by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XIV
SURROUNDED
On the seventeenth messages were sent to Lofa and Lang Fang to recallthe three trains there, but it was evident that it would be impossibleto utilize them for our retreat, as they might be suddenly cut offby the Boxers. One came in on the afternoon of the next day, and theothers arrived in the evening. They had had some very sharp fighting.The German naval officer, who was in charge of the two trains, reportedthat he had been attacked early that afternoon by a force of fully fivethousand men, including cavalry, a great proportion of whom were armedwith magazine rifles of the latest pattern. The attack was made bothin front and on the flanks. The troops marched out against them, andalthough exposed to a heavy fire, forced them to retreat. Nevertheless,when our men retired towards the train, the enemy rallied and advancedagain with the evident determination to gain their object; but beingbeaten off with more loss than before, they finally retreated. Theirloss was over four hundred killed, while we had six killed andforty–eight wounded. In the course of the fight a banner was capturedwhich belonged to the army of Tung–Fu–Hsiang. This was the firstindication we had that the Imperial Chinese troops had taken the fieldagainst us.
“A conference of the commanding officers of the various nationalitieswas held the next day, and it was decided that, as the railway wascompletely destroyed on both sides of them, and they could not useit either for advance or retreat, it would be better to endeavour towithdraw to Tientsin. Preparations were at once made. The wounded andthe few remaining stores were carried down and placed on board somejunks that had been captured on the previous day, and at three o?clockin the afternoon a start was made. Progress, however, was not destinedto be rapid, for the junks had not gone far before they grounded in ashallow reach of the river. Three of them were got off pretty easily;but a six–pounder quick–firing gun of the _Centurion_ had to be thrownoverboard to lighten the fourth before she would float. In consequenceof 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, butprogress was very much retarded by the necessity for keeping abreastof the junks. The management of these lubberly craft was beyond theEuropean sailors, and as no Chinaman could be got to navigate them theywere continually running across the river and getting stuck, so thatfrom four o?clock in the morning till six in the evening the force onlyadvanced eight miles.
“The fighting began at a quarter–past nine. The Chinese occupied avillage near the bank, and when they were driven out they fell back tothe next village. Here they were reinforced, and village after villagehad to be carried either by rifle fire, or, in some cases, wherethe resistance was too obstinate, by a bayonet charge. The Chinesestood splendidly against our rifle fire, but they could not bringthemselves to face the bayonet; the cheers of our men seemed to takeall the spirit out of them. In the afternoon the Chinese opened firewith a one–pounder quick–firing gun. It did not do any great damage,but it harassed the troops in their advance, especially when theyhad to cross open ground. The enemy were using smokeless powder, andconsequently, as the gun was frequently shifted, we found it impossibleto 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 thewater–bottles was soon exhausted, and the men were too busily engagedto 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 wesaw some two hundred cavalry on the left flank of the advance guard.All hoped at first that this was a detachment of Cossacks who hadcome to our aid, but this hope was doomed to disappointment, for asthey drew nearer their dress showed that they were Chinese troops.For the rest of the day they hovered about on our left flank, firingwhen they saw an opportunity; but a few well–directed shrapnel–shellfrom the nine–pounder sufficed to keep them at a distance. As soonas they had retired, after reconnoitring our position, they openedfire with a field–gun and a one–pounder quick–firing gun. We repliedwith our nine–pounder and machine–guns, and as the enemy were usingordinary powder, the smoke of which showed their position, they weresoon obliged to shift. They were quiet for a time, but they beganagain in the course of the day, always, however, with the same result.Fighting went on continuously, as village after village, and the townof Peitsang, which is the chief place between Yangtsun and Tientsin,had to be carried.
“At six o?clock in the evening we halted, having arrived opposite avery strong position held by the enemy, from which we were unable todislodge them. The commanding officers held a council of war, anddecided that, after we had had some refreshment and a few hours? rest,we should make a night march as the best chance of getting through.We had made only six miles during the day, owing to the stubbornresistance of the enemy and their increased gun power.
