Preparing for the advance--A conference of Generals--An immediate
start--A reconnaissance--On August 4--A guard for Tientsin--The
number of troops marching on Pekin--At the Siku Arsenal--The position
of the Allies--Pei-tsang--Enemy in great force--The Americans--The
magazine--The first line of Chinese trenches.
This news from Pekin, which came as a great surprise to everybody,
stirred the blood of the Allies. It was plain that, although still
alive, the besieged in the Legations were in a sorrowful plight. At
any cost, an attempt to relieve them must be made at once. It was
impossible to rest idle only eighty miles away, and let men, women, and
children of our blood be slaughtered by these barbarians.
For two or three days there was a great commotion in Tientsin to
prepare for the advance. Pekin carts were commandeered in all
directions, and saddles, ponies, mules, donkeys, and rickshaws. Ponies
and mules fetched high sums, and were very difficult to obtain. I
was fortunate enough to get some good mules and Chinese artillery
pack-saddles, which came in very handy to carry the heavy load of
photographic plates and cameras that I intended using on the way.
On August 3, at 10 +A.M.+, a conference of generals was held, at
which it was decided, at the instance of General Yamaguchi, that the
combined forces of the Allies now ready in Tientsin should make an
immediate start for Pekin, without waiting for the arrival of further
reinforcements. It was proposed that the movement should begin on
August 5, but afterwards agreed that the advance could be made on the
4th.
[Sidenote: ADVANCE ON PEKIN]
[Illustration: THE AUTHOR’S INDIAN AND CHINESE SERVANTS BRINGING
ARTILLERY PACK SADDLES ON A WHEELBARROW]
The Japanese division had arrived in Tientsin on July 21, and had since
made a reconnaissance to locate the enemy, and discover his strength.
It was not till the afternoon of the 4th that the troops began to move
out of the settlement, raising clouds of dust on the road, and rattling
the heavy gun carriages over the rickety wooden bridges outside
Tientsin native city.
Three battalions of Japanese infantry from all regiments, commanded by
Major Eguchi, were left as a guard in Tientsin, as well as some Indian
British troops, Russian and French soldiers, and Italian marines.
The troops that took part in the advance were about sixteen or eighteen
thousand in number, and consisted of--Japanese: one brigade of
infantry, and all the cavalry available; four companies of artillery;
one company of engineers.
[Illustration: AMERICANS PREPARING TO START FOR THE ADVANCE ON PEKIN]
British: Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Royal Artillery, 7th Bengal Infantry,
1st Bengal Lancers, 1st Sikhs, 24th Punjab Infantry.
American: 9th and 14th Infantry.
[Illustration:
_SKETCH PLAN
OF THE ATTACK ON
PEI-TSANG_
_BY A. H^y. SAVAGE LANDOR_
]
The Japanese, British and American were to work in a joint movement on
the west bank of the River Pei-ho, while the Russians (East Siberian
Regiment and Cossacks), French, and Austrians were to march on the east
bank. The Russians proposed to come over to the west bank, owing to the
great difficulty of getting through the country on the opposite side of
the stream, but this was not allowed, and they therefore remained on
the east bank with the Austrians, Germans, and Italians.
[Sidenote: PEI-TSANG]
The night of the 4th was spent by the Allies around the Siku, or Hsiku,
arsenal, the English and Russians acting as outposts, and the Japanese
being placed on the extreme left. The Russians occupied the Siku
arsenal itself, in the centre of the line, the British and Americans
the right and left centre, and the Japanese the extreme left.
From the Siku arsenal a double embankment, six feet high, ran along in
a north-westerly direction as far as a magazine, then turned almost
north beyond it. Two buildings, a gunpowder magazine, a small village,
and a few scattered houses and granaries, stood in the large triangular
stretch of flat country, now covered with crops (Indian corn) four
feet high, that was enclosed by the river on one side and the road
embankment on the other, the Siku arsenal being the point of the
triangle.
Pei-tsang, where the Chinese were reported in great force, was about
six thousand yards north-west of Siku. The Chinese were very strongly
entrenched behind several lines of earthworks stretching to the
south-west from Pei-tsang and to the south-east along a mud wall. There
were several miles of trenches, very skilfully laid out, and the enemy
had placed behind them six guns at their extreme right, nine field
guns in the centre of the line, three guns directly west of Pei-tsang,
and eight guns near the granaries south-east of the village. It was,
indeed, a formidable position to attack.
During the night the Allies took up a position to the south of the
embankment, the Japanese occupying the extreme left wing, close to the
magazine, where they brought up their artillery, under the command of
Major-General Tskamoto, with the 21st brigade of infantry, the 5th
regiment of cavalry, one company of engineers, the 5th regiment of
artillery, and ambulances.
To the right, under the command of Major-General Manabe, was the 9th
brigade, one company of cavalry, one battery of artillery, one company
of engineers, Red Cross ambulances, &c.
The reserve consisted of the 11th regiment, taken out of the 9th
brigade, and one company of engineers.
Next to the Japanese along the embankment were the British forces,
under cover, consisting of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 7th Bengal
Infantry, the Royal Artillery, the 1st Sikhs, and 24th Punjab Infantry.
The Americans, for some unaccountable reason, lost their way, and
therefore were not in the position assigned to them, nor did they take
any part in the engagement.
The 1st Bengal Lancers were on the open ground where high crops were
growing south of the embankment, and a few hundred yards away from it.
At 4 +A.M.+ on August 5, the Allies had taken up their positions, the
head portion of the Japanese 5th division excepted, which had moved
forward at 10 o’clock the previous evening (August 4). They had pushed
their way right up to the Chinese sentries near the magazine, and
with the first rays of light, at 4.20, got the first glimpse of the
enemy. Ten minutes later, at 4.30, the magazine was in the hands of
the Japanese. With this was also captured the first line of Chinese
trenches. Three thousand Chinese troops were reported to be guarding
the powder magazine, but they withdrew to their main defences, and a
Japanese battery was set to work at this spot.