CAPTURE OF TIENTSIN NATIVE CITY
Two o’clock on the morning of July 13th saw bodies of men, totalling
rather more than 6000, moving quietly to their appointed rendezvous;
from which they were to set out to fight what proved to be the
fiercest battle of the war, a battle against heavy odds, and one in
which every advantage lay with the opposing forces. The object in
view was the capture of the native city, without which the advance
to Pekin might be indefinitely delayed, and which was, equally with
the capture of the Taku Forts, the most important operation of the
many which finally resulted in the relief of the Legations. The
native city itself, besides being surrounded by a high and solid wall
which was impervious to the attacks of the Allies’ light artillery,
was also the most important city in the north of China, with the
single exception of Pekin. It was the centre of the huge Fur trade,
and in fact was the outlet to 90 per cent. of the entire trade of
two provinces. The population was about a million souls, and it was
garrisoned by regular troops to the computed number of 12,000, with
another 10,000 Boxers as armed auxiliaries. The latter had nearly all
got rifles of types from the newest Mannlichers to old single-loading
Mausers, with which, even if they were not adepts in the art of rifle
shooting, they at least kept up an astonishingly heavy fusilade.
They appeared to labour under some misapprehension about the use of
sights, which they seemed to believe denoted the muzzle velocity
of the projectile, rather than the number of yards at which it was
desired to kill a foreign devil. Thus, seeing a man say about 200
yards away, they thought that if they put up their sights to about
1800 yards, they stood more chance of hurting him than they would do
if content with the proper range.
[Illustration: GUN AND ENSIGN CAPTURED AT TIENTSIN.
[_page 156._]
Unfortunately this did not apply to the Regulars, who on this
occasion, urged on by threats and bribes, used their weapons more
effectively than was looked for, judging by their past behaviour.
Even before the troops had started the enemy had somehow or other
got the news, and shells began to fall pretty frequently in the
German concession, which was the quarter fixed for the gathering of
the British, Japanese, Americans, and French. The representatives
of these powers were entrusted with the attack on the south gate of
the city, after they had driven back the enemy from the Hi-Kuan-Su
arsenal, which was already occupied again by the Chinese. The
Russians and Germans were told to capture all the batteries and forts
on the other side of the river, and then to catch the enemy as he
retreated from the north gate and fled, as every one confidently
expected he would, along the river bank to Hsi-Ku arsenal, the scene
of Seymour’s relief, which had also been re-occupied by Ma’s men. To
the superstitious the day appeared to be an unhappily chosen one, for
not only was it the thirteenth of the month, but it laboured under
the somewhat grave disadvantage of being a Friday, two misfortunes
upon which an officer was flippant enough to pass some facetious
remarks, as the naval brigade headed the British force out of the
Taku gate.
The total number of men engaged was about 5000, British 710, Japanese
1500, French 900, Austrians 45, and Americans 900, who were on the
south-west side of the river, the Russian and German contingent being
on the north-east. The first line of advance assumed the form of
a sweep, and took the force clear of the enemy’s artillery fire,
which had been absolutely non-effective in the darkness. In silence
the troops marched on the racecourse position, which was found to
be untenanted. On reaching the open plain, and heading for the
Hi-Kuan-Su arsenal, the force was split up into five columns, each
making for the gate of the arsenal by converging routes.
The day soon broke, and simultaneously the opposing artillery
commenced a tremendous fire; that of the Allies being directed
at the city wall, at the south gate pagoda, and at any guns that
were visible; while the enemy divided their attention between the
advancing columns and the Allied guns. In the otherwise deathlike
quiet of the summer’s morning, a series of roars, and distinctly
visible flashes, created an extraordinary impression on the infantry,
who seemed to feel that this was only the prelude to something
compared to which the everyday occurrences of the last six weeks
would altogether pale into insignificance. It was so unusual, this
artillery duel—which was being waged so fiercely and at such a
distance as to be without a sound of rifle fire or a sight of the
enemy—which every now and again burst forth into a sustained fire,
only to be succeeded by a storm of rifle bullets and the almost
inevitable attack, followed by the Allies’ steady reply, ending in
the repulse of the Chinese, and the destroying of houses by shell
fire. The present was all so different: the defenders had assumed the
offensive; the long hoped for and long expected day had come, and
the possibility of capturing the enemy’s headquarters found the men
in such a determined mood that the possibility augured a certainty.