“In the course of the evening the field and machine–guns were placedon board a junk that had been taken on the previous day, and at oneo?clock in the morning the march recommenced. Fires were soon seen at alittle distance from the river bank, and it was obvious that the enemywere by this means signalling our approach. A heavy fire opened onthe force from a village some hundred yards ahead, and a shell from afield–piece struck the junk that was carrying the guns, and she filledand had to be abandoned. The guns unfortunately, could not be got off,but the Maxims were saved. The village was carried by the marines withfixed bayonets.
“At four o?clock we arrived opposite a great building, which turned outto be the Imperial arsenal of Hsi Ku. Two unarmed soldiers came outfrom a house a hundred yards from the bank with the evident intentionof communicating with us. Our advance halted, and the men, when theycame up, made some simple enquiries as to who we were and where we weregoing. Having got what information they wanted they sauntered back tothe houses, from which, as soon as they reached them a heavy fire wasopened with rifles and guns. Fortunately there was good cover close athand. Some of our fellows occupied a neighbouring village, and otherstook shelter behind the river embankment.
“It was then decided to take the arsenal. The resistance was becomingmore severe with every yard the force advanced, the provisionswere almost exhausted, and the troops, who had been for some timeon half–rations, were exhausted with the heat and their continualexertions. The attack was begun with a heavy rifle fire against aHotchkiss gun in the north corner of the arsenal and two guns on theriver front, which were soon silenced. A body of marines and seamenwas then directed to cross the river higher up, and, if possible, torush the enemy?s position at the north corner. Fortunately there wasa village only a hundred and fifty yards from this point, and thesailors, having crawled up there unobserved, dashed out of cover at thedouble with a cheer, in which the troops on the other side of the riverjoined, and the Chinese at the corner they were making for bolted atonce. Lower down the river a German detachment had crossed and capturedthe guns in their front, and subsequently several others. Between themthe two bodies cleared out the armoury.
“In the afternoon the Chinese made a most determined attempt to retakethe arsenal, advancing boldly under a very heavy shell fire. As,however, we had the captured guns, we drove the enemy back with heavylosses, but not before we had suffered considerably ourselves. The mainbody of the troops and the wounded were in the meantime crossing, andlate in the afternoon the whole force was safe in the arsenal.
“Things looked better now than they had done since we had leftTientsin. Of course we had no knowledge at all of what was going onthere, and thought that we should only have to maintain ourselves tilla force was sent out to our assistance.
“Several messengers had been sent on during the march, and duringthe night three officers with a hundred marines set out to try tomake their way down to Tientsin. They had scarcely started, however,when they encountered a determined resistance. Bugles sounded in alldirections, and finding that the whole force of the enemy was uponthem, and having lost four of their number, they had no option but tofall back. At daylight the Chinese made another desperate attempt toret
ake the armoury, and maintained this until eight o?clock, when theywere beaten off.
“We had now time to make a thorough investigation of the contents ofthe various buildings, and to our delight we found a store of somefifteen tons of rice. This placed us for some time beyond the riskof starvation. We discovered, too, an immense supply of guns, arms,and ammunition, and war material of the latest pattern, so that wefelt capable of holding out for a long time. At a council of war itwas considered to be impossible to force a way down, for we had nowno fewer than two hundred and thirty wounded to carry. Our first movewas to mount a number of guns on the various fronts of the arsenal,and with these we opened fire upon a Boxer stronghold situated nearthe arsenal and the Chinese fort lower down the river. The effect wasexcellent; the Chinese retired, and made no fresh attempt to retake theplace.
“On the twenty–fifth European troops were reported in sight, and atseven o?clock the relief column under Colonel Shirinsky arrived at thefort. Preparations were at once made for the evacuation of the armouryand for the destruction of the arsenal. The wounded were transportedacross the river in the afternoon, and the whole force followed later.At three o?clock on the following morning we started, two officersremaining behind to set fire to the ammunition and store–houses. Fireswere lit in five separate places, and from the volumes of smoke thatrose from the building, and the explosions which we heard from thatdirection, the destruction seemed fairly complete. The officers crossedthe river after lighting the fires, mounted ponies that were waitingfor them, and then rejoined the main body, which met with no furtherresistance.
