In Europe and in America, cut off from all reliable sources of
information about what was happening at the embassies, the suspense was
very great. In July rumours came of the fall of the legation, and the
massacre of all the Europeans. Even in official circles the news was
accepted as true; obituary notices of the members of the legation
appeared in the daily press, and arrangements were made for a public
funeral service at Saint Paul's Cathedral.
It was some time after the arrival of this report in Europe that the
allies found themselves able to start from Tientsin, being equally
uncertain as to what they would find to be the state of the embassies,
if they themselves should arrive there; happily, though late, it proved
not too late.
On 3rd August the allied generals arrived at a resolution to commence
the advance the next day with, approximately, 20,000 men, namely, 10,000
Japanese, with 24 guns; 4000 Russians, with 16 guns; 3000 British, with
12 guns; 2000 Americans, with 6 guns; 800 French, with 12 guns; and 300
Germans, Austrians, and Italians.
Among the British contingent the navy was well represented, the Naval
Brigade, under the command of Captain Gallaghan of the _Endymion_,
consisted of 125 bluejackets with four 12-pounders from the _Barfleur,
Terrible, Endymion, Phoenix_, and _Algerine_, and 278 marines under
Major Luke; there were also two more naval 12-pounders manned by
Hong-Kong artillery under Major Saint John; there started on the same
day the junks which had been captured from the enemy.
The principal Chinese position was at Peitsang, where they were strongly
entrenched on both sides of the river. This position was attacked and
stormed by the Japanese, supported by the British, on the morning of the
5th, the brunt of the action being borne by the Japanese, who lost 200
in killed and wounded, the British only 25, of whom 21 were Indian. The
force pressed on day after day, driving the enemy before them, the
Japanese bearing the brunt of the fighting all the way up. Pekin was
reached on the 14th, and about 2:45 General Gaselee had the good fortune
to enter the legation first of all the generals. In these actions very
little fighting fell to the Naval Brigade, but the marines under Major
Luke co-operated in the relief of the cathedral the next day.