The Chinese did not make a prolonged resistance at the arsenal, and
the Japanese were quickly in full possession. The British, Americans,
and Austrians were following them, when all at once the air seemed
alive with bullets, and the British who had formed the Japanese
supports, being neither able to locate the fire nor to see the enemy,
immediately extended and lay down. Not so the Americans, however,
who came swinging by the rear of the prostrate British, and suffered
heavily; the experience gained was costly but profitable, for they
likewise immediately assumed the prone position. Then ensued one of
those trying half hours that seem to come in most engagements. With
no enemy in sight, and no possible chance of retaliation, the men
lay there restless yet eager. Bullets fell so thickly that the air
seemed, to use a Scotch expression, like a “kist full of whistles.”
With the force were six horses, five of which were killed in the
first few minutes. Nor were they the only loss, for here Captain
Lloyd of the Marines was mortally wounded in the throat, while yet
relating his experiences of the Seymour column. Almost his last words
were to the effect that, having come safely through that trying time,
he feared not for his safety then. The conduct and the courage of the
men were splendid. They showed the utmost confidence that the order
which regulated them to lie on the fire-swept plain, and prevented
them from gaining the shelter of the arsenal walls, only some two or
three hundred yards in front, was only given, that something more
important to the main issue should first take place before their work
began. At last the tension was removed, the order to advance was
given, and with what feelings of relief the men rose, formed into
line, and marched coolly up to the walls, can be better imagined
than described. Only two men were lost whilst in the erect position,
whereas the small British naval force alone, on rising, left one
officer dead and some twenty wounded men in the doctor’s hands.
Naturally the interval had not passed without incidents occurring
which in some measure affected the result of the battle. The first
was a terrific explosion on the other side of the city, which proved
to have been caused by the demolition of a dynamite store, either
by British guns or Russian bullets. The effects of the explosion
were somewhat curious; a squadron of Cossacks were dismounted, and
it was said that the Russian General was himself slightly injured by
the falling _débris_. Many windows in the settlement were broken at
a distance of two miles, and where the Naval Brigade were lying in
their previously described position, the vibration was extraordinary,
at a distance of about three and a half miles. A thin column of white
smoke rose perpendicularly in the still air, and gradually flattened
out into a mushroom-like pall; perchance the only pall to the coffins
of several of the enemy.
Another noticeable event was a minor explosion on the south side of
the city, occasioned by a shell from the 12-pr. on the mud wall. It
burst in a small-arm magazine, and caused an outbreak which finally
developed into a serious fire, sounding for all the world like
hundreds of crackers going off, as the fire reached box after box
of ammunition. One thing was noticeable during that inactive half
hour, in which one had nothing to do but think; it was the manner
in which the wounded men behaved on receiving their bullet. What
a lot some actors might learn if they only would take the risk of
being eye-witnesses! There would be less of the tragic fall on to
one’s back, and less still of the fixed stare at the drop scenery.
In reality, it is only the slightly wounded who betray any emotion
whatever, and this is nearly all of a facial type; their utterances
are usually not fit for publication. The more seriously wounded seem
to be numbed, and their phlegm seems wonderful in such circumstances;
no whining, no apparent excitement, a very common remark with
bluejackets being “’ave got! get a stretcher, Bill”—practical if
callous. Those who figure in the day’s casualty list as mortally
wounded, if speech remain to them, generally seem to have had some
premonition of the coming disaster,—they are “fey.” Their feelings
are expressed by “I felt it coming,” or “Them——have got me at last,”
and so on. When the Brigade reached the arsenal, it was seen that the
Japanese were pressing an attack in skirmishing order on the left
front, the Americans were discovered to be about to start to the
right front in force, while the straight and exposed road joining the
arsenal with the south gate of the city, was held by a mixed force of
French and Japanese numbering in all about a hundred, who had pushed
up to within 600 yards of the gate, in order to take advantage of the
cover afforded by some half-dozen huts. This small body had two guns
with them, but these speedily became inoperative through lack of
ammunition, and the extreme danger, which lay in making an attempt to
bring a further supply from the rear, rendered them useless for the
remainder of the day.