“The country through which we passed was flat, and along the riverbanks villages of mud–huts, generally surrounded with enclosures ofdried reeds, were scattered at frequent intervals. Near the villageshigh reeds grew plentifully in patches, and trees were numerous. These,with the entrenchments for irrigation and against flood, and the graveseverywhere scattered about, afforded excellent cover to the enemy; theyseldom exposed themselves, always withdrawing as we advanced. Theirfire was generally very high; had it been otherwise we should havesuffered very severely. Altogether, I think that, although we failedin our object, the affair has been very creditable, and, consideringthe difficulties to which we were exposed, none of those who took partin it have any reason to be ashamed of what they have done. At thebeginning our opponents were largely armed only with swords and spears,but in the latter part we had to encounter trained troops excellentlyarmed and provided with guns, and there can be no doubt that all thesebelonged 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 thepast ten days, and I hope now that in a short time we shall begin toturn the tables upon them. I expect you will have hard work before youto take Tientsin, for there you will probably be opposed by all thetroops with whom you have hitherto been engaged. I have no doubt thatthey have followed you down to–day, anticipating that we shall now takethe offensive.”
“Yes, I expect we shall have some stiff fighting,” Major Johnston said,“but you may be sure that we sha?n?t shirk it. Well, I think now, withyour permission, that we will turn in. We had no sleep to speak of lastnight, and may be wanted again early in the morning.”
The three officers were up early and went down to see after themarines, 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 hadshown for the past ten days. The streets were no longer deserted, butswarmed everywhere with troops; bugles were blowing, and all was lifeand bustle. The houses that had been closed were open again, and mencongratulated each other that the strain was over. Rex went down to theshed which was the head–quarters of the volunteers. Here some twenty orthirty had already assembled. Rex was, of course, in the simple uniformof the corps, and had brought his rifle with him.
“What is going to be done?” he asked.
“We don?t know yet,” said one of his friends. “The Russians arecertainly going to march out, and I suppose a mixed column will alsogo, in which case we shall accompany it. I expect we shall get ordersbefore long.”
Tientsin is one of the most important towns in China. Standing as itdoes 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 thenorth–western provinces of China. Its population amounts to nearly amillion, and its trade is considerably better than that of Canton, andis exceeded only by that of Shanghai. The native city is enclosed insombre walls, and lies some two miles farther up the river than theforeign settlements. The imports of Tientsin include not only Europeanmanufactures, but also sugar, salt, and the tribute rice of thesouthern provinces. From the interior there is a vast export trade inthe wood and furs of Manchuria and Mongolia, the teas of Hang–Chow, andthe ground–nuts and bristles of Chih–li.
The foreign trade was growing rapidly, and would have increased stillmore but for the want of water in the Peiho. This river is about thesize of the Thames at Richmond, but it used to be deep, with rapidcurrents, and large ocean–going steamers were able to come up to thesettlements to unload. The extensive canal and irrigation works,however, have of late years greatly diminished the flow of water, sothat now vessels of any considerable draught have to remain outside thebar, thirteen miles out at sea, and even small vessels can only come asfar as Tonku, three miles up the river mouth.
As soon as it was known that the allied generals had decided uponthe bombardment of the city, earnest protestations were made by theleading merchants of all nationalities, but the military necessitiesoverruled their wishes. Until the town was captured the settlementswould be practically beleaguered, and it would be impossible to makean advance to Pekin and leave the large Chinese force in the citybehind. Moreover, if the advance did not take place, not only would theLegations at Pekin inevitably fall, but the life of every European inChina would be in jeopardy. Consequently the allied generals arrivedunanimously at the conclusion that the bombardment and assault ofTientsin was an absolute and vital necessity. Already there had beenan enormous loss of life there. Thousands, if not tens of thousands,of the Chinese suspected of being favourable to the allies had beensacrificed, and in the perpetration of these outrages whole streetshad been destroyed by fire. It was therefore necessary, if for noother reason, to inflict a terrible lesson upon the Chinese troops whooccupied the city.
The Chinese were convinced that it would be impossible for theEuropeans to capture their city, held as it was by a greatly superiorforce of regular Chinese troops, and protected by a very large numberof guns.
The bombardment was to be greatly deplored, for the enormous injuryinflicted upon Tientsin could not but cripple the trade there for manyyears, and probably divert it to other channels. Still, the necessitycould not be denied, grievous though its effects might be.
