we shall accompany it. I expect we shall get orders before long.”
Tientsin is one of the most important towns in China. Standing as it does at the junction of the Peiho, the Grand Canal, the Lupi Canal, and five smaller streams and canals, it is not only the port of Pekin, but practically the sole outlet of the trade of the whole of the north–western provinces of China. Its population amounts to nearly a million, and its trade is considerably better than that of Canton, and is exceeded only by that of Shanghai. The native city is enclosed in sombre walls, and lies some two miles farther up the river than the foreign settlements. The imports of Tientsin include not only European manufactures, but also sugar, salt, and the tribute rice of the southern provinces. From the interior there is a vast export trade in the wood and furs of Manchuria and Mongolia, the teas of Hang–Chow, and the ground–nuts and bristles of Chih–li.
The foreign trade was growing rapidly, and would haveincreased still more but for the want of water in the Peiho. This river is about the size of the Thames at Richmond, but it used to be deep, with rapid currents, and large ocean–going steamers were able to come up to the settlements to unload. The extensive canal and irrigation works, however, have of late years greatly diminished the flow of water, so that now vessels of any considerable draught have to remain outside the bar, thirteen miles out at sea, and even small vessels can only come as far as Tonku, three miles up the river mouth.
As soon as it was known that the allied generals had decided upon the bombardment of the city, earnest protestations were made by the leading merchants of all nationalities, but the military necessities overruled their wishes. Until the town was captured the settlements would be practically beleaguered, and it would be impossible to make an advance to Pekin and leave the large Chinese force in the city behind. Moreover, if the advance did not take place, not only would the Legations at Pekin inevitably fall, but the life of every European in China would be in jeopardy. Consequently the allied generals arrived unanimously at the conclusion that the bombardment and assault of Tientsin was an absolute and vital necessity. Already there had been an enormous loss of life there. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of the Chinese suspected of being favourable to the allies had been sacrificed, and in the perpetration of these outrages whole streets had been destroyed by fire. It was therefore necessary, if for no other reason, to inflict a terrible lesson upon the Chinese troops who occupied the city.
The Chinese were convinced that it would be impossible for the Europeans to capture their city, held as it was by a greatly superior force of regular Chinese troops, and protected by a very large number of guns.
The bombardment was to be greatly deplored, for the enormous injury inflicted upon Tientsin could not but cripple the trade there for many years, and probably divert it to other channels. Still, the necessity could not be denied, grievous though its effects might be.
The Russians had already started from their camp, which was on the opposite side of the river, in the foreign settlements, and marched against the Peiyang arsenal, which is on the same side, about a mile and a half up. It was defended by several thousand Chinese, with six nine–pounder Krupps. The attack had to be made across an open plain, and this was swept by an incessant rifle fire, while the Chinese artillery made excellent practice. The casualties mounted up quickly, and before long a halt was called, and messengers were sent to Tientsin to ask for reinforcements.
When the messengers arrived, the bugle sounded and the troops hastily assembled. The whole of the Naval Brigade, under Captain Bourke of theOrlando, was called out, including a battalion of marines under Major Johnston, and with them went a twelve–pounder gun from theTerrible. The American Marine Artillery also went out, together with a detachment of Tientsin volunteers. When they got to the scene of action, they found the Russians shelling the arsenal under cover of the railway embankment.
No movement was made till eleven oʼclock, when a Russian shell exploded in the principal Chinese magazine, which contained no less than eighty tons of powder. The explosion was terrific, and for some minutes a great cloud of smoke hung over the arsenal. The shock was so severe that soldiers who were standing up at the time were thrown off their feet by it, and the sound was heard distinctly at Taku, thirty miles away. The British had increased their fire, and shortly afterwards aTerribletwelve–pounder put a shell into thesmaller magazine, which also blew up. Each explosion was hailed by the troops with tremendous cheers, which a few minutes later were redoubled when the Chinese were seen leaving the fort. The British and Americans, who were nearer than the Russians, at once advanced at the double. Some Chinese, composed of sterner stuff than their comrades, still kept up their fire, causing some casualties, but they also retreated in good time to secure their own safety.
When the storming party was close to the arsenal, what seemed to be a tremendous musketry fire broke out from the building, and, supposing that there was still a very large force there, the troops halted. Presently, however, the fire ceased altogether, and they again advanced. When they entered the place they discovered that the fire that had checked them was not musketry, but long strings of crackers which the Chinese had prepared to check any storming party, and thus secure their own retreat. Angry as the troops were at being deceived, they laughed heartily at the trick that had been played upon them.
After the arsenal was occupied, a large mixed force of Chinese regulars and Boxers came out from Tientsin city, at the back of the railway–station, and placed themselves between the arsenal and the river, on the very ground the British and Americans had occupied, and their first act was to massacre all the wounded who had been left there. One poor fellow alone was saved, for although he had been very seriously wounded in both legs he managed to run, and the British–Chinese regiment coming up at the moment, he was able to reach the arsenal in safety.
The murder of the wounded exasperated the troops to the last degree, and palliated, if it did not excuse, the general refusal of quarter to the Chinese during the campaign. In Tientsin a document was found showing that rewards hadbeen paid to several Chinese who had brought in the heads of British and American soldiers.
The capture of the arsenal enabled all the women and children to be sent away within the next few days, which was a fortunate occurrence, for large reinforcements of Chinese troops entered the city the day after, and the settlements were again exposed to a vigorous fire.
Reinforcements were coming up, but even yet the force was not considered sufficiently strong to attack Tientsin. The destruction caused by the Chinese fire was very great; numbers of houses were burnt, many containing stores of great value. In one of these alone, twenty thousand pounds worth of furs and other Chinese produce was consumed.