By half-past nine, the day had grown unpleasantly hot, and the men of
the British contingent contrived to snatch a few minutes’ rest under
the shadow of the mud wall, which proved to be an efficient sunshade,
as well as a valuable shield. The furious musketry and artillery duel
continued without cessation, and it seemed likely that the Japanese
and Americans, devoid of all cover as they were, might be compelled
to retire. Certain it is, that any further advance seemed fraught
with such dangers that it was improbable the city would fall during
the daytime. One may, therefore, judge of the surprise caused by a
message to General Fukushima, that some Japanese troops had already
gained a footing inside the walls. At the time it struck every one
as being too improbable to be correct, but immediate action was
necessary to support any body of men who might have won their way
in, and on the earnest desire of the Naval Brigade’s commander to be
given the post, the order was given that two companies of marines,
and a company of bluejackets, should advance down the central road
straight to the gate, and that another company of bluejackets should
be sent to the aid of the Americans, who appeared to have suffered
a serious check in their advance on the S.E. corner of the wall,
and on the suburbs in their immediate front. With the first-named
detachments went a half company of the Chinese regiment, who seemed
every whit as keen on the chance of some desperate street-fighting
as the sailors. The whole body marched through the captured arsenal
and found, on the other side, a Japanese field battery, pounding
away for all it was worth, at the south gate, receiving in return a
heavy shell fire, and an equally heavy, but ill-directed rifle fire.
This of course dashed the story, that the gate had fallen, to the
ground, and on leaving the friendly cover of the houses, it became
apparent that the party to be reinforced would not be reached without
an advance, in which the elements of excitement and danger were not
lacking, and in which the latter largely predominated. There were
some 1200 yards to be covered, the ground to be crossed consisting of
a straight, flat road about 15 yards wide, with canals on each side
of it; at the other end, at a range of about 1900 yards, were 3000
riflemen with several guns, the whole in comparative safety; and the
only opportunity for a spell of rest offered itself in the shape of
two small huts about half-way. The marines led in single file at the
double, and the other companies taking the movement up, there was
soon a long Khaki and blue snake on the road, to serve as a target
for the Chinamen. Scarcely had the rear of the line left cover, when
the comparatively peaceful road became dotted with bullets, which,
with the splashes in the adjacent canals, went to make the onlooker
hold his breath with anxiety to see how long the fire would be in
taking effect. It was not long, first one, and then two others,
falling forward; but on the whole the casualties were surprisingly
light during the first half of the journey. The looked-for rest at
the half-way hut, which had held forth such an alluring prospect,
turned out to be most uncomfortable, as the spot was semi-enfiladed
from a walled prison on the left, and two more casualties took place.
About three minutes saw the men again advancing, and as they emerged
from the little stopping place, a withering fire came from the
suburbs, the prison, and innumerable loopholes in the top of the city
wall.
The Chinese must have been considerably upset at the general trend
of events, for they missed an opportunity such as but seldom falls
to the lot of any number of snugly entrenched troops. Every man
should have been hit, so great was the expenditure of ammunition;
but although the casualties were rather more numerous—three men being
killed, and an officer and a dozen or so others wounded,—on the whole
the force again escaped lightly. It was during the second advance
that Midshipman Guy of the “Barfleur” gained his V.C. for bandaging a
wounded man under this heavy fire, and eventually carrying him back
to shelter, where unfortunately his wounds proved fatal. Everything
comes to an end, and at last the houses were reached. These proved
to be big enough to shelter the whole force, as well as the mixed
detachments already there; the total number would be about 300,
comprising Japanese, French, Austrians, marines, bluejackets, and
some of the Chinese regiment. So crowded were the men at first, that
those who were not energetic enough to explore for themselves, had to
lie out in the rear of the centre house, a position which was open
to fire from two sides; and it was not until a Frenchman and one of
the Chinese regiment had been killed, that some of them began to
look about them, and to make the most of the ample cover that there
was. In order to eliminate the objectionably long term “the Author,”
and to facilitate the flow of incident, I, who happened to be one of
the midshipmen with the party, propose to take up the thread of the
narrative:—
The wounded with us suffered frightfully, being without bandages
and also without water, this latter being so near and yet so very
far, for two men who crawled down to the muddy canals to fill
water-bottles were both shot in the head; and in addition to our
other troubles, a field gun made our position its objective, before
we had been there an hour. Unlike the majority of gunners who served
the Chinese artillery, the No. 1 of this gun made the most execrable
shooting, and the first ten shells flew all more or less wide of
the mark. The eleventh, however, entered the roof of one of the
houses and burst in the little central courtyard, which luckily was
untenanted. I have still in my possession the base and fuze of this
shell, which so nearly levied toll on the crowded men just on the
other side of the four enclosing walls. Half a minute passed, and we
were still waiting for the twelfth, when our 12-pr., a mile and a
quarter away, woke up, and caused the retirement of the tormentor.