The Russians had already started from their camp, which was on theopposite side of the river, in the foreign settlements, and marchedagainst the Peiyang arsenal, which is on the same side, about a mileand a half up. It was defended by several thousand Chinese, with sixnine–pounder Krupps. The attack had to be made across an open plain,and this was swept by an incessant rifle fire, while the Chineseartillery made excellent practice. The casualties mounted up quickly,and before long a halt was called, and messengers were sent to Tientsinto ask for reinforcements.
When the messengers arrived, the bugle sounded and the troops hastilyassembled. The whole of the Naval Brigade, under Captain Bourke of the_Orlando_, was called out, including a battalion of marines under MajorJohnston, and with them went a twelve–pounder gun from the _Terrible_.The American Marine Artillery also went out, together with a detachmentof Tientsin volunteers. When they got to the scene of action, theyfound the Russians shelling the arsenal under cover of the railwayembankment.
No movement was made till eleven o?clock, when a Russian shell explodedin
the principal Chinese magazine, which contained no less than eightytons of powder. The explosion was terrific, and for some minutes agreat cloud of smoke hung over the arsenal. The shock was so severethat soldiers who were standing up at the time were thrown off theirfeet by it, and the sound was heard distinctly at Taku, thirty milesaway. The British had increased their fire, and shortly afterwards a_Terrible_ twelve–pounder put a shell into the smaller magazine, whichalso blew up. Each explosion was hailed by the troops with tremendouscheers, which a few minutes later were redoubled when the Chinese wereseen leaving the fort. The British and Americans, who were nearer thanthe Russians, at once advanced at the double. Some Chinese, composed ofsterner stuff than their comrades, still kept up their fire, causingsome casualties, but they also retreated in good time to secure theirown safety.
When the storming party was close to the arsenal, what seemed to be atremendous musketry fire broke out from the building, and, supposingthat there was still a very large force there, the troops halted.Presently, however, the fire ceased altogether, and they againadvanced. When they entered the place they discovered that the firethat had checked them was not musketry, but long strings of crackerswhich the Chinese had prepared to check any storming party, and thussecure 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 Chineseregulars and Boxers came out from Tientsin city, at the back of therailway–station, and placed themselves between the arsenal and theriver, on the very ground the British and Americans had occupied,and their first act was to massacre all the wounded who had beenleft there. One poor fellow alone was saved, for although he hadbeen very seriously wounded in both legs he managed to run, and theBritish–Chinese regiment coming up at the moment, he was able to reachthe 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 quarterto the Chinese during the campaign. In Tientsin a document was foundshowing that rewards had been paid to several Chinese who had broughtin the heads of British and American soldiers.
The capture of the arsenal enabled all the women and children to besent away within the next few days, which was a fortunate occurrence,for large reinforcements of Chinese troops entered the city the dayafter, and the settlements were again exposed to a vigorous fire.
Reinforcements were coming up, but even yet the force was notconsidered sufficiently strong to attack Tientsin. The destructioncaused by the Chinese fire was very great; numbers of houses wereburnt, many containing stores of great value. In one of these alone,twenty thousand pounds worth of furs and other Chinese produce wasconsumed.
Rex was maddened by the delay which occurred after the arsenal hadbeen taken. It was a fixed idea among the military men that Pekinhad fallen, and its occupants had been massacred. Many rumours tothis effect had indeed been received, and Rex found his assertionsthat the Legations were well able to hold out received with absoluteincredulity. He repeatedly urged his opinion on Major Johnston, butthat officer said that all the officers in command were so firmlyconvinced that it was quite useless for him to bring the matter beforethem.
“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 reportedthe state of things on your arrival, but so much has occurred sincethen, and the Chinese have fought so pluckily, that one cannot imagineit possible that the mere handful of men in the Legations can haveresisted any determined attack. At the time you left, the news of thefighting here could not have arrived, but I fear that when the fiercefighting here became known, the anger of the Chinese would be raisedto such a point that they would make a general and furious attack onthe Legations, in which case you acknowledge yourself that they musthave 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 wasstrongly tempted to make another journey to Pekin, but so many ofAdmiral Seymour?s messengers had failed that he felt that he could notask his father?s permission to undertake it. He spent his days, whetheron or off duty, at the barricades, keeping up a vengeful fire on theChinese. His love of fun had entirely left him, and his face was asstern as that of the oldest soldier.