Rex was maddened by the delay which occurred after the arsenal had been taken. It was a fixed idea among the military men that Pekin had fallen, and its occupants had been massacred. Many rumours to this effect had indeed been received, and Rex found his assertions that the Legations were well able to hold out received with absolute incredulity. He repeatedly urged his opinion on Major Johnston, but that officer said that all the officers in command were so firmly convinced that it was quite useless for him to bring the matter before them.
“You see,” he said, “it is now a fortnight since you left the place, and it may very well have fallen by this time. You yourself reported the state of things on your arrival, but so much has occurred since then, and the Chinese have fought so pluckily, that one cannot imagine it possible that the mere handful of men in the Legations can have resisted any determined attack. At the time you left, the news of the fighting here could not have arrived, but I fear that when the fierce fighting here became known, the anger of the Chinese would be raised to such a point that they wouldmake a general and furious attack on the Legations, in which case you acknowledge yourself that they must have fallen. Besides, however anxious everyone may be for our advance, nothing can be done until Tientsin is taken.”
Rex could not but acknowledge the justice of this reasoning. He was strongly tempted to make another journey to Pekin, but so many of Admiral Seymourʼs messengers had failed that he felt that he could not ask his fatherʼs permission to undertake it. He spent his days, whether on or off duty, at the barricades, keeping up a vengeful fire on the Chinese. His love of fun had entirely left him, and his face was as stern as that of the oldest soldier.
“It is horrible, Father,” he said, “to think that the girls and all others in the Legation may be massacred before we get there. I wonʼt believe that it has been captured yet, in spite of the numerous reports that reach us; but if we keep on delaying as we are doing now, the Legations may very well have fallen before we get there. I bitterly regret that I came down, for I might, had I remained at Pekin, have succeeded somehow in saving the girls.”
“I donʼt think you could have done so, and you would only have thrown away your own life. You must remember that, dear as the girls are to us, you are naturally far dearer. It is a very serious business attacking Tientsin, and a repulse would be telegraphed all over China and turn all the waverers against us. It would be an awful affair, and eagerly as I long for a relieving force to set out, I feel that it cannot be attempted until we have a force sufficient to ensure the capture of Tientsin, and to be able to fight its way up against the opposition which it will certainly meet with.”
“Possibly that opposition will not be serious, Father, when we have once turned them out of Tientsin.”
“That is possible, Rex; but I fear that even then therewill be delays. It is a great pity that this force is not under one head, and composed of men of one nation. As it is, every step to be taken has to be discussed and decided upon by the officers in command of the various nationalities. There are, it is well known, all sorts of bickerings and jealousies between them. The Russians want to have everything their own way, and the general opinion is that they are fighting only for their own advantage, and that they are bent upon the destruction of Tientsin and the practical annihilation of the trade of the place, in order to divert the whole of the trade of the north–west to Port Arthur.
“The Japanese interest lies exactly the other way. Here Japan is acquiring a good share of the trade, but if it were turned to the Manchurian port she would lose it altogether. Naturally, therefore, as her force here is about as strong as that of Russia, her generals are not disposed to let the latter entirely have their own way. As for ourselves, our interests are as large as all the others put together, and we have had more than our share of fighting, but unfortunately we have no officer of sufficient rank and command to hold the Russians in check.
“However, at present no preparations whatever have been made for an advance upon Pekin. Nothing is thought or talked of but Tientsin, and yet, after the city is taken, there will be a great deal to arrange before we can move forward. It is certain that the advancing force must move by the river; in no other way could the army be provisioned, for the railway is wrecked from end to end, and I should say that, even with hard work and without opposition, it would take at least a month to restore it to order. Well, it will be necessary to collect a great number of junks—river junks, for the sea–going craft would draw far too much water. Then a great quantity of stores must be got together. Itseems to me that while the troops are waiting here for reinforcements they ought to be making preparations for the advance.
“Of course I am no judge whatever of military matters, but it does seem to me, as it seems to every civilian here, that at least something ought to be done, and that with the force we have here it is disgraceful that we should be doing nothing while our countrymen are fighting for their lives at Pekin. However, I suppose the present state of things cannot last indefinitely. I have no doubt that telegrams have been sent by all the nations in Europe to their military representatives here urging them to make an effort to relieve the Legations, though unfortunately, as we learn from Shanghai, it appears to be almost a settled conviction in Europe, as it is among the military men here, that the Legations have already fallen and all within them perished.
“The Empress of China is the one person responsible for all this mischief. If she had set her face firmly against the Boxers from the first, and issued stringent instructions to her generals to stamp them out, they would never have been formidable. The encouragement that she gave them, and the punishment she inflicted upon the few generals who did their duty and attacked them, has caused this. It was because they were allowed to attack the Legations and destroy the railway that the allies were forced to capture the Taku Forts, and the capture of the Taku Forts at once caused the Chinese army to make common cause with the Boxers. One step has been necessitated by another, and were it not that the viceroys of the Yangtse Valley have declined to obey her commands, and have maintained order in the districts under them, the whole of China would be in a blaze, and every European outside the treaty ports would have been massacred.
“As soon as the affair is over I shall return to Europe, andremain there for at least a couple of years, for certainly there will be no renewal of trade within that time. You may be sure that every merchant in the Chinese city who carried on dealings with us, and was therefore suspected of being well–disposed towards us, is among the vast number who have been massacred. We know that the quarter inhabited by them has been almost destroyed, and before this can be rebuilt, and a fresh body of men take their places, a very considerable time must elapse.”