But for this relief at the eleventh hour, there can be no doubt that
our position would have shortly become untenable. For the next few
hours we laboured to put the position in a state of defence, but the
fire became so hot, if even as much as an arm were shown, that it was
impracticable to get much done. A Frenchman and a marine who were,
contrary to orders, sniping from an improvised loophole, both got
hit, the former fatally.
A very plucky exhibition of despatch-carrying was shown by three
Japanese mounted orderlies, who were trying to reach the officer in
command of the small Japanese detachment who shared our quarters,
or to be more accurate, whose quarters we shared. They had come
from the arsenal, and had reached the half-way hut safely. Here
they dismounted, and one remounting, galloped towards us lying low
in his saddle. He had barely got 50 yards when horse and man were
rolled over lifeless. The second also rode to his death, but without
a moment’s hesitation the third took his horse by the bridle, and
leading it, managed to reach us safely amidst great excitement,
only to lose his horse, which took fright at some bullet graze and
galloped back whence they had come, pursued by a shower of bullets.
About the same time as this, another incident occurred with even
more fatal results to the parties concerned. Lieutenant Oliphant,
with two of the Chinese regiment and two mules, had already twice
taken ammunition to the hard-pressed Americans, and he once more
essayed the same task. In less than half-a-minute from the time of
his leaving cover, men, mules, and ammunition lay in a heap on the
ground, inert and lifeless. There is an adage which has it that “The
third time does it.” It did!
The Americans for their part had suffered heavily, and for some
reason, perhaps the comparative laxity of discipline which obtains
in their service, they were beginning to show loss of _morale_, an
adjunct of vital importance to troops in adverse circumstances.
One man was heard to say “Guess I don’t mind scrapping of a kind,
but may I go back and scrap in the Philippines for the rest of my
mortal life, rather than any more of this.” He was so evidently in
earnest that it was rather laughable, and one of the petty officers
belonging to the company of bluejackets who had been sent to their
support, took occasion to assure him that he would get used to
it like himself, who had had that sort of amusement nearly every
meal-time for four weeks! Undoubtedly their share of the fight had
been an arduous one. They had to advance over difficult open ground,
they had lost five officers, and though it appeared that they might
have cleared the villages in their front with a little dash, it would
perhaps have been a hazardous operation to undertake, considering
their loss in men and _morale_. Failing an advance, there was nothing
for them to do but hang on to their position until darkness, in
order to prevent our centre from being enveloped by troops from
the enemy’s left; to retire by daylight was, besides being bad
strategy, demoralising and extremely dangerous. Thus this weary day
dragged on, until at four o’clock in the afternoon, there seemed to
be even less chance of getting into the city than had been the case
at ten o’clock in the morning. At four o’clock, as no communication
or further orders had been received either from General Dorward or
Captain Burke, I was sent back with a note to each of them, asking
for instructions in the one, and for a doctor—whom I met on the
way—and food, water, stretchers, etc., in the other. My appearance
was of course the signal for a furious but badly aimed fusilade,
which continued until I had reached the arsenal, which I did after a
most exciting run. I had only left our position about five yards when
a bullet grazed my hand and took the skin off two of my knuckles,
and I’ll bet I beat all records for the 100 yards. On my way, after
this, a Frenchman passed me, bent on a similar errand in the opposite
direction. He, poor fellow, when within 5 yards of me, fell with a
splash into one of the canals. There was just time to glance at him
before hurrying onwards, the result of the investigation being more
flattering to Chinese marksmanship than one would have imagined,
his wounds numbering two, either of which would have been sufficient
to kill him. I had reason to feel sorry for the poor chap, because
perhaps one had been meant for me! In the arsenal, preparations were
being made for the night, and it was not without some seeking that
the General was found, returning from personally placing the Royal
Welsh Fusiliers in an excellent position for repulsing any attack
on the left flank. In the rear were three thousand of the enemy’s
infantry, and some cavalry and guns; with these the Japanese cavalry
were in touch, but their presence in the vicinity necessitated very
careful dispositions being made. Two companies of sailors were sent
to occupy some few houses, in reality a tiny village, commanding
the road, the only possible line of approach for cavalry, and their
absence from the arsenal, which was to all intents our base, created
a great scarcity of men there. This was however remedied by the
return, under cover of darkness, of the Americans and the company of
our sailors. Our wounded were also sent back to safety, and a cartful
of water and food, which returned with me to our position on the
road, served the double purpose of conveying provender in the outward
trip, and being a comfortable conveyance for them on the homeward
one.