“It is horrible, Father,” he said, “to think that the girls and allothers in the Legation may be massacred before we get there. I won?tbelieve that it has been captured yet, in spite of the numerous reportsthat reach us; but if we keep on delaying as we are doing now, theLegations may very well have fallen before we get there. I bitterlyregret that I came down, for I might, had I remained at Pekin, havesucceeded somehow in saving the girls.”
“I don?t think you could have done so, and you would only have thrownaway your own life. You must remember that, dear as the girls areto us, you are naturally far dearer. It is a very serious businessattacking Tientsin, and a repulse would be telegraphed all over Chinaand 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 thatit cannot be attempted until we have a force sufficient to ensure thecapture of Tientsin, and to be able to fight its way up against theopposition which it will certainly meet with.”
“Possibly that opposition will not be serious, Father, when we haveonce turned them out of Tientsin.”
“That is possible, Rex; but I fear that even then there will bedelays. It is a great pity that this force is not under one head, andcomposed of men of one nation. As it is, every step to be taken has tobe discussed and decided upon by the officers in command of the variousnationalities. There are, it is well known, all sorts of bickerings andjealousies between them. The Russians want to have everything their ownway, and the general opinion is that they are fighting only for theirown advantage, and that they are bent upon the destruction of Tientsinand the practical annihilation of the trade of the place, in order todivert the whole of the trade of the north–west to Port Arthur.
“The Japanese interest lies exactly the other way. Here Japan isacquiring a good share of the trade, but if it were turned to theManchurian port she would lose it altogether. Naturally, therefore,as her force here is about as strong as that of Russia, her generalsare not disposed to let the latter entirely have their own way. As forourselves, our interests are as large as all the others put together,and we have had more than our share of fighting, but unfortunately wehave no officer of sufficient rank and command to hold the Russians incheck.
“However, at present no preparations whatever have been made for anadvance upon Pekin. Nothing is thought or talked of but Tientsin, andyet, after the city is taken, there will be a great deal to arrangebefore we can move forward. It is certain that the advancing forcemust 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 amonth to restore it to order. Well, it will be necessary to collecta great number of junks—river junks, for the sea–going craft woulddraw far too much water. Then a great quantity of stores must be gottogether. It seems to me that while the troops are waiting here forreinforcements they ought to be making preparations for the advance.
“Of course I am no judge whatever of military matters, but it doesseem to me, as it seems to every civilian here, that at leastsomething ought to be done, and that with the force we have here itis disgraceful that we should be doing nothing while our countrymenare fighting for their lives at Pekin. However, I suppose thepresent state of things cannot last indefinitely. I have no doubtthat telegrams have been sent by all the nations in Europe to theirmilitary representatives here urging them to make an effort to relievethe Legations, though unfortunately, as we learn from Shanghai, itappears to be almost a settled conviction in Europe, as it is amongthe military men here, that the Legations have already fallen and allwithin
them perished.
“The Empress of China is the one person responsible for all thismischief. If she had set her face firmly against the Boxers from thefirst, and issued stringent instructions to her generals to stamp themout, they would never have been formidable. The encouragement thatshe gave them, and the punishment she inflicted upon the few generalswho did their duty and attacked them, has caused this. It was becausethey were allowed to attack the Legations and destroy the railway thatthe allies were forced to capture the Taku Forts, and the capture ofthe Taku Forts at once caused the Chinese army to make common causewith the Boxers. One step has been necessitated by another, and wereit not that the viceroys of the Yangtse Valley have declined to obeyher commands, and have maintained order in the districts under them,the whole of China would be in a blaze, and every European outside thetreaty ports would have been massacred.
“As soon as the affair is over I shall return to Europe, and remainthere for at least a couple of years, for certainly there will be norenewal of trade within that time. You may be sure that every merchantin the Chinese city who carried on dealings with us, and was thereforesuspected of being well–disposed towards us, is among the vast numberwho have been massacred. We know that the quarter inhabited by them hasbeen almost destroyed, and before this can be rebuilt, and a fresh bodyof men take their places, a very considerable time must elapse.”