The Allies’ arrangements were, that the main force of Japanese
should press their attack right home on to the suburbs underneath
the walls, and should occupy them, until plans had been completed to
blow open the south gate, which it was proposed to do at four in the
morning; also that our mixed force should maintain its position until
the explosion was heard, when we were to immediately rush forward
straight for the gate, which, together with the south wall, we had to
occupy. We, in turn, were going to be relieved by the Americans and
the other troops, who were all going to hurry up at the given signal.
The utmost confidence prevailed, and after every one had partaken of
some food and drink, it was felt on all hands that a great success
awaited us on the morrow. Sentries were posted, positions assigned to
the various contingents in case of a sortie, and the men lay down to
get as much rest as possible. According to custom, a heavy fire was
maintained by the Chinese all night long, but, with two exceptions,
the night passed quietly. One was the wounding of a marine by a
chance bullet, the other was caused by a party of Frenchmen who, on
it commencing to rain, tried to crowd into a hut which was being
used by some of our officers. On being cleared out they were most
indignant, seeming to think that six feet, by ten feet, by six feet
was ample accommodation for about thirty human beings, and they
assured us that they were “bons camarades!” Perhaps they were, but,
with the exception of a couple, they had to find shelter elsewhere.
At 4 a.m. the explosion took place as arranged, as we knew it must,
for the Japanese, gallant little souls! broke their engagements to
none, and showed their backs to nothing. We immediately stood to
arms, and in five minutes’ time were running through the burning
gateway to fulfil our share in the general plan. The Japanese were
seen to be engaged in some half-hearted street-fighting, which was
becoming rapidly less; and organised resistance soon ceased. Next
in, were our marines, and the Chinese regiment; after them the
French. The manner in which these excitable men behaved was almost
contemptible. They planted their little tricolors all along the
south wall, they shook each other by the hand, six buglers mounted
the wall and blew a fanfare of trumpets, and finally, to their shame
be it said, they fired volleys into masses of fugitives pouring out
of the west gate, among whom were many women. By their behaviour,
an outsider would have judged that to them, and to them alone,
belonged the credit of the city’s fall. For some hours the various
troops were engaged in clearing the city, and the villages on the
north side of it, which were full of snipers who kept up a brisk
fire until turned out of it by the Japs, who pushed right on and
helped the Russians take the city fort, which was the last point of
resistance. The Russians and Germans on the other side of the river,
had experienced the same serious opposition on the 13th, and had but
partially succeeded, like ourselves; but in a similar manner the
morning of the 14th brought better luck, and by noon on that day the
city with all its surroundings was undisputedly in the hands of the
Allies.
To the Japanese belongs the lion’s share of the credit, the
Russians and British probably being their most able assistants.
This victory, the most costly as it was the most decisive, was also
the turning-point from defence to attack,—in fact, it must always
remain the most important movement in the whole campaign, opening
the way, as it did, for the advance on Pekin, which for several
reasons could never have been begun until the Chinese had been forced
to evacuate their great stronghold. The severity of the fighting
may best be judged from the casualty list, which numbered 775, of
whom the greater number were Japanese and Russians, the remainder
being mainly composed of Americans, British, and French. The Naval
Brigade’s share in the day’s fighting was alluded to in the General’s
despatches in a most complimentary manner, and the services rendered
by the company who went to the assistance of the 9th U.S. infantry,
were also gracefully acknowledged by the American Senate.